1879 British Line Infantry Company

[Modelholic]

I've been reading an interesting series of books about the Zulu war and started wondering about the establishment of a company of redcoats.

(from the web)

3 officers (major, lieutenant, 2nd lieutenant); 1 colour sergeant; 3 sergeants; 4 corporals, 2 buglers and 98 privates (107 effectives)

These were divided into 2 half companies each under one of the lieutenants, with 2 sergeants, 2 corporals and 48 privates

I can't find out where the colour sergeant was placed, with the senior or junior lieutenant and should the buglers be counted in with the 98 privates (105 effectives)

I understand that companies on 'abroad' service were always understrength.

TIA

Tom

[Grey Beema]

I could well be wrong but you seem to be missing a Captain.  I think that the Company would be commanded in the norm by a captain, with Lieutenants and the rest of the company as you have it.

[Modelholic]

From what I can gather a company used to be commanded by a captain but was replaced by a major sometime prior to 1879 (the buglers used to be drummers as well) I'd imagine that if there was only a captain available he'd be chosen. As with the lieutenants, both or neither may be 2nd or full.

There seemed to be a lack of officers in Natal at the time.

Rorke's Drift was commanded by a major (Spalding?), but he left to find 2 companies that should have been joining from Helpmakkar

Edited July 23, 2018 by Modelholic

[Grey Beema]

Thanks, You live and learn..  When did it change back to Captains commanding complanies?  Was it sometime prior to WWI?

 

[Modelholic]

It was the same during the Boer War so sometime after 1902

https://www.angloboerwar.com/unit-information/imperial-units/698-british-army#Infantry

Perhaps when they introduced platoons into the company organisation.

Tom

[Black Knight]

5 hours ago, Modelholic said:

I've been reading an interesting series of books about the Zulu war and started wondering about the establishment of a company of redcoats.

(from the web)

3 officers (major, lieutenant, 2nd lieutenant); 1 colour sergeant; 3 sergeants; 4 corporals, 2 buglers and 98 privates (107 effectives)

These were divided into 2 half companies each under one of the lieutenants, with 2 sergeants, 2 corporals and 48 privates

I can't find out where the colour sergeant was placed, with the senior or junior lieutenant and should the buglers be counted in with the 98 privates (105 effectives)

I understand that companies on 'abroad' service were always understrength.

TIA

Tom

Buglers and other musicians were counted as part of the Colour party and not counted as fighting effectives. The Colour Sergeant and other senior sergeants were with the Colour party; that is with the Senior Staff. Musicians were used as medical orderlies and stretcher bearers or just to retrieve casualties from a battle field.

The Lieutenants were usually each with a half company. If there was more than one Lieutenant per company then they ranked according to the date of their appointment to the rank. There was usually one sergeant per company

A Captain was in command of a Company, being replaced by the most senior Lieutenant* in case of his incapacity

Platoons were introduced from about the 1794 Army reforms

 

* Lieutenant is a contraction of Lieu and Tenant; Lieu = instead of, and Tenant = someone in a place; therefore = 'a person in place of'

It used to Lieutenant-Captain, and there used to be such ranks as Lieutenant-Major