92nd Brunswick Infantry Regiment
92nd Brunswick Infantry Regiment
The North German Principality of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel which had existed since the 13th century was promted to a Duchy by the Congress of Vienna and was awarded some of the lands of the former Duchy of Brunswick-Lüneburg. The new Duchy of Brunswick consisted of several small separtated territories.
The later Braunschweigisches Infanterie-Regiment Nr.92 was originally formed on 1 April 1809 as the two infantry battalions of the Herzoglich Braunschweigischen Korps under Austrian command to fight the French who had occupied the Duchy of Brunswick and incorporated it into the Kingdom of Westphalia. When Austria was defeated at the Battle of Wagram later that year the Brunswick troops made their way to Britain to continue the fight against Napoleon. They served under British command in the Peninsular Campaign and at the Battles of Quatre-Bras and Waterloo as the famous ‘Black Brunswickers’. In 1815, an elite Leib-Bataillon was formed from veterans of the Peninsular Campaign.
The Brunswick army fought alongside Prussia against Denmark in 1848-49. Brunswick attempted to remain neutral during the Austro-Prussian War but was pressured by Prussia to enter the war. Eventually Brunswick declared for Prussia but was too late to take part in the fighting. As part of the North German Convention, the Brunswick infantry battalions were incorporated into the Prussian army listings as the 92nd Infantry Regiment (with the III Battalion retaining the title Leib-Bataillon) in 1867 and they again allied with Prussia in the Franco-Prussian War, seeing action at the Battles of Mars-la-Tour and Gravelotte-St. Privat.
Duke Wilhelm of Brunswick however refused to sign further military conventions with Prussia, even after the formation of the German Empire in 1871. In retaliation Prussia ordered the 92nd Regiment to be posted to Alsace until 1877 and then Metz in the occupied Imperial territories acquired from France during the war as part of their contribution to the North German Confederation rather than be based at home in Brunswick. Despite negotiations the Duke refused to cede minor controls such as uniform design and officer appointments of his small military until his death in 1884.
Having died childless, he was succeeded by Prince Albrecht of Prussia, a nephew of Kaiser Wilhelm I and by 1886 the Duchy had formed a military convention with Prussia along the lines of the Thüringian states. From that year they began to wear Prussian uniforms and so in 1887 the regiment returned home to be garrisoned at Brunswick where they remained until 1914 forming part of the X Army Corps.
During the First World War they were transferred between the Western and Eastern Fronts several times seeing action in the Invasion of Belgium and the Battle of Champagne in the West as well as the Battles of Gorlice-Tarnow and Lemberg in the East.
Helmet Plate: Yellow metal Prussian line eagle with FUERST rather than KOENIG on the scroll and either the Brunswick Horse or a skull and crossbones in white metal on the front. Originally, the I and II Battalions wore the Brunswick Horse arms in a round shield mounted on a cross above the battle honour for PENINSULAR on a star in a design similar to that of the Brunswick Heinrich der Löwe Order. This design was enamelled for officers with the shield in red and the cross in blue. The III Leib-Batallion meanwhile, wore a skull and crossed bones above a scroll bearing the battle honour PENINSULAR on their eagles in commemoration of their former commander Duke Friedrich Wilhelm, who was killed at the Battle of Quatre Bras in 1815. In 1909 the entire regiment was authorised to wear the skull and crossbones for one year to celebrate its centenary but the following year, the I and II Battalions did not go back to wearing the horse insignia, and an order of 1912 retrospectively awarded the skull and crossed bones to the entire regiment.
State Cockade: Brunswick (blue/yellow/blue) from 1897, prior to then Prussian (black/white/black) cockades were worn
Parade Plume: Black
Tunic Buttons: Yellow metal
Shoulder Straps: White with a red crowned W monogram in memory of Duke Wilhelm of Brunswick
Collar: Red piped along the upper edge in dark blue
Cuffs: Brandenburg style in red with blue piping around the vertical panel
Other Distinctions (I): Until Brunswick signed the military convention with Prussia in 1886 its infantry wore distinctive black uniforms. The tunic, known as a Polrock had black lace across the chest and a dark blue collar, shoulder straps and pointed dark blue cuffs. A short black shako was worn with a black horsehair plume at the front. The last ever parade in the old black uniforms was held on 1st May 1892. From 1886 Prussian uniforms were issued but with the following distinctions.
Other Distinctions (II): Brunswick colours of blue and yellow were worn on the officers sash and sash belt. From 1896 the officer belt buckle bore a skull and crossed bones insignia. Prussian colours and heraldic devices were worn on other insignia.
Other Distinctions (III): From 1912 the regiment wore a white metal skull and crossed bones badge on the field cap between the cockades. They were the only infantry regiment of the Imperial German army at the outbreak of war to wear a badge between the cockades.
*Text from ‘Traditions of the Imperial German Infantry Regiments’ available worldwide on Amazon.
** Photos from Fort de la Pompelle
*** Painting of the Black Brunswickers at the Battle of Quatre Bras 1815 by Richard Knötel
*Text from ‘Traditions of the Imperial German Infantry Regiments’ available worldwide on Amazon.
** Photos from Fort de la Pompelle
*** Painting of the Black Brunswickers at the Battle of Quatre Bras 1815 by Richard Knötel
