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Regiment of Hessian Grenadiers wearing their long pigtails and tall mitre Grenadier caps.

When the revolution in the American Colonies began Britain found herself, as usual, quite unprepared. Global commitments stretched the Army to breaking point and reinforcements were urgently required to deal with the upstart rebels. But where to find them?

George III and his Government utilized their Royal links to the House of Hanover to seek help with the many princely states and duchies of Germany. For a hefty price many of these penniless states were only too happy to rent out their armies in the British cause. The House of Hesse provided a large proportion of these German mercenaries to fight (and die) in the Americas.