ROYAL ARMOURIES LEEDS ( part two ).

Crossbow.

~~~~<<<<>>>>~~~~

Centrefire semi - automatic pistol.

Mauser C96 Broomhandle, German about 1899. Automatic pistols had become very fashionable and the Mauser was the most advanced and expensive. It had a magazine capacity of 10 rounds, and it`s 7.63mm bullet had a range of over 500 metres.

~~~~<<<<>>>>~~~~

Semi - automatic pistol.

Luger Artillery Model, German, Berlin, dated 1917. This model has the longest barrel length issued during the war. To improve accuracy at extreme ranges, the wooden shoulder stock could be attached to the pistol to turn it into a carbine. 

~~~~<<<<>>>>~~~~

The Machine Gunner.

A British soldier of the machine gun corps man`s his MK 1 Vickers Gun during the bitter fighting for Passchendaele in 1917. Conditions in the line were so bad that men had to be replaced every 24 hours. The wounded could not be rescued and many sank without trace into the mud. The battle was to become a byword for the horror and suffering of the Great War. Vickers MK1 machine gun , British about 1917. Designed by an American, Hiram Maxim, the .303 inch Vickers gun was the standard medium machine gun in service with the Commonwealth Forces throughout the war. It was water cooled and could fire at a rate of 550 rounds per minute, it was extremely reliable. Individual guns often firing 100,000 rounds with no more than regular maintenance. It remained in service until 1965.

~~~~<<<<>>>>~~~~

Animal Hunt Scene.

~~~~<<<<>>>>~~~~

Duck Hunting Scene.

~~~~<<<<>>>>~~~~

Boar Hunt Scene.

~~~~<<<<>>>>~~~~

TIGER HUNT.

These scenes shows a wounded Tiger turning and attacking his pursuers. The incident is described in Sport in many lands, a book written by Henry Astbury Leveson. The old Shekarry, one of the most famous big game hunters of Victorian Times. Leveson served in the Indian army from 1845 to 1854 and returned on Hunting Trips between 1856 and 1860. The events described here took place during his Army Service.

~~~~<<<<>>>>~~~~

To Be Continued.

ROYAL ARMOURIES LEEDS.( part one ).

The Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, is a National Museum which displays the National collection of Arms and Armour. The Royal Armouries Museum is a £42.5 million purpose built museum located in Clarence Dock that opened in 1996. The museum is five floors in height.

Knight.

~~~~<<<<>>>>~~~~

Knight on horse back.

~~~~<<<<>>>>~~~~

Men at Arms.

~~~~<<<<>>>>~~~~

Pikeman`s Armour

Dutch, about 1630 - 40. It is of superior quality, decorated with pairs of engraved lines and brass fittings and rivets. Like many Dutch Pikeman`s Armour, it has a high - necked Cuirass, making a separate collar unnecessary.

~~~~<<<<>>>>~~~~

War Elephants.

Elephants played a significant part in warfare from 1000 BC until the 19th century. They were mainly used in India and South - East Asia but occasionally in Western Asia, North Africa, Spain and Italy. Elephants were valued for their strength, Intelligence and their ability to be trained. Their main role was as fighting animals but they were also used for moving heavy loads such as artillery pieces and forest timber.They could trample men and horses or pick up and throw a man and horse together. They could also wield swords attached to their tusks, the reputation of elephants was so fearsome that their true military value is difficult to assess. This is the only example of an almost complete elephant armour in any public collection in the world.

~~~~<<<<>>>>~~~~

Maximilian I.  Holy Roman Emperor.

Tournaments featured the finest sportsmen - skilled contestants who trained from a young age -  and were often held to celebrate marriages, births, alliances and victories. They had become fashionable , courtly displays of power with glittering parades of rulers and nobleman. Maximilian was Europe`s most powerful ruler and a famous tournament competitor.

~~~~<<<<>>>>~~~~

Gatling Machine Gun.

British, dated 1873. One of the drawbacks of the design of the Gatling was the black - powder ammunition, which fouled the chambers and jammed the mechanism. This Armstrong - made example fires the large .65 calibre cartridge adopted by the Royal Navy in 1874.

~~~~<<<<>>>>~~~~

Gatling Machine Gun - British about 1876.

Early Gatling guns were used in much like artillery pieces although their .45 calibre cartridges had less power and range. This example is mounted on the navel landing - party carriage and has it`s transit chest for the Broadwell Drum Magazine. Guns of this type were used during the battle of Tel - El - Kebir in 1882.

~~~~<<<<>>>>~~~~

Machine Gun.

General Electric Corporation M134 GAU 2B/A American, about 1980. Known as the Minigun, this weapon was the primary armament for Helicopter Gunships during the Vietnam War. Driven by a 28 volt motor, this 7.62mm gun had an adjustable rate of fire of 300 to 6000 rounds per minute. It`s ammunition box contained 1200 cartridges. 

~~~~<<<<>>>>~~~~

Nordenfelt Machine Gun.

Calibre 1inch, British about 1884.This machine gun was designed and patented by two Swedish Engineers in 1873, with the financial backing of Thorsten Nordenfelt. It is an important representative of the hand - operated machine guns which were developed following the success of the Gatling Gun. Ammunition contained in a hopper mounted on top of the gun, was fed into the gun and fired automatically when the firing lever was moved backwards and forwards. These 1inch calibre guns were  designed specifically for use against Torpedo Boats. Trials at Portsmouth in 1880 showed that their solid steel projectiles could penetrate iron plates up to an inch thick, enough to disable a small boat completely.

~~~~<<<<>>>>~~~~

To be continued.

PEAK DISTRICT ---- DERBYSHIRE.

A world of contrasting natural beauty is the Peak District National Park, Derbyshire in England with it`s Moors, Dales, and Rivers. Loved by millions for it`s breath taking landscapes. Here are a few of the photo`s I have taken in this beautiful National Park.

~~~~<<<<>>>>~~~~

TRINITY BRIDGE.

Trinity bridge is a unique three way stone arch bridge that stands in the centre of Crowland, Lincolnshire, England. It once spanned the confluence of the river Welland and a tributary of the river Witham, the rivers have been re - routed and now the bridge spans nothing. The bridge dates to the 14th century, built between 1360 and 1390 and replaced previous wooden bridges. The earliest known mention of the bridge was by King Ethelbald of Mercia in 943. The bridge is now a scheduled monument and grade 1 listed. The bridge is built from Barnack stone, which was quarried about 16km to the west of Crowland and transported by boat on the Welland. The bridge has three stairways that converge at the top. The bridge was an unusual and economical solution to the crossing of two watercourses at their confluence, reducing the need for three separate bridges. This bridge is one of only a few bridges in the world that no longer spans any kind of physical obstacle.

The seated figure is thought to be that of Christ or of King Ethelbald and is possibly from the west front of Crowland Abbey.

Close up of the plaque on the bridge.

MOUNTING BLOCK.

Near the bridge is this mounting block which is for the assistance for mounting and dismounting a horse. They were especially useful for women riding sidesaddle. Mounting Blocks were usually made from stone, but sometimes you can come across wooden ones. They were very common prior to the era of motor cars.

~~~~<<<<>>>>~~~~

HOLY TRINITY COLLEGIATE CHURCH.

The church of the Holy Trinity at Tattershall in Lincolnshire, England was completed in 1500 AD having been endowed in 1439 by King Henry VI with collegiate status. A collegiate church is one that has attached to it, a chapter of canons and prebendaries - priests whose livings are paid through endowments and by the income from land or tithes. Holy Trinity Church, or to give it it`s correct title, The Collegiate Church of the Holy Trinity, The Blessed Virgin Mary, ST Peter the Apostle, ST John the Baptist and ST John the Evangelist stands on the site of an earlier Norman Church. It is considered by many experts to be one of the finest examples of English Perpendicular Architecture and is also one of the largest Collegiate Churches in the country. The east window contains some of the best examples of Medieval Painted Glass, and a small tomb stone can be found in the floor close to the font bearing the inscription T.Thumb died 1620 aged 101.           I would have loved to have taken a photograph of this but unfortunately there was something happening in the church and i did not want to get in their way. Visitors are often surprised by the size and height of the church as it is a mini cathedral both in size and layout.

A Tomb seen in the graveyard.

~~~~<<<<>>>>~~~~