War Office: Foreign Legions Muster Books, Pay Lists and Courts Martial Register

WO 15

1854-1856

This series consists of muster rolls, service records and attestation papers for the British German and British Swiss Legions. In addition there are lists of officers and men from the British German Legion who settled in the Cape, and a register of court martial proceedings against men in the British German Legion. There are no records for the British Italian Legion.

See also

Public Record(s)

English

• War Department, 1855-1857
• War Office, 1857-1964

102 volume(s)

Topics

Litigation

Army

Armed Forces (General Administration)

The Enlistment of Foreigners Act 1854 allowed the government to recruit foreign mercenary troops to make up the low number of British men being recruited during the Crimean War. These mercenaries formed the British German, British Swiss and British Italian Legions, often collectively called the British Foreign Legion. Recruitment began at the beginning of 1855, and eventually 14,000 men joined the legions. None of these men saw active service, although a number of regiments had arrived in Turkey when peace was signed. At the end of the War the Legions were disbanded. Men were encouraged to emigrate to the colonies and many from the British German Legion went to Cape Colony.