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quarta-feira, 28 de dezembro de 2016

LLL - Leal Legião Lusitana - Loyal Lusitanian Legion


 The Loyal Lusitanian Legion (LLL) was a foreign volunteer corps of the British Army, organized with Portuguese émigrés in England, that fought in the Peninsular War. The LLL was created by the initiative of Portuguese Army colonels José Maria Moura and Carlos Frederico Lecor – exiled in England after the occupation of Portugal by the Napoleonic Army – and the Portuguese Ambassador in London Chevalier de Sousa, with the support of the British Government.


The LLL received the title "Loyal" to distinguish itself from the much larger Portuguese Legion, mobilized at the same time with the best units and officers of the disbanded Portuguese Army by direct order of Napoleon and which would fight for him in the several European campaigns.


The LLL included not only Portuguese, but also British (including its commanding officer, colonel Robert Thomas Wilson) and Germans.


 The Legion was organized in Plymouth, in July 1808 and landed in Oporto, Portugal in September of the same year. Between 1808 and 1811, as part of the Anglo-Portuguese Army, the LLL fought against the Napoleonic Imperial Armies in the Peninsular War.


 It was present in the battles of Busaco and Talavera de la Reina, but was especially used to conduct raids and other irregular operations in the rear of the French Army, framing Portuguese and Spanish militia forces.


The LLL was disbanded on 4 May 1811, after being transferred to the Portuguese Army, with its units being transformed into the 7th, 8th and 9th battalions of Caçadores.


The Loyal Lusitanian Legion was organized as a regiment of light infantry, with an attached artillery battery. It included:
  1. Regimental staff, LLL;
  2. 1st Battalion, LLL;
  3. 2nd Battalion, LLL;
  4. Artillery corps, LLL.
Each battalion included 1000 men in 10 companies. The artillery corps was a battery with six field guns and 80 men.
When the LLL was disbanded, the 1st battalion became the 7th Caçadores and the 2nd battalion the 8th Caçadores. The 9th Caçadores was organized with the rest of the Legion's men.



As a light infantry unit, the Loyal Lusitanian Legion received green uniforms similar to those of the British rifles regiments. Furthermore, green was the livery colour of the Portuguese Royal House of Braganza, to whom the Legion remained loyal.

Text source: Wikipedia

28 comentários:

  1. Once again fantastic work!
    I love the history background.
    best regards

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    Respostas
    1. Thank you my friend, I really appreciate your always kind support! :D Cheers!

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  2. Une nouvelle superbe page d'histoire illustrée de main de maître...magnifiques photos et figurines!

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    1. Tu es toujours très gentil, mon cher ami!! :D Merci, et a bientôt!!

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  3. Respostas
    1. Thanks Francis!! These guys really hava an interssting story, the book by Cap. John Lillie is quite a good read. Here´s a copy (a legal one!! :) ) in English, from the Portuguese National Library site: http://purl.pt/27142/4/1577893_PDF/1577893_PDF_24-C-R0150/1577893_0000_capa-capa_t24-C-R0150.pdf Hope you enjoy it! Cheers my friend!

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  4. Very Well done ! What kind of minis is it ? The manufacturer ? Thanks.

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    1. Thank you Stefan, glad you lked them :) I bought these minis from Wargames Foundry some years ago, they are Late "Caçadores". Nowadays they are sold by their offshoot Casting Room Miniatures. You can see them here: http://www.castingroomminiatures.com/collections/napoleonic-portuguese?page=2 They are fine, and I have quite a few; however, they are a bit smaller than average (25mm, I guess), and the sculpting isn´t that crisp. I love them because they look like toys from the old days :) A matter of opinion, of course :) I had to "elevate" their basing in order to make them look taller :) I would advise the Warlord or Victrix Caçadores. Cheers!!

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    2. Many thanks and muito bom ano novo !

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    3. You are very welcome! Feliz ANo Novo :D

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  5. Excellent work RM! I enjoyed the background as well.

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  6. Respostas
    1. Thank you very much Andrei for your visit and kind comment :D Cheers!

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  7. A very informative post - and the paint job is, as always, of a very high standard. I haven't painted Napoleonics for decades, but your blog makes me want to give it a try!
    : )
    Well done!

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    1. Thank you Evan for your so very kind words!! :D Please do paint some Napoleonics, I´ll be waiting for that!! Cheers!

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  8. Good work! Do you recommend using Cacadores for outfitting the LLL or British Rifle uniforms?

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    1. Thanks Jonathan, glad you liked these fellows :D I think Caçadores are ideal, because of the extensive piping in the front of the jacket (we call it "alamares") In the BR, only the Officers had them, emulating the Hussars. The LLL 2nd Battalion is said to have had no "alamares" at all, and wore a greyish jacket with only one column of buttons - wheras the BR had 3. I hope you find these two links useful: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/1b/fd/68/1bfd68522c740ece3a8345c4f203fdb0.jpg and http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zu1x01lJ0q0/U0-BZDAsGcI/AAAAAAAADj4/ZC06uL2Fvf0/s1600/LLL.jpg Cheers!

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  9. Lovely job on some very interesting figures!

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  10. Respostas
    1. Спасибо большое Сергей :D Cheers my friend!

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  11. Bellissimi e grazie per la lezione di storia

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    1. Grazie a te, Luca per il tuo costante supporto E simpatici commenti! Saluti con amicizia :)

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