For 123 years, from 1714 to 1837, the United Kingdom and Hanover had the same King but separate governments.  In 1803 the French invaded Hanover.  The Hanoverian Government capitulated, but most of its Army fled to England where it reformed as The King’s German Legion, fighting for the next 12 years in British uniform as part of the British Army, until Hanover was liberated once more.   They provided some of Wellington’s best and most reliable troops, fighting in every major battle of the Peninsular War and at Waterloo.

Rod MacArthur developed an interest in the King’s German Legion whilst serving in the British Army in Germany in several of the garrison towns these troops came from.   Rod has produced a PowerPoint presentation on the Organisation of the King’s German Legion, showing how they originally used a combination of Hanoverian and British structures, but eventually adopted an almost entirely British organisation.  The talk lasts about 45 minutes.

All Rod’s talks are given to raise funds for charities, in this case for Combat Stress, which provides support and treatment to military veterans with mental health problems to help them tackle the past and take on the future.