Saturday 25 April 2020

Scottish Soldier - The Final Instalment

That has been a longer gap between postings than I expected, but responses were a bit slower at coming in - either the viewers are getting bored, or real life is getting in the way!

Anyway, I always believe in finishing what I have started, so here is the third verse of the song, and the last batch of figures. There are some chronological gaps, as I have no Scots in my Crimean collection for example - Mark had them all already - that's the same reason (but different person) that I have not Brits in my WSS collection.....

Verse Three

And now this soldier, this Scottish soldier
Who wanders far no more, and soldiers far no more
Now on a hillside, a Scottish hillside
You'll see a piper play this soldier home
He's seen the glory, he's told the story
Of battles glorious, and deeds victorious;
But he will cease now, he is at peace now
Far from these green hills of Tyrol


Chorus

Because these green hills are not Highland hills
Or the Island's hills, they're not my land's hills
As fair as these green foreign hills may be
They are not the hills of home



Scots Battalion of the British Auxiliary Legion, Carlist War 1830 - Perry


The 91st (Argyle) Highland Regiment, 1850's - Old Glory


The 74th Highland Regiment 1850's - Old Glory


The 73rd (Perthshire) Regiment 1850's - Old Glory


The 92nd (Gordon) Highlanders 1850's - Old Glory


The Seaforth Highlanders (in "truibhas"/trews) 1870's - Old Glory


The Black Watch 1870's - Old Glory


The Argyle & Sutherland Highlanders 1870's - Old Glory


The Cameron Highlanders 1870's - Old Glory


The Black Watch 1890's - Old Glory


The Gordon Highlanders 1890's - Old Glory

The Cameron Highlanders 1890's - Old Glory


The Seaforth Highlanders 1890's - Old Glory


2nd Fife and Forfar Yeomanry, part of the 11th Armoured Division - Flames of War 15mm


The Highlanders Iraq/Afghanistan 2000-2015 - 20mm Liberation Miniatures

Just as a note, all the pre 19th century units in the above collections (with the exception of the Carlist War unit) consist of 15 figures on three men per element, 40mm x 40mm bases - my reasoning being two fold - the massed lines were starting to disappear as the 19th century progressed, and looser, open order formations coming into play, particularly in skirmish like colonial warfare, and also the Old Glory bags I used for most of these collections come with 30 figures, so two lots of 15 worked quite well - although often you have to buy 20 command figures separately, so that logic is not quite full proof!

Hope you enjoyed this box opening exercise as much as I have done - next up, some newly painted figures, although unfortunately, its MORE colonial era Highlanders that I had left over in the lead pile!


20 comments:

  1. This parade is even more impressive than the last installment. Your tartan work is fab. Painting trews is more difficult than kilts, I think. Wonderful work and a truly stunning assemblage of Scotsmen. Well done!

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  2. Very kind words Jonathon, in truth, I am not sure about some of the tartans...the more varied they get, the less I am convinced by my rendition...EG the Cameron of Erract tartan with ther red and yellow in it...but they are the best I could do, and so I am happy with them! It's been an interesting exercise and I may do more, as threatened!

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    1. Keith, I have a unit of Foundry Crimean War Highlanders that have languished in half-finished state for nearly 20 years. I have yet to bring myself to finishing them. Some day, maybe!

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    2. Ah well, good things take time Jonathon - as you say, one day perhaps! Those British Hussars I recently painted had been in a similar state for about the same length of time, so their is hope fro your neglected "kilties" yet!

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  3. Very impressive, Keith. I see your love for Scottish Scottish troops. I particularly love the trews of the guys in the first photo.

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    1. Thanks Dean...yes, it may be because they are amongst a more recently painted unit, although I think one of the best jobs I ever did on tartan was on some Minifigs Napoleonic Highlanders about 40 years ago...some of the very first metal figures I ever painted. Unfortunately, I no longer have them.

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  4. Splendid parade, I think my favourites are the 1870's ones...

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    1. Thanks Phil, yes, there is something about the red coats and white pith helmets, a la "Zulu" etc...

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  5. Really nice work Keith, and I think the 1890's Scottish are my favourite.

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    1. Cheers Lawrence - its nice that people have different favourites - personally, after taking them all out of the boxes to photograph, I thought the two 1850's kilted units were particularly well painted!

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  6. Great looking Scotts. The old glory miniatures are great!

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    1. Thanks Dmitry...I find some Old Glory figures are not the best, but the colonial ranges are fine and paint up nicely.

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  7. Keith I am being to think you have several tins of Tartan paint :-)
    That is quite a collection. A fantastic spread across so many periods.
    Thanks for posting.
    Cheers
    Stu

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    1. Cheers Stu, I am glad you liked it. Must admit I enjoyed getting all the figures out of their boxes, even if it was only for a few minutes each!

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  8. A stirring sight, I can almost hear the skirl of the pipes!

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    1. Thank you sir, as its Anzac Day here, we actually did hear the pipes today, once in our neighbourhood and several times on the news reports on the day's activities, which were very much curtailed due to Covid 19 of course .....

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  9. Oh yes! I do lime the Carlist War Scots. It does look odd though, all that tartan and Spanish flags!

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    1. Thanks Ray...I must admit I learned a bit of new stuff while researching the uniforms for this mini collection...I didn't realise the BAL were effectively mercenaries and working for the Spanish govt rather than part of the British army.

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  10. Splendid looking collection of Scots! I'm glad that when I get to paint tartan I won't have to stick to a pattern!
    Best Iain

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    1. Thanks Iain, yes, earlier tartan should be easier, there were no real "clan" tartans, as I am sure everyone knows, they are a Victorian invention. The standardisation of government sett spawned the acceptance of "official" tartans for every clan and sept but before the mid 1700's, it's really just plaid and any pattern is fine!

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