PUBLICATIONS FOR SALE

THE TWO JOHN COLLET BOOKS ARE CURRENTLY OUT OF PRINT. I AM AT PRESENT UPDATING BOOK ONE TO PUT ON A CD. THIS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY BOOK TWO.

John Collett and a Company of Foot Guards (Book One 1803 - 1813)

Private John Collett was a soldier with the 1^st Regiments of Foot Guards, the above mentioned book is divided into two parts.

Part one follows the Regiment and in particular relates his story together with the other men in his company, in the 1^st battalion, from the year 1803 to June 1813, these men were recruited to fight the French and at one stage to defend Britain against the very real threat of invasion by Napoleon. It tells some of their experiences, many of which were common to other Regiments.

From 1803 - 1805 together with many other Regiments and Militia, the 1^st Foot Guards, were stationed in Kent, the book shows some of the routine and training of these men. It then follows the Regiment to Sicily as part of Sir John Moore's expedition. In 1808 again as part of an expedition this time led by Sir David Baird, the Regiment and others travel to Corunna to link up with Sir John Moore already in Spain. You can then experience their return to Corunna over the mountains at the turn of the year 1808/1809, in appalling weather being harassed by the French all the way. Despite this they defeat the superior French force at Corunna and the Army is safely evacuated, to fight another day. From there they go as part of the expedition to Walcheren in Holland were sickness is the main enemy. Finally the Regiment returned to Spain, and join Wellington's Army, but again sickness is the great enemy and many return home.

Part two is a biography of over 400 men, who served at one time in the same company as Private Collett. They were recruited from all four countries of Britain & Ireland. See Data base on research page for more details on information held.

A5 Paperback. First Published 1996                         

John Collett and a Company of Foot Guards (Book Two June 1813-June 1823)

Book Two is again divided into two parts

Part one once more follows Private Collett and covers the period June 1813 to June 1823. It briefly relates the part the 1^st and 3^rd battalions of the Regiment took in events in Spain and France at the close of the war in 1813 and 1814. Then it follows Private Collett and his new company, in the 2^nd battalion when once more they go to Holland, to aid the Dutch, this time they are involved in the attack on Bergen op Zoom, in March 1814. At the end of the war they remain as part of the peacetime force in Belgium, until the escape of Napoleon in 1815 puts them once again on a war footing. Follow the men of the company as part of the army that fought and defeated Napoleon's army at the battles of Quatre Bras on 16^th June and Waterloo on 18^th June 1815. The survivors then had to settle to a peacetime routine after 22 years of fighting.

Part two is a biography of over 600 men of the Regiment who served at some time in the same company as Private Collett.

     

The MEN of the 1st FOOT GUARDS at WATERLOO & BEYOND

 

  

A third book identifying as many as possible of the officers and men who served with the 1^st Foot Guards both in Belgium and at Quatre Bras & Waterloo in 1815. The lives of as many survivors as possible have been followed many to their deaths some as long as 60 or 70 years later. The number involved is around 2,200 men. There is also a brief history of the Regiment from the outbreak of War in 1793, and the part they played on the 16^th June 1815 at Quatre Bras and 18^th June 1815 at Waterloo; as well as information on the documents used and many examples of court martial charges & punishments. The vast proportion of the book is taken up with biographies on the individual men. The book is in two volumes with a total of 918 pages, and is illustrated with maps drawing and sketches, together with some personal comments by individual men.

Book one ISBN 09528045 49; Book two ISBN 09528045 57; Set ISBN 09528045 65

 

SPECIAL OFFER Cost including packing UK £31.50 £21.50 (books sent separately 2nd class); £32.50 £22.50 (1^st class); Europe printed matter rate £34 £24; Zone one Americas, East Africa, Indian sub continent, SE Asia printed rate £39 £29; Zone two rest of Asia, Australia New Zealand & Pacific printed rate £40 £30.

FUTURE publications

INDEXING Regimental Index 1806, 47^th, 48^th, 49^th & 50^th Regiments of Foot.

NEXT Regimental Index 1806, 2^nd & 3^rd Foot Guards

(If I am able to find records for the Army of Reserve for Scotland & Ireland, then I hope to publish these at some time.)

RESEARCH AIDS

Army Research Other Ranks During The Napoleonic War

This is a beginners guide to tracing Other Ranks who served in the British Army, this includes the King’s German Legion and County Militia Regiments, but to a lesser extent the Royal Artillery and Royal Horse Artillery. Although mainly aimed at the period covered by the French Revolutionary War, Napoleonic War and Hundred Days (Waterloo) 1793 – 1815.  Some of the documents mentioned also apply to later periods.

It also seeks to persuade you that the possibility of service in the Army during this time is very high, and could be unknown to a researcher using the usual baptisms, marriages and burials records of the time.

Price £5.00 including U. K. postage & packing further £1.50 for overseas postage.

NAMES INDEXES (Other ranks)

1. On going project to transcribe and publish TNA WO25/871-1120 Service Returns No1 named 'Regimental Service Returns for June 1806', to be produced in volumes, each containing several piece numbers, volumes have between 3,500 and 4,500 names; 41,554 names to date. Details contained as follows:

When available will contain: SURNAME; FORENAME; ENLISTMENT DATE; RANK; REGIMENT; plus The National Archives REFERENCE

Up to date information on volumes available Regiments covered and price. Also see future publications above.

2. Another on going project to transcribe and publish details of those men who were balloted or went as a substitute to serve in the Army of Reserve which was first recruited in 1803 as part of a number of Acts of Parliament in relation to the 'Defence of the Realm'. These men were recruited to serve only in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland or the Islands of Guernsey, Jersey and Alderney for an initial period of five years. They were sent either to the reserve of a designated Regiment or a particular Battalion of Reserve of which there were sixteen. They could not be made to serve overseas, those who did not volunteer for general service, and many did, would not appear in the 1806 musters mentioned above.

Each index includes men from several counties. The way in which the counties are selected is by including all those who were sent to a specific regiment or battalion of reserve.

Up to date information on the counties to be found in the published Volumes, together with costs. The number of names so far is which is all of England & Wales26,316. Combined index for England & Wales now available on CD.

 

COMPACT DISC of Index to surviving ATTESTATIONS etc. for the 1^st Foot Guards (1^st or Grenadier Foot Guards from 1815) 1775-1817.

This is an index to the surviving ATTESTATIONS from 1775-1817, for the 1^st Foot Guards. There are however 56 attestations relating to the Coldstream Guards (2^nd Foot Guards) during the period 1777-1805, but only for the letters ’N’ & ‘O’ and a man named HOAKES or OAKS. Many years ago the documents were bound together into 39 volumes, and some attestations were sorted alphabetically, by first letter, although this is not always so. With the exception of the period 1775-1795, each volume covers a year and some years are covered in more than one volume; odd documents are bound in the wrong years. Also found among the documents are some RECORDS of SERVICE & RE ATTESTATION RECORDS. There are a total of 9,309 documents. These documents are held at the Regimental Archives Grenadier Guards. The CD contains a data card on each man found in the documents giving if available his SURNAME; FORENAME; PLACE OF BIRTH; DATE ENLISTED; AND SOMETIMES SOME OTHER REMARKS. There is also a surname index. FURTHER INFORMATION. Price £12 including UK p&p add further £2 for overseas postage.

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