The 'Cazadores de Balbastro'

By courtesy of Armand d'Arc

The uniform of the 'Cazadores de Balbastro' (Chasseurs de Balbastro) at the time of the 'Serenghetti War’, was a green jacket with red collar and lapels, orange cuffs and turnbacks, white buttons, and yellow leather-work. The trousers were in several colours (including light and dark blue, yellowish white or dark brown) because of provisioning problems. Their hat was very characteristics because of its similarity with the hat carried by the old fashioned Spanish grenadiers, accompanying the Spanish Expeditionary Corps of La Romana and had a yellow pompom.

Some of the 'Cazadores' were veterans of such expedition, and where carried to Spain in ships by their British allied (note that the Alliances are reversed in Africa!). The musisicans wore red jackets with yellow and white lace and cords.
The battalion was 335 strong at his arrival to Africa under the command of Colonel Rafael Pardo. Around of a 60% of the men were raw recruits, and the Colonel and the officiers and sub-officiers were making great efforts to make them profitable to 'form the square', a necessary manoeuvre, because of the Allied superiority in cavalry.

The Colonel Pardo's Cazadores are included in the Regiment 'Duque de Alba' along other three infantry battalions, which is part of the Bernal Diaz de Vivar's Spanish Division.

To be (hopefully) continued...