"Balkan Wars Uniforms" Topic

I don't know if anyone else has come across this site:

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The Garibaldi unit looks interesting. The Cretan Gendarmes were used extensively in Salonika in keeping the various factions apart (and I gather with an even hand).

This is taken from a great book that I cannot spell the author's name as it is in Greek. I received a copy of it along with 6 other books on Greek military history as part of a product trade. I got a plate translation with my book as well.

Great illustrations!
The Garibaldians aided France in the latter half of the Franco-Prussian War, fought for Greece in the war with the Turks in 1897 (where they brought along a vivandiere or two), and came back to Greece for the Balkan Wars.
I may need some of them, too!
Grelber

All illustrations are from the book "Uniforms of the Balkan Wars" by Ioannis Mylonas curator of the war museum here in Athens and a good painter, too. The book is still oop but I suspect that it will be reissued this year, which is the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the 1st Balkan war (1912),

As for Cretan gendarmerie there was 2 regiments, since they also substitute the cretan militia which was never materialised. In their early years in crete there was an italian carabinieri contingent, too, that trained them. There is some italian influence in their uniform. In 1912 creta was a separate state thus the reason for a separate armed /police unit. During the Balkan wars, since Greece was mobilised, there was a shortage of manpower. Therefore, the Cretans moved to Macedonia and served as police unit of the newly liberated Thessaloniki. Later, I do not remember exactly when but after WW1, they were incorporated in the Royal Hellenic gendarmerie

For gaming purposes there is a dedicated range in 28mm made by Tiger miniatures:
tigerminiatures.co.uk
they have all major participants and they promise some time in the future to release some montenegrins and romanians and possible some more equipment. My only critisism is that the cretans are very correct. In fact their breeches miss their back! However I agree. A fascinating period and some nice models to paint.

And the Garibaldini. They were few but fought bravely. The captain depicted in the illustration is based on the actual uniform worn by Lorenzo Mavili a well known greek poet and member of the parliament of the time, and a very famous chess player, who was killed in action, in Epirus front on 26.11.1912. Garibaldini units under the grandson of Garibaldi fought in the Italo-Turkish war of 1911 and continued to fight for Greece, in the first balkan war.

I have a Greek army of the period, the nice thing is you can use the troops in the Balkan Wars, WW1, the Turko-Greek war of 1921, and the Russian Civil war.

Some of my troops (Eureka Evzones)

We've mainly done RCW gaming with them.

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The 3 photos below are from a book on the Balkan Wars published in 1914. I've lost the reference data due to a hard drive crash a number of years ago. Possibly someone might recall the book.

I wonder if anyone makes an Orthodox priest in 28mm?

This one shows several gendarmes but in a slightly different uniform from that shown above. Also, notice that the gendarme in the middle has a different insignia on his cap than the rest (different battalion?).

One last one:

There are a couple of Bulgarian books on the war and uniforms as well.

"I wonder if anyone makes an Orthodox priest in 28mm?"

I'e used this guy, he is Foundry Russian I think

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Im going to do 15mm Bulgarians vrs Turks…one day.

There are these priests by Old Glory:
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Hi everyone,
for those interested in the Balkan wars armies and uniforms,
the "Discount Hobby Zone" shop in Athens is selling a book -memorabilia of the Balkan wars. Amongst other things, it has lots of colour uniform drawings/ plates that were previously only available in the Greek book by Mylonas.
This book is in English- so worth checking out.
I have one on order and its on its way
cheers
peter

The Mylonas prints are now available at the book peter mentioned. Full title is

"Memorabilia of the Balkan Wars", Vasilios Nikoltsios, Yiannis Mylonas, Logos & Ikona Press. You can find it in the Military War Museum of Athens.

Osprey has a book on the war, which is not bad.

I am working on scenarios for a supplement for the 1st and 2nd Balkan War for Bloody Big Battles. These are all operational level scenarios focusing on the largest battles.

You can find the non-playtested drafts here

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