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Following
the very popular and extremely enjoyable seminar on
Wellington’s Army, held at the Royal Armouries, Leeds,
last year. we take great pleasure in announcing a second
seminar, again in association with the Royal Armouries.
The subject for this year’s seminar is Victoria's Wars,
from the Crimea to the Sudan. Those of you who attended
the Wellington’s Army seminar will remember the
glittering array of weapons (including Napoleon’s sword
and Wellington’s sword) that we were able to handle. It
was a real experience. And together with the rackloads of
swords, pistols, rifles and muskets which we were able to
handle it made for a fantastic two days. Well, once again,
guests will be able to handle a complete array of weapons
from the mid-to the late nineteenth century, weapons that
were used in the Crimea, the Indian Mutiny, South Africa
and in the Sudan. Most of these weapons will be brought
especially from the Royal Armouries in Leeds. The seminar
will be all the more enjoyable in that it will be held in
Fort Nelson, contemporary with our featured subject, which
houses many examples of Victorian artillery. The weapons
handling sessions will be split between lectures by Ian
Fletcher, Phillip Abbott (of the Royal Armouries) and
other specialists from Fort Nelson and the Royal
Armouries. Like last year, the price of the weekend
includes refreshments but no meals or accommodation,
allowing guests to ‘pick their own ground’.
Campaigns:
· Asia -The campaigns of the East India
Company: the First Afghan War, the Anglo-Sikh Wars, and
ending with the Indian Mutiny
· Europe – the Crimean War
· North America – the US Civil War and
the 1860s
· Africa – the Zulu War, and the either
the Sudan or the Boer War
Themes:
· Modern firearms, from the flintlock
musket to the magazine rifle (including the Minie rifled
musket, the Enfield rifled musket, the Martini-Henry
rifle, and the Lee-Enfield rifle)
· Cavalry weapons, the great debate
between those who favoured the cut, and those who favoured
the point
· Colt vs. Adams, which was the better
weapon the US Colt revolver or the English Adams
· Field artillery, from muzzle loader to
breech loader
· Siege artillery and siege warfare, and
· Contrasting these with some of the
traditional arms and armour in use by Britain’s
opponents (from Afghan tribesman with jezails and Khyber
knives, Sikh warriors in mail shirts, and Zulu warriors
with spears and shields)
Attractions at Fort Nelson:
· Indian field gun – captured during
the Sikh Wars
· Mallet’s mortar – designed by
Robert Mallet to breach the walls of the even the greatest
fortress after the fiasco of the siege of Sevastopol
· Dragon gun – captured during the
Burmese War in 1885, and live firing of some of Fort
Nelson’s guns (weather permitting)
Departure date 13-14 March 2010
Price £65
Package includes: two days’ seminar
with tea and coffee, all weapons handling sessions, all
lectures and access to Fort Nelson and its
galleries.
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