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2nd Light Battalion King's German Legion
Formed in 1803, the King's German Legion (KGL) was a British Army unit operational 1803–16. It was comprised mostly of expatriate Germans, refugees from the Principality of Hanover after it was occupied by 30,000 French troops. Although mostly German, the force had many other nationalities and most of its officers were of British origin.
Although the KGL never fought on it’s own, and remained a part of the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars (1804–15), it nonetheless played a vital role in several campaigns, including the Walcheren Campaign, the Peninsular War, and the Hundred Days leading to the Battle of Waterloo (June 18, 1815). It was the only German army to fight against France throughout the entirety of the Napoleonic wars.
The Legion was renowned for its excellent discipline and fighting ability, as well as being incredibly loyal to their unit. The cavalry was reputed to be among the best in the British army. According to the historian Alessandro Barbero, the King's German Legion "had such a high degree of professionalism that it was considered equal in every way to the best British units." The Light Battalions were armed with the Baker Rifle, a musket with a rifled barrel, which had much longer range and better accuracy than the standard “Brown Bess” used by the rest of the British Army.
At Waterloo, the 2nd Light Battalion of the King’s German Legion was given the task of defending the farm of La Haye Sainte, which guarded the crossroads of the chemin de Ohain, the road that led to Brussels. Throughout the day, the French made several attempts to take the vital farm, which the KGL tenaciously held onto, being reinforced at one point by the 1st Light Battalion, despite taking heavy casualties.
Finally however, running out of ammunition, and with the farm becoming untenable, the survivors of the 2nd and the 1st BN finally abandoned the farm around 6:00. The 2nd Light Battalion suffered a 40 per cent casualty rate, including killed, wounded, captured and missing. Of the 400-odd men that entered the farm at the beginning of the day, only 44 made it out in any kind of fighting shape. Yet their delaying action disrupted Napoleon’s attack plans, so that by the time he managed to make his most powerful attack of the day with his Imperial Guard after 6:00pm, it was too little too late to save the French from disaster.
Many of those who defended La Haye Sainte who survived eventually made it to high ranks in the Hanoverian army, such as the commander of the 2nd Light Battalion, Major George Baring, who retired a Lieutenant General.
In 1816, the year after the victory at Waterloo, the Legion was disbanded, some of the units being merged into the newly-reestablished Army of Hanover.
- From Wikipedia articles
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To learn more, and gain a better understanding of the trials and tribulations these brave men faced, I highly recommend reading The Longest Afternoon: The 400 hundred men who decided the Battle of Waterloo, by Brendan Simms, the author of Europe. It is an excellent, quick read, that reads like a action-adventure novel, and I highly recommend it.
2nd Light Battalion King's German Legion
Formed in 1803, the King's German Legion (KGL) was a British Army unit operational 1803–16. It was comprised mostly of expatriate Germans, refugees from the Principality of Hanover after it was occupied by 30,000 French troops. Although mostly German, the force had many other nationalities and most of its officers were of British origin.
Although the KGL never fought on it’s own, and remained a part of the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars (1804–15), it nonetheless played a vital role in several campaigns, including the Walcheren Campaign, the Peninsular War, and the Hundred Days leading to the Battle of Waterloo (June 18, 1815). It was the only German army to fight against France throughout the entirety of the Napoleonic wars.
The Legion was renowned for its excellent discipline and fighting ability, as well as being incredibly loyal to their unit. The cavalry was reputed to be among the best in the British army. According to the historian Alessandro Barbero, the King's German Legion "had such a high degree of professionalism that it was considered equal in every way to the best British units." The Light Battalions were armed with the Baker Rifle, a musket with a rifled barrel, which had much longer range and better accuracy than the standard “Brown Bess” used by the rest of the British Army.
At Waterloo, the 2nd Light Battalion of the King’s German Legion was given the task of defending the farm of La Haye Sainte, which guarded the crossroads of the chemin de Ohain, the road that led to Brussels. Throughout the day, the French made several attempts to take the vital farm, which the KGL tenaciously held onto, being reinforced at one point by the 1st Light Battalion, despite taking heavy casualties.
Finally however, running out of ammunition, and with the farm becoming untenable, the survivors of the 2nd and the 1st BN finally abandoned the farm around 6:00. The 2nd Light Battalion suffered a 40 per cent casualty rate, including killed, wounded, captured and missing. Of the 400-odd men that entered the farm at the beginning of the day, only 44 made it out in any kind of fighting shape. Yet their delaying action disrupted Napoleon’s attack plans, so that by the time he managed to make his most powerful attack of the day with his Imperial Guard after 6:00pm, it was too little too late to save the French from disaster.
Many of those who defended La Haye Sainte who survived eventually made it to high ranks in the Hanoverian army, such as the commander of the 2nd Light Battalion, Major George Baring, who retired a Lieutenant General.
In 1816, the year after the victory at Waterloo, the Legion was disbanded, some of the units being merged into the newly-reestablished Army of Hanover.
- From Wikipedia articles
———————————————————
To learn more, and gain a better understanding of the trials and tribulations these brave men faced, I highly recommend reading The Longest Afternoon: The 400 hundred men who decided the Battle of Waterloo, by Brendan Simms, the author of Europe. It is an excellent, quick read, that reads like a action-adventure novel, and I highly recommend it.