Del Prado Senegalese Tirailleur 1940: African Infantry in French Service

Del Prado · Second World War · French Army, 1940

The red headgear and khaki clothing give this tirailleur a distinct outline within Del Prado’s French army subjects. The model opens a wider view of the soldiers who served in the 1940 campaign.

A name broader than one country

The tirailleurs sénégalais were African infantry in French service, recruited from a wider area than Senegal alone. Many took part in the fighting in France in 1940. Their service belongs within the story of the French army, while also reflecting the unequal conditions of the colonial system that recruited them.

The campaign also included racist killings of African prisoners by German forces. That history is part of the context of these troops, although the anonymous miniature cannot be tied to a particular soldier, regiment or incident without more specific evidence.

Reading the standing figure

The reference photograph shows a red cylindrical cap, khaki uniform and equipment arranged around the waist and torso. A long firearm rests beside the body. The stance is upright and relatively open, allowing the contrast between the headgear and clothing to stand out.

The cap is the quickest visual cue, but it should not be the only one used when comparing models. Match the arm positions, weapon and equipment. Similar headgear appears on other French colonial subjects that represent different units and periods.

Condition and display context

Ask for a photograph of the cap from above, plus side and rear views of the weapon and equipment. Red paint can show chips clearly along the rim. Check the hands and the firearm’s upper end for damage concealed by the body in a front view.

Place this figure alongside other French infantry subjects with separate labels for their dates and formations. That arrangement shows the army’s breadth more clearly than isolating the tirailleur as an unexplained curiosity. A plain background helps the khaki equipment remain visible without competing with the distinctive red headgear.

A collection note can explain the wider meaning of the unit name in a single sentence. That is more useful than assigning the anonymous figure a personal origin from appearance alone. When photographing the subject, keep the red cap fully in frame and show enough of the body to preserve the distinctive equipment arrangement.

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