"Red Lancers for the Duty Squadron. Done!" Topic

Only 28 out of the hundred needed for the Duty Squadron in Waterloo Remodelled, but at least these are done at last. I will continue to use the Art Miniaturen Silesian Landwehr, but think I will drop the plumes. As with so much of my modelling, they are a bit OTT. I tried to add the red laced pockets with brass buttons, but they proved inaccessible with the sheepskin added. The rolled cloaks did much to hide the cap lines on the full dress figures. I may try open lapels and even red overalls, as in parade rig, but I have always thought that the simpler campaign outfit is far more striking.
The cloaked figures worked well and I would stress that any shine you see is due to the intensity of illumination I used for the photos. But for the horses, these are dead matt finish.

My favorites. Beautifully done.

Wonderful!
Your brush must fly like a hummingbird's wing!

Superb as always Deadhead, especially with so much conversion work involved. I particularly like the campaign dress with covered shakos and those dismounted officers. Very appealing.

Beautiful work! Thanks as always for sharing

Amazing stuff, and wonderful not just to have the painting quality but also the conversions.

very nice, you are no a prolific 1 / 72 scale painter.

I have rejoined TMP just to say how impressed I am at your 1/72 conversion. I knew you'd succumb.

I think my son and I missed you at the museum – James thought you would be there.

I lost contact with you when I retired – shout here if you'd like a new email address Liam.

Wonderful stuff Mr D.

Best wishes,

Chris

Very nice, mate. I understand your point about the campaign dress, but as the duty squadron would Napoleon have wanted them in full dress?

We are honoured indeed to have these fine additions to the project. It's going to be a fine sight bringing all four squadrons together, with the carriages and staff.

Thanks all. Great to hear from von W again and Chris D, but above all from Marc the Plastics Fan once more. I had been wanting to tell you for ages that I had finally been won over. I had no idea of the quality of moulding of some plastics and how far they have come from Airfix Cuirassiers.

Dal, a really interesting point and something I have not been able to establish from all my reading. The role of the Duty Squadron was surely not as a tactical reserve under Napoleon's personal control, far too small to make any difference. His personal protection sounds more likely, but does that make them his "personal escort"? I imagine the gents riding around the Imperial Household vehicles did have much stricter dress codes, if not actually parade uniform.

It is s dumb question but I have wanted to ask it for ages. What was the function of the duty squadron?

It's not a dumb question at all, Liam, because duty parties have a number of different functions and they vary from period to period and army to army. I could hazard a guess, but that's all it would be. You'd need one of the Berthier experts to give you a definitive answer. I'd also bet that there was a duty company from one or more of the Garde regiments a pied as well.

My guess is that the duty squadron would provide escorts for couriers, sentries and, possibly, work parties for Napoleon's HQ. But it is just a guess.

Many thanks. That invaluable Napolun site;

link

says this

"Four Duty Squadrons – Napoleon's Escort
Between 1807 and 1815 Napoleon always had in his disposal 4 squadrons drawn from the four regiments of Guard cavalry: grenadiers, chasseurs, Polish lancers and dragoons. These squadrons were called "the duty squadrons". In the beginning the duty squadrons were one each from the chasseurs and grenadiers, later augmented by the dragoons and Poles, when they became "Old Guard".
Among the four duty squadrons the chasseurs had a special task: a group of 20-30 men rode in front and behind the Emperor, while a corporal and 4 chasseurs cleared a way for him. One of the four carried his despatch case and another his field glass. If the Emperor dismounted these men would immediately do likewise.
In 1813 at Leipzig the situation was critical and Napoleon was forced to unleash the 4 duty squadrons (grenadiers, Polish lancers, dragoons and chasseurs). These 800 superb cavalrymen led by Letort "scored a brilliant victory against the Austrian horse, including the capture of 190 officers and men of the famous Vincent [Latour] Chevaulegers." (Parquin – "Napoleon's Victories")"

So they could be a tactical reserve, but I still wonder if the really strict dress code only applied to the immediate escort. We do read that the chasseurs had to wear the plume, flamme and flounders on the colpack in that role. The pelisse I think stayed home

and yes Marc, Mrs F and I enjoyed the evening at NAM immensely. Photos cannot do justice to the sheer scale and spectacle of that number of figures and the superb modelling of buildings

From that description they were primarily Napoleon's bodyguard. But they probably did other duties if they weren't needed in their bodyguard role- I doubt they'd be left to sit around and look pretty all day.

As for the uniform, if you can't find a definitive reference than anyone who wants to state they were in full rig should provide one, otherwise it's only their opinion.

The lances on the cloaked figures….now I can admit it. I measured out the correct length for all lances, forgetting that the Resin figures came with long lance tips to add on. They are formidable lances as a result!