Best source for Images of British forces in India in the 1890s

[Conquistador]

Subject line says it all - I need images for British troops for India based VSF troop and I have (mostly primed) Old Ral Partha/Great Endeavours Naval Brigade, Infantry, cavalry, and artillery figures in my collection.  I am unsure exactly which ones I have because the painted images are a bit unclear when I compare them to my figures.

Gracias,

Glenn

[Conquistador]

Here are the two style of Infantry figures from Ral Partha/Great Endeavours:


The figure has the shorter leggings/wrapping/puttees/whatever they are called.  The Helmet appears different with a thinner (Puggree?) around the sun helmet and the helmet appears to come down more in the front and back.  Would these be the Zulu/First Boer War figures?  http://www.greatendeavours.co.uk/colonials/rp_pack.php?pack=2

Or would they be these?  http://www.greatendeavours.co.uk/colonials/rp_pack.php?pack=22  Highlanders in trews.  Or possibly even these http://www.greatendeavours.co.uk/colonials/rp_pack.php?pack=86 German SeeBatallion advancing?

I have around one unit of these (with bugler/Command figures) that fills out to slightly less than 20 figures.



This figure has longer leggings/wrapping/puttees/whatever they are called.   The helmet appears to be covered with a "cover" and the helmet doesn't seem to be so far down in front or back.  At first I thought these were post 1897 infantry but the rifle looks held lower than http://www.greatendeavours.co.uk/colonials/rp_pack.php?pack=26

Most of my infantry units are these figures.

Comparison Pictures:















While I am at it...

Is the bandolier the only difference between Dismounted British Cavalry http://www.greatendeavours.co.uk/colonials/rp_pack.php?pack=25 and post 1897 Dismounted British Cavalry http://www.greatendeavours.co.uk/colonials/rp_pack.php?pack=28 and the "other" dismounted cavalry or Dragoon figure I have or was there a variant of the Dismounted British Cavalry without a Bandolier?  Pictures to follow but it is 0300 hours here (woke up early, going back to bed for another hour or so in a minute.)

Gracias,

Glenn

[Hobbit]

Hi, it is difficult to make out many specific details from either your photos or those you link to. I'd suggest that the figure with the puttees/bolt action rifle is quite possibly 1897ish British. I don't think he's German as the Seebattalion figure has a crest on the front of his helmet. The figure in the gaiters and armed with the Martini-Henry is Zulu War era.

Your question re: cavalry - again the photos aren't the best but there are lots of minor uniform differences, the weapons are different and the earlier one wears boots, the latter has shoes and puttees.

For photos of troops in India in the 1890s I'd suggest "The Frontier Ablaze" if you can get a copy at a reasonable price, or the relevant Osprey "British Army on Campaign (4)" (though that covers not just India).

But again, as discussed in the Afghan War artillery thread it is largely up to you what you want to do, especially for VSF. If you aren't really fussy about detail then just go for it, mix and match. If you are fussy then it sounds like you've got 2 batches mixed up with uniforms and equipment 20 years apart.

[Conquistador]

Hi, it is difficult to make out many specific details from either your photos or those you link to. I'd suggest that the figure with the puttees/bolt action rifle is quite possibly 1897ish British. I don't think he's German as the Seebattalion figure has a crest on the front of his helmet. The figure in the gaiters and armed with the Martini-Henry is Zulu War era.
<snip>
But again, as discussed in the Afghan War artillery thread it is largely up to you what you want to do, especially for VSF. If you aren't really fussy about detail then just go for it, mix and match. If you are fussy then it sounds like you've got 2 batches mixed up with uniforms and equipment 20 years apart.

Thanks, I don't keep an eye/interest in British military uniforms and this is a very unusual possible project (I would not be thinking of that except I have so many legacy miniatures that are British which is weird because I don't use any British armies in any of my games,) and I thought maybe a SDRS Indian force would be good to have a counterweight to Mowgli for IHMN.  These were bought for Spanish on Venus VSF gaming - the price at the time was right.

Gracias,

Glenn

[Conquistador]

<snip>.

For photos of troops in India in the 1890s I'd suggest "The Frontier Ablaze" if you can get a copy at a reasonable price, or the relevant Osprey "British Army on Campaign (4)" (though that covers not just India).

<snip>

Wow, was just on Osprey yesterday researching a book that would have British uniforms for India from about mid to late 1800s and thinking that particular book might be focused enough and yet with a wide enough range to make some semi-historical templates for painting.  Makes me feel better that my instincts were pretty good in that matter.     

Gracias,

Glenn

[Metternich]

For the 1889 India uniform, I would go with the puttees and paint them in khaki.  Troops in India almost uniformly (pun intended) wore khaki by that period.  Red jackets are a "home" uniform. As noted on the Perry website:
6. Yorkshire Regiment
The battle of Ginniss (30th December 1885) was the last occasion on which the British army fought in red. At this battle, as well as a couple of others eg. Kirbekan, red was ordered ‘to look more formidable to the Dervishes’. Some units probably remained in their khaki trousers and puttees. Regimental facings on the red frocks were changed in 1881 to white for English and Welsh, yellow for Scottish, green for Irish and blue for royal regiments. This figure has the larger 1882 pattern pouches which have been pipe clayed for the occasion.