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Miniatures Adventure => Colonial Adventures => Topic started by: zebra55 on February 12, 2014, 09:45:42 AM

Title: Burmese army 1885-7 ?
Post by: zebra55 on February 12, 2014, 09:45:42 AM

Hello,

   has anyone come across any information about the Burmese army  in the 1880s?

  Ken.

Title: Re: Burmese army 1885-7 ?
Post by: lou passejaire on February 12, 2014, 10:47:22 AM

i'm afraid only information source, ( except wikipedia ) will be ian Heath "BURMA AND INDO-CHINA (Armies of the Nineteenth Century: Asia) " quite expensive ...

Title: Re: Burmese army 1885-7 ?
Post by: Hobbit on February 12, 2014, 05:46:48 PM

I'm fairly sure there is a section in Philip Haythornthwaite's "Colonial Wars Sourcebook". There may also be info in the Indian Army's "Foreign and Overseas Expeditions".

Is there anything specific that you're looking for?

Title: Re: Burmese army 1885-7 ?
Post by: Hobbit on February 12, 2014, 05:54:34 PM

Sorry, that should be "Frontier and Overseas Expeditions" and it will be volume 5 you're looking for:

https://archive.org/details/frontieroverseas05indi

Title: Re: Burmese army 1885-7 ?
Post by: Plynkes on February 12, 2014, 06:01:42 PM

Quote from: Hobbit on February 12, 2014, 05:46:48 PM

I'm fairly sure there is a section in Philip Haythornthwaite's "Colonial Wars Sourcebook".

I happened to have that to hand and had a quick look. You are correct. About six pages, two of which are dedicated to a description of Burmese forces. Not much, but a start, I guess.

In addition, the Osprey Queen Victoria's Enemies: 4 has some nice contemporary photos and illustrations, as well as one of their signature colour plates covering the Burmese, but not much in the way of text.

Title: Re: Burmese army 1885-7 ?
Post by: Hobbit on February 12, 2014, 06:51:49 PM

Yes, just had a quick read of both - I'd forgotten the Osprey but Haythornthwaite paraphrases it.

Lacquered helmets, mostly red uniform jackets (but lots of variation), native loincloths or striped trousers. Armament mostly muskets or local swords. Some use of light smoothbore artillery (some mounted on elephants) and all very, very inefficient. Many "regular" troops deserted to the Dacoits after the regular army was defeated. No info on organisation.

And Pontoonier/Newline make some nice figures in 28mm which I presume you've seen:

http://newlinedesigns.co.uk/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=490_491&zenid=e59f7b40aa35614cca25d6668d6a4fcd

Title: Re: Burmese army 1885-7 ?
Post by: Siaba on February 13, 2014, 02:15:32 PM

There aren't much more things concerning uniforms in the FOUNDRY book.

Title: Re: Burmese army 1885-7 ?
Post by: zebra55 on February 24, 2014, 01:01:51 PM

Thanks for all the information and links gents,

 Pat.