Italian Carabinieri a Piedi, 1815
del Prado 1:30 Scale Figure Review
The Carabinieri Reali (royal Carabinieri) were established on 13 July 1814 by decree of King Victor Emmanuel I of Sardinia-Piemont. They were to serve as paramilitary police when the French Gendarmerie withdrew from Piemont. From 1726 until the French occupation of Piemont, the volunteer force of Dragoni di Sardegna had been in charge of police duty in the kingdom. They became the Reggimento Cavalleggeri di Sardegna in 1808.
The newly raised Carabiniere Reali consisted of foot and mounted detachments, serving as police officers, military police, and combat troops, they have since participated in all major campaigns of the Italian army. The Carabinieri had their baptism of fire at the Battle of Grenoble, 6 July 1815, when mounted Carabiniere charged the opposing French army and contributed to the victorious outcome of the engagment.
The 1:30 scale del Prado figure shown here, is a Carabinieri a piedi in summer dress, with white gaiters. Black gaiters were worn in winter.
Evaluation
Good choice of subject, the Carabinieri is perfectly posed for a diorama.
Apparently, the figure was packaged immediately after painting, and the wire holding the Carabinieri in its plastic tray left a deep grove in the soft paint on the upper left thigh.
The sabre and bayonet frog came off during shipping and damaged the paint on the left thigh and arm.
The musket is badly twisted just below the Carabinieri’s hand.
A 6-page fold-out describes the history of the Carabinieri, including colour illustrations of soldiers, officers, and weapons. The illustration on the cover page shows a Carabinieri with red stock, but the figure wears a white stock.
Compatible with 1:30 scale King & Country military and civilian miniatures.