Monday 1 August 2016

1/71st Highland Light Infantry



It's been a while since I completed a square - I've been away on holiday so apologies for the lack of posts.  1/71st were part of what was, in effect, a Light Brigade under General Adam (see below).












































































With the exception of the 73rd Highlanders (of which more another time), The HLI were differently attired from the other Highland regiments at Waterloo in that they did not wear the kilt or feather bonnets.

Instead, they wore a stovepipe shako with dicing.  Whether one would call this a Kilmarnock Bonnet, I am less sure, as later versions were much flatter.  I've seen evidence that they were blue not black, but this example looks distinctly black to me.  As an aside, I think modellers tend to show much lighter colours than were in fact the case.  The British blue was so dark as to look virtually black.



The 71st lost their Colours in the ill-fated Buenos Aires expedition of 1807 and were reissued new ones on return.  This set have "Waterloo" inscribed on them and therefore can't have been the set at Waterloo.








































The figures are at the small end of the scale - mostly the first Hat Light Infantry set - not as good as the one that came later, but passable and a good match with the other figures in this unit, which are mostly New Line, RSM and some Revell.  To fill out the numbers and to add variety, there are also the usual number of conversions.
































Above is a corner of the square - you can see that they are mounted on a triple base of aluminium foil, which can detach from the temporary base.  These are mostly New Line.

Another corner.  The wounded figure is Qualicast.











































































Mostly Hat, with some conversions.  The dismounted officer is a Polish Waterloo 1815 conversion:





























The pipers are all conversions - the torso of the Esci piper with different legs and head:





























Aerial view





























With the other squares - six down 24 to go!





























Wounded conversion on the corner:





























I like the Emhart officers - must get some more!






























The dicing on the bonnets isn't perfect, but with 350 to paint, a rough effect is, I hope, excusable.




















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