"The Grenadier a Cheval and Gendarmes d'Elite " Topic

G'Day Gents

What was the Strongest effective for the Grenadier a Cheval and Gendarmes d'Elite?

Let me thank you in advance.

Best Regards
Art

The complement of the Gendarmes d'Elite varied as follows:
1806 – 456
1813 – 1174
1813 (Dec) – 1074
1814 – 776
1815 – 100 (but in reality about 200)

The actuals numbers would be eroded by campaigns etc, but it must be remembered that their nick name was 'The Immortals' as their role generally kept them away from serious threats.

Hope that helps.

G'Day Gordon,

Thank you for the information…

I was going to buy figures for the 1815 campaign (1:60)….but perhaps I should buy enough for the 1806 campaign as well.

Thank for the information

Best Regards
Art

Art – for the Hundred Days Perry makes the Grenadiers a Cheval in campaign dress – plain surtout with grey trousers. Also the Gendarmes in helmets. Front Rank does both units in the earlier uniforms.

Regards,

John

The Immortals was the nickname for the Imperial Guard in general.
The Grenadiers à Cheval we're know as Les Dieux – The Gods

Rather than being kept away from danger like the Old Guard Grenadiers (infantry), the Grenadiers à Cheval role as battle cavalry had them see action in the following battles:

Marengo (as The Consular Guard)
Austerlitz
Eylau
Medina de Rioseco (Spain)
Wargram
Dresden
Leipzig
Hanau
La Rothière
Montmirail
Château-Thierry
Vauchamps
Reims
Craonne
Méry-sur-Seine
Waterloo

G'Day Gents

Does anyone think that the Perry Gendarmes and Front Rank Grenadier a cheval would work fine together?

Best Regards
Art

In his ground braking book about the French Imperial Guard at the 1815 campaign, Juhel came to the conclusion, checking depot list, that still the old Imperial coats with white lapels were worn.

G'Day Gents

Was the Gendarmes d'Elites also part of Napoleon's Duty Squadrons?

Best Regards
Art

PS: Thank you Hans-Karl…I shall go with the Front Rank figures then.

I fear you will not. Front Rank do not do Gend d'Elite.

Gringos will shortly and Connoisseur miniatures do some very lively ones (and with the red lapels).

Fascinated about the news of the Grenadiers' rig. I knew the cuirassier coat with the white waist belt was very unlikely.The surtout I had accepted as established. The white lapels look far better.

I had a suspicion for some time that the Dragoons of the Guard wore the nicer coat in 1815, but not the Grenadiers. Delighted! Perrys note………….? Please……..

G'Day

It is my intent to use Front Rank for Grenadier a Cheval…and possibly the Gendarmes d'Elites will come from Perry…unless anyone thinks these two brands are non compatible.

Best Regards
Art

Compare the bearskin shapes for the two. Front Rank are far too rounded, they look like Guardsmen (rather than occifers) of our modern Household Infantry (infantry) on HG Parade.

Perry got them right with GdEl. Tall cylindrical and flat topped.

Their Gren a Chev headwear are better for command, than troopers, but both still better than Front Rank bearskin shapes. Their International Rescue in Bonnet de Police are truly comical…………awful. (and I never criticise Perrys..ever)

Visit La Musee de l'Armee and see what the headgear should look like…….and judge where it is wrong and where it is right

G'Day Liam

I have to agree with you on the bearskins…

So it is a trade off with the bearskin or the old Imperial coats with white lapels.

Devilish predicament indeed

Best Regards
Art

Well, I am not familiar with the works of Juhel. Rousselot states that after the 1st abdication the regiment was designated the "Corps Royal des Cuirassiers de France" and were uniformed in cuirassiers jackets while awaiting the delivery of cuirasses and helmets.

Another question is why can't these 28mm manufacturers make a figure as accurate and well proportioned as AB in 18mm??

Yes, that is what Rousselot states, but Juhel did an excellent job – checking depot list, what was issued, worn etc in 1815 and comes to a different conclusion – progress in research, usually ignored as the old information stick so well to the mind.

As for the shape of the bearksin cap – it also underwent changes, I have a photo of an origianl which looks at least a bit similiar to FR figures.

Perry are usually very accurate and well proportioned in my view, for 28 mm figures, my favourite brand.

Also there exist other ranges like Sash and Sabre – 28 mm well proportioned in my view.

Art,

Word of caution for gendarmes d'élite for the Cent Jours …. they wore restauration casques, a little like this :

Le casque a un turban haut de 95 (mm) en peau de tigre ou panthère, une visière de 75 et un couvre nuque de 45. Ces deux parties sont recouvertes par la peau de panthère, et sont bordées d'un cercle de cuivre de 6. Sur le devant du turban, sont les armes de france en cuivre, et au bas, un bandeau en cuivre portant les mots: compagnie de gendarmerie des voyages, chasses et résidences du roi. L'écusson a 110 de haut, et le bandeau 25 de large. Mentonnière en cuivre à 18 rangs d'écailles, ayant 160 de long, 50 de large en haut, sous la tête de lion de la rosace dont le diamètre est 45. La largeur de la mentonnière diminue jusqu'à 20 dans le bas. La bombe du casque est en fer poli, sa hauteur est 105, elle a un petit rebord de 20. Le cimier en cuivre, représente, sur fond d'azur ; un cor ayant au milieu un croissant, puis un serpent enlaçant une branche de chêne, sur le devant est une tête de méduse. la hauteur du cimier est 110 par devant, 75 au milieu, et il se termine en pointe. LA pièce du devant du cimier a 55 de large en bas, 20 au milieu ; 15 près le cou de la méduse. Ce cimier est fixé sur la bombe au moyen de vis et d'écrous. Sur le cimier est une chenille noire, suivie d'une queue de crin noir longue de 600. Plumet blanc de 325, à plumes de coq. Dans une petite tulipe en cuivre, il s'adapte dans un porte plumet long de 45, placé à gauche en avant de la tête de lion.

The re-formed gendarmes d'élite in 1815 were mostly just the prior compagnies de gendarmerie des voyages, chasses et résidences du roi. The royal arms on the front of the bombe were effaced or removed. There was one in the Musée de l'Armée alleged to have been a Waterloo relict, another (no specific Waterloo provenance) that went to auction about 15 years ago and a third which I authenticated in the early 1990's for a family as pertaining to one of the officers of the unit at Waterloo who was their ancestor. There were supposed to be another two or three in a private collections that I did not ever see.

Bien fort amicalement,
- Sasha

Deadhead

as you say our figures are verging
on fruition its taken a
while as mentioned above they are a complicated unit considering the size ……….but aesthetics even in the compressed 28mm scale is of prime importance

there will be Command for the Clasical and bearskined
Gendarmes..officer/standard bearer/and ubiquitious
trumpeters

first trance to be released 20 25/4/2015 at Salute
in London and on my site

regards
Ged

gring040s.com
gringo40s.blogspot.com

Alexandre

What is your source?

Here an bearskin cap of GaC, also they underwent changes during 1800 – 1815

Von Winterfedlt,
Well, from memory, actually.

I think a photo from the exhibit at the Musée de l'Armée was once posted on the Napoleon-Series …. but it may have been on the prior free-speech sister series that was shut down.

The description is from the auction catalog …. but I found it again on-line here :
link

I am pretty sure of this, as there was not really time ot come up with new headgear … but would as always be happy to be corrected.
:-)

Didier Davin thinks a mixture of both bearskins and casques :
link
(but newly assigned "regular" gendarmes would have had chapeaux, I would have thought)

Here Leliepvre is cited about the casque : link

Malibran, casque modèle 1816 gendarmerie d'élite

- Sasha