First some background history- World History Encyclopedia "The New Model Army was created in February 1645 by the Parliamentarians during the English Civil Wars (1642-1651) that turned England from a monarchy to a republic. It was a professional army in terms of its personnel, training, and leadership and was formed after heavy defeats to the Royalists earlier in the war.
"Commanded first by Sir Thomas Fairfax (1612-71) and then Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658) from 1650, the force consisted of around 68,000 men at its peak in the early 1650s. The organisational structure of the Parliamentary army set the model for the professional British army of subsequent centuries." . . . They became "The Redcoats"
"The regiments of foot were provided with red coats. Red was chosen because uniforms were purchased competitively from the lowest bidder, and Venetian red was the least expensive dye. Those used by the various regiments were distinguished by differently coloured linings, which showed at the collar and ends of the sleeves, and generally matched the colours of the regimental and company standards. In time, they became the official "Facing colour".[31] On some occasions, regiments were referred to, for example, as the "blue" regiment or the "white" regiment from these colours, though in formal correspondence they were referred to by the name of their colonel. Each company had its own standard, 6 feet (180 cm) square. The colonel's company's standard was plain, the lieutenant colonel's had a cross of Saint George in the upper corner nearest the staff, the major's had a "flame" issuing from the cross, and the captains' standards had increasing numbers of heraldic decorations, such as roundels or crosses to indicate their seniority.[32]" . . .
. . ."On 4 February 1645, Parliament sanctioned the formation of a professional fighting force: the New Model Army. The costs were met from highly unpopular taxes and excise duties. Although the majority of soldiers were volunteers from various existing armies, the target of 14,400 troops proved unrealistic and necessitated the impressment of several thousand infantry. With these inherent weaknesses, the Parliamentarians had devised a way to win the war, but not how to keep lasting control of their new republic." . . .The beginning of the "Troubles" between England and Ireland lasting for centuries.
Unraveling the New Model Army | Britain's Lost Battlefields | British History
Not to be confused with the rock band New Model Army. TD
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