The composite battalion of the British Foot Guards which was based at Cadiz returned to the UK in April 1811. These were all second battalion companies. Has anyone seen evidence that prior to their embarkation men were taken to supplement the first battalions then serving with the field army in Portugal?
A contemporary letter regarding a private in the 3rd Guards mentions his presence at Cadiz in Oct 1810 and a subsequent note from the 3rd Guards orderly room states that the same man was "with the battalion" on 1 Feb 1812. Implicitly he was in the 2nd bn in 1810 and surely must have been with the 1st bn in 1812, but I have found no explicit record of a tranfer from one bn to the other.
Andrew Bamford's work on the 1/3rd Foots Guards (Napoleon Series) show a substantial increase in the number of effectives for the month of June 1811, which implies that it may have taken on men from the returning 2nd bn - but I can find nothing that proves it.
If anyone has such a snippet, I would be pleased to hear of it.
Thanks again.
Hello again Jim, thanks for this. I have some info about the graveyard in Bristol that I promised I would check out for you - I'll send it by email.
Cheers
Ian