Professor Kevin Linch joins us again for what is Act 1 covering all things rank and file recruitment, join us as we uncover the truth behind 'Sharpe's Regiment'.

Professor Linch is a Professor of Modern History at the University of Leeds. He specialises in the history of Britain in the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, focusing on the history of Britain's armed forces and their relationship to wider political, social, and cultural trends. He is the author of the recently published, Templar Prize winning ⁠Pen and Sword Books: The British Army, 1783–1815 - Hardback⁠ and ⁠Britain and Wellington's Army: Recruitment, Society and Tradition, 1807-15 | SpringerLink⁠.

Working with Dr Simon Quinn, he has also recently launched an online database of British Army Officers, available at ⁠georgianarmyofficers.org⁠.

We discuss the men behind the thin red line and how they came to be one of the greatest fighting forces that Britain has ever deployed. We'll be covering recruiting parties, local identities, basic training and so much more.

The long awaited semi finals of the Battle of the Marshals are here, as Berthier, Massena, Soult, Lannes, Bernadotte and Oudinot all face off in an epic balloon debate.

Fan favourites will fall and laughter abounds in a lively debate as we strive to find Napoleon Bonaparte's greatest marshal.

One of the most enduring questions in military history, now plays out on the Napoleonic Wars Podcast.

Support our work at and get exclusive bonuses at: https://www.patreon.com/c/thenapoleonicwarspod

Today we're joined by historian Terry Crowdy to discuss all things French Light Infantry.

In 1792 France unleashed a new form of warfare in Europe. Faced with the well-drilled Austrian and Prussian armies, the French introduced the tactic of mass skirmishing. Soldiers were thrown forwards and told to fight in open order. Moving quickly and making use of cover, they fired on the enemy line, annoying it, goading it, and all the time distracting it from the infantry columns coming up behind, bristling with bayonets, ready for the charge and a shock action. Of these tirailleurs, the best were the professional chasseur light infantry battalions, raised and trained in the army of Louis XVI; but they were too few in number. A patriotic appeal for light infantry volunteers was made, and within two years the original twelve battalions became ninety strong. By the time of Napoleon’s invasion of Russia in 1812, there were 185 battalions of light infantry in service, with hundreds of voltigeur light companies attached to the regular line infantry battalions. Although all infantrymen could fight as tirailleurs, specialist light infantry did it best, and were clearly an important part of Napoleon’s armies. Why was this?

In his book Terry explores the origins of the light infantry in the century before Napoleon came to power. From bands of irregular partisans, to sharpshooters and scouts, the book follows France’s early experiments with this arm.

Find out more about Terry and his assorted works at the links below.

French Light Infantry 1784-1815 | From Reason to Revolution 1721-1815 | Helion & Company

Terry Crowdy: Osprey Publishing (UK)