What Unit/Impression do you potray?

[Millander]

Btw HWM folk thats awasome that you guys are doing the Emerald Guards. Im going to be the Emerald Guards in Bcof https://www.fsegames.eu/forum/index.php?topic=237.0

[Duuring]

please tell me what/who were the Pupilles?

Glad you ask.

Louis Boneparte, King of Holland, had a decree which states all boys who stayed in orphanhouses and the like, and thus who lived on costs of the state, were automaticly available for militiary service. They were called 'Kweekelingen', and later on 'Velites'. Originally split up and with their parent regiment, later on they were formed together (or other way around, I always forget).

In 1810, Napoleon brought Holland into France and the army was incoorparted into the French. The velites were originally intended for the war ships (Yes, France had a fleet, it just was incapable of doing anything), but when Napoleon saw their great drill and spirit, he took them into his guard as a sort of ultra-young guard. They became 'le Regiment de Jeunes Hollandais' (Regiment of young dutchmen), of two battalions. However, soon enough, Napoleon expanded the original decree to entire France - Which included parts of Germany and Italy, as well as modern-day Belgium. The regiment renamed to 'Pupilles de la garde' and was expanded to eight battalions of four companies each, and another depot battalion of 8 companies. They numbered (at least on paper) almost 8000 men and officers, making them the biggest regiment in the guard. Also, the lowest paid and priviliged.

Half the battalion was dressed in Green habits, the other half in white with green labels. However, many pupilles kept woring the old Dutch white coats with different colours of labels. They were armed with Dragoon muskets.

In 1813, after Napoleon was in dear need of new soldiers, the 7e Tirallieur de la garde was raised from their ranks, of pupilles older then 19 and higher then 1.59 cm. Some sources also say the 8th and 9th, but I'm yet to find more proof. Many pupilles had already been passed to, or did so later on, such other regiments of the guard, as (to name one) the 13e voltigeurs.

The 7e Served in different battles, including Bautzen and Leipzig, and was eventually disbanded in 1814. They show up again in 1815, but it's likely they were raised from new soldiers and they only numbered about a hundred men.

What happend to the Pupilles who stayed in France? It's hard to say. They were spread out over all of northen France, but we know for sure that the depotbattalion defended the gates of Clichy, during the battles of Paris. They were aged 12 to 16 (officers were, of course, adults), and according to legend they begged, after being ordered to retreat, to fire 'just one more shot'.

on the right

[close]

BUT THE STORY DOESN'T END HERE! Of the two remaining battalions of Pupilles, one was disbanded, the other one returned to the Netherlands with all their arms. They became the Corps of Velites, which was disbanded a few months later. They consisted of 300 Dutchmen and 96 other nationalites. Most of them were put in the 3rd Jagers, which became the 18th Jagers in 1815. They remained in Hal during Quatre-bras and Waterloo, but joined the Fortress war in late 1815.

However! A few dozen of them were incorparated into the 5th Jagers, which would become the 27th Jagers - A regiment of 809 men and officers, which would see both Quatre-bras and Waterloo, and lost a great percentage of their men. 37% KIA, wounded and missing at Quatre-bras alone. Other Pupilles, who had joined Young guard regiments, had deserted those regiments in '14 and joined the Dutch army. A few of them show up in the 27th, and maybe they were in other regiments too.
A Dutch Lieutenant of Pupilles, which had also served in the 7e Tirailleurs (and gained the Legion D'Honneur at Wachau!), became a captain of the 2nd Battalion of Infantry and served at Waterloo. His name was H.L. Bemffer.

And here ends todays lesson.

[zac]

please tell me what/who were the Pupilles?

Glad you ask.

Louis Boneparte, King of Holland, had a decree which states all boys who stayed in orphanhouses and the like, and thus who lived on costs of the state, were automaticly available for militiary service. They were called 'Kweekelingen', and later on 'Velites'. Originally split up and with their parent regiment, later on they were formed together (or other way around, I always forget).

In 1810, Napoleon brought Holland into France and the army was incoorparted into the French. The velites were originally intended for the war ships (Yes, France had a fleet, it just was incapable of doing anything), but when Napoleon saw their great drill and spirit, he took them into his guard as a sort of ultra-young guard. They became 'le Regiment de Jeunes Hollandais' (Regiment of young dutchmen), of two battalions. However, soon enough, Napoleon expanded the original decree to entire France - Which included parts of Germany and Italy, as well as modern-day Belgium. The regiment renamed to 'Pupilles de la garde' and was expanded to eight battalions of four companies each, and another depot battalion of 8 companies. They numbered (at least on paper) almost 8000 men and officers, making them the biggest regiment in the guard. Also, the lowest paid and priviliged.

Half the battalion was dressed in Green habits, the other half in white with green labels. However, many pupilles kept woring the old Dutch white coats with different colours of labels. They were armed with Dragoon muskets.

In 1813, after Napoleon was in dear need of new soldiers, the 7e Tirallieur de la garde was raised from their ranks, of pupilles older then 19 and higher then 1.59 cm. Some sources also say the 8th and 9th, but I'm yet to find more proof. Many pupilles had already been passed to, or did so later on, such other regiments of the guard, as (to name one) the 13e voltigeurs.

The 7e Served in different battles, including Bautzen and Leipzig, and was eventually disbanded in 1814. They show up again in 1815, but it's likely they were raised from new soldiers and they only numbered about a hundred men.

What happend to the Pupilles who stayed in France? It's hard to say. They were spread out over all of northen France, but we know for sure that the depotbattalion defended the gates of Clichy, during the battles of Paris. They were aged 12 to 16 (officers were, of course, adults), and according to legend they begged, after being ordered to retreat, to fire 'just one more shot'.

on the right

[close]

BUT THE STORY DOESN'T END HERE! Of the two remaining battalions of Pupilles, one was disbanded, the other one returned to the Netherlands with all their arms. They became the Corps of Velites, which was disbanded a few months later. They consisted of 300 Dutchmen and 96 other nationalites. Most of them were put in the 3rd Jagers, which became the 18th Jagers in 1815. They remained in Hal during Quatre-bras and Waterloo, but joined the Fortress war in late 1815.

However! A few dozen of them were incorparated into the 5th Jagers, which would become the 27th Jagers - A regiment of 809 men and officers, which would see both Quatre-bras and Waterloo, and lost a great percentage of their men. 37% KIA, wounded and missing at Quatre-bras alone. Other Pupilles, who had joined Young guard regiments, had deserted those regiments in '14 and joined the Dutch army. A few of them show up in the 27th, and maybe they were in other regiments too.
A Dutch Lieutenant of Pupilles, which had also served in the 7e Tirailleurs (and gained the Legion D'Honneur at Wachau!), became a captain of the 2nd Battalion of Infantry and served at Waterloo. His name was H.L. Bemffer.

And here ends todays lesson.

MORE MORE !!!!

[Mr T]

21eme Regiment d'Infanterie de Ligne - Though I'm yet to attend an event and get some kit

[zac]

21eme Regiment d'Infanterie de Ligne - Though I'm yet to attend an event and get some kit

yey another one of us hello from the australian part of the reg

[Duuring]

Well I'd love to give you more, but I haven't much more :/

Still, more then 21e :p

[Millander]

Ill update it very soon. Also kinda interested whats  makes the 21e so interesting? Like whats their history

[zac]

From the Uk 21eme website:

The 21ème Regiment d'Infanterie is one of the oldest regiments in the World. It was raised in Lorraine in 1598 by Henri de Vaubecourt at the time when Henri of Navarre became King Henry IV of France. It continued as a regiment of the Monarchy under the name of its Colonel until it became the Regiment Guyenne in 1762.
 
It was not until the French Revolution that it was known as the 2leme Demi-Brigade de Ligne. The regiment served in Germany in 1793 and by the mid 1790's was in the Armme d'Italie. The 2leme was involved in action at Laona in 1796 and also Montenotee, Millesimo, Dego and the bridge at Lodi. It was at Lodi where Grenadiers of the Regiment charged over the bridge under constant fire shouting "Vive la Republique!" overthrowing the Austrian defenders and capturing their artillery.
 
In 1799 the regiment saw further action at Verona, Magano, Trebbia and most notably the Battle of Novi. It was here that Sergeant-Major Jean Georges Pauly, cut off by a body of Russian Cavalry was called upon to surrender. Replying Je Passe Quand Même he rallied a handful of men and forced his way back to the regiment using musket butt and bayonet killing or wounding more than 40 Russians in the process.
 
The regiment was designated the 2leme Regiment d' Infanterie de Ligne in 1803. In 1804 it formed part of the Armee d' Angleterre when the concept of the Grande Armee was first created by Napoleon Bonaparte. In 1805 the regiment marched under Marshal Louis Nicoholas Davout as part of the 3eme Corp d' Armee to fight the combined might of Austria and Russia at Austerlitz.
 
In 1806 Davout's Corps found itself facing the main Prussian army under the Duke of Brunswick at Auerstadt, whilst Napoleon was defeating what he believed to be the main army at Jena. The 2leme defended the village of Hassenhausen in the centre of the French line. Corporal Boutloup of the Voltigeur company, along with six men, took a Prussian gun and caisson and turned it on the Prussians. These men, having killed the gun crew, manned the cannon for over half an hour until ammunition was exhausted. Losses were heavy but the three divisions of the 3eme Corp became famous through the Armee as "Les Trois Immortelles".
 
The 2leme saw further action at Custrun, Pultusk and Eylau and later still at Eckmul and Wargram. It was at Custrin, a single company bluffed the fortress into surrendering and took 4,000 Prussian prisoners.
 
In 1812 the regiment was once again with Davout as part of the crack ler Corp. The 2leme now comprised 6 battalions (4 veteran battalions, the depot battalion and the new 6th battalion led by graduates from St Cyr and volunteers from the Garde.) It fought at Smolensk, Valoutina Gora and Borodino in the bitter Russian campaign. The regiment then faced the winter retreat from Moscow. From a strength of over 4200, only 92 remained in arms by the 1st of February 1813.
 
The 2leme was later reformed in the same year and saw action including the battle of Dresden. It was here the regiment was left behind while Napoleon moved back to Leipzig. It fought at Hellendorf where Lieutenant Doignon and the Grenadier company took some 70 Russian prisoners.
 
Inevitably, the 2leme passed into captivity at Dresden.
 
In 1814 the regiment was reformed from the depots in France and fought the British army for the very first time at Bergen op Zoom in the Netherlands. It was here that the Colour of the Foot Guards was taken. (Now on display at the Invalides in Paris)
 
Now following the Emperor's abdication the 21e Regiment de Ligne continued as a reluctant regiment of the monarchy.
 
Napoleons return from exile in 1815 marked the start of a campaign that was to become known as the 100 Days. He re-instated himself as Emperor of France, banished the Bourbons and brought back the tricolour flag. As the storm clouds gathered over Europe his imperial army formed up below the eagles once again.
 
During this period the 2leme formed part of the 3eme Division in the 1er Corp commanded by the Compte Drouet d' Erlon. The regiment missed both actions at Ligny and Quartre Bras to the confusion of orders between Napoleon and Marshal Ney. Two days later they formed part of the French right wing on the field of Waterloo. Here the 21eme took part in the early stages of the baffle during the advance on the Allied centre. With shouts of "Vive L' Empereuer!" they descended into the valley under the fiery vault of French and English shells which arched over their heads. With drums beating the advance in massed formation up the slopes of Mont Saint Jean to meet Wellington's army. Before the crest D'Erlon's Corp were stopped by a hedge, in front of which the leading ranks were forced to deploy. Here they were surprised by the Highlanders and became involved in a fierce melee. This was only broken as the French heavy cavalry charge by Wellington's Union Brigade. The 2leme retired as best it could.
 
The regiment was later involved in the capture of the farmhouse of La Haye Saint but never fully recovered from this onslaught. Following the arrival of the Prussians and defeat of the Old Guard the day was lost. The remnants of the regiment regrouped at Laon but Waterloo was the last baffle in the Napoleonic Wars and spelt the end of the era in Europe.
 
The 21eme have continued active service over the years in Algeria, Italy, the Crimea (allied to the English!), the Franco-Prussian War, the Great War and World War II.

[Millander]

Cool dude. Everybody feel free to share your unit histories.

[Vorposten]

prussian Garde-Jaeger from the Garde-Jaeger-Bataillon in the Napoleonic Wars from 1808 up to 1815.

German writing:
preußischer Garde-Jäger

[Landrik]

Mine will be more-so tidbits of history from each unit:

30th VA Volunteer Infantry:
It was assigned to General J.G. Walker's and Corse's Brigade, and fought with the Army of Northern Virginia from the Seven Days' Battles to Fredericksburg. After serving with Longstreet at Suffolk, it was on detached duty in Tennessee and North Carolina. During the spring of 1864 the 30th returned to Virginia and saw action at Drewry's Bluff and Cold Harbor. Later it endured the hardships of the Petersburg trenches north and south of the James River and ended the war at Appomattox.

It reported 1 killed and 4 wounded at Malvern Hill and 39 killed and 121 wounded in the Maryland Campaign. Many were lost at Five Forks and Sayler's Creek, and on April 9, 1865, it surrendered with 8 officers and 82 men.

The 30th VA is mostly known for moving through the cornfields at Antietam (Sharpsburg) and faced against 3 Union lines in a semi-circle. They suffered 65% casualties in 15 minutes.

Infanterie-Regiment 208 (79.Infanterie-Division):
Assigned to the French-German border in the Saar region, the 79th trained and worked on the West Wall. The Division saw action against the French on the Saar Front on May 10, 1940 when they were a part of the invasion forces. In June, the division participated in attacks on the Maginot Line and the capture of Epinal. From June 1940 until April 1941, the division was on occupation duty and trained for Operation Sea Lion. The 79th was relocated to Klagenfurt in April 1941 but was too late for the invasion of Yugoslavia.

It was assigned to Heeresgruppe Süd for Operation Barbarossa on June 26, 1941. From June 1941 until September 1942 the 79th fought in southern Russia at Korosten, Lutsk, Rovno, Piryatin, and Akhtyrka, Kharkov, Voronezh, Izyum and Kalack before being sent in October 1942 to the Battle of Stalingrad.

The fighting in the Red October Tractor Factory was fiercely fought, hall by hall. When the Soviet Offensive started on November 19, 1942, the 79th was one of the units trapped in the "kessel" when they were surrounded on November 24. The Sixth Army surrendered on January 31, 1943. The division staff, including the Ia (Operations Officer) Oberst Hans Schwanbeck, were flown out of Stalingrad on January 8–9, 1943. The remainding forces were joined into the 305.ID until the surrender.

The 79th was quickly raised again by the surviving staff officers. On January 12, 1943, from remnants of other German units near Rostov. The division then took part in operations in the Novocherkassk area until relieved on March 13, 1943. They refitted in the Volnovakha area and in April 1943, returned to battle. They fought a number of defensive actions before reaching the Kuban Bridgehead in August 1943. The division was evacuated to the Ukraine and continued a slow movement west for almost a year.

1944 found the 79th in Romania as a part of IV Korps, 6. Armee. By August, the 79th was one of the divisions attempting to hold the city of Jassy. On August 23, 1944, with the Romanian coup, 79th was once again encircled and virtually annihilated near Chitcani, Romania on the Berlad River. Less than 1,000 soldiers managed to escape.

On October 27, 1944, the division was raised again outside of the Welle system, this time in West Prussia and now as the 79th Volksgrenadier Division (79. Volks-Grenadier-Division). It had only ten percent combat veterans and was largely made up by absorbing the 586th Volksgrenadier Division (Katzbach). On December 11, 1944, the 79th Volsgrenadier Division was assigned to 7. Armee a reserve force near Bitburg, Germany. Though at half strength, the 79th was to take part in Operation Herbstnebel.
On December 21, 1944, the 79th VG towards its assembly area near Diekirch, Luxembourg. On December 24, 1944, the Volksgrenadiers in conjunction with the Führer Grenadier Brigade, launched a series of attacks against the Blue Ridge Division, the 80th Infantry Division (United States). The objective was to seize the town of Heiderscheid, a strategic bridge crossing along the Sure River. Both units suffered very heavy losses, particularly when on December 26 most of the 79th VG artillery and FGB armor was destroyed by American fighter bombers. The 79th VG begin falling back, unable to hold against the US 80th Infantry Division, towards the town of Baunscheid, to hold another strategic bridgehead there.
After Heavy fighting continued in to January 1945, the Division fell to U.S. forces at Heidelberg and Darmstadt. Remains of the 79th fought in the vicinity of Rothenburg ob der Tauber under the name Battle Group (Kampfgruppe) "Hummel" in mid-April. This last organized unit of the 79th Volksgrenadier Division surrendered to US Forces on April 14, 1945. Grenadiers of the 79th Volksgrenadier Division fought small unit actions in the Alps.

Infanterie-Regiment Nr. 124 "König Wilhelm I" (6.Württembergisches) (27.Division)
The division served on the Western Front. In 1914, it fought in the Allied Great Retreat. It fought in the Battle of the Somme in 1916 and the Battle of Arras in 1917. The division served in the 1918 German Spring Offensive and the subsequent Allied counteroffensives, including the Hundred Days Offensive and the Meuse-Argonne Offensive. Allied intelligence rated the division as one of the very best German divisions and described it as a first class shock unit.

I would post more about the unit and where they fought in detail, but they were moved around a lot and were reconstituted so often the list of battles is quite large. More so than my WWII unit. However, the regiment I portray is where Erwin Rommel started the war and his career as a lieutenant before serving with the Alpenkorps in the middle of the war.

--

I posted a lot of this from Wikipedia.

[zac]

nice

[zac]

DOUBLE POST (just fixing up)  I have left the 73rd and no longer do the Volksturm impression


American Rev War:
1st Btn His Britannic Majesties Corps of Marines

Napoleonic
-102nd regiment of foot Grenadier Company
-Nsw corps (Rum Corps)
-42nd regiment of foot
-Royal Marines Portsmouth
-21eme Regiment de Ligne 3rd Btn
-Sydney Loyalist Militia 1797

WW2
- Heer 272nd infantrie division 1944
-Waffen SS british Free Corps

[Duuring]

Can you tell us some more about the 102nd?

[zac]

Heres a basic History

In 1809, after the Rum Rebellion, the NSW Corps was formed into the 102nd Regiment of Foot and recalled. A few of its officers and long-serving privates were transferred to bring Macquarie’s 73rd regiment up to near full strength; around 100 veterans and invalids were retained for garrison duty in NSW. Though of little real use, the unit survived until 1823. Some officers were allowed to retire and farm their land; however, the bulk of the troops were sent back to England. Colonel Paterson, formerly Captain Paterson, died in South Africa on the way.
 
In England, most of the returnees went to Veteran or Garrison battalions, most officers ending up in the 8th Royal Veteran Battalion. The regiment was reconstituted with new recruits and then served in various posts throughout the United Kingdom: Horsham in 1811 and Guernsey in 1812. In 1812 the Regiment was posted to Bermuda and then Nova Scotia. In the British-American War (known in North America as the War of 1812) they took part in seaborne raids along the US Atlantic coast and other actions against the Americans, and were involved in the British occupation of northern Maine. Detachments of the 102nd remained on both sides of the border between the British colony of New Brunswick and the US State of Maine after the war's end in December 1814 at Moose Island, modern day Eastport, Maine, USA. A vivid description of its garrisoning duty on Moose Island can be found in David Zimmerman's Coastal Fort; to a lesser extent in Joshua Smith's Borderland Smuggling.
 
After the end of the wars against Napoleonic France and the United States, the British Army disbanded many units for the sake of economy. The 102nd Regiment was renumbered as the 100th Regiment of Foot in 1816. The 100th were the last British troops to occupy the United States; the last detachments returned to Chatham Barracks in England, where the regiment was disbanded on March 24, 1818.
 
The government, at a loss with what to do with the disbanded veterans, some of whom remembered NSW fondly, offered them the chance to reform the NSW Corps as a garrison unit. They arrived in Sydney in July 1826 where they were placed under the command of Colonel Henry Dumaresq. In 1829 the Royal New South Wales Veterans Companies, or Veterans Corps, had about 150 men serving at various posts in NSW, Norfolk Island and Tasmania. It was finally disbanded on 1 April 1833.