Thursday 2 May 2019

AHPC9 - Donnybrook - Berkley's Dragoons c1689



My penultimate post of the Challenge unless I really get my finger out and finish
 the unit I'm painting.
Can't see it happening though.


And yes it is more Donnybrook!!!!!


Here we have the 6 figures for the English regt Berkley's Dragoons



The figures are from Dixon minis, which are a real pleasure to paint, they almost
paint themselves!


"The Monmouth’s rebellion scared Parliament into forming the first standing Army in 1685, among it six regiments of horse and two of Dragoons. It was constituted of six troops, raised by the honourable John Berkeley and named after him as "Berkeley’s Dragoons" it’s recruiting area for all of the troops was Wessex. Berkeley married Barbera Villiers, an intimate friend of the King’s younger daughter, Princess Anne. Thus came about the first title of the Regiment "The Princess Anne of Denmark’s Regiment of Dragoons". In October Berkeley’s Dragoons rode into London to be inspected by the King, a critical Commander, who was nevertheless impressed with them. For the next three years the regiment came to annual summer camp on Hounslow Heath. In the glorious revolution of 1688, the Regiment performed the same role as most of the King’s Army changing to William of Oranges side when the Monarchs position became untenable."


"In 1689 Berkeley’s Dragoons saw their first action in Scotland fighting against those still loyal to King James. The following year Fitzhardinge took over the colonelcy from Berkeley and the title of Princess Anne’s Regiment fell into disuse. In 1692 the Regiment went to Flanders to fight against the French for six years, a tedious succession of marching and counter marching waiting to catch the enemy unawares. In 1692 they fought at Steenkirk, a badly orchestrated defeat in which Fitzardinge’s Dragoons lost 130 Killed, despite their conspicuous gallantry. The colonelcy changed again in 1693, when the Earl of Essex took over for almost twenty years. Two years later the Regiment helped to recapture the fortress of Namur. After the peace of Ryswick in 1697, Essex’s Dragoons returned to Yorkshire, a blooded Cavalry Regiment."


 There are also 6 dismounted Dragoons and a leader figure.



Here's the mounted version of the leader.





28 comments:

  1. Mounted - nice!
    Don't give up yet. Never give up, never surrender.

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  2. That is a nice troop of dragoons, Ray!

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  3. Great looking unit of dragoons, lovely command figure!
    Best Iain

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  4. You could have changed the text old boy!

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  5. Very nice. They do look the business.

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  6. You have done a lovely job on these Dixon figures Ray - Monmouths Rebellion and William and Marys army has been in my "wish list" for many years - one day perhaps!

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  7. A really nice unit and very interesting history. Always nice to have the mounted and dismounted versions. Just right for raiding a tavern or similar Donnybrook style :-)

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  8. I reckon even I could have spotted that these were for Donnybrook , and very nice they are too.

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  9. Superb work here.
    Love Dixon minis, love the period. Look forward to a scenario - set in Ireland in the 1680s/90s - I'm sure there's an excuse for a skirmish or three?

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  10. Nice job and enjoyed the info.

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