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British Ceremonial Soldiers of the Queen

British Empire The Raj and British India

The Royal Gurkha Rifles

The Kings African Rifles Colonial Africana

British East Africa 'Askari' Colonial Soldiers

Tipu Sultan's Mechanical Tiger

British Ceremonial Trophy Toy Soldiers

New Designs

Bengal Native Infantry c.1837.
- British Raj & British India

Bengal Native Infantry

My limited edition soldier depicts a Sepoy from the 26th Punjab Regiment Bengal Infantry c.1896

The mutiny of the Bengal Sepoys in 1857 triggered the end of British East India Company rule and the direct control of Bengal by the British crown. In 1899, when Victoria took the title of "Empress of India", the British declared Calcutta the capital of the British Raj. India's most populous province (and one of the most active provinces in freedom fighting).

Bengal underwent partition in 1905 by the British rulers for administrative purposes into an overwhelmingly Hindu west and a predominantly Muslim east. Indian nationalists saw the move as a means of sowing disunity within the Bengali population united by language and history; and following a violent agitation, the British reversed their partition decision in 1912.

As partition of British India into Hindu and Muslim dominions approached in 1947, Bengal again split along much the same lines as in 1905, into the Indian state of West Bengal and the region of East Bengal under Pakisan.

East Pakistan (East Bengal) later rebelled against Pakistani military rule to become independent republic of Banglasdesh or literally "Bengal Land" following a war of independence against the Pakistani army in 1971.

British Raj Colonial Soldier Collection

Click here for details of the hand carved wooden British Raj Soldiers.

Wooden Soldier Regimental Histories

All of our wooden soldiers are made in strictly limited editions, click here for a regimental history of each soldier.