Looking for a (military) Batman

[JollyBob]

Right, I need a batman for my British officer. Single figure, quite characterful, preferably European but would consider Gurkha, Sikh or African if they are in the right pose.

Ideally, I'd like them to be at some kind of attention, not neccesarily correctly though, and prepared to asssist their officer. Some kind of uniform would be a bonus, but not necessary for natives, as long as some attempt had been made to get them to dress properly.   

Think the guy in the bottom right of this Foundry set (Sir Garnet):



He would be ideal, actually, but I'm not paying nearly £20 for one useable figure.

Any ideas, chaps? Or does anyone have one of the above for sale or trade?

Over to you. 

[Poiter50]

There is a Foundry Askari standing to attention that would suit the "batman" purpose. I may have one but someone closer to you may have one as well. There are also several armed females amongst the tribal figures that may suit a "batperson" type figure? 

Right, I need a batman for my British officer. Single figure, quite characterful, preferably European but would consider Gurkha, Sikh or African if they are in the right pose.

Ideally, I'd like them to be at some kind of attention, not neccesarily correctly though, and prepared to asssist their officer. Some kind of uniform would be a bonus, but not necessary for natives, as long as some attempt had been made to get them to dress properly.   

Think the guy in the bottom right of this Foundry set (Sir Garnet):



He would be ideal, actually, but I'm not paying nearly £20 for one useable figure.

Any ideas, chaps? Or does anyone have one of the above for sale or trade?

Over to you. 

[Will Bailie]

How about using or converting one of the two enlisted soldiers from this group:
http://greatwarminiatures.tripod.com/painted_miniatures/index.album/b9-command-group?i=15

[Gluteus Maximus]

Maybe if you look at the various ranges in Home Service uniform, there may be one in "Stable Dress" [with the cute little round cap, shell jacket and overall trousers]. Possibly you may find a figure standing to attention as an artillery "supernumary" etc.



With a suitable pith helmet conversion and a bit of filing etc, he may do.

Or maybe the young whipper-snapper with the brush in this set might do with a little work:



I'm sure there would be plenty of takers for any spare figures you didn't need.

[JollyBob]

Cheers guys. That's something to think about.

Actually, I had an idea.

What about taking this chap



from Artizan, lopping his head off, and replacing it with one of these



from Empress Miniatures?

Do you think that would work, or is his clothing too modern? Maybe get rid of the tie as well and have him in a blue service pattern shirt?

[Mancha]

I think he'd look great with one of the heads from the bottom row. 

[Tommy20]

I'll have a look, as I may have an unused Sir Garnet around here somewhere...

[argsilverson]

Forgive me: but what is a "batman"?

[Plynkes]

Officer's personal servant. I think it's really more of a 20th Century term than a Victorian one, and I'm not sure it was ever an official title (officers' servants in the Great War were Soldier-Servants). In colonial forces the term 'orderly' was apparently more common. A batman is a soldier though, whereas an orderly could be a civilian.

[dadlamassu]

An officer's batman, in the Victorian period, was often an older soldier who looked after "his" officer.  It was not unusual for the batman to stay with the officer (particularly one destied for higher things).

He would be dressed very much as the other soldiers of the Regiment with, perhaps, some private purchase items bought by his officer.  After finishing service with the colours he might well be employed by his officer on his estate or be set up in his own business - often a public house.

His job did not usually entail getting into the thick of the action.

[argsilverson]

Thanks for the info boys.

I did not know the term "batman", but it seems that every army had them!

[Will Bailie]

See if you can find a copy of George MacDonald Fraser's "The General Danced at Dawn", "MacAuslan in the Rough" or "The Sheikh and the Dustbin".  Some great stories of how Lt Dand (aka GMF) gets saddled with the worst soldier in the British army as his batman.