The following report was submitted by John Grehan, and is an account of two museums he visited as part of his research for the forthcoming Partizan Press book on the uniforms of the Brunswick and Hanoverian Armies.

Report on the Braunschweigisehes Landesmuseum and the Historicshes Museum in Hanover

The Landesmuseum at Braunsweig is spread over four separate buildings around the city, with the Brunswick Army uniforms being located in the main building at Burgplatz 1. The items on display include a dolman and waistcoat of an officer of the Leib-Battalion, and a dolman of a sergeant-major of the same battalion, both dated 1815. The fur-trimmed "Polrock" allegedly worn by the Duke of Brunswick is the central feature of the display and there is an interesting example of the concave-topped "kiwer" style shako worn by some of the Brunswick infantry in the Waterloo campaign. There are also a number of near-contemporary paintings and illustrated pottery items which between them show most of the uniforms worn from 1809-15.

Included in the paintings is one which portrays the Brunswick troops that invaded Germany in 1809. Amongst these troops is an Uhlan in Austrian uniform with a very tall, thin plume rising from the front of his czapka, which contradicts the statement by Otto von Pivka in his book BRUNSWICK TROOPS 1809-15 that no plume was worn by the Uhlans at that time. Possibly the two most interesting items are the bugle-horn of the Avantegarde Battalion, which is a surprisingly large instrument, and a Line infantry drum which has been depicted incorrectly in the von Pivka book. It has light-blue and yellow striped hoops, white cords and tensioners and the white horse of Lower Saxony (the Niedersachen Pferd) painted on its brass body.

Photography is allowed, but the use of flash requires a special permit which is obtainable free of charge on the day of your visit. Anyone requiring information should contact: Dr. Christof Romer, Braunsweigishces Landesmuseum, Burgplatz 1, D - 3300 Braunsweig, Germany.

At the Historisches Museum in Hanover there are uniforms of the Line Infantry and the Dragoons of the King's German Legion as well as some items from the reformed Hanoverian army of 1813-15. There are infantry and cavalry swords and sabres, the short infantry sabre used by Grenadiers of the Electoral army being the most interesting of these items. Again there are a number of useful paintings and items of pottery as well as the King's Colour of the IV Line Battalion of the K.G.L., and a cavalry standard from the 1790s. Also on display is a K.G.L. drum and, again, this is quite considerably different from the colour sketch of a K.G.L. artillery drum in another of Otto von Pivka's books THE KING'S GERMAN LEGION. It has a brass body embossed with the Royal coat-of-arms (ie. a crown above the Garter with the Lion and Unicorn supporters) red and blue hoops, white cords and tensioners. By far the most puzzling item in the collection, however, is a conical, stovepipe-style shako with green cords and a silver huntinghorn badge.

It is attributed to the Kielmanesgge Fieldjager Corps of 1814, though every other source, including paintings in the very same museum, indicate that a flat, peaked cap was worn by this unit. Such are the complexities of historical research! Photography is permitted and with no restrictions. Information can be obtained (in English) from: Dr. Von Rohr, Historisches Museum am Hohen Ufer, Pferdstrasse, 3000 Hannover 1.

Both these museums are closed on Mondays. There are no admission charges.

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