Uniforms Belgian Militia

[Ambiorix]

Hi,

I am trying to find out in vain the appearance of the 1815 uniforms of the Belgian Militia battalions, nr 21 and higher, so not the Dutch Militia battalions(=nr 1 to 20);
How where the uniforms : like Dutch militia or Belgian line ?

In addition, how did the uniforms of the Swiss regts 29 to 32 look like, who were earmarked in 1815 to bolster the Belgian militia units?

thx for any usefull info, as these units did not directly participate in the popular battles of Quatre Bas & Waterloo, information on these units is scarce (in any language);

Thx for showing me the light;

[Philip]

There are a couple of useful websites with descriptions and contemporary colour illustrations of uniforms.(or at least near-contemporary)

Netherlands Infantry Uniforms
http://greatestbattles.iblogger.org/GB/ ... iforms.htm
This is also useful for the Indies regiments and colonial hussars.

Memory of the Netherlands website
http://www.geheugenvannederland.nl/?/en ... /uniformen

Based on the illustrations on those websites, the Swiss regiments had a similar uniform to the Dutch, blue jacket with red turnbacks and white loops for buttons, and grey trousers.
Austrian style shako (but the shako plate is a different pattern from the Dutch infantry, same as the artilleryman illustrated on page 18 of the Osprey book on the Dutch). White plume, with a green tip for flankers. Perhaps grenadiers had a red tip? (but I haven't seen that anywhere.)
Facings were white for the 29th regiment, red for the 30th, sky blue for the 31st, and yellow for the 32nd.
White shoulder rolls for the flank companies, although the 32nd appears to have yellow rolls in the illustration.

There's also a picture of the Swiss in Knoetel's book http://www.grosser-generalstab.de/tafel ... 04_39.html

Hope that is of some use. Good to see that there are others out there interested in the Netherlands army!

[Jilu]

might not help you but this site is great

http://centjours.mont-saint-jean.com/unitesNL.php

[Ambiorix]

Thx Jilu,

I know of this site, but as the Belgian Militia did not fight in this campaign, they are not covered here;

Still curious what uniform they wore;

[Philip]

Here's a link to an image of the Belgian militia. The uniform appears to be the same as the Dutch militia.
http://digitalgallery.nypl.org/nypldigital/id?119747
Image Title: Nederlanden. Belgisch Landmilitie Infanterie. (1815)
Source: The Vinkhuijzen collection of military uniforms / Netherlands. / Netherlands, 1815 [part 1].

[Ambiorix]

Hi Philip,

Thx a lot for the link;
Unfortunately it seems not to be that simple.
On the website of the national Dutch army museum it is stated that the depiction of 'Belgian' militia headgear is probably wrong and they should apparently wear 'belgic shakos' but this is not certain; I have asked them for clarification.
I do not know how is your Dutch but below is the link to the article;

http://legermuseum.wordpress.com/2011/1 ... comment-93

Best whishes for '13;
Martin

[Ambiorix]

Hi,

I finally have my answers regarding the Belgian militia, thx to the support of the Dutch army museum.

It seems the Belgian militia were the first (and thus only troops in the waterloo campaign) to have been
issued the new Austrian style shako with white metal sunray plate and rearvisor; same as worn by the officer depicted in Men at Arms series, Wellington’s Dutch Allies 1815 page 31. The new Austrian Shakos (but with large copper band plates for the line troops), although prescribed in 1815 were only delivered to the Dutch line and militia in 1816;
To summarize, in 1815 Dutch-Belgian troops wore the following shako :

- Dutch line & jager: 'old' style 1814 shako with round copper W plate
- Dutch militia : stove pipe skako with white metal sunray plate
- Belgian line and jager : belgic shako
- Belgian militia : new Austrian shako (with rearvisor, white metal sunray plate)

FYI, official colours and fanions were not issued before 1820 which poses no problem for me as I am only interested in Belgian troops and am not too keen to have them carry Dutch colours .

Cheers