I just read a superb book, The Great Game, by Peter Hopkirk. It is a history of the contest for empire between Great Britain and czarist Russia. Reading extraordinary exploits by "political officers" of both countries, I wondered what equipment they used, what clothing they wore - in short, beyond competence and dedication, what and how did they accomplish their objectives? Hopkirk's book does not address these things. No book on the history of competition for empire in central Asia I have read subsequently addresses these things.

Thirty years of the American fur trade era has bazillions of books, magazines, and re-enactors. The same situation occurs for the American frontier 1865-1896. But the 200 years of competition in central Asia? Bupkes, so far.
***
Although taken circa 1920, this photograph begs answers:
-- What is he wearing?

-- What rifle is in the case?

-- What is the telescope?

-- How did he get there?

-- Why is he where he is?

-- Is he "government," or is he under cover?

-- For whom does he work?

-- and so on.
***
Help me out, here.

Having the book you mention, I think:


A Kazakh Ton type sheepskin coat found throughout Soviet Cenntral Asia, Western China etc.

A Mauser actioned sporting rifle - not a British military issue Lee Endfield or chambered for a British cartridge - hunting trip / deniability issues

A Ross stalking telescope

By hores & foot across the mountains from then British India - just like today's Taliban.

Monitoring Russian Bolshevik activity, warring tribes or nationalist rumblings - gathering intelligence information to further / maintain British Imperial interests in India and neighbouring countries & regions.

He is member of the fore runner of Britain's secret intelligence service, MI6.

AHA! Many thanks.

Were the man and his activity to have occurred between 1855 and 1870, what specific changes would we notice? For sure the rifle would be different - becoming what? But, to my untutored mind, the remainder of your reply might remain valid?

Question:
I have been informed that Indian Sepoy cavalry (and British/Egyptian cavalry) tested and used as issue weapons Sharps 1852 and 1859 carbines, also Westley Richards "Monkeytail" carbines during my stipulated time range. These three long arms were breech-loaders in an otherwise muzzleloading (and matchlock for non-Europeans) universe. What would have been the likelihood of British military OR civilian political officers using these long arms? What about czarist military-political officers traveling in cognito?

I saw an article about the Royal Nepalese Armoury collection in a Gun Digest Yearbook edition many years ago. It had a colection of Enfield 3 band rifles, Sharps, as you mentioned, and Martini Henry rifles. The collection contained both muzzle loading, early trap door type conversion and trap door rifles like the Snider and Sharps.


I had a look at Peter Hopkirk's book "The Great Game". The book deals with the Great Empire - Imperialist Era of rivalries.

The image you have shown in numbered 27. However, I would like to refer you to illustration number 24 - "Lieutenant Alikhanov's secret mission to Merv 1882 disguised as a merchant.

This band of raggedy rascals are armed with what looks like the Prussian (?Dreyse?) Needle Fire Rifles or the very early Mauser breechloading single shot bolt action 1874(?) rifles.

Obviously, this period is too early for the ground breaking French 'small bore' 8mm Lebel rifle. So, I am guessing the Russian party are armed with some kind of 9, 9.3, 9.5 10.3 or 10.75mm and possibly larger bore European army or sporting calibre.

Like wise, if it were a British Empire agent, he could be armed with some early breech loading bolt action (Mauser, Swiss Vertrelli ?spelling?) or maybe a single shot, lever action sporting Martini Henry or Farquarson (spelling?)type rifle chambered for .360 sporting, .400 sporting etc. Accurate and powerful - a gentleman's mountain stalking weapon.

With regard to your question, if the individual was merely working in the Empire and taking part in sport, I think he would be armed with the best all round sporting rifle his financial means would allow for the sport available to him. This would probably be a double barrel rilfe or maybe a top notch Farquarson type single shot sporter - 1870s through to early 1890s.

Othaer than that, I think the British would use their own sporting rifles, and the Russians would use what they wanted - other European, especially German, perhaps Austrain rifles, surplus rifles or their own Czarist period military long arms. Afterall, even then, the 'workers' could only afford mass production equivalent "Remchestuger" and rilfes built by provincial makers on old govermment surplus actions like their own era - x years, M98s.

Reading the texts, I do not think the Russians would have needed to worry so much about 'deniability' issues as Central Asia: Merv, Khiva, Bukhara, Tahkent etc were their backyard - contiguous with their country's borders. The British, on the other hand, were definitely on 'vacation'.

But I am just guessing.

Now allowing for retouching of photographs for inclusion in books etc, I believe the image number 27, 'your image' is 'too fresh' to be of 1860 - 1890s era, or even, maybe, early 1900s period. Obviously, the photograph is a 'staged', almost propaganda style image.

quote:

Originally posted by robthom:
. . . Now allowing for retouching of photographs for inclusion in books etc, I believe the image number 27, 'your image' is 'too fresh' to be of 1860 - 1890s era, or even, maybe, early 1900s period. Obviously, the photograph is a 'staged', almost propaganda style image.

I appreciate the information and analysis. Regarding the photograph, it is circa 1920s, probably 1923. It pushes the same emotional buttons as does this evocative photograph from "The Professionals" and of Andrews' Central Asiatic expeditions.

Very interesting group of pictures. The first one is definately staged. I believe the gentleman second from the left with the rifle over his shoulder is the Hollywood actor Lee Marvin. I recognize the other actors but cannot put a name to face.

Kind regards,

carpediem

Maybe they "went native". Wore and carried what the locals did so as not to draw attention and be mistaken for anybody from somewhere else?

Not the time period/area you are talking about but try to locate a copy of "Quartered in Hell: The Story of the American North Russia Expeditionary Force 1918-1919". Might have reference to activity in the time a place you are speaking of, may not.

Men of the 71st the Highland Light Infantry photographed at Peshawar after their return from the Ambala Campaign on the North-West Frontier 1863


Soldiers of the 93rd Highlanders with prisoners taken at Ambala 1863


British officers of the Guides. Lieutenant Walter Hamilton VC with his Indian troopers who defended the residency at Kabul stands on the right. September 1879, sometime before the attack in which Hamilton was killed.


Officers and men of the 1st Sikh Infantry photographed in 1860.


British Officers in 1862


Officer in Full Dress, c1860 (Bengal Irregular Cavalry)


Officer and Senior NCOs 1858


Other Ranks c1860


NCOs In Canada 1863


Officer's Rank Badges c1860


And a lot more on many British units in the various branches and theaters at this link: http://www.britishempire.co.uk...uniforms/uniform.htm

Armstrong 12 Pounder, 1859


Sergeants with 12 Pounder


Captain Dames, Royal Artillery, British Army, Crimea
Photograph taken by Roger Fenton, c.1855


Officer's from Probyn's Horse, circa 1860


Deighton Probyn


.577 Snider rifle and carbines


Canadians armed with .577 Snider-Enfield breechloading conversion rifles which had just been adopted by Britain in 1866


"English Snider Pattern II* Rifle. This is the second model of the Snider series."


The picture illustrates an Enfield "T" Tool, a mainspring clamp, a nipple protector, a pewter oil bottle and a tompion or muzzle stopper . Together with an original percussion cap tin, an Enfield cartridge and the packet it was supplied in. The sling is original black leather as supplied to the elite Rifle Brigade and the bayonet is in its original type 1 scabbard with its seperate stud fixing.


The picture below illustrates similar accessories that were supplied with an original Ordnance Snider. The additional items shown are an original MK9 Snider cartridge and some early .577 blank cartridges used to train horses to the sound of gunfire during battle.

quote:

Originally posted by carpediem4570:
Very interesting group of pictures. The first one is definately staged. I believe the gentleman second from the left with the rifle over his shoulder is the Hollywood actor Lee Marvin. I recognize the other actors but cannot put a name to face.

Kind regards,

carpediem

"The Professionals" (1966) - Burt Lancaster, Lee Marvin, Robert Ryan, Woody Strode - screenplay and direction by Richard Brooks, from the novel, A Mule for the Marquesa, by Frank O'Rourke.

If I was 'out there', I would really like the idea of 'blending in'. However, now, as back then there are a few problems for your typical English or Scotsman:

I am a bit over UK average male height. I have light red brown hair and blue grey eyes and a 'long straight' nose. I have a rather fetching all over 'moon tan'.

Ergo, I am never going to be able to pass myself off as an Afghan, Kirgiz, Tadjik, Uzbek, Kazak etc.

I think my only chance of survival in that environment would be to act like the Apache you do nt see until too late, have a really good, fast horse and posses good optics and a technically superior repeating rifle with more than adequate supply of ammunition.

I suspect bluff will only get you so far in an environment where casual cruelty and extreme, ethnic / tribal violence is so common place as not to be worth mentioning.

The early pictures of the soldiers show them to be a really tough, wild bunch of men.