My New France past

As Christine, who is organising an excellents summer 2009 tour of historic sites of New France, has been kind enough to post some comments I thought I would go back into my Seven Years War past. I started a society 'New France and Old England' in the mid 90s in the UK that was pretty successful - getting quite large too before it eventually dwindled. Here's some pics of me in those days - one with me getting a commission at Fort Carillon. Not that it did me any good!

Anyway as far as Canadian clothing goes the best books and patterns are those by Suzanne Gousse's company Fleur De Lys. Although they are mostly covering the 1740s-60 period they are excellent and thoroughly researched.

capot

If you are interested in recreating the late 17th/early 18thc winter warfare in North America then this item - worn by Canadians as well as Indians is worth studying. Based on a fisherman's coat, it was adapted by Canadians and tailored to look quite stylish. Usually made of melton and unlined it could be blue, brown or grey/white like this one. Sometimes they were issued so a uniform colour is possible. This image of a Compagnies Franches de la Marine c1690 is by Francis Back - someone who has done most of the research on this garment publishing a great article for the Museum of the Fur Trade Quarterly many moons ago.

Also note the side seam leggings - again most likely in melton.

Baccus early 18th century 6mm

http://www.baccus6mm.com/

I haven't painted any of these but I have painted the old Heroics and Ros 1/300s and admit to finding the scale tempting - being pushed for space and all that but also the aesthetic of the micro - which is ironically thinking big - being epic in scale as huge battles over large areas can be achieved. I know a lot of people interested in the period really rate the company and I have to say that boss Pete Berry does seem to have a real interest in the GNW and WSS. This review article (where the redcoat pic is from) takes you through the processes involved in painting a WSS Anglo-Dutch army. Could be a nice winter project.

tambour

I thought it was worth looking closely at these images of drummers from c1695 by N Guerard. The single figure is interesting as much for what is shows us about the hat than anything else.

Musket tree tradition banned

Monmouth Rebellion reenactors the Wimborne Militia are in the news as their involvement in a local tradition of firing muskets over the Christmas tree to ward off evil spirits is banned as it frightens children. See news footage on the BBC here

About this site

Thought you might be interested in breakdown by countries who has been visiting this blog...Iv'e had just under 3,000 hits which is surprising me by its number - I thought it would be about 15. Shows the period has a lot of interest anyway.

The French Army in Camp

I think it was the great Martinet who invented the idea of setting tents out in rows and in order. The French army at the time excelled in these huge encampments with rows of stripey tents. This small selection gives you an idea of scale as well as making wargaming in 6mm seem like a good idea.