Spains Walloon Guards

Evening all, I thought I’d show you some pictures of my latest wargames unit, Spains Walloon Guards

The Walloon Guards (Gardes Wallonnes; in Spanish, Guardias Valonas) were an infantry corps recruited for the Spanish Army in the region now known as Belgium, mainly from Catholic Wallonia. As foreign troops without direct ties amongst the Spanish population, the Walloons were often tasked with the maintenance of public order, eventually being incorporated as a regiment of the Spanish Royal Guard.

Most officers of the Regiment came from long established Spanish families of Walloon origin. Some rank and file members of the regiment remained in Spain when their period of service was over, took Spanish wives and encouraged their sons to enlist in the various Walloon units of the Spanish Army. Until about 1808 the upper ranks of the Walloon Guards had to provide evidence of their aristocratic lineage and private incomes.

Part of the Walloon Guards were stationed in Madrid at the time of the French occupation in October 1808. These were incorporated into the French Army, which already included a significant number of Belgian and Dutch units. Four battalions of Walloon Guards garrisoned in Barcelona and Aragon continued in Spanish service, seeing much action against the French. With recruitment from the Southern Netherlands effectively ceasing, the Walloon Guards were reduced in numbers to two battalions by January 1812, in spite of drawing on Spanish volunteers as replacements.

My next unit will be a unit of Spanish Guards who had a very similar uniform to the Walloon Guards

The figures I’ve used to represent the Walloon Guards are a mix of Battle Honours figures from Ebor Miniatures and Stonewall Figures. Flags are from Adolfo Ramos.