British Army 1899 Uniform pictures

I've added the colour plates of uniforms from The British Army book to Pages.

The British Army 1899

Sometimes you come across a book on eBay that is quite expensive but looks unmissable.  'The British Army' by a Lieutenant-Colonel in the British Army, printed in 1899, was one such.

Let's start with the cover:

Just an ordinary front cover until you read the note underneath the picture:

It has lots of illustrations and colour pictures - including things like colours, shoulder knots...

Virtually anything you could want to know about all branches of the army. How useful is the following chart showing the distribution of the army?  It also includes, of course, the names and how many battalions are in every regiment... etc.

Lots of details about all aspects of every branch of the army... an incredible number of tables such as this one...

 Want details of ammunition, rations and forage carried?

What about some tactical info? trenches? depths of marching columns?  camps? All there.

What about detailed info and diagrams of weapons and equipment?

Can't give more than an idea of the scope of this book here. It simply covers everything.

 256 pages of one of the most useful books I've ever seen on the late Victorian army. Trouble is, of course, it's been out of print for over 100 years. You can still get it it. Problem? Cost - Amazon currently lists 4 starting at £40 and going up to £105!

But...

If you are serious about the subject, try and get a copy.

Assyrian chariot update

I don't get the chance to take many photos at the moment, so today I used the opportunity that presented itself...

Last February I mentioned that the 'S' Range Assyrians I bought off Harry had been based. I also mentioned that I was working on increasing the chariot force from 3 to a more Assyrian-like number. They're not all painted yet, plus still need to sort some crews, but this is where I'm up to:-


Harry kept finding unpainted figures over the year, I kept buying them, and from a load of 'bits' have increased (actually Persian) 2 horse component to 4 squadrons of 3 plus a general. The originals from Harry are in the bottom left corner, the general in the middle was one of the 'recycled' ones I mentioned in February. Crews are a mix of Garrison and odd 'S' Range Assyrians bought over a period from eBay. I've tried my best to stick to the original style of the original 3 chariots.

My original purchase of figures from Harry included 3 Assyrian chariots posing as Persians - these I've simply recrewed as I didn't want to strip and repaint them. They aren't to the same style as the others, but could represent a non-regular component of the army?

I also had a load of Assyrian cataphract horses lying around. Now, the chariots. The various 'bits' I got off Harry seem to be 'S' Range bodies but perhaps PB Range chassis's. So that's 3 different components. I've gone for Garrison 25mm chariot wheels, I'll be using 20mm Garrison crews... so quite a mix. 4 4 horse 3 crew chariots to start, but enough to probably make another 3.

This is a comparison picture of the 4 and 2 horse general's chariots.

I'm the first to admit - my painting ain't as good as it used to be... as per these 4 horse chariots from my 'Lamming'army - though the chariot bodies (and a couple of crew members) are 'S' Range.

I think a direct comparison proves the point!

For the future? May actually do some 4 horse 4 crew chariots based on the Garrison 25mm Chariot, see how that goes. Also got a load of other infantry to incorporate - including using 'S' Range Macedonian archers as Assyrian light archers. 

Got to get this lot finished and based first though.

Happy New Year everyone!

Wishing everyone good health and a successful 2016.