Lt. William Vereker light blue uniform.

Guest

Hi all

In the Men-at-Arms No. 57 on The Zulu War by Angus McBride, on page
illutration color G, we see an officer of the Natal Native Mounted contingent uniformed of light blue , like that worn by Lt. William Vereker alias Simon Ward in the film, Zulu Dawn ...

This type of uniform was there really existed for the officers of the Natal Native Mounted Contingent?

Was it regulation?

I've never seen this type of uniform other than in this book ...

Cheers

Pascal

Subject: Lt.William Vereker Light Blue Uniform. Thu Dec 15, 2011 10:43 pm

Hi Pascal .
As far as I'm aware I dont think there were any light blue uniforms but happy to be corrected . scratch

.
cheers 90th.

Posts : 2593 Join date : 2009-04-24

Royal Artillery ( wore light blue uniforms), as well as members of irregular cavalry units.

Subject: Lt.William Vereker Light Blue Uniform. Thu Dec 15, 2011 11:00 pm

Hi CTSG,
I'm fairly certain the R.A wore Navy or Dark Blue uniforms , I will check later when I get home . As for the Irregular units
can you state the unit and the source as I dont ever remember reading of them with a ' Light Blue Uniform ' .
cheers 90th. Idea

Subject: Lt William Vereker light blue uniform Fri Dec 16, 2011 1:33 am

Hi 90th

I have a copy of the Men at Arms Osprey book, Zulu War - Volunteers, Irregulars & Auxiliaries.
I have had a look through but can't find any light blue uniforms.

I wonder if the sun was that hot it bleached them? scratch

:lol!:

Regards Idea

Guest

Hi all

Sorry but I'm not blind, you will find this color in the illustration No. 57 MAA published in1976, he is an officer of the Natal Native Mounted Contingent, not the Natal Native Horse as Is often erroneously reported today and he Is uniformed in light blue ...

The uniform worn by Lt. WAS William Vereker alias Simon Ward in the film, Zulu Dawn have been designed according to the same source ...

In fact I have also a very old 28 mm figure with his horse with this uniform ...

In fact Lt.The Hon. William Vereker held a command in the 3 rd Infantry Regiment of the Natal Native Contingent, not in the Natal Native Mounted Contingent, not the Natal Native Horse As Is Often erroneously today.

Cheers

Pascal

Guest

Oh I forgot, the pantallon is the same color with white stripes ... and the jacket is decorated accross the front with row of flat morhair plait and the back is also decorated ...

Subject: Lt.William Vereker Light Blue Uniform. Fri Dec 16, 2011 9:18 am

Hi all .
I've looked through ' Uniforms & Weapons Of The Zulu War ' by Christopher Wilkinson - Latham and the Osprey Book ' Zulu War -
Volunteers , Irregulars & Auxiliaries ' by Ian Castle and no mention of any light blue uniforms , possibly some of the uniforms had faded as Martin has said and gave the appearance of light blue Question

.
cheers 90th.

Guest

Hi 90 th

Please look at the color plate "G" of the MAA n° 57...

Cheers

Pascal

Posts : 420 Join date : 2011-05-14

Pascal,

I thought that the only reason that Angus McBride had shown the patrol jacket as lighter was to show the braiding on it, but I could be wrong.

kwaJimu1879

Guest

The uniforms of people who have never fought do not change color at the beginning of war, especially in the month of January, even in South Africa and dailleurs the uniform and the color I specify are visible on several characters in the film Zulu Dawn...

Posts : 420 Join date : 2011-05-14

Pascal,

'Zulu Dawn' is just a movie, please don't be influenced by uniforms in that if you are trying to recreate what people were wearing on 22nd January 1879.

kwaJimu1879

Posts : 63 Join date : 2010-12-06

Pascal
I echo the above. You really do not want to pay too much attention to "Zulu" or "Zulu Dawn." They were both made for entertainment purposes and not for historical facts.

Guest

Yes, unfortunately it is a patrol jacket, I thought, that's a shame because this uniform as seen in the film "Zulu Dawn" is beautiful ...

For this film they are completely wrong and ditto for the film "Zulu" in 1964 ...

I think I would paint my figure still like this, even if it is not history, just for fun and artistic license, like I have some figures of certain Personalities of Rorke's Drift with the same uniform as the actors in the film "Zulu" 1964.Quelle horror for the historical realism ...

Finally it is not safe because figures I have previously painted are ultra realistic ... It bothers me

Cheers

Pascal

Subject: Lt.William Vereker Light Blue Uniform. Fri Dec 16, 2011 11:15 pm

Hi Pascal.
Sorry I dont have a copy of MEN AT ARMS so unable to check it for myself , but I'm sticking with my thoughts that there were
NO light blue uniforms . Kwajimu may be correct in saying the McBride print was to show the detail of the Black Mohair Braid .
I have seen a ' Patrol Jacket ' for sale at a militaria store / Auction and it was a Dark faded colour .
cheers 90th.

Guest

Hello Old 90 th British Foot of Kambula

Yes this picture was just to show the embroidery,however, the authors of Zulu Dawn has fallen into the trap ...I, too, is why the forum is vital for me, now I learn before tournament to rush ...

It's still a beautiful uniform ...

Cheers

Pascal

Posts : 2308 Join date : 2010-07-02 Age : 44

"Approximately 60 British regulars escaped, none of whom were wearing red coats (King Cetshwayo had specifically ordered his men to kill all the men wearing the red coats).
The surviving British soldiers were either officers wearing their dark blue field uniforms, troopers with the Royal Artillery (who wore light blue uniforms), or members of irregular cavalry units such as the Natal Mounted Police."

Source: David Rattay.

Posts : 420 Join date : 2011-05-14

Impi,

What was the source of your information? So I can have a look, if it was in a book which one and the page reference please?

Only there's an awful lot wrong with quote, not least about the Royal Artillery uniforms!

Thanks,

kwaJimu1879

Subject: Lt.William Vereker Light Blue Uniform. Sat Dec 17, 2011 11:47 am

Hi Impi.
In the two books I've read on the Uniforms and the colour plates regarding the R.A there is mention of blue but no mention of light blue . The ' Britains ' set
of soldiers has them in a dark / navy blue uniform . This is also consistent with other figures . Can you tell me the book or the source
of the Rattray comment . This in no way is denigrating D. Rattray but it was known he was more a story teller than a historian . I'm
sorry to say I cant have the ' Light Blue ' scenario for R.A. Uniforms . Unless someone can give me primary source evidence . Idea

cheers 90th

Guest

Hey guys,

you are sure now that the officers of the Natal Native Mounted Contingent did not bear a beautiful uniform very special just for them, I start to change my opinion ...

Cheers

Pascal

Guest

(who wore light blue uniforms), ?

The Zulu who have seen t light blue uniform in the royal artillery were drugged, this color has never existed in the Royal Artillery ...

But for the officers of the Natal Native Mounted Contingent ,it's possible, why not ...?

After all, they were colonial ...

Cheers

Pascal

Guest

Runner2 wrote :I echo the above. You really do not want to pay too much attention to "Zulu" or "Zulu Dawn." They were both made for entertainment purposes and not for historical facts.

Yes it's true movies and television series on historical subjects are really a shame ...

» Frontier Light Horse uniform
» Lieutenant Standish William Prendergast VEREKER - 2nd Natal Native Contingent
» Corporal William Smith.Frontier Light Horse.