The Fifty Seconds

As promised, I present the 52nd, led here by Sir John Colborne, later to become the 1st Baron Seaton. He's Seaton on his horse now.

A couple of vintage Hinton Hunts, I'm pained to admit, were harmed in the making of this regiment. One of these was a BN 20: British Rifles Bugler, to whom I added some shoulder wings to turn him into a light infantryman

The second was Sir John Colborne's horse, which started out as an FNH 10: French General's horse, converted into a British Infantry Officer's horse.

And to finish up, here's what they look like with my other two Anglo-Hanoverian regiments. Some British artillery to go with them is looking a bit overdue.

The figures used for the 52nd were:

Hinton Hunt:

BN 93: British Light Infantry charging x 20

BN 90: British Light Infantry Officer charging x 1

BN 20: British Rifles Bugler, converted into a British Light Infantry Bugler, x1

FNH 10: French general officer's horse, converted into a British infantry officer's horse

Der Kriegspielers Napoleonique:

#154: British Light Infantry Command Group regimental colour bearers x 2, with a few modifications

Alberken:

BN 35: British light infantry officer, converted into a British Light Infantry colonel x 1

For those who haven't spotted it yet, Colborne is my new avatar. He was a Wellington Man, after all.

Happy New Year everyone!

WM

Regimental Sir John

It's Christmas Eve and I've been hard at it for the last few days working on the 52nd (Christmas chores allowing, that is).

Progress on the 52nd has been a rather glacial business, I'm sorry to say, but at long last they're finally coming together.  I've even managed to finish painting a commander for them. He is none other than Lieutenant Colonel Sir John Colborne, who commanded the 52nd at Waterloo.

The figure chosen for this gig was an Alberken BN 35: British light infantry officer, pictured here next to a Hinton Hunt FNH 10: French general officer's horse.

Cutting him off his base, fixing his sword and bending his legs, etc., so that he could sit on the horse were all quite easy. Less simple, however, was the major leg surgery he needed to shorten his unreasonably lengthy calves. Other changes were a new left arm, courtesy of a Lamming Scots Gray trooper, and some epaulettes suitable for a field officer.

The horse still needs a bit of work, but there's a fair prospect of getting Colborne and the rest of the 52nd finished this week.

In other news, I was very chuffed to see that my flag design for the Russo-German Legion has caught on a bit. You can see it here: The Hinton Spieler.: Green Jarmins

Pictured below is the absolutely exquisite version painted by Aly Morrison:

And not be outdone is the very pretty version made by the mysterious Count Goya, which he somehow managed to create directly from one of my photographs:

Seeing these flying above such beautifully painted regiments has been a really lovely way to round off the year.

Merry Christmas everyone!
WM

Flag Packet

As promised in my last post, herewith is my slightly wobbly rendition of the colours the 1st Battalion  52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot, Light Infantry.

Leeke and Nettles Group

Unusually for a British light infantry battalion, the 1st/52nd famously carried their colours at Waterloo, with Ensign William Nettles carrying the King's Colour and Ensign William Leeke carrying the Regimental Colour. Poor Nettles was killed by a French round shot shortly before the battalion launched it's celebrated assault against the Imperial Guard. His body, along with the King's Colour pinned beneath it, wasn't recovered until the following day.

To command my version of the 52nd I have a very fine Hinton Hunt BN 90: British Light Infantry Officer charging; and two somewhat less than brilliant Der Kriegspielers Napoleoniques standard bearers from Set 154: British Light Infantry Command Group.

Both the standard bearers needed soldering as the flags were on the verge of breaking off, and I had to inscribe the King's Colour as Der Kriegspielers only produced Regimental Colours! The overall effect is...well...it is what it is, shall we say. They were fun to do though, which is the main thing.

Only 20 more to go.....

WM

A little light work

My new regiment is starting to take shape, although I've only finished one of them so far as a test figure.

He's a Hinton Hunt BN 93: British Light Infantryman charging, as are most of his comrades. I can't absolutely vouch for his vintigosity, but he seems OK. It's taken me five years to amass all the BN 93s I need for this  regiment, so I'm not complaining.

With a bit of luck I may have a colour party to show off by next week.

Huzzah the 52nd!
WM

The Light Fantastic

Progress on my cuiraassiers is inching along, but there's not much to show yet. To make up for this I have some pictures of Rob G's recently completed 20th Light Dragoons.

Rob has made a magnificent job of these. They make my cuirassiers look simple in comparison. The figures, I believe, are all vintage Hinton Hunt BN 50 British Light Dragoon in Shako charging, with one very nicely converted by Rob into an officer.

If it's not cuirassiers next week it'll be something else rather special that's recently come my way....

All the best

WM

Edit: In other news, David C has posted the last installment of our epic refight of Rolica. This was the best fun I've had in ages, and it was an honour and a pleasure getting to know David. He really is a smashing bloke.

True Brits

The 73rd were marching to join Wallmoden's Corps when they were met on the road by the famous "Uprising Dörnberg".

Dörnberg: Zank Gott, you haff come. Zere is not a moment to lose!

Wallmoden's troops were drawn up in line. As the Germans looked on, General Lyon formed his men into quarter column and began his demonstration of the "19 Manoeuvres".

Lyon: Right Lads, let's show these Jarmins how it's done!

To the beat of a single drum, the British recoats marched, wheeled and countermarched flawlessly.

Wallmoden's Germans watched in silence.

Dörnberg: Jah Jah, very pretty. But can zey fight?

With the demonstration complete, the whole Corps formed up in review.

It was not a moment to soon. The sound of gunfire could be heard echoing over the hills. The French were approaching.

Lyon: England expects, Lads!

But where were the Prussians?

WM

* As seen in "A plan of the nineteen manoeuvres by Lieut. J. English, of the 9th Foot, as published by authority in 1801".

British Lyon

To my utter shame I have failed to complete the 73rd in time to claim them for my 2018 painting total. They're nearly there, but it's going to take another day or two before they're ready to take the field.

What I have to show instead is my new commander, who is a David Clayton version of that favourite old Hinton Hunt standby: BN 107: British General (mounted), pointing (horse attached series).

General Lyon cantered onto the field to take command of the 73rd,

Hinton Hunt experts may notice his face is a little unusual. This is because he was completely missing anything resembling a nose, so I had to give him one with my soldering iron.

but no matter where he turned.....

Like my French General, Marshal Quiestil, he is to have a roaming commission. General Hoosie is to be his usual name, but when serving with Wallmoden's Army he is to be Brigadier James Frederick Lyon.

...he couldn't find them anywhere.

Lyon commanded the 97th (Queen's Own Germans) Regiment of Foot in the Peninsula until 1813, when he was sent to North Germany to help organise the new Hanoverian Army and was almost immediately given a division to command in Wallmoden's Corps. On the day of Waterloo he was in command of the 6th Hanoverian Brigade at Hal, and so missed the battle. If I ever play Waterloo, however, I'm sure I could find a place for him.

He will find his regiment, with a bit of luck, by Saturday morning, for as the pictures show, the armies are already massing for battle.

Till then

WM

The Gilded Age

I've been hard at it painting Chasseurs this weekend, but they're complex wee beasties and after every few steps I have to stop to let everything to dry.

During one such episode late this afternoon I decided to dig out a regiment which has been sitting in a box at the back of a cupboard, more or less forgotten, ever since I bought it several years ago. I'm going to need some more redcoats at some point, so I thought I'd get them out to have a closer look at them. They are, I believe, Alberkens with a sprinkling of Hinton Hunt command figures, painted to represent the 42nd Highlanders.

Alberken 42nd Highlanders

I bought them because they looked so charmingly Gilderesque. When I saw them in the lead my heart almost sank a bit because the quality of the painting was so high that the only thing I could really do with them was a little gentle retouching and perhaps remounting with a few bayonet repairs. I may have a go at this over Christmas if I can get the Chasseurs and Lammings finished.

Vintage painting at it's best

Having got them out again, and with Gilder in mind, I hunted through some of my old wargaming books to see if I could spot something similar. Sure enough, on page 13 of Charles Grant's Napoleonic Wargaming (King's Langley: Argus Books, 1974), I found the following photo of Peter Gilder's collection:

The 42nd leading the right flank of Picton's Division at Waterloo in 1974.

Also featured is a very pretty regiment of Lammings on the left.

Do you know, I think it's the very same regiment.

Yours, in some amazement.

WM

Colour Supplement

I've been working on my Lammings this week, and the result is a colour party.

The figures are all vintage 20mm Lamming Miniatures from the Napoleonic 1815, British Foot range:

BI/1: Line infantry advancing x 1;
BI/2: Line infantry officer with drawn sword x1;
BI/2: Line infantry officer with drawn sword x 2, converted to colour bearers; and
BI/5: Line infantry drummer x 1

The baldrics for the colours were made by flattening out a length of soldering wire, cutting it into even strips and then bending them around and gluing them to the figures. Both ensigns were also in need of a bit of arm, hands and sword repair, which I achieved with some gentle soldering and a couple of flattened pins. I tried to keep the classic Lamming machete look for the sword blades.

My sincere thanks to M S Foy for the Regimental Colour ensign - it's very pleasing indeed to have this regiment led by a full compliment of proper Lamming officers. They were in severe danger of getting a Minifig, which would not have been the done thing!

Toodle Pip.

WM

Lamming Season

It's Labour Day Weekend here in Welly, which means we get Monday off, so I have a little bit more painting time. The plan is to devote this to the Chasseurs a Cheval. I've made a start, but while I was about it I couldn't resist having a go at a test figure for my new British 73rd Regiment:

He is a Lamming Miniatures figure from the 20mm 1815 Napoleonic range, which was launched in 1970. The specific code is BI/1: British Line Infantry Advancing. I'm very pleased to say that I have twenty of them, with four command figures to lead them, almost all courtesy of Mr Lewis Gunner, who gave them to me as a gift about three years ago. I've been itching to have a go at them for all this time. They seem to be fantastically rare these days.

He and his comrades are beautifully clean and simple castings, and he was an absolute joy to paint. There is now a distinct danger that the rest of them will usurp the Chasseurs in the painting queue. I want to see what those flags will look like with a regiment behind them.


Have a great weekend
WM

Fit for a Prince

My much delayed Estorff Hussars, AKA the Prince Regent's Own (by 1815), are finished.

I was able to grab a few quick shots of them before racing out for a social engagement.

The figures, as before, are all Der Kriegspielers Napoleoniques from set 164: British Cavalry 1815, Hussars, albeit with two conversions to make the officer and the trumpeter. As is ususal with DKs, they are a little on the slim side, but were beautifully crisp castings made from strong, bright, high-quality metal. I wish all DKs were as nice as these.

The Estorffs have not gone down in history for their martial prowess. My main reason for painting them was...well...er..I had them to hand and I needed to get something onto the table for Wallmoden's Army. I hope JC enjoys weilding them. They'll be able to threaten a charge at least!

Toodle Pip.

WM

Dörnberg: Charge!........!!?!&$@#!

Estorff Salad

One of the glories of Napoleonic wargaming is the riot of colour that results once you've managed to paint up a few of the opposing regiments. Hanoverian hussars, however, manage to be a colour riot all on their own.

The regiment I've chosen to do is the Lüneburg Hussars, more popularly known as Estorff's Hussars after the Hanoverian notable who raised them in 1813. I'll say a little more about them in my next few posts, but in the meantime suffice to say they are painted according to one of the versions of the uniform they are thought to have been wearing by 1815.

The figures are all Der Kriegspielers from set 164: British Cavalry 1815, Hussars. My intention is to keep plodding away on them until the regiment is finished, but there's a distinct possibility I'll crack and do something else for a while.

Speaking of which, I must be off to finish the Sunday roast!

Best regards,

WM