Tradition of London
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The French Army in the Franco Prussian War 1870-1871 The force with which France proposed to meet the magnificent German War machine in 1870 was based on totally different principles. Until only a short time before the War it was essentially a long term army with conscription for seven years, long enough to turn even the most obtuse civilian into a professional soldier. The practice between 1818 and 1870 was to select by ballot, out of the liable age group, the number of men necessary to make up the size of the army fixed by the Legislature. The larger part of the contingent, the second portion, was not called upon remaining as an untrained reserve. If a young man had the bad luck to draw a bad number however, there was still the institution of substitution if he could find an experienced man to take his place. French officer was thorough going amateur. Only a minority of wealthy or well educated officers could pass the examinations or afford the fees to enter a military school by far the greater number were promoted from the ranks. In 1870 the Germans were to be astounded by the illiteracy of the officers who fell into their hands. Perhaps to reconcile these two opposites, there grew a mystique whereby courage and elan were more desirable attributes than military skill. Indeed the traditional French elan was a force to be reckoned with, as even the Germans acknowledged, but hardly sufficient to offset the total Prussian professionalism. This attitude extended into the highest circles; to quote one French General: the army was dominated by an all powerful school, made up of soldiers as fortunate as they were brave, who loudly proclaimed their contempt for the military art. Read more in the Tradition Magazine No 63

Officer Infantry of the Line 1815

Imperial Garde Dragoons c.1808
 
CS 9001 Napoleon
CS 9002 French Officer Garde Lancer
CS 9003 French Garde Lancer Trumpeter
CS 9004 French Garde Dragoon Trumpeter
CS 9005 French Grenadier a Cheval Trooper
CS 9006 French Hussar Officer 1805-1815
CS 9007 French Hussar Officer 1814
CS 9008 French Garde Grenadier Officer
CS 9009 French Garde Grenadier
CS 9010 French Line Infantry Officer
CS 9011 French Young Garde Private
CS 9012 The Duke of Wellington
CS 9013 British Lifeguard Officer 1815
CS 9014 British Horse guard Officer 1815
CS 9015 British Guard Dragoon Trooper 1815
CS 9016 British Light Dragoon Officer 1800
CS 9017 British Light Dragoon Officer 1815
CS 9018 Highland Officer 1815
CS 9019 Highland Private 1815
CS 9020 British Infantry Officer 1815
CS 9021 British Infantry Private 1815
CS 9022 Cold stream Guards Officer 1820
CS 9023 British Lifeguard Officer 1830
CS 9024 British Guard Dragoon Officer 1900
CS 9025 British Dragoon Guard Trooper 1900
CS 9026 British Hussar Officer 1900
CS 9027 British Lancer Officer 1900
CS 9028 British Line Infantry Private 1900
CS 9029 British Life Guard Corporal 1980s
CS 9030 Officer Scots Guards 1980s
CS 9031 Cold stream Guardsman 1980s