Saturday 29 June 2019

Franco-Prussian War Prussian 4pdr gun?





In my town in France there are two war memorials, one WW1 combined with WW2, Algeria etc and the older one, which is pictured here, and ,which is, I suspect, for the Franco-Prussian War. The statue looks like a Garde Mobile (in heroic pose) but the reason why I am showing the post is because of the four steel gun barrels at the four corners. They look like Prussian 4pdrs from that war and I recall reading that they were lethal guns and, oddly, had better performance than the heavier 6pdr. I say I think they might be Prussian 4pdrs going by the design but someone out there will know better and might comment below. They are certainly steel barrels and breach loaders too.

Friday 28 June 2019

Prussian 28mm SYW: 29/31 Grenadiers Östenreich






Grenadiers from regiments 29 and 31. Note that all silver-fronted mitres were not real silver but in fact a water-based paste applied over a brass base. This would often wear off in inclement weather so it would have to be reapplied. I asume that this could be done on campaign but I cannot be sure.

Prussian 28mm SYW: 28/32 Grenadiers Kreytzen






Prussian 28mm SYW: 28/32 Grenadiers Kreytzen

Thursday 27 June 2019

British Napoleonics: 2nd Queen's Royal Regiment






And now for a complete change.............

During the Napoleonic Wars, this regiment first fought in the Peninsular Warat the battles of Vimeiro and Corunna. It then took part in the disastrous Walcheren Campaign before returning to the Peninsula to fight at the Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro, the second Siege of Ciudad Rodrigo, the Battle of Salamanca and the unsuccessful Siege of Burgos. By the winter of 1812, the regiment was so depleted by casualties and disease that four companies were amalgamated with the equally weakened 2nd Battalion, 53rd Foot, to form the 2nd Provisional Battalion. Six cadre companies returned home to re-form. As part of the 4th Division, the Provisional Battalion took part in Wellington's triumph at the Battle of Vittoria on 21 June 1813, followed by the Siege of San Sebastián and, 1814, the battles of Orthes and Toulouse.

The metal command figures are from Perry and the plastic marching rankers are from Warlord Games. All that is left to do is the four-figure light company. The flag is from Flags of War although I am slightly unsure about the green-blue hue used on the company flag.



Wednesday 19 June 2019

Prussian 28mm SYW: 12/39 Grenadiers Waldau







Grenadiers from regiments 12 and 39.

Prussian 28mm SYW: 21/27 Grenadiers Lengefeld





Grenadiers from regiments 21 and 27. My previous comments apply again and this regiment was temporarily converged with other converged grenadier battalions on at least three other occasions – after the battles of Moys, again in 1760 and 1761.



Prussian 28mm SYW: 5/20 Grenadiers Jung-Billerbeck





Grenadiers from regiments 5 and 20. Normally these convergences lasted the duration of the war but, on a number of occasions, strengths fell so low that they were converged with other grenadier battalions until their strengths were restored at which point they were separated again. Take this regiment as an example. After the battle of Kunserdorf, where losses were about 300 men, the battalion was converged with 7/30 Grenadiers to form a single battalion with 4 different facings. Between the battles Kunersdorf and Torgau, a period of just over a year, one assumes that new recruits filled 5/20 and it returned to independent existence. But at Torgau it again suffered heavily and after that battle was converged with Grenadiers 1/23.

Thursday 13 June 2019

Prussian 28mm SYW: IR32 Tresckow





This regiment was raised in 1743 and drew it's recruits largely from newly-conquered Silesia. It was present at the battles of Prague, Moys (where its had very heavy losses, over 50%), Kay (50% losses), Kunersdorf and both battalions were captured when Schweidnitz was seized by Loudon.

My view is that these later raised regiments, which had plainer uniforms, were given flashier flags as some form of 'compensation' and probably because colour combinations were running out.

Thursday 6 June 2019

Prussian 28mm SYW: IR28 Hautcharmoy





This regiment was raised in 1723 as a fusilier regiment and converted to musketeers in 1741. It's colonel was killed at the battle of Prague and does not appear to have been held in high regard by Fredrick who assigned it to his brother's corps in Saxony. This is the penultimate unit I have painted in this batch of Prussian reinforcements. Next week the last regiment followed by some grenadiers and artillery.