Jigsaw Puzzle - "Loyal Toast" () - Soldiers of Gloucestershire

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Jigsaw Puzzle - "Loyal Toast"

The Loyal Toast was painted by Fortunino Matania shortly after the Second World War for an advertising campaign by the Schweppes drinks company. The original was a water-colour and in 1947, at the request of Major John Morris, Schweppes agreed to commission Matania to paint another version of the same picture in oils, which was presented to the Gloucestershire Regiment to be hung in the Officers’ Mess.

The painting records an incident that supposedly took place in the Peninsular War after the battle of Barrosa, 5th March 1811, depicting two officers of the 28th (North Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot raising their glasses to toast His Majesty King George III. The 28th Foot was represented at the battle by its Grenadier and Light Companies, the officer casualties of which were so high that only two, Major Frederick Browne and Lieutenant Robert Blakeney, were left alive and unwounded. Traditionally in the British Army the Loyal Toast to the reigning monarch is drunk with the President of the Mess announcing “Mr. Vice, The King!” (or Queen) and the Vice-President responding, “Gentlemen, The King!” (or Queen). With no other officers being present, Lieutenant Blakeney instead replied to Major Browne, “The King, Mr. President!”

This form of the Loyal Toast became a tradition unique to the 28th Foot and later to the Gloucestershire Regiment. If the origins of this tradition are not proven, and some of the uniform details depicted are suspect, the painting nevertheless celebrates a rite familiar to generations of officers who subsequently served with the regiment.

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