| Hubbynz | 06 Jul 2013 7:59 p.m. PST |
Well I have slowly been working on this unit over a number of years in the background of my halfling army and have finally finished the final base below. This unit has been slowly painted over 3-4 year period. The unit is a mix of Victrix, Perry and Foundry and may not be a 100% historically accurate but ah oh well ;-). I have attempted to present the unit as a very battle-worn formation to depict the brutal defence of the chateau of Hougoumont on the outskirts of the Battle of Waterloo. This defence is considered one of the greatest achievements of the regiment as some declared that the success of the battle turned upon closing the gates at Hougoumont. The two battalions that defended Hougoumont suffered 500 dead and wounded out of strengths of 2,000 hence the high amount of casualties in my unit. More on my blog, feel free to follow, join or comment link
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 Condotta  | 06 Jul 2013 8:15 p.m. PST |
Beautiful work. The casualties certainly achieve the effect you desired. If the photo is not reversed, the King's colour is traditionally presented to the right of the Regimental. Enjoyed your blog and wonderful halflings. |
| Brian Smaller | 06 Jul 2013 9:55 p.m. PST |
really nice. I have had the urge to do a similar unit for years ever since seeing something like it in an old Wargames Illustrated from the nineties I think. The unit is a mix of Victrix, Perry and Foundry and may not be a 100% historically accurate but ah oh well ;-). I like the cut of your jib.
YouTube link |
 Artilleryman | 07 Jul 2013 5:26 a.m. PST |
The Guards being the Guards, the colours are round the other way. The Union flag is the regimental colour and the red one the King's. so the picture is correct. I've been caught out by this myself. |
| Supercilius Maximus | 07 Jul 2013 11:10 p.m. PST |
Very action-packed. It's hard to tell from the photos, with my eyesight, but there might be one small point to note on the uniforms – "inserts" on the wings of flank company men were uniquely dark blue for all of the Foot Guards regiments (whereas they were red for all Line regiments, including those with blue facings). I don't know if this link still works, but there was a thread on TMP last year about the Guards' colours, which promised articles on all four pairs carried:- TMP link From memory, I think the Coldstream left theirs on the ridge, guarded by the 4th and 5th (centre) companies, as almost the entire battalion was eventually committed to Hougoumont. |
 deadhead | 08 Jul 2013 2:59 p.m. PST |
The white overalls on the guards legs…often seen it shown (NAM for example), but is it right? Almost unique, if correct, for 1815 in the Netherlands. Not one other Allied unit wore white overalls…..any evidence the Guards did? Often wondered……….. |
| Condotta | 08 Jul 2013 9:15 p.m. PST |
Ah, thanks Artilleryman. Hubbynz added a disclaimer that the unit may not be 100% correct, but the placement of the colours of this guard unit certainly are. |
| Lord Hill | 11 Jul 2013 2:30 p.m. PST |
The 2nd, 3rd Guards AND the 30th (cambs) Foot wore white trousers at Waterloo. |
| deadhead | 11 Jul 2013 2:59 p.m. PST |
Lord Hill, intrigued. As I said, I have seen the mannequin at the National Army Museum, also the illustration in Adkin and various pics showing Guards in white overalls. Never heard about 30th of Foot but I suspect you are absolutely right. Must ask how this came to pass, why and whether there is any evidence for it however. If correct, then there are a lot of Hougomont dioramas that will need revising. |
| Camcleod | 11 Jul 2013 7:39 p.m. PST |
The fact that the 2nd and 3rd Guards wore white overalls at Waterloo is mentioned in their Order Books – from an article by Fosten and Haythornthwaite in Military Illustrated No. 25. No mention of the 30th doing so – sources ? |
| John Franklin | 03 Dec 2013 5:37 a.m. PST |
I'm afraid that Fosten and Haythornthwaite were wrong. The following thread might be of some assistance: TMP link And no, the Foot Guards were not wearing their undress trousers, as has been suggested was the case with the 30th. By the way, the figures look great! Kind regards John |
| Joes Shop | 03 Dec 2013 5:49 a.m. PST |
Excellent work, thanks for posting! |
| John Franklin | 03 Dec 2013 6:15 a.m. PST |
Pleasure! As there is also mention of the Colours carried by the Foot Guards within this thread, I've added a link to another item: TMP link The Colours carried by the Coldstream Guards remained on the ridge, to the north of Hougoumont, in the care of No.7 and No.8 Companies, which were not sent down to the complex. Charles Short, the junior Ensign in the 2nd Battalion Coldstream Guards, who was serving with No.7 Company (he had been transferred from No.5 Company two weeks before) almost certainly carried the Regimental Colour. I'll keep the details of the person who carried the King's Colour a secret for the moment, if you don't mind. Kind regards John |
| 1815Guy | 03 Dec 2013 8:47 a.m. PST |
good stuff here. Amazing how erudite the readership here is. |
| Nadir Shah | 04 Dec 2013 6:41 a.m. PST |
Amazing work! You have really done a wonderful job :) |
| von Winterfeldt | 04 Dec 2013 8:35 a.m. PST |
great information – thanks a lot John Franklin |
| Hubbynz | 09 Dec 2013 4:32 p.m. PST |
Thanks for all the positive comments and I am surprised how much conversation my not quite 100% historically correct unit has generated….;-) |
