Question on Brigade Games Sikh Command

[Poliorketes]

I'm just painting some Sikhs, the brand new Brigade Command amongst them. Now I have two questions:

The guy with the water bottle is a medic. Would he - as a Sikh - have a red cross?
The Officer on the right has large pouches on his blouse. Are these part of the blouse or leather pouches attached to the belt? I'd go for leather, but after the SMLE-barrel disaster with my ANZACs I hought it wiser to ask.

[Arlequín]

I'm just painting some Sikhs, the brand new Brigade Command amongst them. Now I have two questions:

The guy with the water bottle is a medic. Would he - as a Sikh - have a red cross?
The Officer on the right has large pouches on his blouse. Are these part of the blouse or leather pouches attached to the belt? I'd go for leather, but after the SMLE-barrel disaster with my ANZACs I hought it wiser to ask.

The Indian Army still uses a red cross on its vehicles today, so a red cross is most likely. Sikhs or Hindus wouldn't find a cross religiously offensive as far as I'm aware.

I'm guessing from the photo that the 'pouches' are in fact the pockets of the officers tunic. If there had been one, then I'd guess a leather map case, but there appears to be another under his holster.

[Poliorketes]

Yes, there are pouches on both sides. But no other mini of the range has something similar. Thanks anyway, the red cross hint helps.

[Arlequín]

Yes, there are pouches on both sides. But no other mini of the range has something similar. Thanks anyway, the red cross hint helps.

The Officers tunic wasn't the same as the other ranks pattern.





You're welcome though 

[Helen]

Hi Guys, Thanks Jim for answering the questions. Yes, the pouch is part of the tunic and the medic looks like having an armband on his left sleeve just oozing to be painted!

I've just ordered mine from Brigade Games so I'm looking in painting these fine fellows up.

Polio, what diaster did you have with the smles'?

[Will Bailie]

Stretcher bearers would wear an armband with the letters "SB" - you could use that if you prefer.  These would be infantrymen or other members of the regiment acting as first aid providers or as stretcher bearers - men who had put down their rifles to take up this particular duty.

The red cross armband was limited to the field ambulance people - those whose only duty was providing medical aid.  The difference is that the chaps with the SB were actually members of the unit involved in the fighting, and thus more likely to be in the front line, whilst the red cross chaps would be following along closely behind the action.

The Indian Army 1914-1945 Osprey has a nice picture of a stretcher bearer.

Anyway, there's an alternative to the red cross for your medic!

[Poliorketes]

You're great, thank you! Helen, I painted the barrels as metal 'cause I didn't knew they where encased in wood.Nothing that couldn't be fixed, but I thought better ask first with the Sikhs.

[Darkoath]

Does that officer have his arm in a sling?

[Poliorketes]

Yes, he 's a real tough bastard like any real havildar should