As a treat for my youngest, and to allow the current Mrs Steve the Wargamer some time alone with our eldest and the new grandchild, last Sunday found myself and said youngest heading to London for the day in preparation for a trip to Euro Disney on Monday.
The train on Monday was early, so we booked a night in a budget hotel close to the station (the Premier near to St Pancras - much recommended by the way) and decided we'd have a day in the smoke... the "deal" was that I got to go to the Imperial War Museum in return for little'un going to see the laser light show at Disney on two nights.. I think I got the better part of the deal...
So, train delivered us to the delights of Victoria by 11, we were in the
Wetherspoons at Baker Street [clicky] (I rubbed the toe of the Sherlock Holmes statue for luck) deciding what else we wanted to do with our day... it was at this point that little'un checked her phone for which tube station we wanted for the Imperial War Museum only to tell me that although it had re-opened after the recent re-fit, a lot of the displays weren't available yet.... quelle domage..... quick re-think and it was decided that
National Army Museum [clicky] would do very nicely as an alternative... with the added advantage for her that it was in Chelsea so she could see one of the central spots of the swinging sixties as she's a HUGE Beatles fan..
This was my second trip to the museum but I was amazed to realise that
the last time had been over 6 years ago [clicky]! Time certainly flies...
The museum is a joy, small, free entry, and dedicated to the history of the British Army in all it's roles (international peace keeper, overseas duties, anti-terror, policing, etc) which I think it does really well... the museum is on three or four floors, starting with the English Civil War (the New Model Army being the starting point of the current British Army) and working forwards in history as you move up the building.. it is also interspersed with various more temporary exhibits which when we were there were Korea, the Unseen enemy (an excellent exhibit this one - little'un proved to be very clever at spotting the IED's in a mock up of a middle east street scene) and also National Service - worth checking the web site for what is currently on before you go though as they do change...
Highlights for me were the following...
Selection of pistols from the English Civil War period - I really liked
the wheelock at the bottom which had the most exquisite mechanism....
Full size representation of English Civil War cavalry trooper - I think this was Richard Atkyns whose horse took the wound to its nose that you can see in the picture at Roundway Down while in hand too hand combat with Sir Arthur Haselrig (he of the Lobsters fame)
"T’was
my fortune in a direct line to charge their general of Horse which I
supposed to be so by his place; he discharged his carbine first, but at
distance not to hurt us, and afterwards one of his pistols before I cam
up to him, and missed with both; I then immediately struck into him, and
touched him before I discharged mine; and I am sure I hit him, for he
staggered and presently wheeled off from his party and ran.
When he wheeled
off, I pursued him and had not gone 20 yards after him, but I heard a
voice saying, “’tis Sir Arthur Haslerigge follow him”; but from which
party the voice came I knew not they being joined, nor never did know
‘til about 7 years since, but I follow him I did, and in 6 score yards I
came up to him and discharged the other pistol at him, and I am sure I
hit his head, for I touched it [!] before I gave fire, and it amazed him at
that present , but he was too well armed all over for a pistol bullet to
do him any hurt having a coat of mail over his arms and a headpiece (I
am confident) musket proof his sword had 2 edges and a ridge in the
middle and mine was mine was a strong tuck; After I had slackened my
pace a little he was gone 20 yards form me, riding three quarters speed
and riding down the side of a hill, his posture was waving his sword on
the right and left hand of his horse, not looking back to see whether he
were pursued or not, (as I conceive) to daunt any horse that should
come up to him; in about 6 score more I cam up to him again (having a
very swift horse that Cornet Washnage gave me) and stuck by him a good
while and tried him from head to the saddle and could not penetrate him
or do him any hurt; but in this attempt he cut my horses nose, that you
might put your finger in the wound and gave me such a blow on the inside
of my arm amongst the veins that I could hardly hold my sword’ he went
on as before and I slackened my pace again and found my horse drop blood
and not so bold as before; but 8 score more I got up to him again
thinking to have pulled off his horse; but he now having found the way,
struck my horse upon the cheek and cut of half the headstall of my
bridle, but falling off from him I ran his horse into the body and
resolved to attempt to attempt nothing further than to kill his horse;
all this time we were together hand and fist."
...and people wonder why we find military history so fascinating!
Pikeman in the same exhibition.. note how floppy the sword scabbard is - to allow the presentation of the pike in the method shown a stiff scabbard would have got in the way, but I suspect there would have been a cost saving as well..
...and musketeer... I thought I'd remembered reading that the apostles (the prepared measures of shot in the holders on his back) were an anachronism by the time of the Civil War (???), but he's firing a matchlock.. note also the early model knapsack on both figures...
The exhibit is really missing some representation of Marlboroughs fine fellows but the Napoleonic Wars are covered well.. really liked this representation of a rifleman from the 95th..
Siborne's slightly controversial diorama of Waterloo [clicky] wasn't fully working unfortunately, but is still impressive even without the lighted assistance to show how the battle progressed...
Private Matthew Clay - 3rd Foot Guards, Hougomont the morning of Waterloo... he'd fallen in a muddy ditch the night before hence his appearance...
Sergeant Charles Ewart of the Scots Greys with his captured eagle (from the
45e Régiment de Ligne)
Loved this exhibit which is of the British Army in the colonial period.. Sudanese trooper of the 10th Battalion - once again I'm not sure but I think the jersey is the wrong colour - my reading was that the Egyptian battalions had brown, but the Sudanese battalions had navy blue, both had the navy puttee's though...
..he's armed with the famous Martini Henry - look at the size of those bullets!
...rear view... that's a lot of ammunition he's carrying - I reckon about 40-50 rounds in the bandolier, plus extra in the pouches...??
Last of all, and there was a lot of other exhibits but I limited my pictures to the eriods I was interested in - a Bren Carrier from the Sikh division at Alamein ..
Steve the Wargamer rates the museum a very solid 8 out of 10 - a more complete Marlborough section would have got them a 9..