"Flags of the Indian army 1885" Topic

5 Posts

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Glengarry5	08 Oct 2021 11:04 a.m. PST
Is there an online resource for the flags of the Indian army of the 2nd Afghan War?
Glengarry5	08 Oct 2021 2:02 p.m. PST
Sorry, that should be 1879.
Mad Guru	12 Oct 2021 10:52 p.m. PST
Glengarry5, Sadly I know of no singular online resource. I have a plan to create my own excuse for one on my hobby site -- maiwandday.com -- but it won't become a reality for some time yet. Meanwhile I advise you to search via Google or whatever search engine you prefer, as there are period photos and illustrations featuring regimental flags of a handful of British Indian Regiments from approximately c.1860 to 1900 online. Of course these don't all date specifically to the 1878-1880 Second Afghan War, but at least they are close. I am slammed with "Real World" work at the moment or I'd try to track down and repost here that same handful of online images, but here's a list of regiments whose colours I've seen photos or illustrations of on the web with my own eyes: 1st Bengal light Infantry 8th Bengal Native Infantry 15th Ludhiana Sikhs 16th Punjabis 29th Bengal Native Infantry 30th Punjabis 62nd Punjabis 80th Carnatic Infantry Here's the picture of the 15th Ludhiana Sikhs -- which is a bit frustrating for use as painting reference but IMHO still useful : …and here's the 52nd Sikhs: Again, neither of the above images date to the Second Afghan War but as regimental colours were not retired unless or until they'd been reduced to virtual shreds, or made obsolete by amalgamation with other regiments, even if you are a grognard button-counter type they are potentially useful. WHOOPS -- almost forgot these 2 shots from way back in 2010 when I did my 140th Anniversary Maiwand Day game… 30th Bombay Native Infantry (Jacob's Rifles): …and 1st Bombay Native Infantry (Grenadiers):
Glengarry5	14 Oct 2021 1:06 a.m. PST
Thank you! PS Did Jacobs rifles have flags? I assumed as a rifle regiment they would not carry flags.
Mad Guru	14 Oct 2021 10:12 p.m. PST
That's a very good question. I know years later in the early 20th Century the amalgamated successors to the Baluchi "Rifle" regiments had regimental colours, but that really doesn't count as any kind of evidence. 11 years ago something led me to believe 30th BNI Jacob's Rifles did. Last night I looked through some old emails to see if I could track it down but came up empty. I'm pretty sure I remember reading one reference to the 1st Bombay Grenadiers having their colours at the battle, but I can't remember anything specific about Jacob's Rifles. I also remember finding 28mm Regimental & Queen's colours for them, and I found them in one of those old emails, but that doesn't mean they existed in 1:1 scale back in the 19th Century. I also checked over at the Perry Miniatures site to see if their bespoke "Jacob's Rifles" command set includes standard-bearers and… it doesn't. Considering how good their historical research usually is, that leads me to think the regiment probably did not have colours. But I am not tossing my 28mm versions!

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