I've come across a reference in John Aitcheson's (3rd Foot Guards) memoir to an order in 1812 for a second company to be trained as light infantry, in addition to the light company. I can't find anything about it in Wellington's Dispatches. Does anybody know if this was a Guards only thing?
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Thanks Rod, I hope you enjoy it.
Hi Rob,
Many thanks. I have ordered a copy of your book and look forward to reading it.
Best wishes
Rod
Rob,
I hadn't realised that one of the companies of 5/60th left the Guards in November 1813. Where did you get that from? Both Rigaud’s “Celer et Audax” and Oman show the orbat earlier in 1813 as one company with Stopford’s Guards Bde, 3 Companies with the HQ in 3 Div and 5 other companies with brigades in 2nd, 4th and 6th Div. Neither of those sources give company numbers, so you clearly have a better source.
Interestingly, the total number of companies given above is 9. However a second Guards Brigade was formed in November 1812, originally Howard’s later Maitland’s. This comprised 1st & 3rd Bns 1st Foot Guards. They were not at Vittoria, as noted by Oman in his Orbat of that battle Vol VI p750, so I wondered whether the “missing” company of 5/60th was with that Brigade.
Rod
Thanks Rod, that may help to explain another little mystery – why when they got to the peninsular the brigade of 1st Guards, No.5 company of the 5/60th that had been in the 1st Division and was assigned to them later left for the 3rd Division in November 1813. They may have felt they didn't need the extra light troops.
I posted this earlier, but it seems to have disappeared, so I am posting it again.
1st Foot Guards always had one extra Grenadier and one extra Light Company (so 4 Grenadier and 4 Light Companies but only the equivalent of 3 battalions). From Dec 1813 to Sep 1814, 1st Foot Guards had 3 extra companies whilst Coldstream and 3rd Foot Guards had 2 extra each. These extra companies had a normal centre company establishment, but were probably all used as Light Companies.
No other infantry battalions were established for additional light companies.
Full details can be seen in this article on one of my websites:
https://rodwargaming.wordpress.com/miltary-historical-research/organisation/authorised-establishments-of-the-british-army-1802-1815/
Rod