Hi Bob,

Coming to this discussion a bit late, but just travelled to Spain. Now settled in an able to access my electronic records, but not my library of real books.

My study into authorised establishments shows the Duke of Brunswick's Oels Regiment of Infantry (always shown by that name) first appearing on 25 December 1809 and disappearing on 25 December 1814 (presumably disbanded at end of Peninsular War). Their establishment always showed 12 companies, one with a Grenadier structure, one with a Light structure and 10 as Centre companies. Each company had 1 Captain, 1 Lieutenant, 1 Ensign (additional Lieutenant, but no Ensign in flank companies), 5 Sergeants, 5 Corporals, 95 Privates and 2 Drummers. The Grenadier company had 2 Fifers in addition to that. There were 14 officers and sergeants in the headquarters (1 Colonel, 1 Lieutenant Colonel, 2 Majors, 1 Paymaster, 1 Adjutant, 1 Quartermaster, 1 Surgeon, 2 Assistant Surgeon, 1 Sergeant Major, 1 Quartermaster Sergeant, 1 Pay Sergeant, 1 Armourer Sergeant) a total of 1,348 in the Regiment. The establishment also shows 1 supernumerary Colonel, 3 supernumerary Majors and 1 supernumerary QM (these presumably being a way of paying for additional officers who had come to UK, but who there was not a place for in the Regiment).

On 25 December 1810 a post of Drum Major (Sergeant equivalent) was created with a compensating reduction of one Drummer (the same happened in every British Infantry battalion on that same date). On 25 December 1811 an additional post of Schoolmaster Sergeant was created (the same happened in every British infantry battalion on that same date). On 25 December 1812 a Recruiting Company was established on a standard British structure of 1 Captain, 2 Lieutenants, 1 Ensign, 8 Sergeants, 8 Corporals and 4 Drummers. On 25 December 1813 one Sergeant per company became a Colour Sergeant, with a compensating reduction in the other Sergeant posts (the same happened in every British battalion on that same date). On 25 December 1813 an additional post of Chaplain was established (this was not normal in British battalions, but some Foreign Regiments had them such as Meuron, Roll, Watteville and Chasseurs Britannique).

I think it is relevant that this Regiment resulted from the Brunswick troops who fought their way to the North German coast in 1809, then sailed to England. I understand that these Brunswick troops in North Germany were organised as two Line Battalions and a composite Light Battalion. I think each battalion had four large companies (on the Prussian system) but operated tactically as 8 half companies. I understand that the Light Battalion had two companies of Jaeger and two companies of Sharpshooters. I therefore surmise that these 12 companies would have been the basis for the Brunswick Oels Regiment in British Service also having 12 companies, and that initially they would have carried on wearing their same uniforms. This 12 company structure was not normal for British battalions but was used by the majority of Foreign Regiments in British Service (apart from the KGL). I think that the companies who in the Peninsula were detached to various British Brigades would have been from the original 1809 Brunswick Light Battalion.

Rod