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Miniatures Adventure => The Great War => Topic started by: Plynkes on 26 January 2011, 11:28:02 AM

Title: WAFF 'Green Caps?'
Post by: Plynkes on 26 January 2011, 11:28:02 AM

The 'Green Caps' that gave the WAFF their nickname are described as Kilmarnocks in one book I have, whereas the Osprey calls them 'Kilmarnocks' with inverted commas (implying they aren't really that kind of hat). The illustration depicts not a Kilmarnock but rather a green knitted bobble hat.

The Brigade Games Nigerian figures wear bobble hats but I haven't been able to find a picture of any WAFF troops wearing them.

Here's what I've got:

(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/back%20to%20africa/GoldCoastRegiment.jpg)
Gold Coast Regt. wearing those crazy straw hats of theirs, with what could be a Kilmarnock underneath.

(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/back%20to%20africa/Nigerians1.jpg)
Nigerians in what appear to be floppy canvas sun hats.

(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/back%20to%20africa/Nigerians4.jpg)

(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/back%20to%20africa/Nigerians3.jpg)
Nigerians in something that I suppose you could describe as a Kilmarnock, if you were feeling charitable.

(http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y40/Plynkes/back%20to%20africa/Nigerians2.jpg)
And Nigerians in a mixture of the two.

But no woolly bobble hats (No sign of the woolly jumpers given them by Osprey and Brigade, either, but that's by the by).

Any idea if there they actually wore those hats that the Brigade figures have? Anybody have any pictures?

Title: Re: WAFF 'Green Caps?'
Post by: carlos marighela on 26 January 2011, 02:29:11 PM

I think the fourth photo may actually depict well armed hotel bellboys. I could swear that's the headgear sported by Jerry Lewis or Sting in Quadrophenia. If you can ind another photo of chap in a parka driving his Lambretta into Lake Tanganyika, we can settle the matter.  :)

I have an (almost) complete copy of the Times Illustrated History of the War. I'll have a dig through and see if I can find anything. For what it's worth I have some of the Brigade figures and I've never seen any depiction of this uniform outside of said Osprey. Worse comes to worst they shouldn't be too arduous a conversion job.

Title: Re: WAFF 'Green Caps?'
Post by: nightgaunt on 26 June 2012, 09:55:28 AM

I've been looking for info about the Kilmarnock caps and Nigerian Regiment WWI uniform details too. I almost think that one is better off using KAR figures from Brigade and giving them khaki putties and a modeled Kilmarnock rather than using the Brigade Nigerians, since the Osprey illustration that they are based on seems a bit dubious. I have never found any evidence, photographic or otherwise, for wooly caps. Here's some info to help:

http://www.amazon.com/The-Nigerian-Regiment-East-Africa/dp/1846774632/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2AS39AKL5VFI6&coliid=I34ME27DWU88BJ (http://www.amazon.com/The-Nigerian-Regiment-East-Africa/dp/1846774632/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_nC?ie=UTF8&colid=2AS39AKL5VFI6&coliid=I34ME27DWU88BJ)

http://www.kaiserscross.com/188001/315722.html (http://www.kaiserscross.com/188001/315722.html)

http://peterbaxterafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/PDF%20Books/With%20the%20Nigerians%20in%20East%20Africa.pdf (http://peterbaxterafrica.com/wp-content/uploads/PDF%20Books/With%20the%20Nigerians%20in%20East%20Africa.pdf)

Title: Re: WAFF 'Green Caps?'
Post by: Hobbit on 26 June 2012, 08:10:04 PM

Has anyone thought of trying to contact the artist to ask for his sources?

Title: Re: WAFF 'Green Caps?'
Post by: carlos marighela on 27 June 2012, 01:55:47 AM

I've found some more pics in the Times History of the War. l'll fire up the scanner later. No wooly bobble hats to be seen, at least not in the chapter on Cameroon and Togo. There are a couple of pics that do show a pillpox style 'kilmarnock' with a wool booble. Bit like the 1850s/1860s version.