41st Foot
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Origin and History
This regiment of 10 companies of “Invalids” (in fact, pensioners whether disabled or not, from independent companies of invalids and from Chelsea out-pensioners) was raised for garrison duty on March 11 1719 by Colonel Edmund Fielding, a veteran of Marlborough's wars. The regiment was initially designated as “Colonel Edmund Fielding's Regiment of Invalids”. The 3 first companies were raised in a matter of 5 days and were assigned to garrison duties at Portsmouth, relieving the Foot Guards. Detachments were also stationed at Plymouth and on the Island of Jersey.
In 1741, the regiment was renamed the “Royal Invalids”.
On July 1 1751, when a Royal warrant reorganised the British infantry, the regiment was designated as the “41st Regiment of Foot, or Invalids”.
During the Seven Years's War, the regiment was commanded by:
- since March 11 1719: Colonel Edmund Fielding
- from 1743: Colonel Wardour
- from 17??: Colonel John Parsons
In 1787, the regiment ceased to comprise invalids and became a conventional line regiment, dropping the title.
Service during the War
The regiment assumed garrison duties throughout the war.
Uniform
Privates
| Headgear |
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| Neckstock | white | ||||||||||||
| Coat | brick red lined blue without lace with 10 white buttons on the right side
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| Waistcoat | blue without lace | ||||||||||||
| Breeches | blue | ||||||||||||
| Gaiters | white with black buttons | ||||||||||||
| Leather Equipment |
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Troopers were armed with with a "Brown Bess" muskets, a bayonet and a sword.
Officers
Officers of the regiment wore the same uniforms as the private soldiers but with the following differences
- silver gorget around the neck
- an aiguilette on the right shoulder
- a crimson sash
Officers wore the same headgear as the private soldiers under their command; however, officers of the grenadier company wore a more decorated mitre cap.
Officers generally carried a spontoon.
Musicians
According to the Royal Clothing Warrant of 1751:
- The drummers of the regiment wore the royal livery. They were clothed in red, lined, faced, and lapelled on the breast with blue, and laced with the royal lace (golden braid with two thin purple central stripes).
- The front or fore part of the drums was painted blue, with the regimental badge (the Rose and Thistle on a red ground, within the Garter, and Crown over it), and the number “XLI” under it. The rims were red.
Colours
King's Colour: Union with its centre decorated the regimental badge (the Rose and Thistle on a red ground, within the Garter, and Crown over it). The regiment number "XLI" in Roman gold numerals in the upper left corner.
Regimental Colour: blue field; centre device consisting the regimental badge (the Rose and Thistle on a red ground, within the Garter, and Crown over it); the Union in the upper left corner; the crowned royal cipher in the 3 other corners. The regiment number "XLI" in Roman gold numerals superposed to the Union in the upper left corner.
References
Aylor, Ron, British Regimental Drums and Colours
Funcken, Liliane and Fred, Les uniformes de la guerre en dentelle
George II, The Royal Clothing Warrant, 1751
Lawson, Cecil C. P., A History of the Uniforms of the British Army - from the Beginnings to 1760, vol. II, p. 90-103
Mills, T. F., Land Forces of Britain the Empire and Commonwealth through the Way Back Machine
Schirmer, Friedrich: Die Heere der kriegführenden Staaten 1756 - 1763. Edited and published by KLIO-Landesgruppe Baden-Württemberg e.V., Magstadt, 1989
Wikipedia 41st (Welch) Regiment of Foot
