181 Pikeman and Scarves
Gerald Morris

This may be considered a heretical suggestion, particularly in re-enactment circles, but a curious thought occurred to me while reading John Tincey's recent article ( MILITARY ILLUSTRATED) on James VII's army at Sedgemoor.

The pikeman in post-Civil War armies all wore sashes. Is there any reason to suppose that in regular regiments at least their Civil War counterparts didn't also wear sashes? Any offers for and against

182 Tourist Fodder
Gerald Morris

On a recent trip to Durham Castle, the guide who was escorting visitors around the castle pointed out some back & breast plates and helmets on the wall of the refectory. She said that the largest chest measurement was 32 inches and that they were worn by children who were made to walk in front of' the soldiers in battle to take the worst of the enemy fire!

Is there any authority for this statement (I will stick my neck out and say that this is a rather dubious statement, does anyone else have any Howlers to report? - Ed)

183 Foreign Mercenaries
M Fry

Recent adverts in the wargames press for ECW figures have renewed my interest in collecting. There were line drawings showing French style uniforms for pikemen and musketeers. I decided to recreate such a unit but reading up in what was obviously the source for the figures (Haythornthwaite's ECW : An Illustrated Military History). I cannot find references for French Infantry groups. Can anyone help?

(I think that I'm right in saying that the costume shown in Haythornthwaite is taken from a 1647 French Drill Book showing Guards or Household(?) troops. How relevant it would be to foreigners serving in English regiments during the First Civil War must be open to debate So let's hear it! Ed).

184 Thomas Wallrond
M Boon

In our village church (Hinton Parva, Wilts), there is a headstone to a soldier which, translated, reads: " Here lies buried under this quiet grave the body of Thomas Wallrond, Son of John Wallrond, A Noble and devout man and conscientious soldier in his duty bearing arms for a time in service of the State (Republique) until death and who departed AD 1653 (1654?).

I assume from the headstone that the family may have been wealthy and influential, and that Thomas may have been an officer. Can anyone help me with further information?

185 Buttons or Tapes?
H Portsmouth

At the recent Partizan Conference at the Tower a discussion over tea between a Couple of the lecturers and members of the audience turned to the subject of buttons on soldiers coats.

Cloth buttons, tapes, wooden & tin buttons were all mentioned. Unfortunately I had to leave before hearing the resolution of this impromtu debate. Somone mentioned a source which stated that suits of coats & breeches made in late 1644 had nearly 40 buttons a set. Please could someone give me the original reference.

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