Austria WAS/SYW: IR 22 Roth/Sprecher

This is a splendid regiment and the only one in Austrian service with this double colour scheme. This is certainly a WAS uniform that might well have lingered on into the SYW. For more on this regiment see Christian Rogge's blog at this link http://crogges7ywarmies.blogspot.com/2010/04/battle-of-mollwitz-1.html
for inspiration in coupling this unit with these spectacular flags. These flags certainly existed but, as far as I know, there is no reason to assume that they were carried by this particular regiment. On this subject of the flags, I have created a special Leibfahne for them to match up with their Regimentsfahne. Its also worth looking again at the Roechling print of the Battle of Hohenfriedberg that I posted here on the second of this month – this red and white striped flag is shown being presented to Frederick II by the white-coated Prussian dragoons, along with others that have been captured on that day. Note too the great variety of flags supposedly being carried by the Austrians on that day. (NB This red and white flag is illustrated in colour on the back of the Greenwood & Ball Austrian booklet http://www.18thcenturypress.com/syw.html)

I have again given them the white-green cockade (about which I speculated in an earlier post), the old drummer's dress of reversed colours, and these very early WAS flags.

A further eccentricity of this regiment was the fact that both Officers and NCOs did not have red lapels but rather none or white. In summary, this regiment looks perfect for 1743-45. Everyone with an Austrian mid 18th century army needs these guys as they look so un-Austrian!