Sunday, December 28, 2014

40th Infantry Regiment: 2nd Somersetshire

Formation and Early History

    The unit that would eventually become the 40th Regiment of the British army was formed in 1717 by the governor of Nova Scotia, General Richard Phillips, who merged eight companies of local service troops into a single regiment. In 1751 this unit was assigned the numeral 40, and 10 years later it left North America for the first time for in the West Indies. In June 1775 the Regiment was sent to Boston Massachusetts, which meant that it was already in North America on the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War. It fought in the West Indies as well as on the American mainland during the war.


The newest addition to my growing British Napoleonic Army, the 40th (2nd Somersetshire) Regiment


French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, through 1808
    The regiment's first deployment during the French Revolutionary Wars was two-faceted, with its center companies fighting in Flanders and Brittany, and its light-infantry flank companies deployed to the West Indies. The regiment was reunited in the West Indies in 1795, serving on Santo Domingo and Jamaica before returning to Britain in 1798.

    In 1799 the regiment raised a 2nd Battalion for the Helder campaign in Holland. The following year the flank companies of both battalions landed at Aboukir Bay near Alexandria, Egypt. The 2nd Battalion was disbanded in 1802. From 1802 to 1804 the regiment was kept in Britain, raising another 2nd Battalion in 1804 for service in Britain and Ireland. The 1st Battalion was dispatched to South America, where it was part of the failed attempt to capture Buenos Aires in 1806.


Old Glory 28mm figures, with a GMB flag. Buff facings (and belts), gold lace for the officers. I have given this unit grey trousers instead of buff ones, though. 


Peninsular War

    The 40th was deployed to Spain and Portugal from 1808 to 1814. It was thus one of only three regiments to serve throughout the Peninsular campaign. It saw extensive action there, participating (chronologically) in the battles of Goleta, Vimiera, Talavera, and Albuhera, the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo, the assault of Badajoz, the battles of Salamanca, Vittoria, and The Pyrenees, the siege of St. Sebastian, and the battles of Nivelle, the Nive, Orthez and Toulouse. It was then sent to Canada in 1814 to fight in the War of 1812 (later participating in the fighting around New Orleans), before being quickly recalled to Europe the following year when Napoleon escaped from Elba.


Nicknames for the 40th Regiment included "The Fighting Fortieth "(for its courage in Egypt), and "The Excellers" (a pun on its Latin numeral, XL)


Waterloo:
    The 40th had recently returned from campaigning in America. The soldiers were seasoned veterans of Wellington’s Peninsular victories. With the 4th (King’s Own) and the 27th Inniskillings, they formed Lambert’s brigade. After a forced march from Ghent, they arrived near the village of Waterloo late in the evening of 17 June, and the next morning were placed in reserve behind the center of Wellington’s position.

    At about 3 o’clock, following the repulse of a massed infantry attack on the Allied left centre, Wellington ordered Lambert’s brigade into the front line to defend the vital cross-roads behind La Haye Sainte. Shortly afterwards, mistaking allied redeployment on the ridge for signs of retreat, Napoleon launched eight and a half thousand of his superb cavalry, led by Marshal Ney, in an impetuous charge against the center of the Allied line.

    The 40th, along with the rest of Lambert's brigade, formed square and held their ground against repeated attacks by French cavalry, infantry and guns, sometimes combined and sometimes separately. At times they were engaged by several columns of infantry at once, and were frequently surrounded by French cavalry, who became more and more desperate as the battle developed. Their position, some three hundred yards from the farm buildings of La Haie Sainte, was particularly exposed when, at about 6.30 pm, the farm was captured by the French. An enemy break-through in Wellington’s center appeared imminent, but despite the ferocity and persistence of the close-quarter infantry assaults, the constant and destructive cannonade of the enemy guns, and the fire of the French tirailleurs on the rising ground to their front, the Regiment yielded not a foot of ground.

    Major Heyland, commanding the 40th, was shot dead that day during an attack by massed infantry. At the end of the day around one in four of the 40th had fallen around their Colors, which were shot to ribbons (their losses totalled 167 killed and wounded). 


For their steadfastness, discipline and stubborn gallantry at Waterloo, the 40th Regiment of Foot was permitted to encircle their badges on heir Colors with a wreath of laurels, a tradition which continues to its successors of the present day.


A great on line source for this unit, said to have been "perhaps the finest Regioment in the Army today", is: Historical Records of the 40th Infantry Regiment

19 comments:

  1. Great looking British. The buff is perfect. That GMB flag is a winner too.

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    1. Thanks, Dean. The "Buff" is Delta CC Maple Sugar Tan. By contrast, I used Delta CC Latte (Cafe au Lait) for the Highland Light Infantry's version of Buff.

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  2. Good to see activity on your painting table again, Peter! Nice Old Glory figures and an interesting regimental history.

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    1. Thanks, Jon. These chaps had been sitting on my table for far too long... it was good to have them finished!

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    2. I bet it is good to clear the deck of these stragglers. How many more British units do you have remaining to field?

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    3. I have another unit all but done. After that I have lead on hand for about 30 Rifles (18 for the 95th, 12 for the 60th), another 2 British Line (36), 20 crew and 6 gins to make up 3 Foot batteries, and about 20 assorted command figures. Once those are done, plans call for adding another 3-4 Foot regiments, some of which will be KGL, 30 -36 Highlanders, 1 unit each Horse Guards and Life Guards, another Hussar and another 3 Light Dragoons (at least one KGL), and probably a couple of Dragoons/Dragoon Guards. The state of the exchequer indicates these will likely be largely Old Glory as well!

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    4. Whew!

      Which British foot units remain to paint?

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    5. After the Rifles, the next two foot units will be the 35th (Sussex Regt) - Orange facings (unique), and the 56th (West Essex Regt) - Purple facings (likewise). These are really more for the unique facing colors, although the 35th fought at Waterloo and there is a good reason for its unique orange facings, and the 56th actually had up to three field battalions active, unusual for a British regiment.

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  3. Yes, the buff looks great. Nice unit and good post about it.

    We've gamed New Orleans four or five times. Not all games need be balanced to allow the players to learn more about the history.

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    1. I agree, I don't mind playing out scenarios where the chances of "winning" are slim, either.

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    1. Thanks Mark. I was happy with how they turned out.

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  5. Fine looking unit and regimental history Peter. I particularly like your chosen shade of grey.

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    1. Thanks, James! I believe the grey of the pants and overcoat roll is Delta CC "Dolphin Grey", which has just a hint of bluish-ness to it. Contrast with the very blue- grey Wedgewood Blue" used on the canteens.

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  6. Another great unit Peter, and one I plan to do in the New Year (although I am not sure which new year that will eventually end up being). All the best to you for 2015.

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    1. Good luck with your "Excellers", Lawrence, and all the best to you, too!

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  7. Nice job on the 40th, love the flag too!

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