This year's Victorian Military Fair was held at the New Connaught Rooms in London on Saturday 4th March.

Top: Gen. Gordon's imperial Chinese banner, 1863.
Bottom: 25mm Taiping Wargame.

The Victorian Military Society - who organise the Fair - has been in existence now for over twenty years, and has established an enviable reputation as the leading organisation concerned with Victorian Colonial campaigning. The Fair is the Society's annual show- case, and features not only Society activities, but also a wide range of traders and dealers catering for the many aspects of the bobby. This year's Fair - only the second since they moved from the Victory Services' Club to the larger Connaught Rooms - seeirks to have been the most successful yet, with over 1000 people passing through the doors, and 106 stands and displays. Dealers were selling everything from medals, militaria, books and postcards through to old-style toy soldiers, collectors' figures, and wargame figures.

The National Army Museum, the British Model Soldier Society, the Friends of the Public Records Office, Family Tree Magazine, and Wallis and Wallis auctioneers were all represented, and this year's Guest of Honour was 'Colonial Conquest's' new editor, Tan Knight, who had been approached in his capacity as an author on the Anglo-Zulu War, and a founding member of the Society. Each year the Society presents an award - The Browne Medal - to someone who has contributed the best original research to its journal, 'Soldiers of the Queen', and this year the award went to the distinguished author and historian, Michael Barthorp.

Period costume has always been an attractive feature of the Fair; it was perhaps less well represented this year than on previous occasions, although the Society's own re-enactment Group, the Die-Hard Company, were suitably impressive, and there were a number of representatives of ACW re-enactment groups. Prizes are awarded to the best costume, and these went to John Needham, for his very convincing 'Officer of the 24th Regiment, 1879' in blue patrol jacket and forage cap, and ,southern belle' Tamara Habberley. The Gravesham Military Modelling Society provided an excellent display of figures on Colonial themes, whilst in the wargames room there were an impressive selection of games, all with original scenarios and superb figures and terrain. The VM Fair has, quite rightly, become a venue for some of the best Colonial wargaming around.

One feature of this year's Fair, which many might have overlooked in the enthusiastic press of people, was a display of original Chinese flags, dating from the Tai-Ping Rebellion. These historic Colours were presented by the Imperial Chinese government to General Charles Gordon in 1863 when he was commanding the 'Ever Victorious Army'. They have been in store for most of the time since Gordon's death at Khartoum in 1885, and have only been displayed on rare occasions.

All in all, this year's Fair more than lived up to expectations, and readers of 'Colonial Conquest' are advised to make every effort to get along to next year's. Indeed, anyone interested in finding out more about the Society is advised to contact Dan Allen, Hon. Publicity Officer, VMS, 20 Priory Road, Newbury, RG14 7QN.

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