British in the Congo

[Ray Rivers]

On second thought I think Grenadier Guards in the Bush would be an interesting sight!   

[Poiter50]

What about Eureka Miniatures Pax Limpopo litter bearers for the Colonel's litter? Perhaps the drinks wench from the same set/range (appropriately cantilevered pectoral muscles) for the favourite wife?

[Plynkes]

By the way, Wikipedia has an interesting article on Msiri, his state, and the two powers' rivalry to annexe it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Msiri


Pakenham's "The Scramble for Africa" has a chapter on the race for Katanga with a bit more depth, too.

[Plynkes]

Discovered another British foray into the Congo, from an earlier period in the pre-Free State days. The Congo Expedition of 1875 was a Royal Navy punitive expedition in the region.

"In 1875 the “Encounter,” commanded by Captain Richard Bradshaw, was one of 7 ships which co-operated in a punitive expedition up the river Congo under Commodore Sir William Hewett with his broad pennant in “Active.”  It was undertaken on account of the looting of the British schooner “Geraldine” and the murder of four of her crew.   On August 31st the boats from the “Encounter” and two other ships were towed to the entrance of Chango Creek.  One hundred and fifty marines were landed under Captain Bradshaw and succeeded in burning three villages, although they were fired at by natives concealed in the bush.  All the villages on the north bank were destroyed, and further punishment was inflicted in Luculla Creek and other places. The labours of the expedition were most arduous, some of the creeks being overgrown with luxuriant vegetation which had to be cut away to admit of an advance, and the country generally was very difficult.  Captain Richard Bradshaw was mentioned in despatches as having rendered conspicuous service, and the loss suffered was but 1 killed and 6 wounded." (From Battleships-Cruisers.co.uk)
 
The vessels involved were HMS Active (10), Encounter (14), Spiteful (6), Merlin (4), Foam (4), Ariel (4) and Supply (2).

Perhaps not quite what you had in mind, but somebody might find some game inspiration there, or use it as a basis for some sort of "what if?" game.

[Will Bailie]

I have just found in my collection a book titled, "Victorian Explorer:  The African Diaries of Captain William G. Stairs 1887-1892".  Capt Stairs was a member of the Emin Pasha Relief Expedition (led by Henry Stanley of Stanley and Livingstone fame) and leader of the Katanga Expedition, on behalf of the Belgian Katanga Company.  Although an officer of the British Army, Capt Stairs was on leave for both of these expeditions, so they weren't exactly the sort of military expeditions referred to in the first post.

for anyone interested in hunting it down, the ISBN is 1-55109-103-8, and the editor is Janina M. Kozczacki, published by Nimbus Publishing.

Hard not to think of these British officers getting leave of two years or more, and to compare it to the measly three weeks that I get with my job...

[Plynkes]

It was one of Stairs' men, Belgian officer Omer Bodson, who shot Msiri.

[Gluteus Maximus]

Perhaps not quite what you had in mind, but somebody might find some game inspiration there, or use it as a basis for some sort of "what if?" game.

Definitely has a lot of potential as the basis for a scenario, especially if played as a solo game using 2HourWargames' "Colonial Adventures". The natives' strength is never known until they are contacted so a straightforward  punitive expedition could easily degenerate into a mini-Islandwana 

[Gluteus Maximus]

Hard not to think of these British officers getting leave of two years or more, and to compare it to the measly three weeks that I get with my job...

Yes, but those mad sods used their leave to go chasing around the Sudan or Afghanistan 

I think I'd prefer 3 weeks at the seaside 

[Will Bailie]

I quit my office job so I could spend a year in Afghanistan, so I guess I'm more like those crazy nutters.

Plynkes - I didn't give Stairs his due, as I got tired of his whingeing about Stanley during the Emin Pasha Expedition.  Second half of Stairs' book looks quite interesting as it deals with the campaign against Msiri in greater detail.

[Christian]

What about Eureka Miniatures Pax Limpopo litter bearers for the Colonel's litter?

Any pictures of this around? Couldn't find it on the website...

[Poiter50]

http://eurekamin.com.au/product_info.php?products_id=2003 .

Any pictures of this around? Couldn't find it on the website...