Pikes question
Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2005 5:15 am
When did the British army cease to have pike units?
Regards Lindsay
Regards Lindsay
I am not certain that it is possible to give a definitive date for the withdrawal of pikes. I don't think there was a regulations code which specified their use(I may well be wrong on that point and there are definitely a few users of the Forum who would have more knowledge than I on the point).
I think accepted wisdom says sometime between 1690 and 1702. Pikes were still in use in Ireland during the Jacobite War of 1689-1691. I think some regiments still carried them in the earlier part of the Nine Years War in Flanders although the proportion would be greatly reduced from before.
I have not seen any prints from the Spanish Succession War period of British units carrying pikes and Blenheim was in 1704.
Can anyone get a more accurate dating??
Cheers
B