HIRIART Balkan War Cretan Gendarmerie, 1912 (1 Viewer)

[ucla1967]

I just received photographs this morning from Hiriart of a new Balkan War set of CRETAN GENDAMERIE. Coincidently, I was planning on ordering the Cretan Gendarmerie as a special commission at a future date as a part of my Balkan War series, but now I won't have to. I will amend my current 2013 order to add this set to it. Although there is no foot officer in the photos, the set will be made up of a mounted officer, foot officer, sergeant and five men.

 

[ucla1967]

This is one of the four special commission sets of Cretan Gendarmerie that that I received on Friday. It has been added to the Hiriart catalog as set No. 1362 CRETAN GENDARMERIE, SALONIKA, 1912. Crete gained its independence from the Ottoman Empire in the late 19th century; they formed a union with Greece in 1908, but this was not recognized by the international community until after the second Balkan War in 1913. Crete's military consisted of a uniquely black uniformed paramilitary police force called the gendarmerie. They had been trained by Italian instructors and were similar to the carabinieri. The Cretan Gendarmerie served in Salonika during the 1912 Balkan War. Other Cretan volunteers served in the regular Greek Army as scouts.

 

[ucla1967]

This new stock photo shows the set with the detail on the Greek flag.

 

[Jack]

These sets are always very interesting!

 

[lancer]

Max points for unusual subject matter. Great stuff.^&grin -- Al

 

[ucla1967]

These sets are always very interesting!

Thank you Jack, I am glad you like them.

 

[ucla1967]

Max points for unusual subject matter. Great stuff.^&grin -- Al

Thanks Al, both unusual and interesting.

Mike

 

[ucla1967]

This is a stock photo of Hiriart's non catalog set of the CRETAN GENDARMERIE MOUNTED.

 

[ucla1967]

This is a stock photo of MOUNTED CRETAN GENDARMERIE wearing summer uniforms.

 

[ucla1967]

This stock photo shows Hiriart set No. 1362 CRETAN GENDARMERIE, SALONIKA, 1912 in their summer uniforms.