Welcome to the November edition. Here we introduce lots of the new future announcements. We visit the New Kingdom with the Libyan's. Also new additions for American Revolution Battle of Bunker Hill and the Battle of Wandewash part of the Seven Years War. Many of these are expected in 2024! We hope you enjoy!

The images shown are Prototype images of the sculpted work, prior to master painting.

We hope you enjoy!

ARMIES AND ENEMIES OF THE NEW KINGDOM EGYPTIANS
NUBIAN AND LIBYAN MERCENARIES

The country of Nubia was divided into distinct regions such as Yam, Irthet and Wawat, but all the peoples were known to the Egyptians as the "vile" Kush, which was the Egyptian name for the country. These tribesmen were never any real threat to Egypt as they lacked any large scale organisations and were only at their best when actually fighting as auxiliaries in the Egyptian forces. The success of the Egyptian infantry units was mainly due to the archery sections which were composed in the main, of Nubians. Nubia had been conquered during the Middle Kingdom, but fell to the king of Kush in the Hyksos period and was finally re-conquered during the New Kingdom. This secured the southern frontier and controlled the Nubian gold mines. Nubia was settled with Egyptian colonists in forts and "temple towns" and governed by a viceroy.

Nubian troops had been an important part of the Egyptian army since the old Kingdom. Nubian tribes included the famous Medja who were regarded by the Egyptians as the best scouts and skirmishers. They were known for wearing leopard and lion skin kilts and had ostrich feathers in their hair. The Medjway were very highly regarded by the Egyptians as they seemed to have a natural affinity for the military life.

During the 20th Dynasty Egyptian power declined, and Egypt itself was beset with Libyan incursions and attempted invasions by the sea peoples.

The Libyans were originally composed of two peoples namely the Tehenu and the Temehu. These were later joined by tribes called the Kehek and Meshwesh, the latter being the most notable of all the Libyan tribes. These peoples never did well against the Egyptians due mainly to their lack of chariots, and were no match for the Egyptians at this time. The first Libyan War in 1193 BC, Pharaoh Rameses III of the 20th Dynasty fought a mixed army of Libyans and Sea Peoples, which were led by King Themer. The invaders were beaten back with over 12,000 killed and 1,000 taken prisoner.

Libyans wore animal hide cloaks and had dyed ostrich feathers in their hair. Many Libyans who raided Egypt during the reigns of Merenptah and Ramesses III were captured and impressed as auxiliary troops in the Egyptian army. Ramesses III's battle scenes illustrate many Libyans armed with bows, as well as long slashing swords traded from the sea peoples.

These figures will of course be suitable for the Trojan War series as King Memnon's army. Memnon was the King of the Ethiopians, who after the death of the Trojan warrior Hector, went to assist his uncle Priam, against the Greeks. He arrived with a great army, and performed prodigies of valour, but was slain by the Greek hero Achilles. According to tradition, Zeus , the king of the gods, was moved by the tears of Eos and bestowed immortality upon Memnon. His companions were changed into birds, called Memnonides, that came every year to fight and lament over his grave

THE BATTLE OF WANDEWASH, 22nd JANUARY 1760
THE BRITISH ARMY

The Battle of Wandewash was a confrontation between the French under the command of The Comte de Lally, and the British Sir Eyre Coote. It was the decisive battle in the Anglo French struggle in southern India during the Seven Years War. Lally, cut off from sea support by the withdrawal of Admiral d' Aches fleet and hampered by a lack of funds and by dissensions among his troops, tried to recover the fort of Wandiwash near Pondicherry. There he was attacked and routed by Coote, with about 1,700 British troops against about 2,000 French. Lally's best general, the marquis de Bussy, was captured. The French were thereafter confined to Pondicherry, which surrendered on Jan. 16, 1761, after much privation. Lally was later imprisoned and executed, after a trial in Paris, for alleged treason The following two British regular units served in India and were present at the battle of Wandewash. It should be noted however that it was rare for these units to serve as complete battalions, and that they were generally broken up into detachments.

The British 79th Regiment of Foot, was raised in November 1757, originally as the 64th with drafts taken from the 4th, 8th and 24th foot, but was later re-numbered during the shake up after various second Battalions were taken into the line. The regiment was to mainly see service in India from 1758, and was disbanded in 1764. Its commander was Major Brereton The 84th (Coote's) Regiment was raised in January 1759, specifically for service in India. The regiment was ordered home to be disbanded in 1764, but was instead reduced in India and most of the personnel were to enter the East India Company service.

Initially the Madras European Regiment were not conventionally organized infantry battalions. Their organization, or what there was of it, resembled that of the marines, serving in effect as a pool from which more or less ad hoc companies and detachments could be formed for specific tasks.As long as the East India Company's need was for purely defensive forces, tasked with watching over its factories and escorting merchants and officials this informal organization was adequate.

BRITISH SEPOYS

At the outset native units were in effect mercenary bands, recruited, equipped and led by their own officers, and generally referred to as Peons. By 1750 the East India Company were training and equipping their native soldiers in European fashion, and distinguishing them from the earlier rabble by using the term Sepoys instead.

In Bengal the first permanent unit of Sepoys was formed by Clive in early 1757. Clive dressed the Bengal Sepoys in red which was also adopted by the Madras units in 1759.

FRENCH CIPAYE

The early French Cipayes, were similar to their British counterparts as they initially wore their own costume rather than a European style uniform. These figures are based on the well known Rousselot renderings, and are wearing a muslin headdress with a wide flat top which it is believed was intended to protect the wearer against sword cuts. The conventional long gown which was fastened by ties on the left hand side, and was worn tucked up around the hips. About 900 French Cipayes were positioned on a ridge slightly to the rear of the main French line. They were to take no part in the actual Battle of Wandewash. A further 300 Cipayes were left to guard the French camp

THE BATTLE OF BUNKER HILL, 17th JUNE 1775.
THE ASSAULT ON THE REDOUBT AT BREED'S HILL

Boston was the third largest town in North America, and stood on a Peninsula connected to the mainland by a neck just wide enough to cross at high tide. The harbour, large enough to be strategically significant, and central to the town's economy, was formed by a chain of islands stretching out to sea, guarded by reefs and ledges. North west of Boston was Charlestown, a largely rural peninsula one and a half miles long. Charlestown stood at the south east corner with three hills behind it. Bunker's Hill, nearest the neck of the Peninsula, Breed's Hill 200 yards above the town and Moulton's Hill to the north east.

On the 16th June 1775, 3 detachments from Massachusetts regiments under the command of Colonel William Prescott and engineer Captain Richard Gridley, crossed the Charlestown neck and arrived at Bunker Hill. Captain Richard Gridley and Prescott disagreed as to where they should locate their defense. Some work was performed on Bunker Hill, but Breed's Hill was closer to Boston and viewed as being more defensible, and they decided to build their primary redoubt there. Prescott and his men began digging a square fortification about 130 ft a side with ditches and earthen walls. The walls of the redoubt were about 6 feet high, with a wooden platform inside on which men could stand and fire over the walls. Work began at midnight, and around 4am one of the British warships spotted the earthworks on Breed's Hill and opened fire. The British command agreed that the works posed a significant threat, but were at this time sufficiently incomplete and isolated to offer a chance of a successful attack. The original British plan was to bypass the redoubt to the north and capture Bunker's Hill and the neck of the peninsula, thus isolating the redoubt on Breed's Hill. The Americans repulsed two British assaults, with significant British casualties. The British captured the redoubt on their third assault, after the defenders had run out of ammunition. The colonists retreated over Bunker Hill, leaving the British finally in control of the Peninsula. The battle was a tactical victory for the British, but it proved to be a sobering experience for them; they incurred many more casualties than the Americans had sustained, including many officers. The battle had demonstrated that inexperienced militia were able to stand up to regular army troops in battle. Subsequently, the battle discouraged the British from any further frontal attacks against well defended front lines. American casualties were much fewer, although their losses included General Joseph Warren, and Major Andrew McClary, the final casualty of the battle.

BRITISH MARINES

The Marines, which only became "Royal Marines" in 1802, were the Royal Navy's private army, administered by the Admiralty and controlled by senior naval officers. The rank and file were volunteers and wore army style uniforms and equipment. However they were trained to serve on warships and undertake amphibious operations. The 50 companies, shared between Chatham, Portsmouth and Plymouth, were not regimented, and detachments, or in some cases individual replacements were assigned on an ad hoc basis. The first Marines sent to Boston were to form a battalion of 600 men under Major Pitcairn, but by March only 336 were present, as they soon became an object of inter service rivalry over pay, food and conditions. Although initially physically inferior to their army comrades, and short of essential equipment for service on land, incessant drilling and regular marches into the countryside soon created a fine unit.

Another group of over 700 men arrived in May, and the whole force formed two battalions, with grenadier and light companies.

The 1st and 2nd Marines were to play an important part in the assault on the southern defences of the Breed's Hill redoubt. It was during one of the assaults by the 47th Regiment and the 1st Marines, that the American commander Prescott ordered his men to hold their fire until the British were within 30 yards. This action supposedly gave rise to the order, "Don't fire till you see the whites of their eyes"! The volley forced the Marines and regulars back out of range to regroup. Adjutant, Lieutenant Waller, managed to reform two companies, and with the 47th Regiment on their left, the two battalions finally swarmed over the defences and into the redoubt, probably being the first troops to enter.

This third attack was made at the point of the bayonet and successfully carried the redoubt. However the final volleys of fire from the colonists cost the life of Major Pitcairn. The defenders had run out of ammunition, redusing the battle to close combat. The advantage turned to the British as their troops were equipped with bayonets on their muskets, while most of the colonists were not. Colonel Prescott, one of the last men to leave the redoubt, parried bayonet thrusts with his normally ceremonial sabre.

Major John Pitcairn (28th December 1722 - 17th June 1775) was a Scottish military officer. He enlisted in the Marines at the age of 23, and was stationed in North America during the French and Indian War, serving at the rank of Captain. Arriving in Boston in 1774 as part of a British occupation of the city, he fought in the 1775 battles of Lexington and Concord. At the Battle of Bunker Hill, Major Pitcairn commanded a reserve force of about 300 Marines. They landed at the south end of the Charlestown peninsula. When the first assaults failed, Pitcairn led his men up the hill toward the American position. Although already being wounded by two gunshots, he led his men through the rebel trenches. When he entered the trenches, he was shot four times, including the final blow, which was a wound to the head, said to have been fired by a former slave named Peter Salem. He toppled into the arms of his son, Thomas, also a Marine officer, who cried out, "I have lost my father!" Some Marines tried to console the son, while others, overcome with emotion, openly wept. Pitcairn was carried back to Boston, where he died of his wound within hours. He is buried at the Old North Church in Boston. After the battle, several marines said they "had all lost a father". The first releases of the Bunker Hill series will be available in the summer of 2024.