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The Foot Guards by Ken Osen

The Foot Guards by Ken Osen

2 CONTENTS HISTORY IN MINIATURE 3

Contents The Iconic W.Britain Toy Soldier 3 Tunic, Black Cap, these are the by Ken Osen

For Trade and War 8 Joe Salamida and Ken Osen examine trade practice in North America

Previewing the Troops 12 Ken Osen reveals future W.Britain troops on the Frontier

The Concert of Europe Goes Flat 14 The origins of war in the Crimea, 1853 by Andrew Frantz lthough it has become almost synonymous with By Ken Osen Front & Center 17 been over 50 years, W.Britain. More recently I have Inaugural look at some of our favorite figures and the history behind them A I still have vivid memories of thought about the continued popularity of similar to the present style that the soldiers visiting my uncle’s house and peering into these classic miniature figures worldwide. of the Foot Guards wear in full dress was British Light in the Napoleonic Wars 18 his curio cabinet full of toy soldiers. I did Considering the original toys were released established. In fact, when this uniform Philip Haythornthwaite analyses the development of this important fighting force not know it at the time, but the soldiers in over 120 years ago, what they represent is was worn with other equipment in the last the cabinet were figures made by a British still instantly recognizable by even the most quarter of the 19th century, it was also the National Infantry Museum in the Open Air 24 company, W.Britain. Although my uncle’s casual viewer. The simple reason is that the service dress. Although for all practical Part 2 of Doug Dearth’s travelogue on the U.S. National Infantry Museum favorite was clearly the Queen’s Coronation dress uniforms worn by the British Guard purposes this would change within a Coach pulled by eight light grey horses, my Infantry of the has not decade. U.S. News 26 eyes were drawn to the red coated infantry drastically changed in overall appearance Similar changes in the details of the Reviews of latest shows and exhibitions in the States on the shelf below. There, lined up on for many years. One could make the case dress occurred with the little W.Britain the glass shelf was a full regimental band that the iconic dress uniform was already Guardsman, too. But unlike a Horse COVER leading infantry with officers and flags, all identified world-wide with Great Britain’s Guards Order implemented in a relatively A parade of Guardsmen in front of...... sporting red coats and tall black caps. for decades before short period of time in the real world, it A Highlander, Crimean War, 1854, No.10001 and 104th British took the toy maker almost three decades of Foot, Co., New Brunswick Regiment, War of 1812 Because these toy soldiers seemed to W.Britain toys ever offered their miniatures by Don Troiani show up almost everywhere, for many years neatly packaged in their classic red boxes. to have uniformity in the ranks of their I had not given any real thought to these Certainly by the 1870s the red coat, little grenadiers. For years some of little marching British Grenadiers that have blue trousers and black bearskin caps W.Britain’s soldiers were modeled wearing

Dear Collectors, LEFT reasons behind the Crimean War, a subject Three boxes of early Guardsmen, pre-World War II, the Here is our second issue of The Standard for box of at the bottom, before the 2018. We have been very busy planning that deserves a little more attention in our Great War Kenneth Osen and prototyping new sets, attending shows offerings. We are honored to have world Editor: Graphic Designer: Doug Dearth and even managing to squeeze in a trip to renown and respected military expert BELOW Contributors: Andrew Frantz, Philip Haythornthwaite, Joe Salamida, Katie The reintroduction of our classic Guards. This set Philip Haythornthwaite return with an Hines, Doug Dearth and Ken Osen China to visit our manufacturing partners. No.43117C, manufactured in 2006 . The cover art article on the British Light Infantry of the Published by: Making the long trek, by airplane, has The William Britain Collectors’ Club mimics the classic look of boxes from the past Napoleonic wars. Make me wondering how Annual Club Membership: sure to review the list of UK £35.00, Europe £40.00,ROW £45.00/$68.00 ABOVE our forefathers ever USA $65.00, $72.00, ROW $75.00 tunic and cap right, and left, a W.Britain titles he has published at In the UK, Europe and ROW: The W.B.C.C. PO Box 7820, Barwell, made the lengthy ocean Leicestershire, guardsman is visited by an adoring family (of Imperial voyages or traveled by the end of his article – LE9 8WZ. Production figures), all from the author’s collection many of these books are In the US, Canada and Central, South America & : horse or coach across The W.B.C.C, 10420 Geiser Road, Holland, Ohio 43528, USA. entire continents just to indispensable for your Tel: UK Office: +44 (0) 01455 841826 conduct business. research library. US Office: +1 419 865 5077 As promised in the last We are introducing Email UK: [email protected] issue, we take a moment a new feature: Front US: [email protected] & Center were one of Website to look back at some UK: www.wbritain-collectorsclub.co.uk figures that are now the crew highlights the US: www.wbritain.com and www.wbritaincollectorsclub.com history behind one of our favorite figures, ROW – For Payment in USD ($) is defined as – Canada, Central and South almost synonymous with William Britain America, and Australia. For Payment in GBP (£) is defined as Asia, Africa, and and why their popularity has endured. This past and present. the Middle East. The content and views expressed in this journal are solely the responsibility was a fun article to write, and could have As always, if there is something you of The William Britain Collectors Club. Copyright ©The Good Soldier, LLC. All would be interested in seeing an article right reserved. No part of The Standard may be reproduced or transmitted in easily filled a entire issue if we had covered any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, on, or even better if you would like to recording on any information storage or retrieval system, without permission the many toys and models that were in writing from The William Britain Collectors Club. inspired by the infantry of a Great Britain’s contribute a piece, please contact us. Please Advertising within The Standard is open to all established W.Britain retailers . read on and enjoy! and collectors. Advertising sizes available are Full, 1/2 page, 1/3 page vertical and 1/3 page Contributors in this issue of The Standard: square. For further information please email the Editor at: USclub@wbritain. All the best, com or call +01455841756 in the UK or 419-865-5077 in the US. Joe Salamida and I look at the rich history W.Britain reserves the right to refuse any advertising without providing a reason. of the Trade Gun on America’s early Ken Osen frontier. Andrew Frantz takes a look at the General Manager & Creative Director W.Britain 4 HISTORY IN MINIATURE HISTORY IN MINIATURE 5

leather gaiters with their boots and the To understand the success of these ceremony takes place at St. James.) same set might include soldiers with full- “English made” toy soldiers we also need Wearing the Fleur-de-Lys (Between April 1 and Sept. 1, the length trousers. Some might have valise to consider the product in context of their At the funeral of Charles II, the arms of ceremony takes place at Buckingham equipment or knapsacks and others might time. Great Britain may have been at the and France were incorporated on the mourning Palace whether the queen is in residence not. It took until the mid 1930s before a apogee of the empire building that had band. It is to commemorate this that the Fleur- or not.) de-Lys in worked in the trade on the drummers’ 10:30 The new guard, headed by a band, degree of uniformity could be expected in been in full swing since the eighteenth tunics in every regiment of the Foot Guards. arrives at the palace to find the old guard any one set of Guardsmen. I was always century. Every Briton could gaze at a world drawn up in the forecourt. curious where the description for “half map and see the far-reaching empire and About 50 guardsmen are assigned to sentry duty at and booted” originated for the miniature be proud. As the great powers of Europe St. James. soldiers wearing gaiters; it seems to be only approached the cataclysm of world war Eight are on duty when the queen is in a collector’s description. their citizens were self-confident and residence, and four or five when she is not. It is important to remember that nationalistic. The competitive national Following the return of the relieved the original models were a fairly good spirit was projected onto everything sentries, the old guard marches out of representation of the modern British produced. Periodicals of the time were forecourt by the main gate to the music Grenadier when they were designed often jingoistic in their editorials, and the of its regimental slow march, changing to a quick march in the road outside. and produced. The valise equipment nationalistic sentiment was probably in the After the departure of the old guard, and gaiters would have been faithful back of parent’s minds when they thought part of the new guard marches off to St. to the images of grenadiers appearing about purchasing a box of toy soldiers for James, headed by a drum-and- band in newspapers, magazines, books and their youngsters. This was almost certainly or pipe band. The ceremony when held at St. James trading cards during the last years of the the case from at least from the mid 1890s to is similar, but the Buckingham Palace 19th century. As toys, they were a great the outbreak of war in 1914. detachment does not take part. improvement over the foreign made figures, The public embraced the new sets 11:15 The St. James detachment arrives and a and the company was not at all bashful offered by W.Britain representing well- They’re changing guard at guardsman is posted at sentry box No. 1. Buckingham Palace – 12:30 pm Relieved for lunch. in making that point in their advertising known of Great Britain and Christopher Robin went down 4 pm Sentry duty again. either. the Empire. The strong sales and positive with Alice. His schedule during the 24-hour guard mount will Alice is marrying one of the guard. be two hours of sentry duty and four hours off-duty. The sentries’ synchronized movements are SUPERIOR toned down to be less conspicuous as they, A soldier’s life is terrible hard, determined by rifle-butt taps of the senior soldier English-made Lead Soldiers says Alice. along with officers and Colours, became at each post. One tap means patrol; two, salute; and Types of the targets. ~A. A. Milne three, present arms. To stop patrolling, the senior In the days when soldiers could be flogged soldier extends the index finger of his left hand: Designed and modeled by first-class The day-to-day routine of the Guardsmen on duty for any number of infractions, it was the When the elite guardsmen are off-duty in the English artists in exact imitation of the at the Royal Palaces has changed little from the guardroom, they don’t look overly elegant. They company drummer that would administer early part of 20th century and this excerpt from lounge about just like soldiers anywhere. British forces. the lash, and on active service the “cat- an article written for the U.S. Army paper, The A guardsman never really gets away from These miniature lead soldiers as o’-nine-tails” would be carried in the fife Stars and Stripes by Paul Spiers published on spic and span: even his civilian attire is checked produced by W.Britain & Sons, are case. Although it is hard to know when this October 28, 1959 is probably pretty typical. by officers. He doesn’t go off the station if his responsibility fell to the field musicians, the About 80% of the enlisted personnel of the ensemble is not “up to guards.” manufactured by English work-people, tradition was certainly practiced among the Coldstream Guards (the unit interviewed for this Why does the guard change at St. James? and are intended to take the place of the Prussian Regiments that the British infantry piece) are regulars, according to veteran NCOs. It’s still the official royal residence – all wretched caricatures of British troops as served with during the Seven Years War (1756- The remainder are national servicemen on 2½- ambassadors are accredited to “the Court of St modeled and manufactured abroad. 63). Discipline was important in every nation’s year duty. All are volunteers. James’.” army (and navy) and was often enforced by the A typical day – gross pay $6.60 a week (in W.Britain & Sons, claim for their toy The captain of the guard has his headquarters fear of the lash. Even in the early United States 1959) – went like this for a member of the there and, in addition to guarding the palace, soldiers, that they are to exact scale– Army this responsibility fell to the drummers of spent a month on Queen’s Guard: sentries are also posted at the adjoining buildings that is, that the foot-soldier is the same the regiment until this kind of punishment was of Clarence House, the residence of the queen 6:30 a.m. Reveille at Chelsea Barracks, about size as the horse-soldier, and the horses abandoned. I find it ironic that the nickname mother and Princess Margaret. two miles from Buckingham Palace. that some Colonists used for professional Wash, tidy bed, clean barracks area. are in proportion to the men, whilst British soldiers arriving in North America was 7 Breakfast, usually Corn Flakes, beans, the uniform and coloring are most “bloody backs” because of the idea that they eggs, fried bread, tea or coffee. Grenadier Guards · 1656 carefully considered, so as give a correct 7:30 Clean barracks. could be flogged to maintain discipline. For : Honi soit qui mal y pense representation of the various regiments. 8 Roll call in square; denim uniform. those that later responded to the call to arms “Evil be to him who evil thinks” 8:15 Pack kit that will be trucked to in opposition to the Crown during the Rebellion guardroom at St. James Palace, his ~From an 1895 advertisement. ABOVE and became soldiers, they probably learned to sentry assignment for the day. Kit Illustrated news paper depicting Guardsmen, circa, feel more sympathetic to their counterparts. includes blankets, pillow, tobacco, Coldstream Guards 1880s. shaving and wash items, reading Motto: Nulli Secundus As stated in the Queen’s Regulations of 1859: matter. “Second To None” BELOW BELOW “No boy is to be received into service for 8:45 Get into dress uniform of W.Britain Coldstream Guards 1907 Half-booted W.Britain Coldstream Guards 1907 Half-booted. the purpose of being trained as a trumpeter, jacket, blue pants, hobnail boots Command set. No.50000C Archives set No.43117C drummer or bugler, who does not, for his make and bearskin. The bearskin weighs and stature, offer the faintest hope of growth... about the same as a garrison cap. The Motto: and no boy is eligible for enlistment under uniform has been readied the previous “No One Assails Me With the age of fourteen years, except under very Impunity” evening on the guardsman’s own time. special circumstances.” It is no wonder that 8.55 Fall out for parade on the square. the public still clings to the image of young 9:15 Inspection by and regimental Irish Guards drummer boys leading troops into battle. The sergeant major. After inspection, the Motto: Quis Separabit fact is that this position was important for early guards stand easy while a band plays “Who Shall Separate Us” command and control of the troops and each incidental music. 10:10 March to Buckingham Palace. drummer needed to know every correct call and (between Oct. 1 and March 31 the master a multitude of marches. Drum majors Queen’s Guard is usually changed daily were expected to be able to converse in foreign – at Buckingham Palace when the court Motto: Cymru am Byth languages in order to participate in parleys with is in and at St. James when the “ Forever” the enemy, thus being the official interpreter. court Is out of London. On Saturdays It is no wonder that as accuracy of weapons or Sundays during this period the increased, the uniforms of the drummers were

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