Paul,

I'm sorry to contradict you, but

"...The Grenadier Shako (not the Bearskin, which was, yes, because of the British Foot Guards playing a big part in breaking of the Grenadiers of the Old Guard at Waterloo) came in because the Bicorn hat would get in the way, ..."

The first specialised "grenadier" headgear (which appeared at the turn of the 18th century) was the mitre cap (a heavily embroidered and badged cap shaped -surprisingly - like a bishop's mitre) - the shako didn't come into service with the British army until about a hundred years later in 1800, by which time the mitre had disappeared to be replaced by the "bearskin cap", about the same size and shape (from the front) as the mitre, with a metal regimental plate (enamelled or painted I believe) just above the eyes. For campaign wear the bearskin was replaced by the shako (first the "stovepipe" then the "Belgic" pattern) with a white "plume" (for non commissioned ranks, usually made of worsted). The breaking of Napoleon's Old Guard led to *whole* battalions of the Foot Guards regiments wearing the bearskin as opposed to only one (grenagier)company per battalion.

Regards

Walrus