The Fifty Seconds

As promised, I present the 52nd, led here by Sir John Colborne, later to become the 1st Baron Seaton. He's Seaton on his horse now.

A couple of vintage Hinton Hunts, I'm pained to admit, were harmed in the making of this regiment. One of these was a BN 20: British Rifles Bugler, to whom I added some shoulder wings to turn him into a light infantryman

The second was Sir John Colborne's horse, which started out as an FNH 10: French General's horse, converted into a British Infantry Officer's horse.

And to finish up, here's what they look like with my other two Anglo-Hanoverian regiments. Some British artillery to go with them is looking a bit overdue.

The figures used for the 52nd were:

Hinton Hunt:

BN 93: British Light Infantry charging x 20

BN 90: British Light Infantry Officer charging x 1

BN 20: British Rifles Bugler, converted into a British Light Infantry Bugler, x1

FNH 10: French general officer's horse, converted into a British infantry officer's horse

Der Kriegspielers Napoleonique:

#154: British Light Infantry Command Group regimental colour bearers x 2, with a few modifications

Alberken:

BN 35: British light infantry officer, converted into a British Light Infantry colonel x 1

For those who haven't spotted it yet, Colborne is my new avatar. He was a Wellington Man, after all.

Happy New Year everyone!

WM

Flag Packet

As promised in my last post, herewith is my slightly wobbly rendition of the colours the 1st Battalion  52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot, Light Infantry.

Leeke and Nettles Group

Unusually for a British light infantry battalion, the 1st/52nd famously carried their colours at Waterloo, with Ensign William Nettles carrying the King's Colour and Ensign William Leeke carrying the Regimental Colour. Poor Nettles was killed by a French round shot shortly before the battalion launched it's celebrated assault against the Imperial Guard. His body, along with the King's Colour pinned beneath it, wasn't recovered until the following day.

To command my version of the 52nd I have a very fine Hinton Hunt BN 90: British Light Infantry Officer charging; and two somewhat less than brilliant Der Kriegspielers Napoleoniques standard bearers from Set 154: British Light Infantry Command Group.

Both the standard bearers needed soldering as the flags were on the verge of breaking off, and I had to inscribe the King's Colour as Der Kriegspielers only produced Regimental Colours! The overall effect is...well...it is what it is, shall we say. They were fun to do though, which is the main thing.

Only 20 more to go.....

WM

King George's Other Army

The first half of my first Phase-Two infantry battalion is ready for inspection. It is the Field Battalion Bremen, one of the regiments of King George III's Hanoverian Army.

Strengthened with a sprinkling of British troops and German freikorps units in British pay, this new army sprang into existence in 1813 following the collapse of French power in Northern Germany. After campaigning in Germany in 1813 and 1814, the Hanoverians would eventually march to the Low Countries and were still garrisoned there when the Napoleonic Wars broke out afresh in early 1815.

In its early days the Bremen and Verden Battalion, as it was originally called, was dressed as light troops in stovepipe shakos and Rifle green. By the time of Waterloo, however, it had been re-organised and equipped as a redcoat battalion. Opinions differ about the other details - some sources suggest they were also issued with new Belgic shakos, for example, and had blue rather than the black facings I've given them here. However, most agree they retained their distinctive dark blue trousers and black leather equipment. Whatever the details, they're certain to brighten up my Prussians a bit, and provide a brilliant excuse for adding all sorts of other weird and wonderful units.

The figures I've painted so far for this battalion are taken from the Der Kriegspielers sets:

# 153: British Light Infantry Battalion 1815, Firing x 11; and
# 154: British Light Infantry Battalion Command Group, Drummer, x 1.

The next post will feature the rest of the command group and an ever-so-slightly speculative flag!

Have a great weekend,

WM

Prussian Special Reserve 3

The 21st march out...

The 2nd/21st are ready to take the field.

They took three weeks to complete from start to finish and so have taken my speed-painting record.

I think they have to be my favourite battalion to date, even if they do look a bit like Trumptonshire Fencibles!

...if a little  self-consciously!

Ready for all eventualities...

...with God for King and Country!

The Prussian Army is beginning to take shape!

 Happy Easter!

WM

Prussian Special Reserve 2

The 2nd/21st, trying not to look embarrassed!

The first two companies of the 21st Infantry Regiment/9th Reserve Infantry Regiment are finished.

I've painted them to represent the second battalion of the regiment, who were dressed in blue, British-made uniforms with white lace and red facings.

The new British uniforms issued to many of the reserve regiments attracted public ridicule and so there were efforts to "Prussianise" them by removing the lace. The 21st made themselves even more sombre-looking by blackening their belts. However, when I painted a test figure with white tunic lace and cross belts to see what this would look like, I thought the effect was so striking that I decided to paint all of them this way!

The rank and file figures are DK 243: Portuguese Line Infantry, charging. They were beautiful, crisp castings in mint condition and in their original packaging when I found them. I like their poses too, which are quite far down the "air guitar" end of the spectrum!

The officer is another of Don's Prussian command figures, Hinton Hunt PN 1: Prussian Line Infantry Officer, charging. I think he looks quite dashing with his red facings.

Last is the drummer, which is from the DK 154: British Light Infantry Command set. He's clearly a conversion from a Hinton Hunt BN 12: British Line Infantry Drummer.

With rain forecast over Easter, I'm hoping to get the other half of the battalion completed over the long weekend. I'll keep you posted!

WM