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| Origins of Light Infantry
& their distinctive Horn Badge |
| Troops |
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Prussian Light Infantryman from the
late 1700’s era wearing green jacket & bugle horn hat badge |
The Light Infantry is descended from what
was known as “light troops”. These soldiers were trained
to be highly mobile and act independently on the battlefield,
within the framework of the battle, with their role being
to skirmish ahead of the main force to ambush enemy whilst
enroute to the battlefield and/or, prevent the enemy from
properly forming up for battle.
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Prussia recruited light troops
from its hunters (Jägers) and gamekeepers as these
men were accustomed to operating independently in
the forests, using ground & natural surroundings
for concealment and, were skilled in marksmanship
& observation.
The British, first witnessed the
increasing use of light troops and, the particular
effectiveness of Jäger groups, during the Seven
Years War of 1756–1763. This irregular form of warfare
was too exotic for contemporary British attitudes
and thus, initially Britain was content to use German
troops, rather than raise their own units.
However, British opinion rapidly
changed when they began fighting against the French (and
their Red Indian allies) in the rugged wilderness of North
America where, the British found that rigid adherence to
European methods in that type of country and against that
type of enemy, simply invited disaster.
Accordingly, from 1770 onwards each British Foot Regiment
had on compliment, one company that was organized on a lighter
and more mobile scale from the rest. These were known as
Light Companies and in time, became Regiments in their own
right, which were then called Light Infantry. |
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| Horn Badge |
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By necessity, light troops needed to be highly mobile
however, the established method for conveying orders on
the battlefield (drum beat) was found to be too cumbersome
and was quickly replaced by hunting horns, which were traditionally
carried by German Jägers, and which could be used either
as a musical instrument or, as a gunpowder container.
The term bugle originates from the French word bugleret,
which was derived from the Latin buculus, meaning young
bull The ancient European Wild Ox was called a Bugle and
it was from this animal that German first obtained their
hunting horns. |
Ancient European Ox Horn |
Halbmond Horn |
Symbolically, bugle horns had for
centuries been associated with hunters & foresters
however, it was the Germans who first introduced
the bugle horn badge and Jaeger (hunter) green dress
into military uniform, one of the earliest Regiments,
being the Prussian Field Jaeger Corps of 1744.
As time went on bugle horns were made from metal
with the large copper semi-circular
The horn became a symbol for all Light Infantry
& is correctly referred to as a Bugle Horn
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