Posts Tagged ‘Green Howards’

Other Ranks Shako Badge - 19th Regt of Foot

The 19^th Regiment of Foot, nicknamed the Green Howards, landed at Kalamita Bay in the Crimea in September 1854, as part of the Light Division of the English Army of the East.  Their battle honours include Alma, Inkerman, and the Siege of Sevastopol.

The soldiers of most regiments in the British army who landed in the Crimea wore a shako introduced in 1844.  It was said to have been designed in part by Prince Albert, and was not so affectionately known as the Albert Shako.  The 19th Regiment’s Battalion Company enlisted soldiers, called ‘other ranks’, proudly wore the badge in this photograph on the front of their Albert shako.

Its actual size is much smaller than depicted, with the brass circular laurel wreath about 3 inches across and the wreath with crown above it about 4 1/2 inches high.

There were three types of companies in a British line infantry battalion in the Crimea.  Battalion Companies (All other companies than the grenadier company and the light company.) of Regiments of the Line wore this type badge, with their own regimental number.  The Grenadier Company on the right flank would have had a grenade somewhere within the wreath as well as the number.  The Light Company on the left flank would have had a hunting horn within the wreath, as well as the regimental number.

This artifact was photographed courtesy of The Green Howards Museum, Richmond, UK.

Officer's Shoulder-Belt Plate, Battalion Company, 19th Regiment of Foot

The 19^th Regiment of Foot, later nicknamed the Green Howards, landed at Kalamita Bay in the Crimea in September 1854, as part of the Light Division of the English Army of the East.  Their battle honours include Alma, Inkerman, and the Siege of Sevastopol.

Most of the British officers who went to the Crimea carried a sword, and in some cases, a pistol, to defend themselves.  Various types of pistols were carried stuck in waist belts or saddlebags, but the sword was carried within easy reach on a sword belt across the officer’s right shoulder and hanging at his left hip.  This belt bore a breast plate more ornate and detailed than the enlisted soldiers (known as the ‘other ranks’) wore.

The artifact in this photograph is such an officer’s sword-belt plate of the 19^th Regiment.  It is in excellent condition, with the exception of the chipped green malachite within the rope circle.  The officer’s regimental number is in Roman numerals (XIX).  Such a badge worn by enlisted soldiers would merely contain the Arabic number “19.”  The rope pattern, number, crown, and rectangular plate are gilt for officers.  The eight-pointed star is silver.

Although there is wear on the plate, there is no specific evidence of this artifact having been in the Crimea.

This artifact was photographed courtesy of The Green Howards Museum, Richmond, UK.

Nearly Complete Marching Order - Other Ranks - 19th Regt of Foot

Please excuse my not having blogged in a bit.  Life, as it often does, got in the way.  Since my response to publishing photographic images and descriptions from “Crimean Memories: Artefacts of the Crimean War, has met with positive responses, I shall continue to do so for a time.

The 19^th Regiment of Foot, better known today as the Green Howards, landed at Kalamita Bay in the Crimea in September 1854, as part of the Light Division of the English Army of the East.  Their battle honours include Alma, Inkerman, and the Siege of Sevastopol.

The artifacts in this photograph represent the only known museum presentation of a nearly Complete Marching Order uniform, with shako (1844-1855), enlisted soldier’s coatee, and nearly full accoutrements and equipment, as worn in the Crimea in 1854.  Based upon the shoulder epaulettes, the white over red shako plume, and the plain number 19 in the shako badge (without a grenade for grenadier company or a hunting horn for light company) we know that this is the uniform of a member of a ”battalion company” of a line regiment.

The red serge coatee has two tails in the back, which have white turn-backs.  The coatee has grass-coloured regimental facings on collar and cuffs.  There are ten rows of doubled white tape with square end loops across the front.  The coatee is fastened by a single row of pewter buttons bearing the regimental number 19.

You can see on the back a black Trotter style knapsack with white leather shoulder straps across the front.  The black waterproof cloth-covered mess tin set is  just visible strapped to the knapsack top. The leather cartridge box can just be seen peeking out from where it is suspended on the cross belt on the right side, under the right arm.

The manikin is wearing one plain white cross belt, and the then newly issued waist belt with locket buckle.  The outer ring of the buckle bears the name of the county the regiment is from:  York North Riding Regiment, today the North Yorkshire Regiment.  Inside the ring is, again, the number 19.  No bayonet is on this manikin, but would have been worn with the scabbard affixed to a leather frog on the left side of the waist belt.  Note the small white pouch slid onto the shoulder belt to contain percussion caps for igniting the powder in the barrel when firing the soldier’s rifle musket.

Originally the bayonet in its scabbard was worn on a second cross belt across the opposite shoulder, which also contained a brass belt plate with the regiment’s number on it.  Just before departing for the Crimea, the second cross belt was eliminated in some line regiments, and replaced by the waist belt.  The locket buckle at the waist, bearing the regimental number, replaced the brass shoulder belt plate.

The soldier represented by the manikin is wearing the British standard issue round canteen on a leather strap, painted a bluish colour.  The soldier does not have a linen haversack over his shoulder, normally used to carry rations.

This artifact was photographed courtesy of The Green Howards Museum, Richmond, UK.

Crimean Memories: Artefacts of the Crimean War - released by Schiffer Publishing 2009

The journey to publication of Crimean Memories: Artefacts of the Crimean War wasn’t merely about the technical or logistical side of the photography or the history of the artefacts.  It was, in fact, a people experience Mike Vice and I will never forget.

Six months before our first one-week “recce” visit to see if the project was even feasible we started sending letters to museums and collectors asking what their Crimean collection consisted of, and permission to photograph.  The response was much better than expected, and our subsequent first visit was a rousing success.  The project was, indeed, reasonable and achievable, but the budget was going to be tight.

We planned and coordinated our second 4-6 week visit with detailed appointments for shooting and a grueling itinerary.  Our major bases of operation were London (south of England), Halifax (middle and north of England), Edinburgh (Scotland), and a town whose name I can’t even pronounce in Wales.  We planned to take day trips from these places like the spokes in a wheel, and it worked, far above expectations.  To accomplish this, however, we had to find lodging, and that expense alone might have crippled us.  It did not.  Because we had so many kind friends who supported us, and the worthiness of the project.

In London, Sergeant Kevin Gorman, Archivist, Scots Guards, and the son I never had, found us more than reasonable accommodations. He was, as well, an invaluable help with various aspects of the project.

In Halifax, we stayed at the home of a dear friend, LtCol Wade Russell, Royal Tank Regiment (Ret), for weeks on end.  Whether we arose at 2 or 3 am, and in spite of our protests, Wade was always there, making us breakfast for the road.  Whatever time we returned, exhausted and bedraggled, he was waiting with a quiet smile and a fresh gin and tonic.

We felt one of the larger collections was at the Green Howards Museum in Richmond, and that it would take more than a day to shoot.  Roger Chapman, the then curator, insisted we remain overnight with him and his lovely wife.

In Scotland, Wade made arrangements for us to stay at a military officer’s mess in Edinburgh – delightful, and within budget.  We ate at the enlisted mess, and spent the evenings in good company at the officer’s mess.

In Wales, our hosts were Bill Curtis and his wife, while we photographed his definitive weapons collection.  We then went on from there to shoot artefacts at the 23rd Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum.

The kindness and unending hospitality of these folks and so many others made the project not only possible, but so very enjoyable.  The new friends we made and the old friendships we nourished will be with us always.

What I want to talk about in Part II, tomorrow, is the reception of the museum staffs and private collectors to two ‘Yanks’ on a mission to photograph surviving artefacts from a very British war.

The Team - A/Sgt Kev Gorman, Scots Guards, Will, and Michael, surrounded by our equipment

Will and Roger Chapman, of the Green Howards. Photograph taken at the Crimean War Research Society Annual Meeting

Bill Curtis smiling among his collection - a happy man, indeed

Will, Mike, and Wade Russell at the Maypole Pub near Wade's house, not far from Halifax

Mike & a friend, Peter Lockwood, who was a wonderful host and great help in the project's early stages.

British officer's roundabout jacket showing campaign use (Details in book)

British officer's forage cap worn by a Victoria Cross recipient (Details in book)

Officer's breast plate (All the details and history are in the book)