Monday 21 July 2014

Kingdom of Holland, 1st Battalion 2nd Infantry Regiment


2nd [German] Infantry Division 
GdD Jean-Francois, Baron Leval,

Brigade
OB Heinrich, Freiherr von Porbeck,
Baden Infantry Regiment Gross-Herzog Nr. 4: OB Heinrich, Freiherr von Porbeck, 2 battalions
Nassau Infantry Regiment Nr. 2: OB August von Kruse, 1st Battalion
Nassau Infantry Regiment Nr. 2: OB August von Kruse. 2nd Battalion
Baden Foot Battery: 2 – 7pdr howitzers, MAJ Franz-Friedrich-Christian von Steinmetz

Brigade
GM David-Hendrik Chasse,
Composite Dutch Infantry Regiment: OB Baron de Grave, 1/2nd Infantry Regiment
Composite Dutch Infantry Regiment: OB Baron de Grave, 2/4th  Infantry Regiment
Dutch Horse Artillery Battery Nr. 3: 6 guns, HPT Hendrik-Rudolph Trip

Hessen-Darmstadt Foot Batterie: 4 – 6pdrs, LT Ludwig Venator


The Dutch infantry contingent in the German Division was a composite regiment with a battalion each from the 2nd and 4th Regiments (Some references say the 2nd and 3rd, but I've gone with Boisselier above and Burnham, http://www.napoleon-series.org/military/organization/c_baden.html).


There are not many options around in 18mm for the Dutch contingent in Spain and so I have, as with the other units shown so far, used the "Warmodelling" figures. The figures themselves are ok but are probably my least favourite of their current range. The fusiliers only come in two poses and are not the best castings, the grenadiers are only in one pose and are ok, but the voltigeurs are the most frustrating only shown in an advancing pose, again only one option. Sadly none of the options provide a campaign look as with the Germans. I would have really liked a figure with loose fitting baggy trousers to replicate the Spanish and captured cloth items that would have soon replaced the uniform leggings of the standard uniform.


I should say that the information on the Dutch at this time is very limited and often contradictory and the decision to produce a certain look will probably come down to the individual, based on the reference they know and/or prefer, based on corroboration from other sources. I have used several references in the painting of the battalion with this thought process.


One very interesting source looking at Dutch troops in the field from this period is
One reference insists the the Dutch voltigeurs copied French practice in having their collars faced yellow, and don't get me started on plumes!


So how to make the best of what we have. First up was a mounted Colonel to represent Baron de Grave. This chap was a French colonel with his plume removed and a piece of brass rod put on the side of the shako with modelling putty shaped to produce a new plume.


Next up were the voltiguers, both skirmishing and in the unit. As all the other figures were in march pose with sloped arms I decided to remodel some French voltigeurs with side plumes. With the skirmish elements I kept two of the advancing poses and put head transplants on two skrmishing French voltigeurs.

My final adaption was to use an oversize Colour from Maverick Models. The Dutch colours were a copy of the French 1804 standard and should be smaller, but given the Dutch were not using Eagles at this time I decided to give them oversize colours to help them have a bit more on table presence when on with the German battalions. You can call it artistic licence and I'm the artist and I'm happy.

All in all I'm quite pleased with the look achieved but would really like to see new options in 18mm to do the Dutch in Spain, but until then these will be my chaps for Talavera.

I am now getting ready for a two week holiday in France, so the German Division will go on hold until I am back, but I do aim to post some holiday stuff as I am close to Paris and the scene of Napoleon's 1814 campaign. Once back I'll be getting on with the 4th Dutch and some Romans!

5 comments:

  1. Very nice work - I didn't even know there had been a Bonapartist Kingdom of Holland! Clearly, I'll have to find out more.

    Thanks for sharing!

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    1. Hi Evan, thank you. Yes another made up Kingdom for one of Boney's siblings, until he found out that his brother was involved in smuggling British contraband in defiance of the continental system. Then all the units were rebranded as French, until the country was liberated.

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  2. Jonathan! You vacation more than I!

    Outstanding Dutch! I have always been partial to the white uniforms with colored lapels.

    Last time in Paris, I visited Rueil-Malmaison and Josephine's house. At the time, there was a large collection of Napoleonic miniatures. It might still be there.

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    1. Hi Jon,
      I can't wait to get away and recharge the batteries.

      Thank you, I am working on painting white uniforms more methodically as I have a lot of Spanish awaiting the brush, so the Dutch are a good training ground.

      Thanks for the reminder about Malmaison, I've never been and I'm sure Carolyn would be interested. I'm hoping to get back to Les Invilides as I haven't been there for over 20 years and it would be a nice lead in to touring the 1814 sites and then off to Waterloo next summer with the two boys to educate and enthuse about the 100 days.

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    2. Musee l'Armee and Les Invalides...great places to forget the present for a day or too. We are considering making the trip to Belgium in 2015 to commemorate THE EVENT too but I think we may go late spring to avoid the expected, massive crowds.

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