Horse and Musket: Indian

Showing posts with label Indian. Show all posts

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Colonial Army in Review

Delhi Durbar, 1911

I thought I would hold my own "Durbar" today to display my British and Indian Colonial Forces, circa 1878. I have often seen Alte Fritz's Grand Reviews of his amazing Seven Years War Armies. I have borrowed the concept for my much smaller Colonial army. I can only claim to have myself painted the Gunga Din figure, the regimental bhisti of Rudyard Kipling's famous poem, plus the other Indian bearers. All of the other figures were painted by either Leuthen Studios or Carl Robson. The collection was the work of several years and includes figures by Perry, Foundry, Empress and Pontoonier Miniatures.

Left: 13th Bengal Lancers (Duke of Connaught's Horse)
Right: 9th Bengal Lancers (Hodsons Horse)

13th Bengal Lancers (Duke of Connaught's Horse)

9th Bengal Lancers (Hodsons Horse)

The Queen's Own Corps of Guides, Mounted and Foot

Kohat Battery, Mountain Artillery with 7 pounder Screw-guns

15th Bengal Infantry (Ludhiana Sikhs)

45th Bengal Infantry (Rattray's Sikhs)

Regimental bhisti and bearers

So I'll meet 'im later on

At the place where 'e is gone --

Where it's always double drill and no canteen;

'E'll be squattin' on the coals

Givin' drink to poor damned souls,

An' I'll get a swig in hell from Gunga Din!

Yes, Din! Din! Din!

You Lazarushian-leather Gunga Din!

Though I've belted you and flayed you,

By the livin' Gawd that made you,

You're a better man than I am, Gunga Din!

Left: Gardiner Gun and Naval Brigade Crew

Right: Royal Artillery with 7 pounder Screw-gun

2nd Battalion, Queen's Regiment

92nd Gordon Highlanders

York and Lancashire Regiment

5th (Royal Irish) Lancers

19th Hussars

10th Hussars

Camel Corps, 5th Dragoon Guards section

Royal Horse Artillery with 9 pdr Gun

Royal Army Medical Corps

13th Bengal Lancers Duke of Connaughts aka 4th Sikh Watsons Horse

9th Bengal Lancers (Hodsons Horse)

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Colonial Collection

Here are a couple of photos of the Imperial forces in their display cabinet.

Imperial Cavalry

Sikh platoons

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Punjab Frontier Force: No1 Kohat Mountain Battery

The Mountain Batteries that fought on the NW Frontier are themselves very colorful units. I have chosen the No.1 Kohat Mountain Battery based at Abbotabad under the command of Captain A C Fergusson, RA.

The next image is of an actual battery in action. It comes from the Victorian Wars Forum where it was kindly posted by Alex. Thank you Alex for this priceless old photo.

Peshawar Mountain Battery in Action, Kuram Valley, N. W.Frontier India

For my battery, I used the Wargames Foundry Sikh Mountain Battery. The steel gun is a 2.5 inch RML (rifled muzzle loader), also called a 7 pounder for the shell it fired.

Sikh gunners of No.1 Kohat Mountain Battery

No.1 Kohat Mountain Battery served with Lord Roberts at Peiwar Kotal and saw heavy action at Kabul during the Second Afghan War of 1878-80.

Sikh Mountain Battery gunner

Queen's Own Corps of Guides, Punjab Frontier Force: Cavalry

For the Mounted troops of the Queen's Guides, I used Perry Sudan Campaign figures, substituting swords for lances for the troopers. The Guides officer's silk pugree is more elaborate than most Imperial officers.