Today we're showing three pieces of artwork from our October 2024 series books! Let us know in the comments which books you'd like to see featured in our November 2024 Artwork Reveal!

 

MAA 558 Joan of Arc’s Army: French armies under Charles VII, 1415–53

By Philippe Gaillard

Illustrated by Florent Vincent

 

 

Centre: Arthur de Richemont, c.1450

Left: Archer, King’s Scottish Bodyguard, c.1460

Right: Franc-archer from Aurillac, c.1455

 

Requested by Paul Williams

 

ELI 257: The Rif War 1921–26: Morocco's Berber Uprising

By Philip Jowett and Martin Windrow

Illustrated by Mark Stacey

 

 

 

Left: Cabo, Regimiento de Infanteria de Linea No 42 Ceriñola.

Introduced from 1917, by 1921 this chambergo sun-hat (also nicknamed the ‘Americano’) was widespread throughout the army in Morocco. Photos show variations in details of manufacture and in the way it was worn, with brims turned up or down at front, back or side. The first khaki uniforms appeared in Morocco from 1908, introduced by an order of May 1906, and one of June 1914 extended the use of khaki to all branches and theatres. This corporal’s M1914 tunic (guerrera) has seven brass – or brown composition – front buttons; plain shoulder straps; patch breast pockets; and a squared standing collar bearing brass regimental numbers (we choose the ‘42’ of Ceriñola simply because of its strong presence at Annual). Line soldados de primera were distinguished by a narrow point-upward chevron in branch-colour red (green for Cazadores) extending from the shoulder seam to the elbow on the left sleeve only. Corporals and sergeants wore, respectively, triple red andtriple gold diagonal stripes on both forearms, and warrant officers (brigadas and subofficiales) one and two vertical gold bars on the cuff.

 

Right: General de Brigada Manuel Fernández Silvestre, GOC Melilla Command

Born in Cuba, Silvestre graduated as a 22-year-old cavalry subaltern in 1893, and in 1895 was posted to Cuba in an expeditionary unit to fight insurgents. Spirited charges brought him renown, and multiple wounds; he was a major by January 1898, but seems to have played no part in the Spanish-American War. In Morocco (1904–12) he rose to full colonel and command at Larache, and in June 1913 he was promoted to brigadier-general. Disputes with colleagues led to his recall to Spain, as a royal ADC, in July 1915. He returned to Morocco as GOC Ceuta in July 1919, becoming GOC Melilla in February 1920. The officers’ khaki gorra de plato (‘teresiano’) service-dress cap was introduced for ‘undress’ duties in October 1908, and by 1921 was often worn on campaign by senior officers. With gold piping and a gold lace chinstrap, it bore a crown badge (often hidden under the ‘overhang’ of the stiffened top) above, for general officers, a crossed baton-and-sword badge on the band with one to four large 4-point stars. In the cold desert night many light cavalrymen chose to wear as an overjacket their M1909 sky-blue pelissa, lined with black astrakhan and trimmed and frogged with black silk lace, cords and toggles. Note the protruding ends of double gold aiguillettes worn on his tunic. Khaki breeches and mahogany-brown boots complete the uniform. Silvestre’s left arm was affected by old wounds. (Composite, after photos in Garcia de Gabiola, Vol 1.)

 

Bottom: Cazador, Regimiento de Cazadores de Caballeria No 14 Alcántara

This was reportedly the regiment that fought the most effectively while covering the retreat from Annual, but, according to Garcia de Gabiola, from a strength of 691 only about 67 would survive. As well as the sun-hat, this gorra de cuartel barracks cap was worn in the field by all ranks and branches – by light horse units, in sky blue. By regulation Regt No 14 rankers’ caps should have had a central band-stripe in white, but Bueno mentions variations for six units granted special distinctions; by comparison with its twin regiment, No 30 Calatrava, we guess that Alcántara might have displayed double green bottom stripes. Shades of the M1914 khaki uniform in photos vary due to dispersed manufacture, and fading from wear and washing. His unit’s special badge (four conjoined fleur-de-lysforming a cross) is displayed as green cloth cut-outs on the tunic collar. Black one-strap leather leggings seem to have been non-regulation but quite widespread at this date. The sabre, normally slung from the left of the saddle, is worn here from the belt. This M1895 sabre, officially superseded by the M1907 in 1918, remained in wide use throughout the Rif War – as did the ‘snub-nose’ M1895 version of the German M1888 cavalry carbine, although officially replaced from November 1916. (After Bueno, Los Cazadores de Caballeria, and photos.)

Artwork requested by Daniel Figueroa Giraldez

 

ACM 49 Sumatra 1944–45: The British Pacific Fleet's oil campaign in the Dutch East Indies

By Angus Konstam

Illustrated by Edouard A. Groult

 

Operation Crimson: the strike on Sabang, 25 July 1944

Operation Crimson on 25 July 1944 was primarily a shore bombardment by the Eastern Fleet, but it involved an air element too, provided by aircraft from HMS Illustrious and HMS Victorious. The launching-off point for the carrier task force was 30 miles to the north of the island of Sabang (or We), off Sumatra’s northern tip. The air strikes targeted the island’s three airfields, while other aircraft acted as observers for the bombardment force, which would pound the island’s harbour, that the Japanese used as a small naval base. Yet more were sent up to photograph the damage.


Victorious had three squadrons of Corsairs embarked (1834, 1836 and 1838 NAS), which would be used for a ‘Ramrod’ – the strafing of airfields at Sabang, and at Lho Nga and Kotaraja (now Banda Aceh) on the nearby Sumatran mainland. Each squadron was allocated an airfield to attack. However, the 39 Corsairs were launched before dawn, and it was still dark when they reached their targets. 1838 NAS couldn’t locate Kotaraja, but the attacks on the first two airfields went ahead as planned. This shows the Corsairs of 1834 NAS strafing Sabang airfield (now Maimun Saleh airport), where three Japanese fighters were destroyed or damaged on the ground during the pre-dawn ‘Ramrod’, which lasted less than five minutes.