So far all of the Regiments that I've come across in grey uniforms have been either from Middlesex or Scotland - for Scotland, look up the modern tome 'Vanished Armies' (2009) for pictures of the Cameronians. Middle top row of the front cover is 5th Bn Cameronians for example. For Middlesex see below.
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| Plate from 'The British Army' by 'A Lieutenant-Colonel in the British Army', 1899 |
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| Plate from 'Her Majesty's Army' by Walter Richards, 1890. |
Some points about the uniforms. Firstly, blanket should be the same colour as the rest, but with the same colour for helmet, tunic, trousers and gaiters I thought I needed to add a slight contrast with the blanket. Secondly, uniforms at this time didn't all have brass buttons and fittings - I just like them so standardised on that. However, real grey uniforms seem to go with steel/silver or whatever - and brass wouldn't have seemed right anyway. Rifle slings appear to be brown rather than white. Finally, just had to go for the black facings...
The Grey seems to go quite far back, early 19thC so definitely pre-khaki but related as it was suggested for rifle regiments as better camouflage than dark green. (eg Canadian Voltigeurs in 1812) It seems it was even tested but rejected for regular rifles mid-century.
ReplyDeleteIn any event the London Scottish in their Hodden Grey kilts and tunics are surely a "must".
Did a quick check - Hodden Grey these days seems to be salmon pink! I think that's called 'progress'
DeleteCourse they're another Middlesex regiment - 1st Volunteer Bat. Rifle Brigade 7th Middlesex. The uniform in 'Her Magesty's Army is more beige!!! Good reason for not worrying too much about colour accuracy.
DeleteApparently Hodden Grey is made with undyed wool, a mix of 'black' and 'white' wool, both being extreme shades of brown really, hence the khaki-ish final effect!
DeleteI'll post the picture from Richards.
DeleteHi
ReplyDeleteI've been signposted here by Mark of Man of Tin blog. It's terrific to see this volunteer unit created, and you're whole 1897 project looks really interesting - possibly my favourite era. I modelled four separate groups of rifle volunteer corps last year at 28mm scale using Perry miniatures Zulu and Afghan War figures. I covered the Robin Hood Rifles (green uniforms), 3rd London RVC (scarlet), Post Office Rifles (blue) and 'the Cheshire Greys'. I based my shade of grey on a uniform seen in the Cheshire Military Museum (whether it quite matches is another matter of course...)
Further to Ross Mac's interesting observation, according to I. Beckett's "Riflemen Form: A Study of the Rifle Volunteer Movement 1859-1908" -
“…in March 1883, a War Office Colour Committee recommended the grey uniform of the 3rd Devon Rifle Volunteers… as the pattern for the new service dress, but in the event, Indian Khaki was preferred.”
So it seems that the British army came close to adopting grey instead of khaki. I think I read somewhere that the grey used for the Confederacy in the US civil war was actually sourced from a British dyer that also supplied many of the British volunteer rifle corps. I, err, could be wrong!
I'll be taking a good look at your other posts and will enjoy seeing your ongoing progress. Some of my blog posts on my Cheshire Greys volunteer riflemen created last year are below.
Best wishes and good luck, Marvin.
https://suburbanmilitarism.wordpress.com/2017/09/10/home-on-the-range/
https://suburbanmilitarism.wordpress.com/2017/09/03/men-in-grey/
https://suburbanmilitarism.wordpress.com/2017/08/29/riflemen-form/
Nice figures - a bit more detailed than my toy soldier look! I used Vallejo light grey for the uniforms but the neutral gray for the blankets.
DeleteThanks! I love the old toy soldier look! And I really like to see old figures brought back to life like this. I used Vallejo Neutral for my base coat and I think I highlighted with the Light Grey, so certainly similar shade.
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