A guardsman's parade splendor was a curse on campaign. The white breeches and waistcoat that looked so well on review had to be kept white — scrubbed and whitened by hand, endlessly, in an army that marched through mud and slept in fields. So on the march the Guard pulled on practical overall trousers, the blue-grey campaign pantaloons buttoned down the side and worn over the boots, saving the white kit underneath for the day of battle or parade. It is a small detail that tells the truth about soldiering: behind the spectacle of the bearskins and the gold lace lay a daily grind of cleaning, marching, and making do.

The figure stands defending in campaign dress — the blue-grey overall trousers with red side-stripe over short white gaiters, dark blue coat with red cuffs and white cross-belts, bearskin with red plume — the bayonet-tipped musket grounded and ready. He is the standing companion to the campaign-trousers kneeler, and the two build a field-dress square face. Set a French Imperial Guard Kneeling Defending in the front rank before him, dress the rear with a French Imperial Guard Standing Defending No.2, and add a French Imperial Guard Kneeling Defending No.2 to thicken the kneeling rank.

W. Britain model 36202. 1/30 scale (approximately 60mm), matte-painted metal. Single foot figure on a sculpted groundwork base. Boxed.