A recent edition of the BBC's Antiques Roadshow
(Eastbourne Bandstand 2) had an intriguing item on a collection of around 1,000
metal figures dating from the 1860s and 1870s, which had been used for wargames
by a boy who became and officer in the Royal Scots Fusiliers in 1878. He took
the bulk of them on his first posting to Rangoon, where he played wargames on
the floor of his bungalow with the Regimental Surgeon on a large canvas map
spread on the floor. It is apparently a very early example of hobby wargaming from the 1870's.
More details can be seen at:
video onto You Tube http://youtu.be/3YHRTtBWv8Q
Hmm, I may have to update my Early Wargaming series of books as a result!
