Saturday 11 June 2022

French Cavalry Standard - Du Roy Cavalry (and Royal Pologne)

Just to keep things ticking over while I work on the text for Prussian IR4, the flags of Prussian IR 15, the detail of another Austrian WAS flag from the Triomphes Louis XV, etc., etc., here is another French heavy cavalry standard, as the previous ones have gone down well:


Regiment first raised 1635. Ranked 5th amongst the French heavy cavalry. 2 squadrons strong in 1756. Increased to 4 squadrons in 1761. Served in the War of the Polish Succession and the War of the Austrian Succession. In the Seven Years War was at Hastenbeck 1758 and Borck 1761. Uniform was blue with red cuffs and lapels; waistcoat and breeches yellow; buttons pewter and lace on tricorn white. Wore the cuirass. Shabraque bordered with the Royal livery, red with white lace.


Note that, acording to Pierre Charrié, Royal Pologne carried identical standards, which is useful!

Tuesday 7 June 2022

Experimental French cavalry standards - Bourbon and Bourbon-Busset

By way of experiment, I've done versions of the SYW standards of French cavalry regiments Bourbon and Bourbon-Busset. As this is a tentative posting I will not spend lots of time writing up the regimental histories or drawing the uniforms at the moment.

I say this is an experiment, as cavalry standards are often extremely detailed and yet the final product will be printed very small and so much of the laboriously created detail is likely to be lost in the printing, even on decent paper laser printed. These standards I have created have a fair amount of detail but I have tried to produce something that, when printed small, will still look good. As I don't have a laser printer (or even a working really good quality inkjet) at the moment, to produce decent printed versions, I'd be grateful if someone who does might be able to have a go at printing these and send me photographs. Thanks!