Berwick Infanterie

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Origin and History

This Irish regiment was raised on February 27, 1698, after the Treaty of Ryswick, for James FitzJames, Duke of Berwick with the remnants of old Irish regiments.

In 1701, at the outbreak of the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-13), the regiment was initially part of the Army of the Rhine. In July, it was sent to Northern Italy where it fought in the Battle of Chiari. In 1702, it took part in the Battle of Luzzara; in 1703, in the combats of Stradella and Castelnuovo, and in the expedition in Trentino; in 1704, in the sieges of Vercelli, Ivrea and Verrua; in 1705, in the siege of Chivasso and in the Battle of Cassano; in 1706, in the unsuccessful siege of Turin and in the disastrous Battle of Turin. In 1707, the regiment operated in Spain where it fought in the battle of Almansa and participated in the sieges of Valencia and Lérida. In 1708, it was at the capture of Tortosa. From 1710 to 1712, it served with the Army of Dauphinée. In 1713, it was transferred to the Army of Catalonia. In 1714, it took part in the siege and capture of Barcelona.

In 1733, during the War of the Polish Succession (1733-35), the regiment took part in the siege of Kehl. In 1734, it fought in the combat of Ettlingen and took part in the siege of Philisburg. In 1733, it fought in the combat of Clausen.

In 1742, during the War of the Austrian Succession (1740-48), the regiment joined the Army of Flanders. In 1743, it was transferred to the Army of the Lower Rhine. On June 27, 1743, it fought in the Battle of Dettingen. In 1744, it was transferred to Flanders and took part in the sieges of Menin, Ypres and Furnes. In 1745, it took part in the sieges of Tournai, Ostend and Nieuport. In 1746, the regiment formed part of the expedition sent to Scotland where it fought in the Battle of Culloden. Its lieutenant-colonel, Walter Stappleton was killed in action during this battle. In 1747, the regiment served in Flanders and fought in the Battle of Lauffeld. In 1748, it took part in the siege of Maastricht.

By the time of the Seven Years' War, the regiment counted only 1 battalion.

During the Seven Years' War, the regiment ranked 99^th and was under the command of:

• from August 3, 1720: Comte de Thomond
• from September 20, 1761 to March 24, 1769: Vicomte de Thomond

Service during the War

By August 1, 1757, the regiment was stationed at Landerneau in Bretagne.

In 1758, the regiment defended Cherbourg.

In 1760, the regiment joined the French armies operating in Germany. By May 23, it was part of the first line of the infantry centre of Broglie's Army. By December 30, the regiment had taken its winter-quarters in Giessen.

To do: details of the campaign of 1762

Uniform

Privates

Uniform in 1758 - Source: rf-figuren

Uniform Details as per
Etrennes Militaires 1756 and 1758, Etat Militaire 1758, 1760 and 1761, Gal Hanotaux 1757, Abrégé du Dictionnaire Militaire 1759
completed where necessary as per Mouillard

Headgear	Musketeer black tricorne laced gold with a black cockade Grenadier black tricorne laced gold with a black cockade
Neckstock	probably black
Coat	red lined white with 12 copper buttons grouped 2 by 2 and 12 yellow buttonholes on one side of the coat down to the waist and 1 copper button on each side at the small of the back Collar black Shoulder Straps red Lapels none Pockets double vertical pockets, (6 copper buttons grouped 2 by 2 on each single pocket) Cuffs black with 3 copper buttons and 3 yellow buttonholes (4 as per the Etat Militaire of 1758) Turnbacks white
Waistcoat	red with copper buttons and yellow buttonholes on one side down to the waist
Breeches	white
Gaiters	white fastened with a black strap
Leather Equipment	Crossbelt natural leather Waistbelt natural leather Cartridge Box natural leather Bayonet Scabbard n/a Scabbard n/a

Armaments consisted of a musket and a bayonet. Fusiliers carried a sword (brass hilt) while the grenadiers had a sabre.

Officers

no information available yet

Musicians

Drummers wore uniforms similar to those of the privates but with laces on the cuffs and arms of the coat.

Colours

Colonel Colour: white field with a red cross bordered white superposed on a red cross of St. Patrick.

Ordonnance Colours: green field with a red cross bordered white superposed on a red cross of St. Patrick.

Colonel Colour - Source: PMPdeL

Ordonnance Colour - Source: PMPdeL

References

Évrard, P.: Praetiriti Fides

Funcken, Liliane and Fred: Les uniformes de la guerre en dentelle

Menguy, Patrice: Les Sujets du Bien Aimé (a website who has unfortunately disappeared from the web)

Mouillard, Lucien: Les Régiments sous Louis XV, Paris 1882

Pajol, Charles P. V.: Les Guerres sous Louis XV, vol. VII, Paris, 1891, pp. 210-211

Rogge, Christian: The French & Allied Armies in Germany during the Seven Years War, Frankfurt, 2006

Service historique de l'armée de terre: Sommaire des forces armées Françaises à l'intérieur et à l'extérieur de la France - 1er Août 1757

Susane, Louis: Histoire de l'ancienne infanterie française, J. Corréard, Paris, 1849-1856, Tome 8, pp. 287-288

N.B.: the section Service during the War is mostly derived from our articles depicting the various campaigns, battles and sieges.