Questions about British 24th colour sergeant...

[dancap3286]

hello again. I've just started painting a British 24th colour sergeant of the Zulu Wars era and I have a couple of ?'s. I'd like some opinions on the helmets worn during that campaign. The box art from verlinden shows it to be a light brown but I know better then to trust their interpretations. I've also seen them in white so any clarification would be fab. Part 2 of my question is about the patch on the right arm above the sergeant stripes. Looks like some kinda crossed flags with some writing above it. If anybody's got a pic or a link to some pics showing this patch I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[garyjd]

The color is right. Foreign service helmets were stained brown with the helmet plate removed. The color Sergeant patch/badge is two crossed Britih flags with a crown in between.~Gary


Here's the badge

 

[rodsginger]

Re the helmet.
If you look through books on the Zulu War you will note a number of variances in the helmets.
Yes the 24th did have stained helmets. Not all staining would be the same colour. One would say a "kinda brown" afterall the mix would not be the same each time.
As a buy the buy, a number of regiments are clearly shown wearing a white helmet complete with helmet badge. I have modelled the Verlinden Zulu wearing a captured white helmet with badge worn at a jaunty angle which adds to the whole effect, martini henry, jacket and helmet. He looks every part the victor of the day.
If you want some scans email me and I will see what I can do. Military Modelling run a very good series on the Zulu War published last century.
Cheers
Rod

 

[dancap3286]

thanks very much for the replies. You have all been alot of help. Much appreciated!

 

[ChenLa]

I have some books with good illustrations. If you inform me the е-mail, I could send you these of a picture

 

[captnenglish]

Osprey Elite British Forces in Zululand is very good IMHO

 

[Billhoran]

There is another point no one has mentioned. British Sergeants in this period did not carry the same triangular bayonet used by other ranks. Sergeants carried the controversial "wavy" pattern sword bayonet. I say controversial, because there was a scandal and investigation into the defective metallurgy of these bayonets by the contractor in Britain, as troops at the Battle of Abu Klea in the 1885 Gordon Relief Expedition later complained that they bent when thrusted into rawhide (Dervish) shields.

Not a happy revellation when in a hand-to-hand fight with frenzied natives!

Bill

 

[dancap3286]

Thanks for the insight Bill. That is something that I was unaware of. Appreciate the help.