Prussia Spiked helmet Fuesilier Rgt. (Hannoversches) Nr.73

[Bernhard H.Holst]

Hello readers.

I was a long time looking for this helmet. Only a very few regiments in the Prussian Army which could trace their lineage to the old Hanoverian Army had these head gear plates showing campaign and/or battle distinctions. In this case the Fusilier Regiment ( Hanoverian ) Number 73 had:
Peninsula and Waterloo

These bear a relation to the Kings German Legion which consisted to the largest extent of Hanoverian citizens who fled their French occupied homeland for Great Britain. George III was also the Elector of Hanover and provided the opportunity to fight against Napoleon I in the ranks of the newly created Kings German Legion.

As mentioned in earlier, related posts emperor Wilhelm II restored these honors as well as the cuff title

"Gibraltar"

to which this regiment was also entitled because of the participation in the defense of Gibraltar during the siege in the 1780's against the Spaniards and French.

Of note is that the last surviving recipient of the Pour Le Merite order the later Hauptmann Ernst Juenger belonged to this regiment as did his brother Fritz. This regiment was deployed on the Western Front throughout of WW I.

I am fortunate to have a tunic of this regiment in my collection and will give it a try to photograph it.

Bernhard H. Holst

Edited April 22, 2014 by Bernhard H.Holst