"Light Infantry Colours on campaign?" Topic

5 Posts

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ConnaughtRanger	21 Jan 2019 11:17 a.m. PST
What's the consensus on whether British Light Infantry Battalions (more specifically the 43rd and 52nd) carried their Colours on campaign in Portugal and Spain?
Major Snort	21 Jan 2019 2:04 p.m. PST
The 43rd and 52nd definitely carried their colours in Spain and Portugal. To give just one example for each regiment: Those of the 43rd are mentioned in a letter written in August 1812 by George Hennel, an officer in that regiment, describing the regiment's advance at Salamanca. Those of the 52nd are mentioned in a letter describing the Battle of Sabugal written by Lieutenant Hopkins of the 43rd. I don't think the 71st carried theirs in the Peninsular. The 51st carried theirs until the Battle of Fuentes de Onoro, where their colonel ordered them to be burned (on the evening of 4th May I think)! I don't think they received a new set until after the Peninsular War. I am not sure about the 68th or 85th.
ConnaughtRanger	21 Jan 2019 2:33 p.m. PST
Thank you – I'd seen the Hennel reference but I don't think I've seen Hopkins' memoirs.
Major Snort	21 Jan 2019 3:48 p.m. PST
Hopkins' account can be found in the Historical Record of the 43rd Regiment (but he is referring to the colours of the 52nd Regiment).
Last Hussar	21 Jan 2019 4:33 p.m. PST
I don't think the 71st carried theirs in the Peninsular. Now you mention that I remember that – 43rd and 52nd did, 71st didn't, but I don't know how!

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