Behr/Zastrow Grenadiers
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Origin and History
During the Seven Years' War, the grenadier companies of the Brunswick infantry regiments were converged into elite battalions. Thus the grenadiers from Behr Infantry (2 coys) and Zastrow Infantry (2 coys) were converged into a single battalion counting four companies. Each grenadier company counted 141 men.
During the Seven Years' War, the battalion was commanded by:
- 1757: von Redecker
- 1761: von Imhoff
Service during the War
On July 26 1757, the battalion fought at the Battle of Hastenbeck.
On April 13 1759, the battalion took part in the Battle of Bergen where it formed part of the vanguard of the first column under Major-General von Gilsa. On August 1, it also fought at the Battle of Minden.
On July 10 1760, the battalion was part of Lieutenant-General Waldegrave's Reserve at the Combat of Corbach. This reserve did not take part in the engagement. On July 31 1760, the battalion took part in the Battle of Warburg where it was deployed in the first line of the centre between Ossendorf and Menne.
Uniform
The grenadiers wore the uniform of their own regiments. For details about these uniforms, please refer to the articles related to regiments von Behr and von Zastrow.
Mitre Caps
| von Behr: illustration not yet available | von Zastrow: illustration not yet available |
Colours
The converged grenadier battalions did not carry any colour.
References
Pengel & Hurt: German States in the Seven Years War 1740 to 1762, Imperial Press
Schirmer; Friedrich: Die Heere der kriegführenden Staaten 1756 - 1763. Edited and published by KLIO-Landesgruppe Baden-Württemberg e.V., Magstadt, 1989
N.B.: the section Service during the War is mostly derived from our articles depicting the various campaigns, battles and sieges.
