"WSS British Marines" Topic

Has anyone figured out what British marines looked like as far as their headgear? War Games Foundry has 28mm British figures in a fusilier/ grenadier hat but they also indicate that these can be used for British marines.

On the other hand, some of the illustrations I've found on the internet show WSS British marines in a pointed cloth mitre with a tassel at the point – no hanging bag like the fusilier/ grenadier hat. Perhaps no one really knows what the devil they wore on their heads.

Cheers!

Gallo

I posted this back in 2011, hope it helps.

During the War of Spanish Succession there were 6 Marine Regiments. They came under the command of the Lord High Admiral and were allocated to the fleet. They generally worked independant of the Army and were used as a fighting force for the Admiralty to pursue their own strategy, for example the capture and defence of ports. The uniform was almost identical to the line but with a short mitre cap, like a grenadiers cap. (Hence the marines nickname Le petit Grenadiers.) Facings were a variety of colours. Each regiment was named for it's colonel and was issued colours similar to line regiments.

There were also 6 Regiments of infantry 'Raised for Sea Service'. These were under the command of the Army and were raised to be landed from the sea to pursue the commander in chiefs strategy on land. A 17th/18th C amphibious force. They were uniformed as infantry including the tricorne hats.

CBH

Hi Comicbook Hero,

Yes, that really does help. I have seen contradictory illustrations but I think what it comes down to is there was little standardization in grenadier hats at that time. Thanks for answering!

Cheers!

Gallo

Check out these figs from Old Glory 25s. This is what I use for that period.

link

P.

Given the various alleged practical origins of the grenadier cap, for soldiers serving on board ship or perhaps climbing in and out of boats in the face of the enemy, the merits of a cap as opposed to a broad brimmed hat would seem to be obvious.

Those Old Glory figures look like they would work just fine. I'm in 15mm scale so probably Minifigs and Dixon.

I understand that the cap-like hats were especially useful for troops who typically had to sling their muskets, leaving their hands free for climbing, throwing grenades, and such. Tricornes were too "in the way."

Cheers!

Gallo