"Colours, 88th Foot in the Peninsula" Topic

As has been my practice since I was 11 years old, I will buy myself some "toys" for Christmas.

I want to buy the colours of this regiment – the Connaught Rangers – but I found a dark green colour on the internet with LXXXVIII in the center! That is simply amazing!

Does anyone know what their colour looked like? It should be yellow, as for the facing colours, but how would that immense Roman numeral look in 28mm?

Another, yellow, illustration seems to have a harp in the center of the yellow colour, and a sphinx below – for Egypt.

Just want to buy the correct colours.

GdeP

According to Osprey Elite #81, the 1793 issue 88th colours had a harp and crown in the centre plus a Sphinx under the wreath (granted in 1802) This colour was carried until after the Buenos Aires campaign in 1808.
The second 1808 issue colour was yellow with LXXXVIII in the centre surrounded by two wreaths, a Sphinx below with 'EGYPT' on a blue ribbon below. Battle honours on blue ribbons were added all around from 1815 on. No harp and crown.
This is how it looked around 1817-20:
link

The 1834 issue again had the harp and crown and the motto 'Quis seperabit' had been granted in 1830.

Cliff

Thanks, Cliff. I was hoping the harp would last longer!

A bit of a mess after 1815 with the blue ribbon all over the colour!

It looks like they may have lost their pre-1808 colour in Buenos Aires?

"88" would have been a more balanced center number, but I don't any other regimental colours with an Arabic numeral in the center.

GdeP

Garde Paris,

I can say that the 88th Foot did not lost a color at Bs As. There the British lost four "flags", two from the 71 Highlanders 1er and 2nd bons plus a guidon from the same regiment, and two marine colours , one from the Royal Blues under the comand of William King and one from a ship.

I have a picture of all of them but I do not know how to post them here. if you want I can send them privately.

regards

Manuel

Manuel

Please do post them if you can. You will need to save them on a photo storage site like Photobucket and then you can link them to this board.

The two colors of the 71st are the King's and Regimental of the 1st Bn. The 2nd Bn. was posted to Scotland during the Nap. Wars.
link

Cliff

Camcleod,

Here I post what I have at hand, I hope it help you

regards,

Manuel

Sorry, but your pics aren't showing up :(

Camcleod,

If you copy the link (posing the mouse on them and then copy with the right button the link) you can see them in a new window. If you can not just let me known I will send them privately.

I really find too dificult to post imagines here, sorry.

regards,

Manuel

Camcleod,

Can you see the flags?

Regarding the 88th Foot I found that Alexander Duff, said "The little confidence I had in the attack prompted me to leave my flag at headquarters, thinking I could do it in the spirit of the order received".

Source:The proceedings of a general court martial, held at Chelsea Hospital, on thursday, january 28, 1808, and continued, by adjournment, till tuesday, march 15, for the trial of Lieut. Gen. Whitelocke, late Commander-in-chief of the forces in South America. Taken in short-hand by Mr. Gurney. With the Defense copied from the original, by permission of general Whithelocke; also all the documents produced in the trial, London, J. C. Mottley, 1808 II, 501

Don't know where that 71st. " guidon" came from! The 71st. would not have had such a thing!

@Garde de Paris;

I believe the dark green colour you are looking at for the 88th. is for the SYW 88th Campbell's Highlanders.

The Flags of War edition looks pretty good to me.

Manuel

Nope, still can't see your pics.

My email is cmcleod at efni dot com (substitute the appropriate symbols).

Thanks
Cliff