THE DANISH ARMY OF THE NAPOLEONIC WARS 1801-1814 VOLUME 2: CAVALRY AND ARTILLERY

◗ David A. Wilson ◗ publisher (2021) ◗ £29.95 ◗ 156 pages (hardback) ◗ ISBN: 9781913336592 ◗ helion.co.uk

This large format A4 softback, Number 61 in

Helion’s From Reason to Revolution 1721-1815 series, continues David Wilson’s study of the organisation, uniforms and equipment of the Danish Army that began in Number 48 with the High Command, Line and Light Infantry, which I have previously reviewed in these pages.

Six sections of text accompanied by full-page colour plates cover the organisation, equipment, harness and tack of the Danish Regular Cavalry; the uniforms, helmets, swords and shabraques of the Royal Horse Guards; the uniforms, swords and shabraques of the Heavy Cavalry; the uniforms, swords, helmets and shabraques of the Dragoons and Light Cavalry Regiments; the uniforms, harness, shabraques and rank distinctions of the Hussar Regiment, together with the Danish Bosniaks and Uhlans; and the Cavalry Standards. There are also four plates showing Danish Cavalry breeches and overalls, cavalrymen in cloaks, cavalry pistols and longarms.

A further three sections cover the Danish Artillery. The section entitled The Artillery, Det Kongelige Artillerikorps including the Engineers, covers the uniforms of the Foot and Horse Artillery, the Artillery drivers, Artillery swords and Artillery shabraques, but does not actually include the plate of Engineer uniforms, which is to be found in a later section.

The Ordnance offers scale drawings of side and overhead views of the most commonly used guns and howitzers, limbers, ammunition carts and wagons, accompanied by additional figures of artillerymen to indicate their size, together with diagrams showing horse teams drawing artillery pieces.

Finally, the Heavy Field and Siege Guns section contains scale drawings of two heavy guns, three different fortress pieces and types of carriage, and a field forge, also accompanied by figures of artillerymen. These are followed by the plate depicting the uniforms of the Engineers, Sappers and Matros Kompagniet, 1813-14.

Fifty-seven carefully researched, detailed colour plates, portraying over a hundred figures in uniform, together with drawings of colours, weapons, horse furniture and artillery pieces, make this book excellent value for both painters of wargames armies and modellers of larger scale figures and guns. Most of the figures are around 65mm from foot to eye; the larger figures are perhaps 85mm. There are only a very few rear views. The guns and vehicles are all drawn to slightly different scales to fit the pages, but a linear scale and a human figure is provided on each plate. No scales, however, are provided on the plates of cavalry standards, swords, sabres, pistols or longarms.

A three-page appendix by Jorgen Koefoed Larsen discusses The Puzzle of the Standards of the Livgarden til Hest (Horse Guards) 1720-1866.

A two-page bibliography and list of mostly Danish sources concludes this attractive book.

A third volume, currently in preparation, will cover the Norwegian Army and the Danish militias and volunteers, together with additional artillery and equipment. When this set is complete, the set of three books will then provide wargamers with an excellent uniform guide that will be perfect for painting the range of 28mm figures recently produced by the likes of Perry Miniatures (or other figure manufacturers which may be available! Ed.) or to convert smaller scale figures of other nationalities into Danes. David Wilson’s books are highly recommended to anyone contemplating raising a Danish wargame army.