Osprey 193:

British Army on Campaign (1)
1816-1853

by Bob Beattie

Osprey Men-at-Arms Series #193, by Michael Barthorp, 1987; 48 pp., 8 color plates (23 uniforms).

This is a fairly long title for a short book but fully descriptive. It is the first of a four volume series covering the campaign dress of British troops between the end of the Napoleonic Wars and the complete introduction of khaki service dress. The value of the book for wargamers is that it gives excellent ideas for painting up figures that look more realistic than those in full dress. The author takes major periods within the period covered by the title - 1816-1828, 1829-1843, and 1844-1853 - describes the official dress regulations of that era and then discusses how these were modified in the various campaigns of the time.

We find out, for example, that during the Eight Kaffer War, 1850, in the 12th Lancers, "all ranks wore white covered forage caps fitted with short peaks and curtains, stable jackets, girdles, and regulation trousers. For some of the operations part of the regiment was armed with double-barrelled carbines instead of lances". Such treatment is provided for some 27 different campaigns around the world. There is no coverage of the history or tactics associated with each episode; this is left to other books. The uniform information is enough for the series. May I add my voice to the multitude that find it troublesome to flip back and forth between two or three sections to use the color plates. This is of course not a criticism of the particular book but the whole Osprey series in this regard.

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