Regiment of foreign infantry

DE PORTES

1703 - 1798

The 27 october 1703 the Duke Victor Amadeus II makes a convention with colonel Ludovic De Portes to raise a regiment of infantry with foreign men, German, Swiss, protestant French, Holland and British, with a force of two battalion.

Service during the Polish Succession War

De Portes in 1733 campains in Lombardy. In the spring of 1734 De Portes' flag waves at the battle of Parma (29 june) and, three months later, at the battle of Guastalla (19 august) In 1735 the Regiment marches up the Adige Valley. In september it joins the Piedmontese Army on the West side of lake of Garda supporting the french action on the East side. At the end of the year, the 8 november, De Portes with the whole Army takes winter quarters in the country around Cremona and Brescia.

The 10 march 1739 it becomes regiment Audibert.

Service during the Austrian Succession War

In 1742 only 1st Audibert's battalion is campaigning in north-east Italy in the Po plains. In September Audibert's 1st and 2nd battallions marches on the Alps; the 1st from the camp of Novalesa in Susa Valley able to climb the Mount Cenis while the 2nd is inside the new giant fortress of Fenestrelle ready to reach Modane from Val du Roue to undertake a campaign in Savoy against an invading Spanish army. In jenuary 1743 after a cold winter campaign Savoy is abandoned and Audibert returns again in Piedmont. The regiment stays ready on the alpine front since the summer of 1743, when it is sent in varaita Valley. Posted over the village of Chateau, Audibert fights to succesful to stop the spanish autumn offensive. The west front reamains the focus of the war for the year 1744 and again Varaita Valley is the centre of the struggle. The 1st battalion of Audibert fights inside the redoubt of Mount Cavallo (17 july 1744). At the evening the battalion has lost 139 men. Audibert is attached to the main Army to break the Cuneo's siege. The two battalions are present at Madonna dell'Olmo (30 september 1744), situated in the centre, second line. In 1745 Maillebois' offensive achieves its acme at the battle of Bassignana (27 september). Audibert is in the right of Sardinian line, defending the plain before the village of Pietramarazzi.. The follow year Audibert is present in the Leutrum's Army. In april there is a new colonel, Jean du Monfort de Varache, and the units is renamed in Monfort. Then the two battalions are separated. The 1st battalion fight in the south-west in the mediterranean theatre during the offensive in Provence (30 november 1746-3 february 1747). While the operation in the ligurian front are concentrated around the battered walls of Genoa, a french offensive is lauched in the Susa Valley. Immediately two battalions of Montfort have to march to the Alps. The 1st battalion controls the Fattières and finestre gaps in order to support the units entrenched at the Assietta ridge (19 july 1747).

 

At the end of the war, in 1752 Monfort has a new capitulation and the possibility to enlist italian men. In 1769 there are no more allowed protestant soldiers. In 1769 it becomes De Sury.

Commanders of Regiment Fusiliers under Charles Emmanuel III      

Lodovic De Portes

4-11-1703

Pierre Audibert

10- 3-1739

Jean du Monfort de Varache

6- 4-1746

Eugene Alexander de Sury

16-11-1769

Uniforms 

 

1730-1750: Grey-white coat, green lining, cuffs, waistcoat and breeches. White gaiters for fusilier, black for grenadiers. Six tinned buttons in ranks of two on each side of the coat, three on the cuffs. Horizontal pockets. Tricorne with dark blue cockade on the left brim and white hem for fusiliers, bearskin cap for grenadiers.

 

1750-1773 (only principal differences from the previous issue): Dark blue coat, cuff, waistcoat and breeches; red lapels, lining and collar. Seven brassed buttons on lapels, one on the top and three ranks of two. Tricorne with white hem and yellow, black and red pompon. Bearskin cap with red tail, yellow hem, yellow and red pompon.

 

Colours

 

Colonel's Colour: Blue with black eagle in the centre decorated with the Savoy's cross and overhanged by royal crown.

 

Regimental Colour:

De Portes: four quarters separated by a white cross. 1st and 3rd quarters have red flame over blue with a red decorated hem separated by yellow line. 2nd and 4th quarters have these colours inverted.

Audibert - Monfort: White cross over red. Three green flames from the center and black corner near the cross.
De Sury: as De Portes.

 

Jean Cerino Badone