Ireland book Vol 1: Personalities :Sir Arthur Rawdon

Political firebrand AND/OR military buffoon?

Sir Arthur Rawdon features heavily in the early story of the war. He was young, a Member of Parliament and motivated to prevent all of Tyrconnell's initiatives. He was a leading light in the northern Protestant Association.

A rich man with lots of influence

Although known by the sobriquet 'Cock of the North' his prominence may have been a comment on his political rhetoric, wealth or public position as opposed to any great military skills.

Unfortunately for his reputation  he is linked to the embarrassing affair at Dromore where he was in a leading if not the commanding role and also the failure to stop Hamilton's men crossing the Bann at Portglenone in April.

Has history served him ill?

I have chosen to make him look affluent, bullish and dashing to match his 'Cock of the North' moniker. The model is the officer figure from WLOA44 who is wearing a breastplate and no back plate.

His horse furniture is in stark contrast to the simplicity of the Presbyterian non nonsense commander Adam Murray of Ling.

Riding along the edge of the Bann

He features in a few of the book's scenarios and may be an excellent figure to model for table top collections. Where possible I have tried to include a nod to some feature of the life of the prominent personage on the base of the personality model. In Sir Arthur's case the river's edge of the Bann can be seen in the above shots alluding to his appearance against Hamilton's Jacobites at Portglenone where they forced the crossing in captured boats!

 Let's see how cocky Sir Arthur performs on the table!