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Swiss Guard, France, 1792
UniformInfo - Military Modelling magazine, 1977
Q.
Dear Sirs,
Your Military Modelling magazine is extremely interesting and I always buy it — yet there is one uniform that eludes me and apparently your magazine. I would very much like to see in 'Uniforminfo' details of ʺThe Swiss Guard 1792ʺ back and front views, also Grenadier Coy., their colour standard and officer. Some 600 of these troops fell at their posts during an heroic defence of the Tuileries in the French revolution.
Hove, Sussex,. R. Monize.
A.
The Swiss Guard Regiment had carried their distinctive red coats from 1704 and the full parade uniform would be as follows: Black tricorne hat edged with fancy silver braid and a white cocade worn on the left side.
The coat was red with a very small standing collar of royal blue. Royal blue lapels and cuffs. On each shoulder a red shoulder strap. White braid edging to the lapels, cuffs and pockets. All buttonholes were braided with a white spearpoint design braid loop which was silver for N.C.O.s. The collar and shoulder straps piped white. Turnbacks white with a small red Fleur-de-lis in each corner. White metal buttons.
White waistcoat, breeches and gaiters. Black gaiters were worn in winter.
Hair was worn powdered, with side curls and pigtails. White cartridge belt with black pouch. On the lid of the pouch the royal arms in brass.
Muskets with brass fittings. Red leather sling.
Brass hilted sabre carried from a frog on a white waistcoat. Square brass waistbelt plate.
Brown leather scabbard. White sabre strap and tassel.
Red stock.
Grenadier Officer: Black bearskin with a large silver plate bearing the royal arms on the front. White plume. Silver cords and tassels.
The coat the same colour as above, but the collar, lapels, front of the coat, pockets, cuffs and buttonholes decorated with ornate silver embroidery. On each shoulder a silver fringed epaulette. White metal buttons.
White waistcoat, breeches, gaiters and gloves.
Silver hilted sword carried in a black leather scabbard worn in a frog from a white leather waistbelt. Gold sword knot and strap. Large silver plate on the waistbelt bearing the royal arms.
White leather cartridge bandolier, black cartridge box with silver plate bearing the royal arms. Short fusil with red leather sling.
Drummer: Uniform as above, but the coat was reversed colours. The lapels and cuffs were red, the rest of the coat royal blue. However, the coat was ornately laced with a red and white drummer's braid in the same positions as mentioned above, plus down the front of the coat, the sleeves, and along the rear seams.
The drum carriage was white with brass buckles, tips and slides. The drum had a brass shell decorated with Fleur-de-lis, and the drumhoops and cords were white.
Standards: The Swiss Guard Regiment carried a number of different standards, many of which were quite complicated in design. However, the normal company standard had a white field covered with small golden Fleur-de-lis.