First Naval Brigade company

Finally! I had some time to prepare and prime my first Naval Brigade company. There are to be two, one in caps and the other in Sennet hats.

Naval Brigade organisation and operations ashore were specified with precision in the 1859 document Instructions for the Exercise of Small Arms, Field Pieces, etc for the Use of Her Majesty’s Ships. (The Long Arm of Empire, Brooks R)

Companies comprised 80 men, commanded by a Lieutenant, aided by three Petty Officers, and two Boatswain’s Mates or Midshipmen.

A ship of the line might be able to deploy two such companies, a frigate one, and a sloop half.

When companies were brigaded together they were commanded by a Senior Captain or Commander, aided by a Lieutenant (adjutant or brigade major).

Front: the first half company, commanded by a Lieutenant and Boatswain’s Mate, with whistle.

Rear: the second half company. I considered giving the Boatswain’s Mate a rifle with a cutlass bayonet, but fashioning the bayonet and cutting away the existing hilt was too challenging. Instead I equipped him with a Martini-Henry rifle without a bayonet, to which I added a tinfoil sling. The Petty Officer has had a bit of surgery – I substituted an arm and hand with revolver from the plastic Afghanistan / Sudan infantry set.

The crews for the Gatling gun battery are on the left hand end of each set.