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In "55 Days at Peking" they're not in dress blues. But that's a movie and who knows how accurate it may be. So forget I said that, But it's one of my favorite movies.

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No. the Peking riots of 1912 they defended their compound wearing their blue service dress uniforms and overcoats. This uniform was their normal wear during the winter months. The headgear was fore aft hat, service cap or winter fur cap. The few photos I have seen of the Boxer defense they are wearing their service dress at the start and end of the fighting. But the 1-2 pictures taken during the fighting they are wearing the shirts they wore underneath their jackets. It is after all very hot in Peking during those months.

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I've been interested in the Boxer Rebellion ever since my Dad made me watch "55 Days at Peking" back in the early 1980's. As an illustrator I've done a lot of research into the uniforms worn and there was one book I read which related that during the siege the American women in the compound got together and made blue shirts for all the Marines because their own were worn out. I've looked in vain for some kind of photo showing these home-made shirts but have not found one - unless the women produced very close replicas of the ones already worn by the Marines.

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Leatherneck72

I'm a bit confused..are you talking about the Boxer Rebellion that occurred in 1900? 55 Days in Peking was based on that year, not 1912.

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Brian I think he is talking about both events.....the 1900 rebellion and the defense of the Legation 12 years later.if he wants to see Boxer service dress he can visit chinamarine.org and see that great set up your brother allowed me to post in the uniform section. Although the more I think about it I suspect if the Legation Defense Det had time in May they might have brought along their summer weight fatigue uniforms in white or white stained kahki or if the received them, summer kahki uniforms. All I know is as the summer wore on they show up wearing just shirts and fore aft hats. I don't have any pictures in front of me now that would show the type of trousers they wore late in the siege.

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Dirk thank you for all your assistance, as far as the weapons would they have been using the 1903 springfield and the 9 pouch mills belts during the 1912 riots?

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Most of the Marines in Peking had the 03 by then but they maintained a number of Krags in reserve. I believe the 9 pouch mills were worn....

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