I didn't know there was Bersaglieri in the Crimea. They were there under orders of Cavour - they acquired the red fez as an undress headgear in imitation of the Zouaves while there. Fought at the battle at Chernaya River.
This image is painted by British military man George Cadogan who captured quite a bit of the military life of the Crimea in beautiful watercolours. I haven't myself seen it but the book Cadogan's Crimea looks worth tracking down.
Ralph, it's a great book and I had already decided to sell my copy as part of a clear out. Send me an email if you are interested
ReplyDeleteWill_McNally at hotmail doot com
trhey were secretly paid for by the british government when the british army refused to soldier. a great secret kept down by the government,.Apart from them there were also Swiss and german mercenaries. Moral of the story , don't believe basic histories
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