1706 SIEGE OF TURIN - FRENCH DRAGOONS REGIMENT BOZELLI

 

The Bozelli Dragons Regiment was the only Regiment of Dragoons on 2 squadrons at the Battle of Turin. The cornette (flag) I did is from the Bozelli Family of Bergamo, where this unit was originally raised. The distinctive colours of this Regiment was possible to achieve thanks to the fact that in 1707 it went to Spain and I got info about their uniforms.

Fot my 1:1 Ratio unit I opted hence for: 

165 Papersoldiers (so men) on 2 squadrons:

1 Colonel

1 Lieutenant Coloneld

2 Aides de Camps

8 Drummers

3 Oboists

2 Commanders of Squadron

5 Captains

2 Stendard-bearers

6 Lieutenant

(No cornette)

20 NCO

117 dragoons

1706 - Bozelli Dragons Régiment

Standard - bearer

1706 - Bozelli Dragons Régiment

Commander of Squadron

                                                1706 - Bozelli Dragons Régiment - Colonel

FROM PIEDMONTESE ARMY TO ITALIAN ARMY 1848 - 1940

  I liked to try to transform a Piedmontese standard bearer dating back to 1848 to an Italian standard bearer dating back to 1940.

The uniforms changed and this is my first time I go for a period I don't like:WWII.

In any way, I am going to prepare a 1940 parade, just to have a look for these uniforms. I do like the system in 1940 was used to mark the officers.

On the left a standard bearer (Lieutenant) of the 6th Infantry Regiment of the Brigade "Aosta"; on the right a standard bearer (Lieutenant) of the 2nd Regiment Granatieri di Sardegna.

And I knew I could not resist to modify the standard bearer in a marching officer:

3 RANKS vs 4 RANKS - FRENCH DRAGOONS

 I was wondering whether the French Dragoons that fought on foot (above all and by sure 100% at the Battle of Turin in 1706) were arrayed on 3 or 4 ranks

I put this topic on TMP and I've gotten interesting answers:

Dragoons of the WSS period were used to patrol the area around the main army body. Ride ahead to control key transit passages, disrupt enemy scouting, block enemy probes, secure food and sup[plies, act as a gendarmerie force on occasion, and then act as fill in formations on the battle line while not mounted. That how we use them in our campaign and tabletop battles. But most of the time they stood behind or within their main army cavalry lines and joined in the success or defeat just like the normal cavalry regiments.

The idea is that the Dragoons could fighto on 3 or 4 ranks according to theird need to extend or reduce the front. 

So I tried to simulate this 2 different formation; the 4 ranks deep regiment has a 35 cm wide front

Thanks to my "magnetic system" it is possible to switch the same formation into a 3 deep ranks formation:

In the last example the 3 ranks deep formation has a front of 53 cm; I think both can fit the fighting for the Castle of Lucento.

LUIS XIV'S DRAGONS ON FOOT: 3 RANKS vs 4 RANKS

 It is sure and demontrated that the French Dragons (more than all the rest of Europe) used to fight on foot, above all when it was matter of siege; these units - along with grenadiers - were considered the most valuable for trying to enter a fortress, due to their capacity also to fight in a sort of skirmishing and their professionalism.

It is also sure they fought on foot with bayonets and "as infantry", this is in deep ranks formations. Now the question is whether they fought on 3 or 4 ranks like the French Infantry. This questions arises because the numbers of a Dragons' squadron were quite limited, (around 100 men at full) and so their extended front (on 4 ranks) would have been quite narrow.

4 RANKS ARRAY

3 RANKS ARRAY

Here an example from the Languedoc I Dragon Regiment.

This unit at the battle of Turin fought on 3 squadrons:

1 Colonel

1 Lieutenent Colonel

2 Aides de Camps

3 Commanders of Squadrons

3 Oboists

10 Drummers

3 Guidons

4 Cornets

10 Captains

9 Lieutenants

28 NCO

203 Dragons

174th ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF SANTA LUCIA 6th MAY 1848

 It is the anniversary of the Battle of Santa Lucia. I tried to lay down all the troops I prepared since I started this project. A lot is to be done, and I have very beautiful Kaiser Uhlans in the making; I also prepared the Piedmontese marching, to complete the poses of the troops; I think I will make of them immediatly around 150/170 papersoldiers.

My dream is for next year (175 anniversary) to have all the Aosta Infantry Brigade done at 1:1 ratio.

For the moment I post here the pictures of a first glance of the battle at 1:1 ratio. There are around 1000/1300 papersoldiers 

I added some trees and greenery.

COLONIAL ARMY: ITALIAN ARMY vs BRITISH ARMY

 I am starting to be interested to another period and campaign: the British Campaing in Sudan (as well as the Second Afghan War); I decided hence to modify the Italian Private I already had for the Battle of Dogali in 1887 into a British Private of the Sudan Campaign. They are pratically contemporary.

The main differences are:

1) The lightly different cap (the Italian one did not cover the back)

2) the Italian Tricolore on the front of the cap.

3) The collars: upwards the British, downwards the Italian

4) The cartridge belt

5) The colour of the unifor, even though the Italian became kaki in 1888/1889

TURIN 1706 - FRENCH REGIMENT OF DRAGONS "DU HERON"

 Coming back to my project, here I am with the French Dragons Regiment Du Heron. At the battle they fought with 3 squadrons for a total of 311 men:

1 Colonel

1 Lieutenant Colonel

3 Aide de Camps

3 Commander of Squadrons

3 Oboists

10 Drummers

3 Cornettes Standard - bearers (Guidon)

7 Cornettes without (2 were already missing)

12 Captains

10 Lieutenant (2 missing)

31 NCO (5 missing)

227 privates

Here a scheme of the organization of a French Dragons of the epoch (in the example Regiment "Bellabre")

Guidon of the du Heron Dragons Régiment