Another season has begun and it's going to be another busy year. You will have received an e mail some months ago now about events and can also find them listed on the 45end website.
Sadly what was looking to be the big continental trip of the year to Eggmühl in Bavaria has been cancelled due to the area of the battle/camp apparently being part of a wildlife/bird sanctuary.
this cancellation meant that Ligny became a feasible event in its stead and a new show on the Horizon is Hoogstraten/Wuustwezel which is likely to be at the end of September, 27-29th. An event there in 2014 was very well put together and fondly remembered by those who went. The cancellation also meant the rather 1809/Bavarian theme I had started for this newsletter became less relevant but hey ho, I hope you can still enjoy it with a weissbier from Tescos.
For those interested in Almelo in May there is more information here:
https://www.historischfestivalalmelo.nl
You have probably heard that one of our long time members, Patrick McGillon, usually known as Pat, passed away this January gone, it seems to have been quite a quick passing and I remember Pat still fighting at the barricades at Holepark in 2017.
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The AGM and 45eme party night.
The annual AGM has been and gone, as mentioned, as usual once the details of the year gone by been assessed and required actions and a plan for 2019 put forward it was time for the dinner and party games, as colourful as ever.
Surely a scene from a Paris salon?
The minister of war made an appearance.
What is meat pie in French?
What happens in Newbury stays in Newbury.
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The Bavarian army in the Napoleonic wars.
Bavaria was one of the largest contributors of troops to the confederation of the Rhine yet it is morep appropriate to regard them as an allied nation in as much as they could provide a whole field army with supports and not merely a couple of regiments as was the case with smaller territories. The average troops are often compared unfavourably with the French, is this a fair evaluation?
Like the British opinions of the Dutch-Belgians in the Waterloo campaign much has been coloured in discussion by the fact French accounts often looked down upon them and many French certainly thought themselves the better troops and as with the former comparison if something goes awry for a French commander, blame someone else!
During the revolutionary period the army was certainly in a poor state, the soldiery were drawn from the lowest social circles, including criminals, and poorly equipped, often short of shoes and with cavalry regiments with dismounted men due to a lack of horses. Morale was never going to be high. Officers bought commissions and seldom had any experience and were often on leave for months at a time.
However in 1801 Benjamin Rumford, an American by birth, was employed to bring in reforms (he deserves an article himself for many accomplishments including inventing the coffee percolator and running soup kitchens in France late in the wars with his own soup recipe designed to give people a fully nutritional meal).
The unpopular white uniform was done away with and replaced with a cornflower blue coat and raupenhelm, the distinctive tall crested helmet..
This headwear was not so popular being heavy and unbalanced especially when rain soaked the crest. skirmish tactics were introduced and drill with smaller columns of men made for more maneuverability. A limited conscription was introduced and buying commissions banned. The army began to represent the whole of society and its officers required merit to get ahead.
What shade of blue the uniform was is still debated, the light ''cornflower' blue of the national flag is often thought to be the colour but surviving uniforms are a darker blue than those most commonly seen in illustrations, reenactment or on the wargames table. (there is even a theory that in the 1970s Airfix only produced a dark blue and a light blue paint and so to differentiate from French coats this very light blue was used by early wargamers to paint Bavarians and it has stuck!). Bavarian uniforms later in the century did become a very light blue, which may have added to the confusion.
Two examples of surviving uniform coats. Part of the collection of the army Museum in Ingolstadt.
Napoleon alluded to the animosity between Bavarians and Austrians in his speech before Abensburg (see below), according to 'For God and for Kaiser' the hussars at Austerlitz charged the French 106eme with abandon because they were mistaken for 'The hated Bavarians'.
Bavaria joined in the Austerlitz campaign as one of the first German states to side with Napoleonic France, alongside Baden and Wurtemburg. This may have been partly provoked by Austrian General Mack marching a large army into the then neatral Bavaria without so much as a by your leave. King Maximilian could only shrug and moved the army conveniently out of the way until he could opening declare with France.
What's all this about looting or ill treating the locals? Both of these accusations have fallen on the Bavarians. In the 1809 campaign a village was looted and set on fire but the brigade had not received rations for three days so where is the difference between searching for food and 'living off the land' that the French habitually did? Nor is there any reason to suspect the fire was anything other than an accident and may not have been remembered at all except for the anecdotal story that the crown prince was asleep upstairs in a house and had to be hurriedly evacuated.
Wargames foundry: Bavarians' looting! lock up your chickens.
The reputation may have been further enforceed by Bavarian troops in the Tyrol facing guerillas often as merciless in their ambushes and treatment of unlucky captives as those in Spain and with a similar cycle of vengeance, but again this behaviour was no different to that of the French. That said it was held at the time that civilians would rather have four Frenchmen billeted on them than one German!
So were they 'good' soldiers? Overall I believe yes, the early reforms and organisational experience of the 1805 campaign put them in good shape and the officer class saw themselves as professionals, the men ready to obey them. The early years of the alliance saw the nation prosper and wars were in the national interest, especially when others had marched into their own territory as in 1809, the appearance of Napoleon always caused cheers and a clamour to see the great man. The jagers (light infantry) and Chevaux-Legere (Light dragoons) were considered very fine troops and accounts often give them particular mention.
1809 was the peak of their proficiency. Fighting alone they saw many successes and incidents of valour and when the day turned against them they usually retreated in good order.
It is beyond the scope of this article to describe all these engagements but I will give Napoleon's speech before a series of clashes that would become known as the battle of Abensburg on the 20th.
"Bavarian soldiers! I stand before you not as the Emperor of France but as the protector of your country and the Rhinebund. Bavarians! Today you fight alone against the Austrians. Not a single Frenchmen is in the front line, they are in reserve and the enemy is unaware of their presence. I have complete faith in your bravery. I have already expanded the borders of your land; I see now that I have not yet gone far enough. I will make you so great that you will not need my protection in any future war with Austria. For 200 years, the Bavarian flag, supported by France, has fought heroically against Austria. We will march to Vienna where we will punish it for all the evil it has caused your fatherland. They want to divide your nation and enroll you in Austrian regiments! Bavarians! This war will be the last you will fight against your enemies. Attack them with the bayonet and destroy them!'
Having ridden hard he had outpaced the guard and spent the night bivouacked with the Bavarians, which I believe reflects his faith in them as a reliable force.
Morale however fell in the Russian campaign, and desertion and even suicide marked the advance, men were described as having 'died of homesickness' in the dreary wastes. The losses of most of the Bavarian division shook the nation and calls to end the alliance sounded loud, this was not just heard in Bavaria for 1813 saw a growing sense that the German nations, if they came together, could form a significant power and no longer be overshadowed as mere pawns to France or Austria.
Having quit the alliance a Bavarian army under Wrede (baulstered by Austrian elements) tried to block Napoleon's retreat from Leipzig back to the Rhine but Wrede assumed the French would be more disorganised and strung out than they proved to be and the veteran French forces pushed through after a determined assault, despite severe loses especially where a division was pushed back onto a river with only a single bridge, the Bavarians did not break and retired in largely good order. This battle probably saved Bavaria from being punished for its former long association with France.
Fur Bayern und Konig Max!
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The battle of little big Arapile.
Sunday 13th January saw a re-fights of the battle of Salamanca, Los Arapiles to the French. With about four divisions each it was going to be a full day of action. Generals Irwin, Bradshaw and Timm (British/allied) vs Bentley, Stearman and Ricketts (Roy advised by ADC Groves as a wargames newbie).
The Boss.
Both sides had a general plan discussed in the privacy of the staff room, would they survive contact with the enemy? Certainly not for the French, the dice Gods never backed up their plans and the battle ground to a halt in the centre and then began to be pushed back towards the French side.
The calm before the storm, the greater Arapiles' in the centre. French forces can be seen on this flank, the British heavy cavalry similarly came on the left flank and would meet their opposite number.
Heavy dragoons Vs Curassiers!
The French column that marched right round to the British rear/flank.. only to find the battle all but lost. Oh well, they lived to fight another day. Demi turn adroite! March!
None of our commanders were taken out of action as quickly as Massena was by a shell on the actual day.
The village was taken quickly and kept the British at a respectful distance for quite a while.
The chaos of battle. The final stages made a great example of desperate, disjointed defences amid the growing panic as shrinking French forces became islands of defence each concerned with only their own situation/survival and the Generals pondering when it would be an honourable moment to march away and save what was left of their own division.
Next time!
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Ickworth
The much anticipated first field event of the year and a good turn out for the 45eme and the French brigade with a boost to our light troops in the form of the 2eme Legere.
Saturday saw forces split between the battle besides the house and a running skirmish with several objectives away in the woods and paths of the grounds. This was a test run for a possible campaign event at Ickworth and everyone seemed to enjoy it.
The British spoke highly of our performance as a brigade in both activities. The rifles saying it felt like we were 'everywhere' and confounded an attack from the rear on one flank by simply closing in around them in a pivot that caught them in a noose, the hunter becoming the hunted.
The battle on the Sunday had an atmospheric haze of low lying smoke due to the wet weather although the rain had stopped for the battle. It was a dynamic fight that was quite a spectacle with two wings and skirmishers and an opening cavalry attack on the poor Sappeurs after stirling work of shooting the bag Piper.
The battle on the Sunday had an atmospheric haze of low lying smoke due to the wet weather although the rain had stopped for the battle. It was a dynamic fight that was quite a spectacle with two wings and skirmishers and an opening cavalry attack on the poor Sappeurs after stirling work of shooting the bag Piper.
skirmish squad ready to go
Tony's medical display and engagement with the public went down very well so it was fortunate he escaped the firing squad at impressive speed at the close of the battle.
The catering corp also received much praise and at one point had four people holding a blanket over the fire to try and get it/keep it going to get lunch on in the rain. A variety of weather makes for an interesting season.
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Meine guter Kamerade.
The song 'Meine guter Kamerad' has become the tradition lament for fallen soldiers in Germany, you will often find it associated with the two world wars but it is a non political or religious song and so has remained relevant, in fact it is a truly Napoleonic song from its inception and descriptive theme.
Written first as a poem in 1809 by Ludwig Urland, a poet from Württemberg and supposedly dedicated to some Baden soldiers who fell in the Tyrolean insurrection, in 1820 it was set to the music of a Swiss folk song. It is also sung by the French foreign legion and the only song they must salute that is not a national anthem.
The words recount a soldier marching and then fighting in line, standing and loaded as his friend beside him is hit and falls at his feet, the first soldier laments that he cannot help his comrade because the line is loading and firing their muskets, his duty must come before giving comfort and the man dies before him.
Ich hatt' einen Kameraden,
Einen bessern findst du nit.
Die Trommel schlug zum Streite,
Er ging an meiner Seite
In gleichem Schritt und Tritt.
In gleichem Schritt und Tritt.
Der Kugel kam geflogen:
Gilt’s mir oder gilt es dir?
Ihn hat es weggerissen,
Er liegt zu meinen Füßen
Als wär's ein Stück von mir.
Als wär's ein stück von mir.
Will mir die Hand noch reichen,
Derweil ich eben lad.
Kann dir die Hand nicht geben,
Bleib du im ew'gen Leben
Mein guter Kamerad!
Mein guter Kamerad!
(Translation)
I had a comrade,
No better could you find,
The drum called us to battle,
He marched right by my side,
In matching pace and step,
In matching pace and step.
The ball it came flying,
Is it for me or is it for you?
He was then torn away,
He fell down at my feet
Just like a piece of me,
Just like a piece of me.
His hand it reaches out to me
As I am to reload
I cannot hold onto your hand
You rest in eternal life
My good comrade
My good comrade.
There are some later versions of the song with additions/variations but this is the original except it is sometimes written with either 'A ball.' Or ' The ball..' the latter supposed to suggest that it was fated that his comrade should die, the bullet with his name on it.
Mein guter kameraden!
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Rogues Gallery
Worcester. Lawrence is turned away by the White beards. Come back in a few years young man!
Serge enthralls his audience.
Duncan leading the regiment over the bridge at Hole park.
Next newsletter will be August. As usual feel free to send any news, reviews, articles, etc. Thanks to the usual suspects whose FB pictures have been used. En Avant!
