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Late ww 1 British Cavalry

well done strelets, the smle(rifle) is much better for scale, these look very good. I for one will be buying them. one question though, gas mask bags, where are they ?

Re: Late ww 1 British Cavalry

Dear Alan,

which ones are you talking about?
Regards,

Strelets

Re: Late ww 1 British Cavalry

Hi, and thanks, i thought the cavalry wore them on the chest, i cant see them on the figures although i can see bags on some of the figures backs.

Re: Late ww 1 British Cavalry

Very good Sculptures.
Compliments to the Sculptor for these and the Early British Cavalry.

I like the fact that the Gas-masks bags are not on their chests. It looks like the Gas-mask bags are on the horses and can be easily removed.
the SMLEs are much better and hopefully will appear on the Early British too.

I shall buy lots for the Palestine campaigns.

Re: Late ww 1 British Cavalry

I think the gas masks on the horses are for the horses not the riders.Its my understanding,and i am happy to be corrected if i have this wrong,that all late war british and commonwealth troops carried a gas mask at all times at the front carried in a bag ,worn on the chest.Since these were put up today i have looked at photos and paintings of cavalry on the western front,and its not easy to tell as lots of the photos were clearly taken well back from the front,so they are not always on the chest.

Re: Late ww 1 British Cavalry

could these also be used for early ww2 us cavalry - or even philippine scouts (though not sure if any of them were mounted)

cavalry respirator

Dear all

Firstly, nice figures.

The respirator (bag) would be normally worn on the back or out of the way of the front but this was simply putting the single strap over one shoulder so that it could be quickly turned to the front when needed. The respirator (bag) had loops and a string that would go round the man's back to be tied at the front thereby stopping it flapping. This was the normal "at ready" way to wear it for infantry, etc but the cavalry had bandoliers so there had to be some flexibility. When the cavalryman needed to use the respirator it would, of course, be in the normal chest position. Osprey MAA 402 the British Army in WWI(2) has a photo of a cavalryman and a horse with respirator as the frontispiece. He is an officer so he is not wearing the bandolier and he has tied the respirator infantry style. Colour plate C1 in the same volume shows how the respirator may have been stowed, the two small circles indicate that this is the base of the respirator as these are the brass ventilators. I have a WWII version without gas mask which is similar in appearance and function so I have tried it. The chap in the pic below would just pull it round from the back or side.
The horse respirator is like a small nose bag when worn and covers the horse's nostrils (horses breathe through their nostrils).
I would imagine that the rider would probably stay dismounted after putting on his own respirator and securing the horse respirator with elastic bands.



library of congress via amnh web site

David

Re: cavalry respirator

Thanks David, since asking the question I have been searching the net for the answer, i could see post war(1940 cavalry equipment) it was worn on the back,but lots of photos (of dismounted cavalry )show it at the front infantry style,also worn on the front with horse artillery, i suspected the bandoliers would cause a problem,so your reply sound right to me.cheers.

Re: cavalry respirator

I suspect that in reality it was worn wherever the man wanted to wear it. A similar discussion can be had for artillerymen. Some would have put it on their chest, some over the shoulder, or on the hip, or on the horse, or wherever they liked as long as it was to hand in a hurry if needed.

The first 3 minutes of this film show it mostly attached to the horse, but there are some with it on their chests: http://www3.nfb.ca/ww1/wartime-film.php?id=531528

Perhaps it could be a separate item to stick wherever we feel like sticking it

Re: cavalry respirator

Dear PDA
Interesting movie.
As I wrote officers have the respirator on their chests "infantry" style because they do not wear bandoliers. This is so in the film clip. It is by far the best place to wear it when secured properly. The troopers have it usually over one shoulder and from your film it looks like the right shoulder. If they are using the respirator there is only one place it can be;that is on or near the chest. Notice that the respirator bag is much higher than the haversack on my pic. If you don't know the equipment it is easy to confuse the two. The strap has to be the right length (quite short) for the mask to fit and for the hose not to be strained. Stowing it is another issue as you say it could be anywhere but it should be ready to hand if a gas attack was a possibility. Giving the choice I would wear it like the soldier in my pic over one shoulder- a simple solution when you have done you simply pull the bag so it rests on your back or under your arm. Trying it is believing.
BTW at the start of the film the horses look as if they have nose bags on - these are for feed. Called nose bags but they actually go over the mouth and the nostrils are not blocked.
The horses as depicted in the Strelets models and in reality did not have goggles so eye inflammation would have been a problem and the dutiful trooper would have covered his mount's eyes hence I say they would stay dismounted.

David

very useful set

Wow a pleasant surprise seeing these, looking past the Respiartor issue.

These could be converted easily to be horse artillery or mounted semaphore team.Thanks strelets these will be very useful.

Also easy to make lancers from these.
.