| Cacique Caribe | 07 Aug 2018 10:13 a.m. PST |
Just curious … 1) When did the British use these uniforms in Australia? YouTube link
YouTube link 2) Or perhaps his (American?) rifle might help narrow down the decade? YouTube link Thanks Dan |
 Artilleryman  | 07 Aug 2018 10:50 a.m. PST |
The uniforms look 1830s or 40s. The rifle looks a bit like a Spencer from the 1860s or 70s. If I understand the story correctly, then the rifle is right, but the uniforms are wrong. It is not my period, but I think Mr Quigley would probably have met someone more like this: link picture 147. |
| Woollygooseuk | 07 Aug 2018 10:58 a.m. PST |
Not something I know a great deal about, and film makers don't always have a reputation for historical fastidiousness. That said, based on a similarity to Indian Mutiny and China uniforms, and Tom Seleck's post-ACW western vibe, I'd go with late 1860s. |
| Cacique Caribe | 07 Aug 2018 11:26 a.m. PST |
"147 – Two Mounted Constables outside Stirling West Police Station S.A about 1885, leaving on patrol. Note: pistol carbine on right of saddle, sword on left. Cloaks carried, (rolled) in front of saddle.
Wearing 'Bedford Cords'. " So what's a ‘Bedford Cord'? Dan |
| 79thPA | 07 Aug 2018 11:28 a.m. PST |
The rifle is a Sharps. link |
| arthur1815 | 07 Aug 2018 11:32 a.m. PST |
Bedford Cords are corduroy riding breeches, still in production today. |
| Stephen Miller | 07 Aug 2018 2:11 p.m. PST |
I would place it in the late 1860's. Sharps came out in the late 1850's and using percussion revolvers which started being replaced with cartridge revolvers in 1873. |
| Lion in the Stars | 07 Aug 2018 2:27 p.m. PST |
Quigley Down Under? Post 1874. Because that's the first year of metallic-cartridge Sharps Rifles. Everything before that was paper cartridges and tape primers. |
| Nick Stern | 07 Aug 2018 2:32 p.m. PST |
The uniforms are total Hollywood (or its Australian equivalent) fantasy. British officers didn't wear epaulets like that after 1855. I agree with Artilleryman. His link shows how they should have been dressed and they would have worn blue tunics. |
| Woollygooseuk | 07 Aug 2018 2:35 p.m. PST |
All true no doubt, but everyone knows that evil Redcoats wear… well, red coats. |
| Frederick | 07 Aug 2018 4:17 p.m. PST |
Agree as to rifle – metallic cartridge Sharps, 1874 at the earliest |
| Cacique Caribe | 07 Aug 2018 6:49 p.m. PST |
Woollygooseuk: "but everyone knows that evil Redcoats wear… well, red coats" LOL. Of course! Dan |
| DJCoaltrain | 07 Aug 2018 6:53 p.m. PST |
Gotta go with Lion. The Sharps metallic center fire rifle is an 1874 rifle. The one Selleck uses is a .45-110 round. Even with the extra four inches of steel, it's still going to kick a bit. I'd really like to have one, but I don't hunt and I have lots of metal soldiers to acquire. |
| deflatermouse | 08 Aug 2018 3:37 a.m. PST |
I would have thought they'd be mounted Police.
Given the way the British "managed" forces in the Colonies, police was always a cheaper option.
The mutiny uniforms are a bit jarring in the setting.
And that's a LOT of Aboriginals lining the hills.
In Sept & Oct '92, Miniature Wargames #112 #113 had a two part series on the Kalkadoon War in Qld. late 1870's. All local forces involved and no "British" (or Queens) units IIRC. The last British Unit (the 18th) in Australia left in 1870, so if the weapons are later than that…… This might be of interest. link |
| DJCoaltrain | 08 Aug 2018 9:33 a.m. PST |
Deflatermouse Great page reference. Gives me some ideas for imaginations wars. Thanks. |
| Lion in the Stars | 08 Aug 2018 12:52 p.m. PST |
@DJCoaltrain: Pedersoli makes a very nice replica of Quigley's Sharps. Not too bad as a specialty rifle, only ~$1700, you can buy one from Cabela's. Yes, that's a LOT of metal troops. But the Pedersoli rifles are very nice. You can get nicer, but the price about doubles. And I'd honestly not hunt with a Sharps. Target shooting or Cowboy Action Shooting, however… |
| deflatermouse | 08 Aug 2018 6:15 p.m. PST |
If you're wanting to copy the uniform in the film, you could start with Dixons 15mm Indian Mutiny. link
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| WillieB | 09 Aug 2018 3:49 p.m. PST |
Gotta go with Lion. The Sharps metallic center fire rifle is an 1874 rifle. The one Selleck uses is a .45-110 round. Even with the extra four inches of steel, it's still going to kick a bit. I'd really like to have one, but I don't hunt and I have lots of metal soldiers to acquire. Actually the recoil from my (replica) Sharps 45-110 is quite do-able. If anything I feel the recoil from my (again replica) 45-90 Sharps is somewhat 'nastier' but very accurate. I have also fired a Pedersoly 45-120 (not mine) and that one kicked a bit too much for comfort on long sessions. |
| capncarp | 30 Sep 2018 1:17 p.m. PST |
Sharps. Definitely Sharps. Definitely. |
| Lee494 | 01 Oct 2018 2:33 p.m. PST |
So you're expecting realism and accuracy from Hollywood? PLEASE send me some of what you're smokin! Cheers! |
| Lion in the Stars | 01 Oct 2018 5:31 p.m. PST |
@Lee: Obviously a couple pounds of Humbolt County's finest green. |
| Henry Martini | 01 Oct 2018 7:23 p.m. PST |
I covered this film and its depiction of frontier conflict in colonial Australia in a number of discussions on TMP some years ago, but as it's come up again… According to the film's promotional material 'Quigley Down Under' is set in 1860, so his rifle is clearly anachronistic. The movie is set in Western Australia, but was actually filmed in the Northern Territory (notably at Ross River Homestead) and Victoria (Flagstaff Hill Historic Village). The 'cavalry' unit depicted is entirely fictitious. No British cavalry units served in Australia. During the course of the 19th century two different mounted forces were raised from within the ranks of infantry regiments stationed here – but in the eastern colonies, not Western Australia. The first was Australia's first mounted police force, the Military Mounted Police who, although equipped as cavalry, were effectively mounted infantry. The force was primarily tasked with pursuing bushrangers, but was also assigned to the protection of settlers from hostile Aborigines. When first formed in 1825 officers and troopers wore their undress infantry uniforms, but by the 1830s they were clad in a purpose-designed light cavalry-style uniform in dark blue (later changed to dark green). When in the field members of the force replaced their caps with broad-brimmed hats. The second force created was the military gold escort of the 1850s, which served as cavalry at Eureka Stockade. Colour plates of both forces can be found in 'Remote Garrison', by Peter Stanley. The only mounted police in Western Australia in 1860 were members of the civil force of that colony, who wore a dark blue uniform in the standard style of the Australian colonies of the period, consisting of kepi, short hip-length, beltless tunic, tight-fitting cream-coloured breeches, and hussar-style half-boots. They were equipped with carbine and sword. Such uniforms differed between colonies only in detail (except for Queensland, which in 1864 replaced the tunic with a waist-length 'jumper'). Skirmishes involving large numbers (even hundreds) of Aboriginal warriors weren't that unusual, Deflatermouse. What's odd about the warriors in the film is their behaviour and equipment. They'd be more likely to immediately try to envelop/surround settlers/police and bring their missile weapons into range – and they should be carrying shields. |
