3eme Regt Etranger Irelandaise
Dated: Sept 26, 2007.
Hello, Attached are eight (8) photos of a test shot of HaT 8167 - French Napoleonic Middle Guard. I decided to paint these figures as the 3d Foreign Regiment (Irish).
These are Napoleon's Wild Geese, the Irish mercenaries who were intended to be the core of the ill fated invasion of Ireland. The original Wild Geese of the 17th c. were the Catholic aristocracy of Ireland, who fought in the Jacobite Wars and served the Bourbons in France and Spain. When the fortunes of the Bourbons went to pot, the traditional hatred of the English led many Irish mercenaries to join Napoleon's Grand Army.
Bonaparte's master strategy for the invasion of Britain through Ireland would never be tested in the field. The key to his strategy was to use the symbolic importance of the return of the Wild Geese to inspire the Irish people to rise around the Tricolor and bring the Revolution to Britain. It was essential that the army he landed in Ireland be one of liberation made up of native sons. The wore green uniforms, and had a distinctly Irish Tricolor
In spite of the British Naval blockades, Napoleon never entirely abandoned his plan for Ireland and he kept the key to that plan in his pocket to the bitter end.
These troops never saw action in any major battles. They waited in transport ships in heavy seas, and served as garrison troops in Spain, but the special mission for which they were formed never got the go ahead, until now...
Enjoy,
S. M. Mannix
U. S. A.
Many thanks to Mr. Mannix.