British Foreign Legion

Over the years the British Army has counted several non-British units within it's order of battle, most notably the Ghurkas but also during the Napoleonic Wars French and German emigre such as the King's German Legion. None of these however were composed of more than one nationality and for the most part they were "duration of hostilities only" forces that were disbanded after the immediate need for them was over.

What if Britain formed a unit composed of foreign nationals in the manner of the French and Spanish Foreign Legions though?

When and why would such a group be formed?

How would it be constituted? Would it be purely infantry or would it be an all arms force?

Where would it be used?

And most importantly how would it effect the British military in general?

King's German Legion

French Foreign Legion

Royal Netherlands East Indies Army

Spanish Foreign Legion
 
Over the years the British Army has counted several non-British units within it's order of battle, most notably the Ghurkas but also during the Napoleonic Wars French and German emigre such as the King's German Legion. None of these however were composed of more than one nationality and for the most part they were "duration of hostilities only" forces that were disbanded after the immediate need for them was over.

What if Britain formed a unit composed of foreign nationals in the manner of the French and Spanish Foreign Legions though?

When and why would such a group be formed?

How would it be constituted? Would it be purely infantry or would it be an all arms force?

Where would it be used?

And most importantly how would it effect the British military in general?

King's German Legion

French Foreign Legion

Royal Netherlands East Indies Army

Spanish Foreign Legion

Well the Spanish and French ones evolved for long term guerilla warfare in North Africa, so maybe if Britain was involved in a long term and bloody conflict somewhere in the 19th century, they might think of doing that. After all there were plenty of Russian immigrants and the like in London in the late 19th, mostly political undesirables, so they might be a good source of manpower. The obvious place to use them would be in Afghanistan. Have Britain engage in a concerted attempt to subjugate the Afghans in the 1880s. What that would do to Anglo-Russian relations I do not know.
 
What if Britain formed a unit composed of foreign nationals in the manner of the French and Spanish Foreign Legions?
When and why would such a group be formed?

It could have happened in the Napoleonic wars and then continued into the Crimean and South African conflicts.

How would it be constituted? Would it be purely infantry or would it be an all arms force?

The Kings German Legion had cavalry and infantry. Gurkha's had all arms and still do have engineers, transport and airborne elements. So it would be possible to have a comprehensive force of all arms.

Where would it be used?

They could have been sent to the Americas after the Peninsular campaign. Then gone as a Corps within any expeditionary force sent by the British Army anywhere in the world.

And most importantly how would it effect the British military in general?

Probably to the good I don't think anything bad came of the collaboration with the KGL and the Gurkha's I have served with were the most cheerful, friendly, bravest and loyal allies you could ever hope for or get.
 

67th Tigers

Banned
There were more than that. The British Line in 1815 has the following foreign units:

King's German Legion (5 Cavalry Regiments, 10 Infantry Battalions and some Artillery) - Hanover
De Roll's, Meuron's and Watteville's Regiment - Swiss
Royal Corsican Rangers, Sicilian Regiment - Italian
Duke of York's Greek Light Infantry - Greek
Chasseur's Britannique - French
(and many colonial regiments)

These were sent back to their countries over time.

The British regained a German Legion following Victoria becoming Queen, some Hanoverean soldiers went to the UK. This dissolved over time, and then in the Crimean they reraised a German Legion, plus an Italian Legion etc.

Perhaps, if Lord Panmure had convinced parliament to keep a larger standing army after the Crimean, the German Legion at least might have been kept. As it was, the German Legion was resettled in South Africa, and their grandchildren fought against the Boers.
 

Thande

Donor
The 60th Royal American Rifles were arguably a foreign legion, as they were theoretically made up of American Loyalists but by the 1810s were a dumping ground for any recruits who wouldn't fit in anywhere else, mostly Germans.
 
We had the British Indian Army (inc. the Nepalese) to supplement the British Army in the Empire, so I suppose we didn't really need any more.

That was our "foreign legion", I suppose, even though we owned their homeland.
 
We had the British Indian Army (inc. the Nepalese) to supplement the British Army in the Empire, so I suppose we didn't really need any more.

That was our "foreign legion", I suppose, even though we owned their homeland.

Good point. We did have the largest colonial empire to draw upon and we also had the "white" Commonwealth, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, who the British establishment of the time were prepared to trust not just with providing manpower but also officers.
 

67th Tigers

Banned
Good point. We did have the largest colonial empire to draw upon and we also had the "white" Commonwealth, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, who the British establishment of the time were prepared to trust not just with providing manpower but also officers.

Perhaps the American Legion Regiment of 1856? They were US citizens who enlisted in the British Army at Halifax.

Additionally, the Sardinian Expeditionary Force of 1855-6 and the putative Spanish Expeditionary Force would have been mercernaries, but they weren't on British establishment (but were on British pay).

This has given me an idea for my Trent timeline....
 
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