Pre built buildings/barracks in the XIXth

Hello,

I was wondering something: these days when you arrive somewhere new and need a base, you'd use prefab in metal.
But what would you use in the late XIXth century, especially in the colonial context? You needed quick buildings off the boat in the middle of nowhere, what did they do?
 
Hello,

I was wondering something: these days when you arrive somewhere new and need a base, you'd use prefab in metal.
But what would you use in the late XIXth century, especially in the colonial conflict? You needed quick buildings off the boat in the middle of nowhere, what did they do?
I believe they used tents a lot more than we do today.
 
I've only ever read about this on wikipedia, so I don't really know any details about it, but supposedly the British made prefabricated iron blockhouses that could be hastily assembled during the Second Boer War.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blockhouse#Second_Boer_War said:
During the Second Boer War the British forces built a large number of fortifications in South Africa. Around 441 were solid masonry blockhouses,[10] many of which stand today. Different designs were used in the construction of these blockhouses, but most were either two or three story structures built using locally quarried stone.

However the vast scale of British strategy led the British to develop cheaper, double-skinned corrugated iron structures.[11] These could be prefabricated, delivered to site by armoured train, and then have locally sourced rocks or rubble packed inside the double skin to provide improved protection.

A circular design developed by Major Rice in February 1901 had good all round visibility, and the lack of corners did away with the need for a substructure. Failure due to wood rot and splintering when hit by bullets or shrapnel were eliminated. The steel door to the blockhouse was sheltered by another piece of corrugated iron. The Major Rice blockhouse could be erected in six hours by six trained men. With the change from square gabled roofs to a circular design, they were given the nickname "Pepperpot blockhouse".[11] With mass production the cost to build a blockhouse dropped down to £16, compared to several hundred pounds for masonry ones.

These blockhouses played a vital role in the protection of the railway lines and bridges that were key to the British military supply lines.[10]

So I guess technically 1899 is the XIXth Century :rolleyes: but it shows that the technology was definitely appropriate for the period. Empires are a lot about counter-insurgency stuff, and these were developed as part of a British counter-insurgency move (based on my very broad understanding of the 2nd Boer War), so I guess I'm surprised no one tried anything else like this earlier.
 
I've only ever read about this on wikipedia, so I don't really know any details about it, but supposedly the British made prefabricated iron blockhouses that could be hastily assembled during the Second Boer War.



So I guess technically 1899 is the XIXth Century :rolleyes: but it shows that the technology was definitely appropriate for the period. Empires are a lot about counter-insurgency stuff, and these were developed as part of a British counter-insurgency move (based on my very broad understanding of the 2nd Boer War), so I guess I'm surprised no one tried anything else like this earlier.
I guess it would be because a lot of the tactics were hit and run, plus treaties while the peacekeeping forces would be mostly natives.

Would be interesting to check if the Legion Etrangère developed something. If anyone it would be them
 
They probably either requisitioned civilian buildings or got the pioneers/sappers to build something out of local materials.
 
I would imagine that, given the general advantage that the Colonial Powers had over indigenous populations, particularly when it came to equipment, that the simple palisade fortifications that one imagines when discussing the American frontier forts were quite satisfactory. Just chop down some local trees, build a wall. Afterward, of course, there's time for improvement, but even that, I have to imagine, would still be better served by using local materials.
 
Top