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Miniatures Adventure => Colonial Adventures => Topic started by: TWD on March 10, 2022, 11:04:04 PM
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I'm painting a unit of cavalry from my TMWWBK NWF force.
Most of the lancers I see for this period have some variation of blue/yellow turbans.
But what colour would the turbans of the 14th lancer have been?
The image on this page seems to suggest red for the troopers (45) and red and yellow for the officers (44) - I appreciate these are dress uniforms from slightly later - but would that have been the case in 2nd Afghan war?
http://www.zinnfiguren-bistulfi.com/images/India2_150.jpg
Would I also be right in assuming a red cummerbund?
I'm not all *that* much of a stickler to be fair, my games are more Carry on Up the Khyber than anything :)
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TWD,
The short answer is: RED. Also, I think the yellow in the illustration you refer to above represents GOLD.
The 14th Bengal Lancers (officially known at times before the Second Afghan War and again afterwards by various titles incorporating different versions of the term "Murray's Jats") are described in some writings and can be seen in period artwork wearing blue kurtas (Indian cavalry blouses) and solid red turbans with no kullah, as the regiment largely consisted of Jats, which can be described (albeit imperfectly) as a denomination of the Sikh religion. So I suggest using Sikh figures rather than Muslim cavalry troopers with kullahs. There is a c.1900 description of their lance pennons being red over white, but without evidence to the contrary it's probably a good bet to paint them that way for the 1878-1880 Afghan war. I have seen the cummerbund described as "scarlet fringed gold." In general the regiment seems to have had a lot of gold trimmings, for Indian officers on their turbans and also on their sleeves. This is a pretty well-known illustration by AC Lovatt of a Risaldar-Major of the regt. from 1909:
(https://rarebooksocietyofindia.org/photo_archive/196174216674_10154439235486675)
PS. Personally I like the idea of having some blue uniformed Indian cavalry, but if for any reason you'd rather have them wearing khaki, it's not out of the question to paint these guys that way. I don't think I've ever seen a photo or illustration of 14th Bengal Lancers during the Second Afghan War, be it in blue or khaki, so... who knows.
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Thank you.
I had assumed the blouse was for dress and they'd have worn khaki in the field - so undercoated them that way...
It's the Artizan Sikh models that I have, so no kullahs!
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TWD probably in field they had Khaki colours, but personally I try to have all with distinctive colour, just the 10th to easily separate from 9th that I have in blue. 14th could be one next addition to my collection due to different turban. But I will do in blue ;). please post your lancers when completed
General Sir Frederick Roberts, VC wrote:
"I always remember the good work done by the regiment (14th Jat Lancers) when we were hard pressed by the Afghans in the Chardeh valley on the 11th December 1879. The retirement by squadrons was carried out as if on parade."
If you are going to use them under TMWWBK rule I wish you'll get all 6. If u play TFATS ...well do not blame me for your defeats lol lol lol
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I painted mine (Perry Miniatures) in the full dress blue uniform but reworked the turbans to give them a more loose, floppier look.
https://i.postimg.cc/0jnKd4nD/14t-Lancers-1.jpg
https://i.postimg.cc/9QVNfwRk/14t-Lancers-2.jpg
(https://i.postimg.cc/hQJGKpHt/14t-Lancers-1.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/hQJGKpHt)
(https://i.postimg.cc/fJ2v2Lv7/14t-Lancers-2.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/fJ2v2Lv7)
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Thank you all for the guidance and inspiration.
Finished product in my main NWF thread
https://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=87356.105
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Bob, those look great!! I hope to see them in battle soon.