Hi to everyone on PF ,
This is a particularly poignant time in a year that has seen all pay tribute to the loss of a generation in WW1 100 years ago . All nations that took part lost so many men as a result of battles fought and also as a result of disease .
Amongst those contingents that suffered was of course the Indian soldiers both infantry and cavalry , these fine fellows struggling in the horrific conditions not only in Gallipoli,Eygpt, East Africa,Uganda, Mesopotania but of course on the tortured landscape of the Western Front.
Stu Hale from Stormtroopers has chosen the subject of a Sikh Infantryman to honour the Indian contribution to the war that was meant to end all wars.
Lets look at the Indian Army in WW1 , at the outset it consisted of about 150,000 trained men , these were offered by the government as 2 Infantry and 2 cavalry divisions.
This Force was originally going to Egypt as Expeditionary Force A but was instead sent to France where in Oct/Nov 1914 it took part in the battle of La Bassee , the following year the Meerut division formed the assault element at Neuve Chapelle.
All the time fighting a style of war they were really not trained to do so and suffering dreadfully from the cold and often using unfamiliar equipment some having just got the Lee Enfield, all of this was also not helped by the fact that casualty replacements often came from anywhere due to a failure of the reserve system.
In 1915 the Infantry Divisions were withdrawn and sent to Egypt with the cavalry remaining in France till 1918 when they too went to join the Infantry.
Standard equipment was the leather bandolier and the plain khaki drill uniform.
A really good website to look at is: www.sikhinthearmy.co.uk
A really good book being from the Osprey Elite series No 75 The Indian Army 1914-1947
Lets see what we are looking at:
Title:Sikh Infantryman Indian Army WW1
Reference: SB10/05
Scale: 1/10th
Material: Resin
No of pieces: 3 plus an insert
Sculptor: Carl Reid
Consisting of 3 pieces the actual bust , a rifle (top half only) and a base all packed in a bubble wrap bag and held in the usual white box with a black and white picture on the box lid.
In addition to the resin we have a insert giving painting information and some colour pictures.
Prep was as follows on the review piece, the torso needed the sanding down of 3 casting plugs on the underside with the rifle having a small plug to remove at the top (there is a resin pin at the lower edge this is for fitting the rifle to the strap in the locating hole provided.There was also a bit of flashing to take off the blanket near the right shoulder and a "pip" of resin on the turban.
On the base the lower edges needed sanding down.
Lets begin with the actual bust itself , sculpted with his usual flair by Carl he has achieved the proud look of the Indian soldier , this is a classic bust being head and shoulders , the head turned to the left .
Wearing the turban on which we see the material worked as it should be , the turban sweeps round his head in a flurry of folds , all wonderfully done , colouring is light khaki with the flash of red on the centre of the forehead, the end scarf of the turban flows across his middle back.
The facial features are a real good bit of sculpting really capturing the look , the beard and moustache he wears is perfectly kept , nice eye work and the ears are seen peeking out from under the edge of the turban.
Our Sikh wear the distinctive Indian uniform with high collar , epaulettes at the shoulders , nice undercuts and folds on the uniform .
Equiptment consists of the leather bandolier and another strap crossing the body , the bandolier pouches looks full of ammunition , the flaps being well shown as seen in pictures , across his right shoulder we have the rifle strap with a locating hole provided for the rifle in addition to a blanket possibly a greatcoat held together , again nice work on the folds and the way it sits to the torso.
The rifle is just the top piece and fits nicely into the hole in the torso ...be aware that it is at an angle and not at 90 degrees, when fitted it looks really good . The sculpting of this is well up to the level we expect from Carl.
The base , a small pedastal piece with a bit of surface texture being worked , perfectly suitable but most will probably use a brass rod as I will .
Final Thoughts:
This a a fine tribute to the Indian soldier in WW1 , in a classic style , very quick to prep , a simple colour scheme for the uniform with that flash of colour on the turban, great opportunity to have a go at the different skin tones needed for this race. Sculpting as always with Carl very nicely done .
The piece has a lot of conversion potential as well possibly to a cavalryman , lots of idea's in the Osprey book .
Another good addition to the quality range of items available from Stormtroopers
This is a particularly poignant time in a year that has seen all pay tribute to the loss of a generation in WW1 100 years ago . All nations that took part lost so many men as a result of battles fought and also as a result of disease .
Amongst those contingents that suffered was of course the Indian soldiers both infantry and cavalry , these fine fellows struggling in the horrific conditions not only in Gallipoli,Eygpt, East Africa,Uganda, Mesopotania but of course on the tortured landscape of the Western Front.
Stu Hale from Stormtroopers has chosen the subject of a Sikh Infantryman to honour the Indian contribution to the war that was meant to end all wars.
Lets look at the Indian Army in WW1 , at the outset it consisted of about 150,000 trained men , these were offered by the government as 2 Infantry and 2 cavalry divisions.
This Force was originally going to Egypt as Expeditionary Force A but was instead sent to France where in Oct/Nov 1914 it took part in the battle of La Bassee , the following year the Meerut division formed the assault element at Neuve Chapelle.
All the time fighting a style of war they were really not trained to do so and suffering dreadfully from the cold and often using unfamiliar equipment some having just got the Lee Enfield, all of this was also not helped by the fact that casualty replacements often came from anywhere due to a failure of the reserve system.
In 1915 the Infantry Divisions were withdrawn and sent to Egypt with the cavalry remaining in France till 1918 when they too went to join the Infantry.
Standard equipment was the leather bandolier and the plain khaki drill uniform.
A really good website to look at is: www.sikhinthearmy.co.uk
A really good book being from the Osprey Elite series No 75 The Indian Army 1914-1947
Lets see what we are looking at:
Title:Sikh Infantryman Indian Army WW1
Reference: SB10/05
Scale: 1/10th
Material: Resin
No of pieces: 3 plus an insert
Sculptor: Carl Reid
Consisting of 3 pieces the actual bust , a rifle (top half only) and a base all packed in a bubble wrap bag and held in the usual white box with a black and white picture on the box lid.
Prep was as follows on the review piece, the torso needed the sanding down of 3 casting plugs on the underside with the rifle having a small plug to remove at the top (there is a resin pin at the lower edge this is for fitting the rifle to the strap in the locating hole provided.There was also a bit of flashing to take off the blanket near the right shoulder and a "pip" of resin on the turban.
Lets begin with the actual bust itself , sculpted with his usual flair by Carl he has achieved the proud look of the Indian soldier , this is a classic bust being head and shoulders , the head turned to the left .
Wearing the turban on which we see the material worked as it should be , the turban sweeps round his head in a flurry of folds , all wonderfully done , colouring is light khaki with the flash of red on the centre of the forehead, the end scarf of the turban flows across his middle back.
The facial features are a real good bit of sculpting really capturing the look , the beard and moustache he wears is perfectly kept , nice eye work and the ears are seen peeking out from under the edge of the turban.
Our Sikh wear the distinctive Indian uniform with high collar , epaulettes at the shoulders , nice undercuts and folds on the uniform .
Equiptment consists of the leather bandolier and another strap crossing the body , the bandolier pouches looks full of ammunition , the flaps being well shown as seen in pictures , across his right shoulder we have the rifle strap with a locating hole provided for the rifle in addition to a blanket possibly a greatcoat held together , again nice work on the folds and the way it sits to the torso.
The rifle is just the top piece and fits nicely into the hole in the torso ...be aware that it is at an angle and not at 90 degrees, when fitted it looks really good . The sculpting of this is well up to the level we expect from Carl.
This a a fine tribute to the Indian soldier in WW1 , in a classic style , very quick to prep , a simple colour scheme for the uniform with that flash of colour on the turban, great opportunity to have a go at the different skin tones needed for this race. Sculpting as always with Carl very nicely done .
The piece has a lot of conversion potential as well possibly to a cavalryman , lots of idea's in the Osprey book .
Another good addition to the quality range of items available from Stormtroopers
As always thanks to Stu for the review piece
for more details go to www.stormtrooperminiatures.co.uk
or of course you can follow on F/B as well
Thanks also to you all for looking in
Nap
