HIRIART Boer War Sets (1 Viewer)

[ucla1967]

Hiriart has made a number of sets from the Boer War. None of them featuring the Boers. Here is the first one: 1323 ARGYLL & SUTHERLAND HIGHLANDERS, BOER WAR. Note the aprons over the front of their kilts.

 

[ucla1967]

Here is set 1248 COLENSO, 1899, THE ROYAL ARTILLERY IN SOUTH AFRICA. Also pictured is an escort set to go with the artillery gun team.

 

[ucla1967]

This next set represents the Australians: 1260 THE NEW SOUTH WALES LANCERS.

 

[ucla1967]

This next set is 1030 THE 20th HUSSARS MOUNTED BAND. I am not 100% sure that they are from the Boer War, but their khaki uniforms with cartridge belts over their shoulders suggests that they are.

 

[GICOP]

Lovely Boer War sets Mike

Cheers

Martyn

 

[ucla1967]

Lovely Boer War sets Mike

Cheers

Martyn

Hi Martyn,

Thanks, I am glad you liked them.

 

[ucla1967]

This non-catalog, special Boer War set is the CITY IMPERIAL VOLUNTEERS, BOER WAR. I don't have this set in my collection yet, but I intend to order it at some point in the future. Is it just me, or does that officer look like Teddy Roosevelt, as a Rough Rider, during the Spanish-American War?

 

[GICOP]

This non-catalog, special Boer War set is the CITY IMPERIAL VOLUNTEERS, BOER WAR. I don't have this set in my collection yet, but I intend to order it at some point in the future. Is it just me, or does that officer look like Teddy Roosevelt, as a Rouge Rider, during the Spanish-American War?

He sure does Mike, it's the glasses and hat :salute::

Cheers

Martyn

 

[ucla1967]

He sure does Mike, it's the glasses and hat :salute::

Cheers

Martyn

It is the glasses and hat, to be sure. I also corrected the spelling of "rough" which incorrectly came out as "rouge" when I submitted my post. Hmmmm, maybe I was subconciously thinking back to my childhood when I had a Red Rider BB gun.

 

[ucla1967]

I noticed that Bill Hocker's Boer War British figures all have white helmets rather than khaki. Some of Britains early sets also had white helmets. I was wondering if this was correct or not? If the white is correct, Hiriart's set 1164 BRITISH INFANTRY, SUDAN, 1881 looks like it might be suitable for the Boer War, too.

 

[GICOP]

Hi Mike

I think you will find that many of the British Regiments engaged in the Egyptian War of 1882 still had white helmets but by the Boer War the white helmets had a khaki canvas cover

Cheers

Martyn

 

[ucla1967]

Hi Mike

I think you will find that many of the British Regiments engaged in the Egyptian War of 1882 still had white helmets but by the Boer War the white helmets had a khaki canvas cover

Cheers

Martyn

Hi Marytn,

Thanks, that is what I thought. So, I wonder what's up with Bill Hocker painting all of his Boer War helmet sets in white?

 

[ucla1967]

I believe the canvas helmet covers were issued in white, but were field-dyed with tea, mud, or whatever the men had, to reduce visibility to Boer sharpshooters. Not that it helped much! The khaki apron for the highlanders had the same function, covering the sporran. Officers rapidly adopted other ranks' headgear and removed all signs of rank. Traditional toy soldiers are often portrayed in parade dress, regardless of their apparent activities, so white helmets/covers are called for.

Thanks Mike. Hocker has several Boer War sets "in action" wearing white helmets, so that explains that. Also, it occured to me that Bill makes his figures in the style of vintage Britains and they had white helmets, so maybe Bill just went along with the precedent. I'll ask him the next time I see him.

 

[ucla1967]

This is a non-catalog set of THE 2ND DRAGOONS, BOER WAR. By changing the heads on set 1164 BRITISH INFANTRY, SUDAN, 1881 shown on post #10 to the heads on these 2nd Dragoons, they would make great looking Boer War infantry.

 

[ucla1967]

This is another non-catalog set that patron3085 had for sale on eBay. It is similar to the City Imperial Volunteers set that I posted (see post #7) a photo of earlier. However, these figures are marching at left shoulder arms with fixed bayonets instead of at sling arms. They are also wearing boots while the CIV figures had puttees. There appears to be a regimental cap badge, but I can't make it out.