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Miniatures Adventure => Colonial Adventures => Topic started by: Dining Room Battles on 23 September 2021, 08:42:46 PM

Title: The 1st Madras Pioneers
Post by: Dining Room Battles on 23 September 2021, 08:42:46 PM
(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-b-K-lmpV8cg/YUUB93JlbiI/AAAAAAAAV7g/C3P-0HALlrsA21o0uSls1GpvKCqrEIflgCNcBGAsYHQ/w640-h442/IMG_1110.JPG)

My latest unit for the British Raj.

http://toysoldiersanddiningroombattles.blogspot.com/2021/09/the-1st-madras-pioneers.html (http://toysoldiersanddiningroombattles.blogspot.com/2021/09/the-1st-madras-pioneers.html)
Title: Re: The 1st Madras Pioneers
Post by: Lord Raglan on 23 September 2021, 09:18:03 PM
Very good sir 👏
Title: Re: The 1st Madras Pioneers
Post by: Ranthony on 23 September 2021, 11:29:09 PM
Nice!
I have a soft spot for these chaps.

That's also an interesting blog you have there.

Thanks for sharing.

Ry
Title: Re: The 1st Madras Pioneers
Post by: Mad Guru on 24 September 2021, 01:22:38 AM
Beautiful unit!  Great to see table-top Pioneers kitted out with the tools of their trade.  I especially love the British officer on foot with the Regimental turban pattern on his puggaree -- wonderful detail!
Title: Re: The 1st Madras Pioneers
Post by: Mad Lord Snapcase on 24 September 2021, 11:55:46 AM
Excellent work!   :-*
Title: Re: The 1st Madras Pioneers
Post by: FifteensAway on 25 September 2021, 03:19:48 AM
Given that there is a mounted officer, I am wondering if the dismounted 'gentleman' with the colorful puggaree isn't an NCO?

Either way, is their historical precedent for the colorful puggaree?  Hope so because I really like the idea.
Title: Re: The 1st Madras Pioneers
Post by: Emir of Askaristan on 25 September 2021, 08:02:25 AM
Excellent work on the headgear and equipment.
Title: Re: The 1st Madras Pioneers
Post by: Mad Guru on 25 September 2021, 08:28:42 AM
I apologize to Neil, the OP, for not restraining myself and letting him have first crack at answering the puggaree question, but... I waited all day and most of tonight, and will now throw caution to the wind and reply: YES!  There is historical precedent for the colorful puggaree.

Going by contemporary photos and illustrations, British officers of multiple Indian regiments wore helmet puggarees in regimental turban patterns.  It seems this was mostly with full dress uniforms and/or for ceremonial occasions, and the vast majority of photos and artwork I've seen featuring this particular sort of helmet detail features British officers from Indian cavalry regiments.  Examples shown below are from the Guides Cavalry, Poona Horse, 1st madras Light Cavalry, and 1st Bengal Cavalry (Skinner's Horse)...

(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-L-i_2EsHUAU/YU7Nl9Go9xI/AAAAAAAAWt8/GC32wUI-XnkJa7KcOC58P3smirFOx16jACLcBGAsYHQ/s1005/Corps%2Bof%2BGuides%2Bcavalry%2Bofficer.jpg)

(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5wu0RM2NBwI/YU7MuRshyJI/AAAAAAAAWtk/oX4w-Bn1LbQOL1T3ICpkk7_llDCXeGbggCLcBGAsYHQ/s674/British%2Bofficer%2BPoona%2BHorse.jpg)

(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-UjOcXa7c3eo/YU7MuLk_yzI/AAAAAAAAWtc/vc9l1iFbdcQZDIN2ESPxBT1itXohLaBbwCLcBGAsYHQ/s1396/1st%2BMadras%2BLight%2BCavalry%2BBritish%2Bofficer.jpg)

(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dzfUsmX9Sms/YU7Mt2fkQKI/AAAAAAAAWtY/-WrG_0HK-9gJG2nxaJfK271yiPFhQpdpACLcBGAsYHQ/s518/1st%2BSkinner%2527s%2BHorse%2BBritish%2Bofficer.jpg)

Here's one illustration of a puggaree in regimental turban pattern worn on the helmet of a British officer of an Indian infantry regiment, 16th Bombay Native Infantry:

(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Jb7Bi6yiFAs/YU7MuH5_YlI/AAAAAAAAWtg/SaFUbxncrNo01YA-EZCeu6sF51uwwLcMwCLcBGAsYHQ/s519/16thbombayinfwymer.jpg)

On a related front it's much easier to find period photos and art showing British officers of Indian infantry regiments wearing helmet puggarees in the solid facing color of their regiment, such as red for the 6th Infantry, Punjab Frontier Force, as seen here:

(https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NH35Oyv1wTk/YU7QB1_9VgI/AAAAAAAAWuE/wVpi0Kv4gRYb_5sLCrRp3LwHZoHbduPrwCLcBGAsYHQ/s395/6thpunjabinf1900.jpg)

I'm not an expert but I think that for cavalry officers regimental pattern puggarees were a rare uniform detail, and for infantry officers an extremely rare one, and it was probably much more rare in the field than when wearing full dress.  Still, over the years I have done like Neil and put regimental pattern puggarees on British officer helmets for my 1st Bombay Grenadiers, 23rd Sikh Pioneers, and Bombay Sappers & Miners.  Some day when I get my 15th Ludhiana Sikhs painted I will do so again.  Their turban colors are just too cool for me to pass up adding the extra touch of visual style.

Finally, my apologies again to Neil AKA: Dining Room Battles, for temporarily hijacking his thread with its beautifully painted turbans and that one very special officer helmet puggaree!
Title: Re: The 1st Madras Pioneers
Post by: LordSpode1879 on 04 October 2021, 10:14:12 PM
Marvellous job.... Researching the unit and painting/converting the figures. Lovely project, thoroughly enjoying following it's progress!
Title: Re: The 1st Madras Pioneers
Post by: Dining Room Battles on 07 October 2021, 10:19:35 PM
Mad Guru,
Those are some great illustrations!
Neil