Saturday 17 March 2018

The 28th Regiment of Foot and the First of the British in Egypt Artillery

The 28th  (North Gloucestershire) Regiment of Foot is the second of the British in Egypt infantry to pass through the uniform store and the first in this collection in the stovepipe shako. As my good friend Lawrence reminded me the 28th had a unique honour: at the Battle of Alexandria the French cavalry succeeded in breaking through the British lines, reformed behind the 28th and began to charge while the 28th was still heavily engaged to the front. Hurriedly the order was given for the rear rank to face about and fighting  back to back the regiment successfully defended itself. For this action the regiment was accorded the right to wearing the regimental number on both the front and the back of the shako.

 





The second piece off the painting table this weekend is the first of the artillery. Listed as "Foot Artillery firing 6 Pounder in Mother Shipton hats", this set has a unique gun. To prevent the wheels sinking into the desert sand the gunners tied staves from wooden barrels to the wheels.






A second gun set, this time in cocked hats, is assembled an ready for work.

12 comments:

  1. While the infantry are very fine, the gun and crew are so cool! Great character in the figures and the uniform variations add much interest.

    Excellent!

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    1. I really enjoyed doing the artillery. I am part way through the second gun set in which the gunners are wearing a mix of cocked hat as fatigue caps. They look great.

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  2. Interesting to see this earlier stuff, nice work!

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    1. Thanks Mark. There is much more variety in this army than I originally thought so plenty to leep the task interesting.

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  3. Splendid painting and basing as always!

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  4. The artillery piece is great...
    There is almost something WW1 About it...

    All the best Aly

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    1. Yes I suppose they do! I guess because the French had horse teams they didn't need the wider wheels.

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  5. Lovely characterful sculpts that your painting bring out, the infantry are great but the artillery is even better!
    Best Iain

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    1. I hsve done the second gun set now (photos in a day or two) and it us equalyy impressive.

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  6. I agree with all the above, somehow the artillery steals the show. 😀

    Is question of scale, are the three bases the complete regiment? Just curious.

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    1. Yes I have built these armies with three stands as the basic unit for infantry and cavalry, and artillery units are single guns.

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