
The King's German Legion (KGL; ) was a formation of the
British Army during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Consisting primarily of expatriate
Germans
Germans (, ) are the natives or inhabitants of Germany, or sometimes more broadly any people who are of German descent or native speakers of the German language. The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany, constitution of Germany, imple ...
, it existed from 1803 to 1816 and achieved the distinction of being the only German military force to fight without interruption against the French and their allies during the
Napoleonic Wars
{{Infobox military conflict
, conflict = Napoleonic Wars
, partof = the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars
, image = Napoleonic Wars (revision).jpg
, caption = Left to right, top to bottom:Battl ...
.
Formed within months of the French dissolution of the
Electorate of Hanover
The Electorate of Hanover ( or simply ''Kurhannover'') was an Prince-elector, electorate of the Holy Roman Empire located in northwestern Germany that arose from the Principality of Calenberg. Although formally known as the Electorate of Brun ...
in 1803, the KGL was constituted as a
combined arms
Combined arms is an approach to warfare that seeks to integrate different combat arms of a military to achieve mutually complementary effects—for example, using infantry and armoured warfare, armour in an Urban warfare, urban environment in ...
corps by the end of the year. Although it never fought autonomously and remained a part of the British army for the duration of the Napoleonic Wars, the KGL played a vital role in several campaigns, most notably the
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War (1808–1814) was fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Kingdom of Portugal, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French ...
,
Walcheren Campaign
The Walcheren Campaign () was an unsuccessful United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, British expedition to the Kingdom of Holland in 1809 intended to open another front in the Austrian Empire's struggle with First French Empire, France ...
and
Hundred Days
The Hundred Days ( ), also known as the War of the Seventh Coalition (), marked the period between Napoleon's return from eleven months of exile on the island of Elba to Paris on20 March 1815 and the second restoration of King Louis XVIII o ...
.
The KGL was disbanded in 1816, and many of its units were incorporated into the
Hanoverian Army, which later became part of the
Imperial German Army
The Imperial German Army (1871–1919), officially referred to as the German Army (), was the unified ground and air force of the German Empire. It was established in 1871 with the political unification of Germany under the leadership of Kingdom o ...
after the
unification of Germany
The unification of Germany (, ) was a process of building the first nation-state for Germans with federalism, federal features based on the concept of Lesser Germany (one without Habsburgs' multi-ethnic Austria or its German-speaking part). I ...
into the
German Empire
The German Empire (),; ; World Book, Inc. ''The World Book dictionary, Volume 1''. World Book, Inc., 2003. p. 572. States that Deutsches Reich translates as "German Realm" and was a former official name of Germany. also referred to as Imperia ...
1871. The
British German Legion, raised during the
Crimean War
The Crimean War was fought between the Russian Empire and an alliance of the Ottoman Empire, the Second French Empire, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, and the Kingdom of Sardinia (1720–1861), Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont fro ...
, has sometimes been erroneously referred to as the "King's German Legion".
History

After the
occupation of Hanover by Napoleonic troops the
Convention of Artlenburg, also called the Convention of the Elbe, was signed on 5 July 1803 and formally dissolved the
Electorate of Hanover
The Electorate of Hanover ( or simply ''Kurhannover'') was an Prince-elector, electorate of the Holy Roman Empire located in northwestern Germany that arose from the Principality of Calenberg. Although formally known as the Electorate of Brun ...
. Consequently, the Elector's army was disbanded. Many former Hanoverian officers and soldiers fled the French occupation of Hanover to
Britain
Britain most often refers to:
* Great Britain, a large island comprising the countries of England, Scotland and Wales
* The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, a sovereign state in Europe comprising Great Britain and the north-eas ...
;
George III
George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland, Ireland from 25 October 1760 until his death in 1820. The Acts of Union 1800 unified Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and ...
, the deposed
Elector of Hanover, was also
King of the United Kingdom
The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the form of government used by the United Kingdom by which a hereditary monarch reigns as the head of state, with their powers Constitutional monarchy, regula ...
.
The same year, Major
Colin Halkett and Colonel
Johann Friedrich von der Decken were issued warrants to raise a corps of
light infantry
Light infantry refers to certain types of lightly equipped infantry throughout history. They have a more mobile or fluid function than other types of infantry, such as heavy infantry or line infantry. Historically, light infantry often fought ...
, to be named ''The King's German Regiment''. On 19 December 1803, Halkett's and von der Decken's levies were combined as a basis of a mixed corps (includes all arms: mounted, infantry, artillery) renamed the King's German Legion. The KGL infantry were quartered in
Bexhill-on-Sea
Bexhill-on-Sea (often shortened to Bexhill) is a seaside town and civil parish in the Rother District in the county of East Sussex in South East England. It is located along the Sussex Coast and between the towns of Hastings, England, Hastings ...
and the cavalry in
Weymouth, Dorset
Weymouth ( ) is a seaside town and civil parish in the Dorset (district), Dorset district, in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. Situated on a sheltered bay at the mouth of the River Wey, Dorset, River Wey, south of the county town of ...
. Some units were involved in a street fight in
Tullamore, Ireland with a British Light infantry unit in the so-called ''Battle of Tullamore.''
The number of
officers and other ranks grew over time to approximately 14,000, but during the 13 years of its existence, close to 28,000 men served in the legion at one time or another. Initially, most of the officers were appointed with temporary rank, but in 1812 all the officers of the legion were given permanent rank in the British Army for "having so frequently distinguished themselves against the enemy". It saw active service as an integral part of the British Army from 1805 to 1816, after which its units were disbanded. In November 1813
Hanover was liberated from French rule and the Hanoverian Army revived. At the
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo, Belgium, Waterloo (then in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium), marking the end of the Napoleonic Wars. The French Imperial Army (1804–1815), Frenc ...
in 1815 two distinct Hanoverian forcesthe KGL and the Hanoverian Armyserved under the
Duke of Wellington.
Organisation
Cavalry
* 1st Regiment of Dragoons (1804–1812, red jacket)
** ''changed into:'' 1st Regiment of Light Dragoons (1812–1816, blue jacket)
* 2nd Regiment of Dragoons (1805–1812, red jacket)
** ''changed into:'' 2nd Regiment of Light Dragoons (1812–1816, blue jacket)
* 1st Regiment of Hussars
* 2nd Regiment of Hussars
* 3rd Regiment of Hussars
Infantry
* 1st Light Infantry Battalion
* 2nd Light Infantry Battalion
* 1st Line Battalion
* 2nd Line Battalion
* 3rd Line Battalion
* 4th Line Battalion
*
5th Line Battalion
* 6th Line Battalion
* 7th Line Battalion
*
8th Line Battalion
Artillery and engineers
* King's German Artillery
** 2 horse batteries
** 4 foot batteries
* King's German Engineers
Campaigns
Although the legion never fought autonomously or as a single unit, its units participated in campaigns in Hanover,
Pomerania
Pomerania ( ; ; ; ) is a historical region on the southern shore of the Baltic Sea in Central Europe, split between Poland and Germany. The central and eastern part belongs to the West Pomeranian Voivodeship, West Pomeranian, Pomeranian Voivod ...
,
Copenhagen
Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...
and
Walcheren
Walcheren () is a region and former island in the Dutch province of Zeeland at the mouth of the Scheldt estuary. It lies between the Eastern Scheldt in the north and the Western Scheldt in the south and is roughly the shape of a rhombus. The two ...
, the
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War (1808–1814) was fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Kingdom of Portugal, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French ...
under
General Sir John Moore; and the retreat to
Corunna; the
Peninsular Campaign under the
Duke of Wellington, including the battles of
Bussaco,
Barrosa,
Fuentes de Onoro,
Albuera,
Ciudad Rodrigo
Ciudad Rodrigo () is a small cathedral city in the province of Salamanca (province), Salamanca, in western Spain, with a population in 2016 of 12,896. It is also the seat of a judicial district.
The site of Ciudad Rodrigo, perched atop a rocky r ...
,
Salamanca
Salamanca () is a Municipality of Spain, municipality and city in Spain, capital of the Province of Salamanca, province of the same name, located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is located in the Campo Charro comarca, in the ...
,
Garcia Hernandez,
Burgos
Burgos () is a city in Spain located in the autonomous community of Castile and León. It is the capital and most populous municipality of the province of Burgos.
Burgos is situated in the north of the Iberian Peninsula, on the confluence of th ...
,
Venta del Pozo,
Vittoria,
San Sebastian,
Nivelle,
Orthez
Orthez (; ; , ) is a commune in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques department, and region of Nouvelle-Aquitaine, southwestern France.
It lies 40 km NW of Pau on the Southern railway to Bayonne. The town also encompasses the small village of Sai ...
, Sicily, and the eastern parts of
Spain
Spain, or the Kingdom of Spain, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe with territories in North Africa. Featuring the Punta de Tarifa, southernmost point of continental Europe, it is the largest country in Southern Eur ...
, Northern
Germany
Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
and
Göhrde.

In the Peninsular Campaign, the Germans enhanced the veteran core of the British army. At Sabugal, in April 1811, several hundred German hussars augmented the Light Division, and the Hussars found the proper ford of the Coa River.
At the
Battle of Garcia Hernandez, the Dragoons performed the unusual feat of smashing two French
square formations in a matter of minutes.
At the
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo, Belgium, Waterloo (then in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium), marking the end of the Napoleonic Wars. The French Imperial Army (1804–1815), Frenc ...
, the 2nd Light Battalion – with members of the 1st Light Battalion and the 5th Line Battalion – defended the farmhouse and road at
La Haye Sainte
La Haye Sainte (, , named either after Jesus' crown of thorns or a nearby bramble hedge) is a walled farmhouse compound at the foot of an escarpment near Waterloo, Belgium, on the N5 road connecting Brussels and Charleroi. It has changed very ...
. As the
5th Line Battalion under
Oberst
''Oberst'' () is a senior field officer rank in several German language, German-speaking and Scandinavian countries, equivalent to Colonel. It is currently used by both the Army, ground and air forces of Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, a ...
Ompteda
was on its way to reinforce the defenders of Haye Sainte, the French cavalry attached to
Jean-Baptiste Drouet, Comte d'Erlon's Corp I rode them down; only a few of the intended relievers survived. After a six-hour defence, without ammunition, or reinforcements, the Germans were forced to abandon the farm, leaving the buildings in shambles and their dead behind.
Legacy
The legion was known for its excellent discipline and fighting ability. The cavalry was reputed to be among the best in the British army. According to the historian Alessandro Barbero, the King's German Legion "had such a high degree of professionalism that it was considered equal in every way to the best British units." After the victory at Waterloo, the Electorate of Hanover was re-founded as the
Kingdom of Hanover
The Kingdom of Hanover () was established in October 1814 by the Congress of Vienna, with the restoration of George III to his Hanoverian territories after the Napoleonic Wars, Napoleonic era. It succeeded the former Electorate of Hanover, and j ...
. However, the
Army of Hanover had been reconstituted even before the final battle, so that there were two Hanoverian armies in existence including at the
Battle of Waterloo
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on Sunday 18 June 1815, near Waterloo, Belgium, Waterloo (then in the United Kingdom of the Netherlands, now in Belgium), marking the end of the Napoleonic Wars. The French Imperial Army (1804–1815), Frenc ...
. In 1816 the legion was dissolved and some officers and men were integrated into the new Hanoverian army.
Battle honours

*
Peninsular War
The Peninsular War (1808–1814) was fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Kingdom of Portugal, Portugal, Spain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French ...
*
Waterloo
*
Battle of Venta del Pozo
The Battle of Venta del Pozo, also known as the Battle of Villodrigo by the French and Spanish, was a rear-guard action fought as part of the Peninsular War on 23 October 1812 between an Anglo-German force led by Major-General Stapleton Cott ...
(1st and 2nd Light Infantry Battalion)
*
García Hernández (near Salamanca) (1st Regiment of Dragoons )
*
El Bodón (1st Regiment of Hussars)
*
Barrosa, near Cádiz, Spain (2nd Regiment of Hussars)
*
Göhrde (3rd Regiment of Hussars)
Regimental colonels
The following officers served as
colonels of the regiment or
colonels commandant to KGL units:
;The King's German Legion
* 1803–1816:
Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge
;1st Light Dragoons
* 1804–1813:
Eberhardt Otto George von Bock
* 1813–1815:
John, Count Walmoden Gimborn
* 1815–1816:
Wilhelm von Dörnberg
;2nd Light Dragoons
* 1806–1810:
Otto, Baron Schutte
* 1810–1814:
Claus, Baron Decken
* 1814–1816:
Adolphus, Baron Veltheim
;1st Hussars
* 1804–1816:
Charles, Baron Linsingen
;2nd Hussars
* 1804–1816:
Victor, Baron Alten
;3rd Hussars
* 1804–1810:
John, Baron Reden
* 1810–1814:
Adolphus, Baron Veltheim
* 1814–1816:
Frederick de Arentsschildt
;1st Light Battalion
* 1804–1816:
Charles, Count Alten
Sir Charles August von Alten (21 October 1764 – 20 April 1840), better known as Charles, Count Alten, was a German army officer and politician who led the Light Division during the last two years of the Peninsular War. At the Battle of Wate ...
;2nd Light Battalion
* 1803–1816:
Colin Halkett
;1st Line Battalion
* 1803–1816:
Prince Adolphus, Duke of Cambridge
;2nd Line Battalion
* 1804–1816:
Adolphus, Baron Barsse
;3rd Line Battalion
* 1805–1816:
Henry de Hinuber
;4th Line Battalion
* 1804–1809:
Ernest, Baron Langwerth
* 1809–1816:
Sigismund von Löw
;5th Line Battalion
* 1804–1810:
George de Drieberg
* 1810–1813:
George Klingsohr
* 1813–1815:
Christian Friedrich Wilhelm von Ompteda
* 1815–1816:
Louis, Baron Bussche
;6th Line Battalion
* 1804–1816:
Augustus Honstedt
;7th Line Battalion
* 1806–1816:
Frederick, Baron Dreschel
;8th Line Battalion
* 1804–1816:
Peter du Plat
;Foreign Veteran Battalion
* 1814–1816:
Claus, Baron Decken
;King's German Artillery
* 1803–1816:
Friedrich von der Decken
Memorials
* Plaques on the outside wall of
* Monument opposite commemorating the dead of the KGL
*
Hanover
Hanover ( ; ; ) is the capital and largest city of the States of Germany, German state of Lower Saxony. Its population of 535,932 (2021) makes it the List of cities in Germany by population, 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-l ...
– the
Waterloo Column
* Hanover – a statue of
Carl von Alten stands in front of the archives near the Waterloo Plaza that surrounds the Waterloo Column
* Hanover – also near the archives is a plaque commemorating Major Georg Baring
* Hanover – the () crossing the river
Ihme was originally named (), but was renamed for the KGL in 1945
*
Osnabrück
Osnabrück (; ; archaic English: ''Osnaburg'') is a city in Lower Saxony in western Germany. It is situated on the river Hase in a valley penned between the Wiehen Hills and the northern tip of the Teutoburg Forest. With a population of 168 ...
– the , formally called () commemorating the officers and soldiers of the KGL
* Commemorative stone at
Wittingen,
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a States of Germany, German state (') in Northern Germany, northwestern Germany. It is the second-largest state by land area, with , and fourth-largest in population (8 million in 2021) among the 16 ' of the Germany, Federal Re ...
with inscription
* On the Gehrdener mountain is a stone commemorating Carl Ludewig von Holle, fallen in Waterloo
* On the monument for the Battle of Vittoria is a plaque for the KGL
German army

After the
unification of Germany
The unification of Germany (, ) was a process of building the first nation-state for Germans with federalism, federal features based on the concept of Lesser Germany (one without Habsburgs' multi-ethnic Austria or its German-speaking part). I ...
, some of the old KGL units that had served in the Hanoverian Army were perpetuated in the
Imperial German Army
The Imperial German Army (1871–1919), officially referred to as the German Army (), was the unified ground and air force of the German Empire. It was established in 1871 with the political unification of Germany under the leadership of Kingdom o ...
, which eventually led to their serving in the
Reichswehr
''Reichswehr'' (; ) was the official name of the German armed forces during the Weimar Republic and the first two years of Nazi Germany. After Germany was defeated in World War I, the Imperial German Army () was dissolved in order to be reshaped ...
and the
Wehrmacht
The ''Wehrmacht'' (, ) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the German Army (1935–1945), ''Heer'' (army), the ''Kriegsmarine'' (navy) and the ''Luftwaffe'' (air force). The designation "''Wehrmac ...
. These were:
* Kavallerie-Regiment 13–1st Regiment of Light Dragoons
* Kavallerie-Regiment 13–2nd Regiment of Light Dragoons
* Kavallerie-Regiment 14–1st Regiment of Hussars
* Infanterie-Regiment 16–1st Line Battalion
* Infanterie-Regiment 17–1st Light Battalion
See also
*
British military history
*
Russian–German Legion
*
Portuguese Legion (Napoleonic Wars)
References
Sources
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Further reading
*
*
*
*
*
External links
King's German Legion(in German) 2nd light battalion and 5th line battalion re-enactment society
King's German Legion(in German) 5th line battalion re-enactment group
King´s German Legion(in German) 5th line battalion (grenadier company) re-enactment group
King's German Legion(in German & English)
King's German Legion(English) Memoirs of Baron von Ompteda (download)
King's German Legion(English)"Journal of an officer in the King's German Legion"
{{Authority control
Military units and formations disestablished in 1816
19th-century military history of the United Kingdom
German military units and formations of the Napoleonic Wars
British military units and formations of the Napoleonic Wars
Military units and formations established in 1803
German regiments in British Service
Foreign regiments in British Service