Arab revolt

[Moggy]

Ok, now working on the Arabs. Mainly minifig but some others mixed in.   Only real problem is the more I paint the more they look like Afghans rather than Arabs. Had a devil of a time finding anything that looked true bedouin style garb. The Sharifian contingent was harder to find. Found some turkish infantry with arab style headress and had to flatten the tops of some of the pith helmetted english. Will aslo have to do some conversion of the MG and Gun crews.

Pictures to follow once I have completed some with bases done.


Derek

[martin goddard]

Sounds good Derek. Maybe you can get shot of the figures before the final paint job for the MILL?


thanks


martin

[Moggy]

As requested Martin

Derek

[Moggy]

Another issue if the flags. Many sources say the variation on the Palestinian flag arose in 1916. Other sources say otherwise. Very few sources I have read so far say if it was used by the tribal troops that fought. With the Sharifians it wasn't a problem as they followed European line in not waving flags around on the battlefield.

After sneaking some peaks back at the film it shows only flat coloured flags marking the tribal affiliations in a bit of a quandry over which flags to do but thinking along the lines of 4 flat coloured flags in the main tribal groupings (Black, white, red and green) and then 4 Palastian type flags

Thoughts anyone?

Derek

[sukhe_bator (Neil)]

I found this old work from the Museum of Mankind most useful for my Bedu project. Shelagh Weir's study has lots of pics including tents etc. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bedouin-Shelagh-Weir/dp/0714125024
As for flags - the Hijazi ? Sharifan flag with horizontal black over green over white with a red triangle at the hoist for the movement as a whole. It was intended as a Pan-Arabic symbol to appeal to various factions...
Flags with arabic script like the shahada etc. are usually flown so the script is readable from both sides.
The Ageyl camel corps carried crimson banners on gilt-topped spears and red/crimson was traditionally adopted by Sharifan leaders.
There is also deal of info in David Bullock's Allenby's War and T E Lawrence's own Seven Pillars...
For more tribal detail I can recommend Hejaz before WW1 by David G Hogarth, originally published as a handbook by the Arab Bureau but reprinted by the Burlington Press in 1978.
Just as well you aren't modelling the early C19 in Arabia. One of the battle banners or 'merkeb otfa' used by the Anaizah was a camel ridden by a young boy in a 'tent'-like structure made up of black ostrich feathers. It is mentioned in J L Burckhardt's 'Bedouins and Wahabys'
the wiki entry for Flag of Saudi Arabia has a number of precursor flag designs for the pre-war tribes/regions that may be useful

[Moggy]

Thanks for the info



Derek