British Forces Arms during the Boxer Rebellion

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Jackbull49.parallaxscurioa...	British Forces Arms during the Boxer Rebellion	Lead	[-]
O/R Posts: 11 (08/09/09 09:14:02) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Tags : None I visited the U.S. Army Infantry Museum last week at Ft Benning. I came upon an exhibit of the Boxer Rebellion, which had your basic U.S. Uniform and Krag Rifle, but also displayed a British uniform and short lever Martini Henry. The museum itself is rather dim with lighted displays and multi media going non stop, my question is would a Martini Henry Short lever, (sorry could not make out any markings it was 16-24 inches away behind thick Lexan) have been the rifle in use at that time by first line British troops participating in the relief action or Embassy guard forces ? Was there perhaps "native troops" participating ? Does anyone know where I could find a list of the troops that participated ? The rifle itself was in very good condition.
Zulu Neil		#1	[-]
Colour Sergeant Posts: 265 (08/09/09 11:09:41) Sergeant Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	The principal arm of the British forces would have actually been the Long Lee Enfield Mk1 or Lee Metford at the time, although some of the legations may have had Martinis. The relief forces were principally made up of Marines from eight warships of the China Station, HMS Theasus, HMS Orlando, HMS Centuar, HMS Centurion, HMS Terrible, HMS Alactrity to name a few, the full British contingent was over 12,000 men, which actually contained alot of sailors, stokers, able seamen etc. the Tientsin party of HMS Orlando were actually armed with Pattern 73/84 Mausers. (scource Neds Navy: Private letters of Admiral Sir Edward Charlton KCB KCM 1878-1924). The men involved were issued with the Queens China Medal 1900, there are three clasps, Taku Forts, Relief of Pekin and Defence of Legations, the latter being THE medal to own in the series. This is one from my collection
Tacolneston		#2	[-]
Veteran of the Regiment Posts: 1190 (08/09/09 11:51:31) Veteran of the Regiment Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	The current issue of Classic Arms and Militaria (Volume XVI Issue 4) has part 2 of Paul Scarlata's article on the guns of the Boxer Rebellion. For the British contingent he covers the Lee Enfield Mark I and the Webley revolver, but comments that ".....while the Australians, Indians and the British-officered Chinese Regiment of Infantry from Wei Hai Wei were issued with a mixture of Lee-Metford and Martini rifles."
Jackbull49.parallaxscurioa...		#3	[-]
O/R Posts: 12 (08/09/09 12:59:13) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Both the uniform and the M-H were presented to Gen. Chaffee's adjutant and many years later on the the Generals death donated to the then Army Museum. Will read Paul Scarlata's article. Thank you.
coggansfield		#4	[-]
Colour Sergeant Posts: 219 (08/09/09 14:16:35) Corporal Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	9 Aug. 2009 6:15pm Found these pics on line of Indian troops. The only caption was "China, 1900," but that's got to mean the Boxer Rebellion. The guys in the first photo area clearly armed with Lee-Metford mk. I or mk. I* rifles. Can't be so sure about the guys in the artillery photo, but the rifles are certainly long Lees of some sort. Having said that, the last pic is of the cover of an Osprey book on the Boxers, and there are definitely a couple of Martinis there. Coggansfield
ftr53		#5	[-]
O/R Posts: 1 (08/09/09 19:02:50) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	It may be of interest to note that in '55 Days at Peking,' the U.S. Marines at the legation use Long Lees(!). Freeze frame and zoom work wonders.
coggansfield		#6	[-]
Colour Sergeant Posts: 220 (08/10/09 22:12:31) Corporal Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	11 Aug. 2009 2:10pm Haven't heard a peep from Herb Rogers weighing in. Right up his alley, I would have thought. He must be busy writing a dissertation for a response. Coggansfield
GrantR Canada	The Martini-Henry in China	#7	[-]
Veteran of the Regiment Posts: 2258 (08/11/09 12:55:24) Forum Wallah Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	When this topic was first posted, I looked for this image that I knew I had saved ..... but "couldn't find it in plain sight" as it were ..... Ran across it today. Regrettably, I can't remember where it came from, nor any details about it - I saved it as "Sepoy Peking". Not sure if it dates to the Boxer Rebellion, specifically, but believe it is undoubtedly from that time frame. ..... Grant Rombough Medicine Hat, Alberta Canada ("Rattlesnake Jack Robson", Scout, Rocky Mountain Rangers, 1885) WEBSITE: "RATTLESNAKE JACK'S"
Viclav		#8	[-]
Sergeant Major Posts: 513 (08/12/09 05:54:51) Colour Sergeant Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I believe there's a photo, in a book back home, of a Sepoy armed with a .303 Martini carbine... one of the back/front/side views taken of several nations' troops in China that were collected by the Army Signals Corps or some such. I'll look for it this evening. Victor "Always carry a firearm east of Aldgate, Watson."
Paul in Briz	Re: British Forces Arms during the Boxer Rebellion	#9	[-]
Lance Sergeant Posts: 85 (08/14/09 00:05:29) Lance Corporal Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Herb has had a sick computer, but it should be up and runnung soon.
Viclav		#10	[-]
Sergeant Major Posts: 515 (08/14/09 10:39:58) Colour Sergeant Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Once again, memory fails. From Maj. F. Myatt MC: THE ILLUSTRATED ENCYCLOPEDIA OF 19TH CENTURY FIREARMS... Obviously not Martinis. Just for amusement's sake, here's a photo of Italian troops from the series: Makes one think twice about turning up one's nose at that Carcano in the bargain rack. Who knows? It might have "seen the Elephant," or at least the Boxer. Victor "Always carry a firearm east of Aldgate, Watson."
GrantR Canada		#11	[-]
Veteran of the Regiment Posts: 2266 (08/14/09 13:00:41) Forum Wallah Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Despite their rather woebegone appearance, these chaps appear to be British - Royal Marines, perhaps? At any rate, they do seem to have Magazine Lee-Enfield rifles ..... The caption of this one, from a period stereoview, is self explanatory - Any photos I have seen of members of Her Majesty's 1st Chinese Regiment show them armed with Martini-action rifles - presumably Martini-Metfords or Martini-Enfields ...... Grant Rombough Medicine Hat, Alberta Canada ("Rattlesnake Jack Robson", Scout, Rocky Mountain Rangers, 1885) WEBSITE: "RATTLESNAKE JACK'S"
Pinky		#12	[-]
Veteran of the Regiment Posts: 1179 (08/14/09 13:15:11) Sergeant Major Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Grant in the first group picture there seems to be two diferent patern rifles if you look at the two on the far left the butts are nearly the same position at the feet of the first of the five in the back row but the rifles differ by about three inches in lenght! Pinky It is not a gun. It is not a Weapon. It is not a firearm. It is a single cylinder single stroke internal combustion engine with a free floating piston! Last Edited By: Pinky 08/14/09 13:17:25. Edited 1 times.
GrantR Canada	By Jove, you're right!	#13	[-]
Veteran of the Regiment Posts: 2268 (08/14/09 20:25:42) Forum Wallah Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I hadn't noticed that, concentrating on the rifles held by the kneeling chaps, v]=because they were the clearest ... Hmmm .... now I really wonder what they are .... because there certainly weren't two patterns of MLM and MLE rifles, to my knowledge, and carbines have barrels a good ten inches shorter ..... Grant Rombough Medicine Hat, Alberta Canada ("Rattlesnake Jack Robson", Scout, Rocky Mountain Rangers, 1885) WEBSITE: "RATTLESNAKE JACK'S"
GrantR Canada		#14	[-]
Veteran of the Regiment Posts: 2269 (08/14/09 20:49:02) Forum Wallah Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	I've come across a number of photos which further illustrate the extent of the foreign intervention in China at that time - what was it called, the "Eight Nation Alliance" or something like that? This was apparently a parade of troops of all the Allied nations taken after the Rebellion had been put down - United States - Austrian Marines manning a street barricade - French - German - More British Empire - Indian Lancers - Italian Mounted Infantry - Japanese - Russian - Not sure who these are - Finally, a gathering of signalmen from all of the foreign military contingents - Grant Rombough Medicine Hat, Alberta Canada ("Rattlesnake Jack Robson", Scout, Rocky Mountain Rangers, 1885) WEBSITE: "RATTLESNAKE JACK'S"
martininut	Execution	#15	[-]
Veteran of the Regiment Posts: 989 (08/23/09 14:39:15) Hitch Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	The picture of the Japanese officer executing the condemned Chinese prisoner is striking similar to the picture of the beheading of the Australian officer during WW2.....things didnt change much in 40 years...... Hitch How can I shoot it if I can't see it?
Paul in Briz		#16	[-]
Lance Sergeant Posts: 87 (08/23/09 23:47:47) Lance Corporal Reply Quote More My Recent Posts Message Me Connection Blocking Invite Ignore User's Posts	Are some of the Royal Marines wearing Mills pattern cartridge belts?

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British Forces Arms during the Boxer Rebellion

British Forces Arms during the Boxer Rebellion

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