Empress Miniatures Colonel Durnford ~ mounted version

[Plynkes]

Don't feel bad. Seems like Burt Lancaster don't like Greys either...


 

[Mark251054]

Ah the late great Burt Lancaster who's 'oirish' accent (in Zulu Dawn) has only been equalled in modern times by Val Kilmer in 'Alexander' (who one presumes was trying to keep up with Colin 'feckin' Farrell).

Yeah greys are buggers to paint (i've cheated with my Durnford and got my mate to paint his hoss)

 

[timg]

Strong chance he would have had one, the sword being the mark of an officer in those days and almost obligatory for a Regular to carry however impractical but whether he would have used it with his arm being cattle trucked i dont know. Never understood why Burt had to use an Irish accent in that film tbh?

I dont mind painting grey horses if i dont have to do the dapple bit, think the Scots Greys in WW1 had the best idea, paint them a darker colour..............mind they went pink under the sun afterwards so maybe not!

[Plynkes]

Never understood why Burt had to use an Irish accent in that film tbh?

Probably because Durnford was born in Ireland. I guess he felt it gave him the excuse to not have to try and do an English accent (though as it turns out, his Irish one wasn't all that, either).


I think he should have just used his own natural voice. Robert Redford plays an Englishman using his American accent in "Out of Africa" and you don't even notice. The bad Irish accent is much more noticeable than Lancaster's own American one would have been.

[Plynkes]

By the way, I think Richard Gere's preposterous IRA man in "The Jackal" had a far worse accent than any of the above-mentioned. 

[Gluteus Maximus]

So he's not 'armless then? 

I have to hand it to you - your puns really are disarmingly bad 

[Mark251054]

Hi Tim,

Early in January 1879, Durnford describes him self as "......dressed in a serge patrol jacket, dark riding breeches, belts over both shoulders and one on the waist, that held his hunting knife and revolver....looking like a stage brigand"

However no sword. Whilst I do not doubt that AWD would have had a sword for dress occasions, I feel it would be impractical on active service for a man with only one good arm to draw and sheath it (despite Durnford’s recorded ability to un-jam carbines etc one handed)


 

[timg]

Hi Tim,

Early in January 1879, Durnford describes him self as "......dressed in a serge patrol jacket, dark riding breeches, belts over both shoulders and one on the waist, that held his hunting knife and revolver....looking like a stage brigand"

However no sword. Whilst I do not doubt that AWD would have had a sword for dress occasions, I feel it would be impractical on active service for a man with only one good arm to draw and sheath it (despite Durnford’s recorded ability to un-jam carbines etc one handed)


 

Well thats the answer then, cheers Mark. Out of interest was there a tendency for the carbines to jam?

[Mark251054]

Hi Tim,

During the defence of the Mpofane donga at Isandlwana, it is recorded that some of the NNMC carbines jammed and that Durnford helped to un-jam them (he apparently gripped the carbine with his knees and used his good hand to remove the case)

It is probable that the bottom of the casing came away from the cartridge (caused by the brass heating up during firing), this was a problem not unknown with Martini Henry's (and presumably - I'm only guesssing here without heading for my books also with Swinburne Henry's). It could also have just been caused by the brass expaning in the breech.

That is one reason the British went from the 'rolled' cartridge to the 'drawn' one, which helped with the problem,  additionally the Mk IV Martini had a long lever to help extact the 'drawn' cartridge (which had its own extraction issues seperate from the earlier 'rolled' casing)

I do not feel the problem was as great as with the Springfield Carbine used at the 7th cavalry LBH.


Cheers

 

[timg]

Ah yes the Springfield, mind would have helped if they had been allowed to practice with it. Cheers for that, had been aware of the famous and these days it seems alleged ammo shortage but not the jaming factor. 

[former user]

Never understood why Burt had to use an Irish accent in that film tbh?

The movie being about a british topic and casted almost enirely with British actors, there was a strong rejection for a US actor to be cast. Lancaster was forced in by the producers in order to catch US audience. So he had to do a "british" accent.