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About the 28th 'North Gloucestershire' Regiment of Foot
The 28th is a European-based Regiment on Napoleonic Wars.
Our members range to very experienced with a few years spent on the game to new players that are striving to improve, with all members striving to improve the 28th as well as their personal playing skills.
There are trainings once at the start of every week. Though optional, these trainings are here to provide practice, improvement in skill, helpful sessions about tactics and general gameplay, also to those who make every effort for it, progression towards promotions.
The Regiment also provides leadership openings to those who have served with activity, loyalty, and reliability, but are only approved to those who seek leading, providing a relaxed experience for the players who simply wish to play and have fun with their community. |
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Regimental HistoryFor their conduct at the Battle of Alexandria in 1801 the 28th was given the unique honour of wearing a badge on both the front and rear of their head dress. This commemorated a possibly unique feat, when, drawn up in two ranks to repel a French infantry attack, they repelled a simultaneous attack on their rear by French cavalry. Lieutenant-Colonel Chambers, who had taken over command following the serious wounding of the Commanding Officer, Colonel Paget, gave the historic order "Rear rank, 28th! Right about face!". The rear ranks turned and with exemplary discipline waited until the French cavalry were a few horse lengths away. They then fired one devastating volley, causing heavy casualties amongst the cavalry and forcing them to withdraw. The regiment served throughout the Peninsula War, including the battles of Talavera, Albuhera and Vittoria. They were one of the few Peninsula veteran regiments which were available for the Hundred Days campaign and fought in the battles of Quatre Bras and Waterloo as part of the 8th Brigade commanded by James Kempt. Because of their actions in this campaign, they earned distinguished mention in the dispatches of the Duke of Wellington. During the Hundred Days the 28th continued to wear the old style stovepipe shako, distinguishing them from most British regiments that had adopted the new Belgic shako.
After several changes of the regiment, another important change took place in this year when the government of the day decided to link regiments to districts or counties for the purpose of recruitment. So it was that when the 28th came home in the following year of 1783 it was to be known by the new title of the 28th North Gloucestershire Regiment of Foot. The county they were now linked to was also home to the 61st South Gloucestershire Regiment of Foot and the Royal North, and South Gloucestershire Militia's. Almost crowded from a military point of view! And unlikely that all those units could have found enough recruits within the county to satisfy all their needs. In any case the 28th had little chance to become acquainted with their new territory because they were immediately packed off to Northumberland for the winter. It may well be that they heartily wished themselves back in the warmer West Indies with all it's attendant perils of disease.
The French revolution began in 1789 and from then on set the whole of Europe alight with conflict. Under the genius of Napoleon Bonaparte the French had won battles against nearly every major nation and now dominated the European mainland. She now turned her attention outward towards Great Britain and Her overseas possessions. France had sent an expeditionary force to Egypt with a view to the invasion of India. The 28th were sent as part of a British force under General Sir Ralph Abercromby to counter that threat. They made an amphibious landing near Alexandria on the 8th of March. The French General Menou advanced towards the British who were camped about four miles to the east of Alexandria. He had the advantage of 1400 cavalry and superior artillery. He made a feint towards the British left but made his main thrust at the British right which included the ground the 28th were holding which was an old ruined fort on the Mediterranean coast. The fighting was very fierce and whilst under heavy attack to the front and flanks French cavalry was thrown at the 28th's rear. Lieutenant Colonel Chambers who had assumed command when colonel Paget was seriously wounded was undaunted by this alarming turn of events and gave the order ' 28th, rear rank only, right about face, and Although assailed from both sides the regiment calmly repelled all attacks in fierce hand to hand fighting. By 10.00 am the French were in full retreat along their entire line. In honour of the 28th's conduct on that day they were granted the unique distinction of wearing a badge on the back of their head dress as well as at the front. This badge takes the form of a sphinx with the word 'Egypt' beneath.
Quatre BrasAn expedition under sir John Moore including the 28th was sent to Spain to link up with the Spanish army and drive the French out of the country. However General Moore soon realised that the Spanish army was not going to stand against the French. He also learned that the French were moving to isolate and destroy his force leaving him with no choice but to withdraw the 240 miles to the port of Corunna. The 28th formed part of the rear guard under their own General Paget, now recovered from his wound and Divisional Commander under General Moore. Throughout this gruelling retreat the 28th had been in almost constant contact with the French and had fought many holding and delaying actions. The army reached Corunna on the 11th January and were able to regroup, get some much needed sleep and food, and be issued with arms and ammunition. They then fought the French again just outside of Corunna and succeeded in beating them before being successfully taken off by the Royal Navy. A precursor of Dunkirk? Although the main part of the regiment left the Peninsula it left a detachment behind in Lisbon which as part of a composite battalion under the Duke of Wellington took part in the battle of Talavera. Many more famous battles were fought before the final push in 1813 which saw the defeat of the French at the battle of Toulouse in 1814 and the abdication and exile of Napoleon to the island of Elba.
In March of this year Napoleon escaped from Elba and returned to France gathering popular support as he travelled slowly from the coast to Paris. An allied army was assembled in Belgium which included the 28th who had hurried across the sea from Ireland where they had been stationed for several years. Napoleon was aware that he had only a short time to obtain a quick victory whilst the allies were still bickering about who should do what and before the allied army grew to an overwhelming size. He therefore marched towards Brussels on the 15th June. He met the Prussian army at Ligny driving them off and nearly destroying them completely. Wellington had decided to stop the French advance at Quatre Bras some 25 miles south of Brussels and on 16th June at the crossroads the battle was joined. The 28th in square against cavalry valiantly resisted every effort to break them and eventually Marshall Ney, the French Commander was forced to withdraw. During the height of the battle Sir James Kempt, the Brigade Commander rode into the 28th's square, doffed his hat and cried 'Bravo 28th, The 28th are still the 28th and your conduct this day shall never be forgotten'.
Rank Structure
| Commissioned Officers | | Colonel | | Col | | | Lt. Colonel | | LtCol | | | Major | | Maj | | | Captain | | Capt | | | Lieutenant | | Lt | | | Ensign | | Ens | |
| | Non-Commissioned Officers | | Serjeant Major | | SjtMaj | | | Colour Serjeant | | CSjt | | | Serjeant | | Sjt | | | Corporal | | Cpl | |
| | Enlisted Men | | Lance Corporal | | LCpl | | | Grenadier | | Gren | | | Regular | | Rgl | | | Private | | Pte | | | Recruit | | Rec | |
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Thread was made by Blaze!
Some pictures used are from old 28th Thread!
