ALY MORRISON'S "BUTTERFLY" ADVENTURES IN THE WORLD OF WARGAMES AND TOY SOLDIERS
Showing posts with label WW1. Show all posts
Showing posts with label WW1. Show all posts

Monday, 4 November 2024

A New Book… Battlefields of the Marne 1914…. An Illustrated History and Guide.

Greetings…

I picked up this rather nice book at the Oxfam Book shop in the town centre today…

Battlefields of the Marne 1914… An Illustrated History and Guide.

It’s one of the Illustrated Michelin Guides to the Battlefields (1914-1918)… Published in 1919.













As you can see it’s lavishly illustrated…And filled with plenty information to help you find your way around the battlefield…
And in pretty good condition considering its age…

All the best.  Aly

Saturday, 19 September 2020

Yet Another New Book...

 Greetings...


This lovely new book arrived in the post yesterday...



Painting 28mm Wargame Figures 4... The Western Front 1914-1918.

By Mark Hargreaves...

This is a splendid book... Mark is up to his usual high standard... we have all of Marks techniques on show...

It is well laid out and filled with helpful and useful information... German bayonet knot colours anyone...?

I always enjoy reading and seeing how others paint toy soldiers... so this was always going to be a must for me...

Mark asked if he could use some of my photos for background shots... I was of course delighted to say yes... I was even more delighted to see that one of my photos is on the front cover...wow!

If you are at all interested in painting khaki and Field Grey... rush out and get this.. You (and Mark)will be all the richer for you doing so...


https://www.caliverbooks.com/bookview.php?ec9sjqomqvme5di28n58rfhmj5&id=28382&subcatcode=C&subcatno=56


All the best   Aly



 


Friday, 19 June 2020

Sunday, 10 November 2019

Remembrance Day...

Last year I posted some pictures of family members from my fathers side...
This year my brother sent me some images of my family from my mothers side...


Centre right Tommy Wardrope ... My Great Grandfather.




The oldest picture is of my Great Grandfather who was a long serving soldier in The Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders... Some 30 years under the colours as my dear old mother would say...I am told that our family history with the Argyle's goes back further than this but I have yet to find any hard evidence...
It appears that my Grandmother was actually born in Stirling Castle...
At the start of The Great War my Great Grandfather caught  pleurisy and was not allowed to go to France... Apparently he was livid...
Instead he was forced to stay at home and train others...
He rose to the rank of Colour Sergeant


Far left... Edward Wardrope... My Great Uncle.


My Great Uncle Ted... Also an Argyle and Sutherland Highlander...
I am told rose to the rank of Gunnery Sergeant at Stirling Castle..


Frederick Wardrope... My Grand Uncle


Grand Uncle Fred... My Grandmothers youngest brother...
I know very little about this man... My grandmother talked very little about her siblings and with my mothers increasing age and diminishing mental capacity I am not sure what I will be able to find out...
There are many websites that can give you the raw data.. Births...Marriages... Deaths... but sadly they do not preserve the stories and anecdotes...


My Grandfather.


My Grandfather... Peter Robertson... Royal Scots Fusiliers.
Sadly My Grandfather Died when I was eight years old...
He of course survived the Great War... He went on to work down the coal mines but after an injury started to drive buses for Wallace Arnold( A British tour company) in the 1930's and served in the Home Guard in WW2...


Robert Wardrope... Handsome devil.


Bobby Wardrope... My mothers Cousin... so my Cousin... Once? Twice? Removed???
A tall and very handsome man... Clearly I missed out on this genetic line...
I remember him as a very debonair gentleman and career soldier... My mother used to go all a flutter at the mention of his name... He I am told was married four times... the old devil.


Uncle Ian.


My Uncle Ian... My mothers older brother...
Sergeant RAF... He flew Hurricanes toward the end of WW2...
He trained in Canada and eventually emigrated there in the 1950's...


Dad.


My Dad...
Royal Army Medical Corps...
I think he was really glad that none of us followed the family traditions of joining the army, going down the pit or working for Carron Ironworks (the company that manufactured Carronades in the Napoleonic Wars)...


A slightly poignant post... I know...


They all survived...


Lest we forget...


All the best   Aly



Sunday, 27 October 2019

A New Book...

Greetings...


I have recently picked up a copy of...




This of course the second volume by my chum Mark Hargreaves...And what an excellent book it is...
If your are interested in any periods that used khaki coloured uniforms both of Mark's books are an absolute must.


It can be found here...
https://www.caliverbooks.com/bookview.php?t3v55ihebcjv0dcvm1n9mqnoe3&id=27831
The first volume is here
https://www.caliverbooks.com/bookview.php?g7pv9ri7u1fq0vfh2ap38qmr10&id=27232




I am just basing up my third French Command stand... so more toys soon




All the best   Aly









Thursday, 18 July 2019

General Rapp Malchanceux and Jacob Wolff.

Greetings...
I have had these miniatures sitting on the painting desk looking impatiently at me for sometime...
So as a little change from WSS I decided to get them done...


First up...
General Rapp (Malchanceux).





This is one of the Giants in Miniature from Wargame illustrated...


http://www.northstarfigures.com/prod.php?prod=12056


I am going to use him as General Malchanceux for my Drums and Shakos games...
I painted this using Contrast colours in the same way as I painted The Duke if Marlborough.


Next up...


Jacob Wolff...



Jacob Wolff (1868 - December 4, 1926). Wolff was the owner of the cigar factory L. Wolff in Hamburg. Before the First World War, he was involved in the peace movement and supported them financially. At the outbreak of World War Wolff volunteered for the Air Force, although he was released as a major industrialist, from military service. Airplane and aviation training paid out of pocket, so as not to be rejected because of his age. In the course of his missions Jacob Wolff scored four confirmed and one unconfirmed Kills. His superiors repeatedly told the Jewish industrialist to convert to Christianity in order to increase his chances of promotion. Wolff always refused, though he never described himself as pious. In 1917 he was promoted to lieutenant of the Landwehr. Wolff survived the First World War and died in 1926 as a result of a motorcycle accident.







This is the miniature I made for this years Tactica in Hamburg...


I also found a link on the internet to a sale of some of Jacob Wolff's belongings.


http://www.jagermedals.com/_shop_section/ww1_aviation/j2273.html
http://www.jagermedals.com/_pdf_files/ww1_pdfs/j2273_large%20pics.pdf


All the best   Aly



Sunday, 11 November 2018

1918-2018

I thought by way of remembrance that I would post this picture of some of my family who served in the great war.


They are all from my fathers side.




The young chap at the front is my grandfather.


All the best.  Aly

Monday, 21 May 2018

Partizan 2018... At the show.

Greetings...


I had intended to cover the show and the game with separate posts...but as I have the day off work I am going to give you the whole thing in one go...


So lots of pictures of a very enjoyable day...


First off are some shots of the other games that I managed to get a look at...






A very nice Jacobite game by Graham Cumming...


There is a bit more stuff on his blog...
 http://scotiaalbion.blogspot.co.uk/2018/05/more-troops-for-partizan.html
His fine range of miniatures can be found here...
http://cranntaraminiatures.blogspot.co.uk/





Some nice Wars of the Roses action from Dave Imrie and Jack Glanville...


More of Dave's stuff can be found here...
http://saxondog.blogspot.co.uk/





I am not sure what this game was or who put it on ... but its out and out weirdness made me smile.





A Setting the East Ablaze game... By Caliver Books and the League of Extraordinary Kriegspielers I believe... that was a very big plane.




James Morris's Crete 1941 game...






This was a game put on by the Society of Ancients using 'Flats' from Tony Bath's collection that were featured in Donald Featherstone's book War Games... I well remember as a lad staring longingly at those old black and white images... it was a real joy to see them in colour in the flesh... Old School Gold...






Some lovely WW2 terrain... by Blitzkrieg Miniatures.




This was another nice table... By Sally 4th.




An American war of Independence game... Germantown by Alan and Michael Perry...







This was a Command and Colours game...by Simon Walther I believe...  This really ticks a lot of boxes for me ...





A Suez game from Colin Jack... I love the planes...






A lovely Grand Alliance game from those lovely League of Augsburg people...
There is a bit more on their blog...
http://leagueofaugsburg.blogspot.co.uk/#!/2018/05/partizan-debrief.html


Now... This is where I have to make an apology ... actually it should be my phone making the apology , but it is an inanimate object and basically stupid... which is why it ran out of power before I had a chance to take some decent shots of The Earlswood Wargames Group's rather wonderful Stalingrad Game ... the only two I got had to many hands and such in the way so not worth showing.


THEY WON THE BEST OF SHOW...
Fortunately you can see the build of the table here...


http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=99176.0


And Phil from News from the Front took some rather nice pictures...


http://newsfromthefront-phil.blogspot.co.uk/


It was a well deserved win...




My purchases ... Is there such a thing as book addiction?


I need them all ....


La Gorgue Airfield...
Our friends Adrian and Jock took the part of the Forces of Darkness while Dave and I played the plucky British and the brave Portuguese.


Adrian Shepherd ran the game using Setting the East Ablaze. (shouting out unit activations like a world class bingo caller)


There are quite a few pictures...






The area around the Hangers where most of Mark Hargreaves beautiful vignettes were placed... they drew a lot of attention...






British and Portuguese troops move into defensive positions...



An over view from the airfield end of the table



The British mortars with refugees moving passed in the background ...





More refugees and stragglers... that painting looks familiar .



Lorries heading to the airfield ...




A view from the dark side of the table...




The Forces of Darkness arrive...






 The Honourable Adrian Shepherd in conversation with fellow officers... there is something a bit dodgy about him...



 

More scenes of activity around the airfield

 
The Brave Brits push forward...


Soldier Millions makes his appearance along with the wounded Scottish officer... Who for various reasons was christened Dr Finlay...

 
German cavalry move forward...

 
A staff officer starts to make his way out off the airfield... The Honourable Adrian Shepherd also makes his way out...
 
 
 
British and Portuguese cavalry make their appearance...
 
 
As do hordes of Germans

 
Portuguese infantry brace themselves reinforced by Soldier Millions...
 
 

More shots of the Cavalry...

 
The refugees are directed away from the airfield gate...

 
British troops moving up...

 
 
German storm troopers ... storm forwards...

 
Obliterating most of the defenders... Soldier Millions stands alone...

 
 
Cavalry and Scots move into the town...

 
More storming Storm Troopers...


The Honourable Adrian Shepherd has noticed something...

 
Ah!

 
Soldier Millions holds his own...

 
An act of cigarette based kindness in a harsh world...

 
Soldier Millions and Dr Finley make their escape...

 
 
 
 
A lot of storming...

 
Dismounted cavalry move into the town...


The Military Police form the stranglers into a composite unit...and The Honourable Adrian Shepherd appears to have found his quarry ...

 
It looks a bit like he is high jacking the staff officers car...

 
Soldier Millions and Dr Finley continue to make their way to safety ...

 
A last look back at home...

 
He is Loading the painting into the car...

 
Evidence of beastliness...

 
After some very good dice throws the flame thrower explodes... well if you play with fire...

 
Another wave of Storm Troopers...

 
Adrian heads off with his 'Prize'..


And we also got a prize... Best Demonstration Game... Hurrah!

We had a great game and day...

Soldier Millions rescued Dr Finley...
The airfield was evacuated...
The fog cleared...
The aircraft took off...
With the second wave of troops the Germans would take the airfield...
And the Honourable Adrian Shepherd.... enough said about him.



Adrian sent me his own possibly dubious version of events...

Here is the news

Despite  heavy losses an  RAF airfield was successfully evacuated of all personal  and aircraft before occupation by elements of the German 6th Army. Bustle the popular squadron dog was flown out to safety  in one of the last aircraft to leave .

The priceless painting of the Madonna with the big boobies along with other items has disappeared during the German offensive.  The Museum curator Msr Objadar had hired a carter, Msr Steppied to remove many of the most valuable items from the Museum in Arras where the painting had be on display. It is believed that the painting has fallen into German hands Attempts are being made to contact German authorities to seek to secure the safety of this most valuable of cultural objects missing and in particular the Madonna with the  big boobies

In other news ....Col Monty Titchmarsh the officer in command  of the 11th cycle Battalion is reported safe after single handily  fighting off a German stormtrooper detachment The renown Gardner and former captain of the Nottinghamshire first 11 Is said to be recovering  from wounds in Hospital He has been mentioned in despatches and is widely believed to be the recipient of the MC for his conduct in a gallant action in which he was the only survivor of his entire command.

Unconfirmed reports suggest that the success of Portuguese troops in heroically holding up the progress of the German attack which bought vital time for the evacuation ofLa Gorgue Airfield where led by what is freely translated from Portuguese as the “ “ “ million dollar soldier “ according to an Account from a British Officer  Doc Finley of the
34th field hospital “the wee lad is legend” Doc Finley had been on leave an enjoying a long lunch when the Germans arrived in complete surprised “I dunney remember much it must a been me wound ya ken but the wee lad whisked me away te safety “ he continued , ‘Me  only regret was te see them damm Hum heading for the wine cellar that I had tried in vain to hold...dirty fecking hun bas.....”

Finally concern grows for the whereabouts of Adrian Shepherd RNAS who has not been seen since he personally saw to the safety and removal from danger of many civilian victims of the brutish Hun onslaught , Msr Steppied a carter from Arras said “ I saw im elp d women children an old folk to escape from the dangier “ What e done was truly amazing “ Sgt Winfield of the RMP said it is incredible one minute he was there organising the evacuation and then he simply disappeared.”

Boobie Davies WRAF herself a brave gal who gave her all in the action said simply...
 “he's a Bally hero “


That is the news for now



The last sighting of The Honourable Adrian Shepherd RNAS...


I am sure Dave will join me in saying many thanks to Adrian and Jock for playing the Forces of darkness and a big thanks to Adrian Shepherd for running the game so well...

A thank you also to Mark Hargreaves for all the work on the vignettes hopefully you will make it to the game next time... and there will be a next time.

It was great to see and chat to everyone who came to look at the game...

I am now going to paint something that isn't Field Grey, Khaki or Horizon Blue...

All the best  Aly