"Firing into the Brown" #105 - Wagons, coaches, found! and stuff..

"So Carnehan weeds out the pick of his men, and sets the two of the Army to show them drill and at the end of two weeks the men can manoeuvre about as well as Volunteers. So he marches with the Chief to a great big plain on the top of a mountain, and the Chiefs men rushes into a village and takes it; we three Martinis firing into the brown of the enemy".

Kipling "The Man Who Would Be King"

Time for another update.. bit late, but hey, shoot me - I've been busy.. 😁

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On my third attempt, I've finally found Hyacinth Lynch's last resting place.. 👍

The following may explain why it took me three attempts even despite the fact that his grave is a well documented one! It's on the left in this picture - next to the grave you can just see with the cross over it..

..and no you can't see it...

..happily I came equipped with gloves, loppers and secateurs from a recent work party at the Hilsea lines, and an hour or so later..

...a bit better I think - RIP, sir, and thank you for your service..

...and as a final postscript...  the following (fantastically clear) photo was taken on the 31st July 1888, by the photographer Robert French. The Berkshires had been deployed to Ireland to support the civil administration, and the picture shows an eviction on the Vandeleur Estate, in Co.Clare - there's more here if you fancy a read into this sad and tragic period in Ireland's history [clicky], but in summary I include it only as it has a partial glimpse of our man himself.. he's the infantry officer on the right in the group of five men center, the one wearing campaign medals. 

He retired from the army a year later, he'd have been about 30..  I wonder if this posting influenced his decision? Or whether there was a feeling that it was all taking too long to achieve promotion? He'd only been gazetted a Captain four years before (a year before he fought at Tofrek, and four years after Maiwand)... 🤔

So many unanswered questions..  fascinating thing history..

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Lord - I've only gone and found myself at the painting table!

Bit of a wet and miserable afternoon saw me crack open the recent parcel from Warbases containing the two wheeled vehicles destined for Cedar Gulch

The stagecoach was first - the quality of the new MDF kits is absolutely amazing.. dry fitted it first before then partially disassembling and applying wood glue to some of the joints..

Stagecoach complete (top left) and I've raided the parts box for some tank stowage to make the coach look like it's in use..

..and the Conestoga (or is it a slightly smaller covered wagon known as the Prairie Schooner?) is also complete - I've chosen to make it without the (included) hooped canvas supports (that's them to the left)..

..again freight has been added - this is a BIG wagon - both of these are the same scale so it gives you an idea how big it would have been

I have some horses ready to use should I want to use them in a scenario in a mobile mode, but I may well have a check through the miniatures pile to see if I have any more, as the wagon really needs a team of four if not six..

The glue's drying - next job is an undercoat and then slap some paint on..

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Laters, as the young people are want to say...