GNW Swedish grenadiers

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maciek
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GNW Swedish grenadiers

Post by maciek » Tue Dec 13, 2011 12:05 pm

As far as I know, there was only one grenadier battalion in Swedish army - this of Guard Grenadiers.
Were ther any others ? Were the grenadiers grouped together into "storming parties" for special tasks ?
And more important - did the Swedish grenadiers use handgrenades in GNW ?
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Tacitus
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Re: GNW Swedish grenadiers

Post by Tacitus » Tue Dec 13, 2011 5:33 pm

There was also an independent grenadier battalion, raised in 1716 and disbanded 1719. It participated in the Norwegian campaign of 1718.

In the battle of Narva the Swedish infantry attacked in columns. Each column was spearheaded by a grenadier platoon. The largest body of infantry was spearheaded by the Guards grenadier battalion, which in turn was also spearheaded by a grenadier platoon. Crème de la crème so to speak :)

In the battle of Düna 1701 it seems like all grenadiers were allocated to strenghten the Guards grenadier battalion (which at that time only consisted of 300 men, it was doubled in 1703). That battalion spearheaded the crossing over the river Düna (Daugava).

I do not know to what extent they threw hand granades in the Great Northern War. But the infantry manual from 1701 stipulated that the grenadier should first fire his musket and then throw his grenade.

Sweden was by the way one of the last nations to introduce grenadiers in its army (1684).
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Re: GNW Swedish grenadiers

Post by pnorberg » Tue Dec 13, 2011 6:08 pm

In Sweden there were grenadiers already under Charles XI's time. Those levied throughout the 1700s to a number of first 12, later 15 and finally 18 from each company and were joined bataljonsvis to a platoon or for the whole regiment to a "division". They would be at least six feet long and of stately appearance. They wore tall pointy grenadjärmössor of stiff leather (in the 1700s of homespun or, in command, made ​​of velvet), to carry a large brass plate.
Attachments
3 pundig handkula med brandsats och hullingar.jpg
hand grenade of iron from the years 1500-1700
3 pundig handkula med brandsats och hullingar.jpg (27.14 KiB) Viewed 6995 times
Oapterad handgranat i järn från 1500-1700-tal.jpg
hand grenade of iron from the years 1500-1700
Oapterad handgranat i järn från 1500-1700-tal.jpg (48.55 KiB) Viewed 6995 times
Mössplåt till grenadjärmössa för Livgardet till fot.jpg
brass plate to the grenadier's cap for the Life Guards to fot
Mössplåt till grenadjärmössa för Livgardet till fot.jpg (203.95 KiB) Viewed 6995 times
Tacitus
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Re: GNW Swedish grenadiers

Post by Tacitus » Tue Dec 13, 2011 6:35 pm

The brass plate in the last picture has been incorrectly attributed to the Guard by the Armémuseum. The Guard grenadiers actually had tricornes and not grenadier caps so this plate could not belong to them. Höglund speculates that it instead belonged to the Saxon regiment (which consisted of former prisoners of war taken from the Saxon army) because they are reported to have had grenadier caps with brass plates.
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Re: GNW Swedish grenadiers

Post by pnorberg » Tue Dec 13, 2011 6:44 pm

my mistake remember that I talk about it with L.E höglund about this.
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maciek
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Re: GNW Swedish grenadiers

Post by maciek » Tue Dec 13, 2011 7:56 pm

Thanks a lot, guys !
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Rohan Wilmott
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Re: GNW Swedish grenadiers

Post by Rohan Wilmott » Mon Dec 19, 2011 7:47 am

Gents,
I'm well away from my "comfort zone" of WSS, but whose cypher is that on the brass grenadier plate, please? Could it be Danish?

Cheers, Rohan.
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maciek
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Re: GNW Swedish grenadiers

Post by maciek » Mon Dec 19, 2011 9:54 am

I'm well away from my "comfort zone" of WSS, but whose cypher is that on the brass grenadier plate, please?
Do you mean CXII ?
Carolus XII
Charles XII of Sweden
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Re: GNW Swedish grenadiers

Post by Rebel » Mon Dec 19, 2011 10:17 am

Constantly impressed by the quality of this thread !


- Mike
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Rohan Wilmott
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Re: GNW Swedish grenadiers

Post by Rohan Wilmott » Fri Dec 23, 2011 9:39 pm

Cheers, Maciek! Merry Christmas to all!
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