Royal Marines - Gaiters & Eqpt.

[Dan Morton]

Attached is a photo from Jon Smith (Jon Smith Modellbau) showing a squad of Royal Marines in Belgium(?) in 1914(?) cleaning and filling canteens ('water bottles' to our British friends).

Uniform and equipment dates it to 1914 or thereabouts and the appearance of the civilians looks Belgian or French. As some of you know I've been trying to get a clear photo reference showing the gaiters worn with the RM and Royal Naval Division uniforms during the defense of Antwerp in 1914. The photo provides an excellent and RARE reference for numerous pieces of their equipment, not just the gaiters.

Incidentally, I tried the Imperial War Museum and the Royal Naval Museum photo and uniform curators and nobody had this photo or could find it. Jon says it originally came from the IWM but it wasn't on their reference lists when I checked (?).

Ah, the lovely problems of research....

JON, IF YOU'RE TUNED-IN, MANY THANKS AGAIN!

All the best,
Dan

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

[billyturnip]

Dan, Have you tried the Royal Marines museum?
When I was based at HMS Exellent there was a small museum in the admin building it wasn't open to the public but a retired officer used to look after things. It might be worth a try. I remember there was photo's of Naval landing parties training on the parade ground can't remember the date but they were wearing gaiters.
I've posted a link with some useful address's you may not have tried yet.
Good luck

Royal Navy contacts

Roger.

 

[Dan Morton]

Roger - Thanks for the link and I will try that! More references - always a good idea!!

However, I believe I have what I needed to finish the figures. The photo above is a greatly reduced size version of the one I'm using. Had to cut it down a lot to fit on the forum web page. I have numerous other views of the gaiters and other equipment and uniform items, just not a view of the gaiters from that side. Now I can see the gaiters are thick canvas wrap-around with 4 lace holes up the outside or cover side of the gaiter and one lace hole on the inside at the top, one buckle and strap at the top, etc.

Incidentally, if anybody needs the full size photo or close-ups of the gaiters or the backpack, let me know and I'll be glad to e-mail them to you.

All the best,
Dan

 

[garyjd]

Dan, That's a great photo, would'nt mind seeing a learger version. It blows my mind what a task it's been to find images and information on these guys. I would have thought the search would not have been such a long one. Anyway it great to see go to the lengths you have for accuracy's sake.~Gary

 

[Dan Morton]

Gary - Thanks and a larger size copy will be out to you in the next few. I was surprised also that it took so long to find 'em! Just glad I can get on with my model-building. Two sets of gaiters completed yesterday! Easy to do once you see what they're supposed to look like!!!

I'm going to work on the RM's trousers today.

As far as I'm concerned - if it isn't accurate*, it isn't worth doing. Gee - I hope that crisp little statement doesn't start a big confab!

All the best,
Dan

*as accurate as you can make it in the scale size

 

[garyjd]

Dan, Thanks for the pictures. The ones of the sailors were awesome, those heads would make great sculpts..~Gary

 

[Dan Morton]

Looking back thoughtfully at your reply, Gary, I agree completely and, to that end, I'm going to post the photo for everybody's enjoyment. I've pored over that photo for 20 or 30 minutes at a time drinking in those faces. There's about 19 different emotions in them - elation, dejection, boredom, frustration, loneliness, confusion.... Wow! I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it outside of an art museum. Not sure why it holds such fascination for me, but it sure does. Makes me want to sculpt some faces, for sure!!!

Please keep in mind when viewing this that it was taken in 1919 at a 'mustering out' ceremony in St. Louis, MO. Probably taken with one of those turn of the century panorama very wide angle cameras. I've had to substantially cut down the photo from what I originally downloaded about 2 years ago off of a USN / St. Louis web site. (Don't remember which one!!! Sorry!!!)

All the best,
Dan

 

[quang]

Originally posted by garyjd@Dec 18 2005, 07:30 AM
Those heads would make great sculpts..~Gary

... and some nifty poses, too!

Thanks, Dan for sharing.

Merry Christmas!

Quang

 

[billyturnip]

Dan, I think you will find This of interest

Merry Christmas.

 

[Dan Morton]

I hereby abjectly apologize for screwing up the layout of this web page by posting such a gawdawful big picture. Oops! Consider me trounced and flummoxed.

But there WAS a purpose for doing so. I wanted you folks to be able to see the faces of the Missouri lads.

Roger - Thanks for posting the link to greatwardifferent and the chaplain's Antwerp story. I've seen all but 2 of the photos elsewhere, but the article is interesting and I hadn't read it before. Did you note the rather haphazard nature of the field equipment worn by the seamen? The RMLI were, apparently, well-equipped with their field blues, 1914 kit and SMLE rifles, etc. But the seamen were given whatever odds bodkins the depot had on hand. 1908 leather ammunition holders, 1903 bandoleers, Boer war canteens. Long Lee Enfield rifles -which weren't bad at all* and compared favorably with the SMLE.

*According to the people who say they know about such things....

FYI - I'm still working on the RND figures. Just taking a few days off to make a 90mm border collie figure for Costas Rodopoulos. So far I've just worked up 2 armatures with all the appropriate measurements. If it turns out to look vaguely like a doggie (ANY kind of doggie!) I'll consider it a Christmas miracle!

Kinda an interesting diversion if nothing else....

All the best,
Dan

 

[billyturnip]

Did you note the rather haphazard nature of the field equipment worn by the seamen?

Yes Dan when I was in the Royal Navy, during the 80's we were issued 1937 Pattern equipment so no change there then.

Roger.

 

[Dan Morton]

When I enlisted in USAF in 1971, [shortly after the Earth's crust cooled] I was issued Korean war vintage web belt and canteen, so it's a pretty common problem, I guess. The only reason I remember is the stuff smelled so bad from lengthy storage in mothballs and god knows what else. Even after all these years, I can still remember the smell. Nothing smells like stored military equipment! Ugh!

All the best,
Dan