“Possibly one of the most terrifying and demoralising infantry weapons ever produced is the portable flamethrower. As the introduction to the 1944 Australian Army training pamphlet for flamethrowers states: ” … flame has a powerful psychological effect in that humans instinctively withdraw from it, even when their morale is good. In addition, it is a casualty producing and lethal agent.”

Although first used by the German Army during WW1, the Australian Army’s experience with flamethrowers really began during WW 2 when a need for this type of weapon was identified. Experience showed that a stubborn enemy, when well dug into extensive bunker systems, was extremely difficult and costly to dislodge using the more conventional small arms and grenades.  

Operational and experimental reports about the development and use of flame throwers were available to Australia from our Allies and demonstrated just how effective this weapon could be, particularly in clearing out enemy from fortifications with overhead cover.   As a result, the Australian Army saw a requirement for two types of flamethrowers: a “man-pack” or portable model for the infantry and a larger “mechanised” model for mounting in armoured vehicles.  

However, the then standard US Army issue flamethrower, the M1A1, was not available in quantity so, in January 1944, design work on a local-pattern flamethrower was commenced. A pilot model, manufactured mainly by British Tube Mills (Australia) Pty Ltd, was completed by the following April. 

This was designated the Flamethrower, Portable, Ferret (Aust) Mark 1, the name Ferret being suggested because it would be used to ferret out enemy from bunkers.

The M2-2 with an important local modification. was a type officially adopted for service with the Australian Army. The modification  was the incorporation of a special non-return valve which prevented the expulsion of fuel under pressure in the case of a rupture disc failing. Spare pressure tanks were also manufactured in Australia, on the basis of six tanks per flamethrower. 

By early 1945, 162 M2-2 flamethrowers had been allocated to Australia under lend lease, allowing an issue of 36 per jungle division plus a reserve. These were supported by special truck-mounted, Rix Type K, three-stage air compressors which were allocated to each division to provide a supply of pressurised cylinders.  

Flame fuel was another item which was manufactured locally. Although most mechanised and man‑pack flamethrowers could be satisfactorily operated using diesel fuel, extensive experimentation showed that there was an optimum combination of operating pressure and thickness of fuel. The optimum combination for a particular type of flamethrower was considered to be the one which gave the maximum  range and most burning fuel onto the target.

While variations to the working pressure were not such a problem finding the best fuel type took a considerable of experimental effort. The result was Geletrol which was formally accepted by the General Staff as fuel thickener in October 1944. It was made by combining various weights of the dried chemical compound Aluminium Oleate with petrol, diesel or a petrol‑diesel mix. The type of fuel used and the percentage mixture depended on the intended use.

Although Aluminium Oleate had previously been used in relatively small quantities for the manufacture of specialised paints and greases, its use in flame warfare was entirely new. As a result, the sudden increase in demand stretched production facilities in Australia to the limit. Not only had the Army found a use for it in both man‑pack and mechanised flamethrowers but both the RAAF and the Royal Navy (operating in the Pacific) had also found it useful for making drop‑tank incendiary bombs.

Local manufacture was carried out by two companies: Fletcher Chemical Company of Melbourne, and Robert Corbet Pty Ltd of Sydney. By early 1945, they were supplying specially scaled tropic proof packs of the light brown, granular chemical in either 20-pound tins for mechanised flamethrowers or 2-pound tins for man-pack flamethrowers.

The man-pack flamethrower proved a very effective weapon, being used on many occasions in the later stages of the war. Just how effective can he illustrated by the actions on Tarakan of the flamethrower team from 2/48th Infantry Battalion who, on May 5, 1945, attacked a bunker from a range of about 10m. The flame went over the first bunker and into three well-camouflaged bunkers in the rear, from which the Japanese troops hastily withdrew without firing a shot! “

Thanks to Digger History for most of this information.

The flame burst was made in the same way as I made the Bolt Action “Pin Markers” outlined in a previous post. The only difference was a “flying base” was used to elevate the flame to the required level.

An unidentified soldier uses a .303 Short Magazine Lee Enfield rifle

Drawn from hunters, competitive shooters, natural marksmen, outdoorsmen, city dwellers, farmers and veteran soldiers, they fought to assert local battlefield dominance and instil among their enemy a paralysing fear.

Sometimes admired and other times reviled by their own comrades because of the retaliation they drew, they were always too few in number.

The sniper model I have chosen is from Eureka Miniatures. For me it has that quintessential Aussie lay-back laconic look and feel to it.

Next some forward observers and a flamethrower team.

Yesterday IRO replied to one of my comments on his post Medieval tale by saying “our weirdness unites us“, but I don’t think you can get much weirder (in a good way) than the concept of a TV series about the Goth teenage version of Wednesday Addams.

I was expecting one of those teenage “coming of age” shows with a bit of funny weirdness thrown in, which it is, but I found it far more than that.

After an ingeniously wicked prank gets Wednesday expelled from the “Nancy Reagan High School, she is packed off to “Nevermore” a school for the weird, kooky and abnorms of society (non muggles). From that you might think it’s just another “Wednesday goes to Hogwarts”. True to herself Wednesday’s character continues to be the feminist role model depicted in all of her iterations, but the series is also part horror series and part murder mystery with a very good script and some great acting by Jenna Ortega Wednesday), Gwendoline Christie (Larissa Weems – principal), Jamie McShane (Donovan Galpin- Sheriff), Hunter Doohan (Tyler Galpin – the love interest), Percy Hynes White (Xavier Thorpe – a student who can make his art come to life) and Emma Myers (the failed werewolf roomy of Wednesday).

At Nevermore, Wednesday has to navigate new social cliques with the unrequested assistance of her colourful and enthusiastic roommate Enid (Emma Myers), survive both monster attacks and assassination attempts, unravel an old family mystery, and grapple with her developing psychic powers. We are half way through the series after a Saturday night binge and have found it a very enjoyable watch. Will probably binge and finish it tomorrow.

And remember Wednesday is like the middle finger of the week!

The command units for my Bolt Action Australian Jungle Platoon are now completed.

They consist of a Captain and a Lieutenant both with and ADC accompanying them.

The Captain is armed with a rifle and the others with SMG’s.

Captain

Lieutenant

I do have another aide with SMG to add to each officer, but do not have priority for painting as it is doubtful they will be used. Unfortunately a third figure means they are no longer a small target and it makes the team easier to hit.

I will gradually keep working through this Platoon designed for Bolt Action games.

This collection was a small ten figure Kickstarter from Midlam Miniatures. Like other small manufacturers they are now regularly testing a new range on Kickstarter before commencing manufacture. I like their work but until this starter there was nothing I was really interested in. It was not that cheap at about AU$6.00 per figure but having spent so much time on the Monastery during the “Season of Scenery” , I thought it needed to be populated by some monks despite it’s dilapidated condition.

“The Monks of Midlam live apart from the folk of the City, and yet the cloistered world of spirituality is intertwined with the more earthy demands of Midlam as they provide healing and shelter to travellers to the city as well as conducting ceremonies at Midlam Cathedral.

The Monks also trade well in livestock, grain and other goods.  This brings them into conflict with the Great Merchant powers, who resent their unique position, a result of charters granted to them by ancestors of the Baron of Midlam.

Many others look enviously upon the Abbey with it’s great store of wealth.  Cults, other faiths and even other branches of the same faith, seek to undermine the Abbey’s spiritual wealth or seek to gain access to the powerful relics and esoteric information held within the scriptorium. ” From the Kickstarter “blurb”.

Brother Inkblot – monk holding quill and scroll

Brother Fumigant – monk holding incense censer

Brother Flagstaff – a portly monk with staff

Brother Arkwright holding Relic Box

Brother Badbach – elder monk with walking stick

Brother Chalice – monk holding chalice

Brother Banner – monk holding banner

Brother Gudbook – monk reading book

Brother Bludgeon – big burly monk

Brother Alesworthy – monk holding foaming ale

Fortunately the names are those supplied and NOT mine! I will give these a quick paint over the next few days.

Or you can watch the second season of “Warrior Nun”

I don’t think I am making a spoiler with this one – a corrupt Vatican whodah thought!

Now I don’t pretend that this is any high brow intellectually stimulating show, but it has b#tch fights, attractive ladies and has an excellent action-adventure story. What’s not to like! It even has a Pope with a strong moral fibre. I know, I was surprised myself!

The first season was very slow but the second rockets along , with complex and nuanced women leads, and a bisexual love story which underpins the whole story. Yep! Kissing Nuns! This was a welcome change (rocketing along not the kissing Nuns), and we had a light and easy fun weekend binge with it.

I know from previous comments it is not everyone’s cup of tea but we needed to just chill with a block of chocolate and bubbly or three, watching the five kittens (we have found a home for one) romp around the living room while we watched the “box”.

Those of you who watched the first season with its cliffhanger ending will be a little frustrated. How the confrontation with Adriel plays out or how the sisters managed to escape is never explained. In fact it is totally ignored. This was awkward for me because I wasn’t sure what was going on and if we were watching an out of sequence scene or not. Once I got over this, things started to make sense. SWMBO took more time to adjust but by the end of the second episode was enjoying it as well.

The biblical references that form the name of each episode are interesting as they link cryptically quite well with that episodes story line and do help with the understanding of what is going on. Can be a slight spoiler as a result though.

If you want a weekend binge without a lot of intellectual stimulus then I highly recommend it. Not as good as the comics but well worth a look. Available in Oz on Netflix.

One of the best known images of an Australian soldier in the Pacific War is that of VX12513, Corporal Leslie ‘Bull’ Allen. Bull Allen M.M. U.S.S. He was born in 1918, in Ballarat, Victoria. As an orphan, he and his sister would grow up in an orphanage. By the time the Second World War had broken out, Bull Allen had already been working for nearly a decade. In 1940 at the age of 21, Allen volunteered for service with the Second Australian Imperial Force (AIF).

Posted as a reinforcement to the 2/5 Australian Infantry Battalion of the 17 Brigade. Allen would join the Battalion in Palestine where they were training and would be made a stretcher-bearer in ‘Don’ Company. By the time the above famous image had been taken, Bull Allen along with the 17 Brigade, had seen service in the Middle East, including Libya and Syria. It was during those campaigns that Allen would not only earn his nickname of ‘Bull’ but also gain a reputation as being ‘cool under fire’.

Playing Australian Rugby League in Palestine he would ‘charge’ towards his opponents. This combined with his towering presence of 5” 11’ (180 cm, tall for the time period) his rugged appearance and deep laugh would earn him the nickname ‘Bull’. One of his fellow soldiers remarked: ‘You could hear him a mile off! Bull was thus one of the battalion’s most recognisable…and one of its most popular characters.’ Bull Allen also gained a reputation for his outstanding courage. He carried many of his wounded comrades from the field of battle whilst enduring heavy enemy fire.

After fighting, the Italians, French and Germans the next enemy Bull Allen would face was the Japanese in the jungles of New Guinea. The 2/5 Australian Infantry Battalion would end up fighting all of the Australia’s enemies. In January 1943, while involved in defensive operations in Wau, Allen would be recognised officially for his brave work as a stretcher-bearer. After carrying out many of his fellow soldiers under intense Japanese fire, he was awarded the Military Medal. The citation, in part reads: ‘Private Allen’s bearing and his untiring efforts in tending the wounded and helping with rations and stores were an inspiration’. By 30 July, 1943, Bull Allen would be fighting alongside United States soldiers on Mt Tambu as part of the Wau-Salumua campaign. In the course of the battle, Allen went forward and carried to safety no less than twelve American servicemen. Ballarat historian and friend of the Allen family, Mr David Cranage states:

‘Each time he went back for another rescue attempt, soldiers would make bets on whether he would return’, and whilst providing covering fire would yell out the chant “Bull, bull, bull”. The American upon Bull Allen’s shoulders in the famous photograph was unconscious, having earlier being knocked out by a mortar bomb. During the action two other medics had been killed trying to bring in the wounded. Bull Allen showed no fear and although slightly wounded, his determination and dedication brought much admiration from his comrades.

For his heroism at Mount Tambu, he would later receive his second gallantry award, the United States Silver Star. Although Bull Allen never showed fear in the front of his fellow soldiers, his war service undoubtedly affected him. As early as 1941 the signs were starting to show. Before his service in Syria or Wau, he had been admitted to hospital after his first campaign in Libya, suffering ‘anxiety neurosis’. By the time Bull Allen performed his extraordinary feat on Mt Tambu, the experience of war had taken an enormous toll on Bull Allen’s health.

Towards the end of 1944, Bull Allen was training with his battalion back in Queensland. It was here that his behaviour came to ahead and after striking an officer, he was court-martial and demoted back to Private. Bull Allen’s health continued to deteriorate on top of bouts of malaria he suffered from ‘constitutional temperamental instability’ with ‘anxiety symptoms’ his military career soon ended as he was discharged ‘medically unfit’.

The post-war years may have seen the cessation of fighting but the war inside Bull Allen’s head still raged on. Although he married Jean Elizabeth Floyd, a former army nurse in 1949, Bull Allen found it difficult to return to normal life. Bull Allen suffered long periods of post-traumatic stress, and on one occasion he lost the ability to speak for six months.

Bull Allen would see out his years working first as a labourer and then as theatre nurse at Ballarat Base Hospital. With a little piece of land on the outskirts of the town, he raised pigs and broke-in horses. One of his joys in later life was manning the horse drawn quartz crushing stand at the re-created Sovereign Hill gold mining town. Bull Allen was a well-known and popular character around Ballarat.

On many ANZAC Day marches in Melbourne, Bull Allen could be seen carrying the 2/5 Battalion banner along St Kilda Road on route to the Shrine of Remembrance. In 2014 the famous image of Bull Allen was showcased as part of the Friends of the Shrine program. The powerful image is a potent reminder of mateship, dedication to duty, and the utter futility of war.

Sadly Bull Allen passed away on 11 May 1982 from complications associated with diabetes. He was survived by his wife, daughter and three sons.

The Miniature is from Woodbine Designs and sculpted by Dave Andrew and Aly Morrison. The model is part of their WW1 Anzac range and is part of set ANZ08. As far as I know there is no WW2 version of the sculpt.

This completes the medical component of my Bolt Action force and has the distinction of wearing more medals for bravery than most Companies! At a hefty 85 points the morale advantage is the same as having an additional officer, but with the added plus of providing an extra die for medical recovery rolls. As far as I know Vernon and Allen were never actually in the same unit together, but it is a good reminder of their bravery, and anyway I am just playing with toy soldiers so who cares if they did or not!

My thanks to the Author of most of this post, David Howell. His article on Allen can be found on the Kokoda Historical website.

Tomorrow the Captain and Lieutenant of my Bolt Action force’s recruitment should have been completed, unless something else “tickles my fancy”.

Many ancient armies tried to reduce morbidity and mortality on the battlefield through the provision of first aid, the objective of this aid being to prevent further injury and relieve pain until medical help arrived, with the foundation of organised and trained first aid having its origins in this military environment. The most successful were the Romans, under Emperor Augustus (63BC-18AD), who developed advanced military medical services to support their legions2. Included in these services were bandagers called Capsarii. These men, who wore the same combat gear as their fellow soldiers, were essentially combat medics, effective in providing prompt first aid due to their positioning in battle.

Thus the origin of military combat medics, known also as medical technicians or medical assistants, begins. These soldiers, also known as milites medici, had additional training in the art of medicine and were exempt from other duties as their priority was the care of the wounded and sick both on the march and in temporary hospitals.

The tradition stands true today with the military combat medic who goes into battle alongside soldiers of their company aiming to stabilise, give comfort and help evacuate. The availability of persons skilled in the treatment of wounds improves the morale of fighting men, giving rise to a more efficient and motivated fighting force, thus the tradition of the military medics begins and continues today.

From a paper by Kristina Griffin the full text of which is included here. Although a short article it is a review of the literature and as such has an excellent bibliography.

I am gradually working through the command elements of my Australian WW2 New Guinea Bolt Action army. Today I am posting on my Wartime Miniatures medic and casualty figure.

My figure is going to be based on Australia’s most famous medic, Dr (Captain) Geoffrey Vernon. It was far from “physician heal thy self”, as he is the one pictured below with the “cancer stick” in his mouth! Not long after the war Vernon died of malaria exacerbated by the impact that smoking had on his lungs.

Geoffrey Hampden Vernon was born on 16 December 1882 at Hastings, England. By 1914, Geoffrey was living in Winton, Queensland, and had become Medical Superintendent of the Winton hospital.

On 4 March 1915Geoffrey Hampden Vernon was appointed as a captain and posted to the 4th Light Horse Field Ambulance, and was attached to the 11th Light Horse Regiment as a medical officer. On 13 October 1916, Vernon was awarded a Military Cross and mentioned in despatches for “conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He tended the wounded under heavy fire, displaying great courage and determination. Later he remained out all night with a wounded man”. Vernon was promoted to major on 29 January 1917.

After the war, Vernon spent some time practising medicine in the Cobar region of New South Wales. In September 1921, he was appointed government medical officer on Thursday Island, and visiting surgeon to the Thursday Island Prison. He continued to practice medicine on Thursday Island until 1932, when he moved to Daru, New Guinea.

There, he bought a store and a small kapok plantation and continued to work as a doctor. Vernon sold his property on Daru in 1938, and bought a coconut plantation at Port Glasgow in eastern Papua. There, he attempted to grow kapok and rubber. He was then appointed government medical officer on Misima Island.

Geoffrey Vernon enlisted to serve in the Second World War on 27 February 1942. He was a captain in the Australian Army Medical Corp and attached to HQ 1 Papuan Infantry Battalion as a medical officer. With this unit, he served on the Kokoda Trail and attended to the sick and wounded. Known as “Doc Vernon” or “the old Doc”, he was held in high regard by both Australians and Papuans. Vernon was posted as resident medical officer to the Australian New Guinea Administrative Unit on 1 June 1943, and was awarded a mention in despatches on 23 December 1943. On 3 March 1946, Vernon ceased full time duty and retired to his plantation at Port Glasgow.

Vernon became ill, and died on 16 May 1946 at Samarai, New Guinea. Much of the information on Vernon has been obtained from the Australian War Memorial website, which has a copy of his diary in its collection.

Medical outpost in New Guinea

Tomorrow some help for Vernon from another Australian hero of New Guinea and North Africa.

I was putting together a Bolt Action army for tomorrow night’s game and realised that I didn’t have a flamethrower team painted for my Commando’s. I could decide to go with a light mortar or a sniper as a “softer option”.

Yeah right! Burn baby burn!

I had an Australian flamethrower with a helmet which didn’t really fit the rest of the army with slouched hats so I decided to use this one. Previously I had looked for a commando flamethrower but couldn’t find one in 28mm.

The figure from Wartime Miniatures will fit in quite well. The helmet instead of beret and Bergen would not be out of place when needing to get up close and personal.

I will use the additional crewman as an Aussie NCO with rifle and add a commando as the assistant in its place.

Given the one hour paint job before bed I am happy with how it turned out.

Back to the Aussies tomorrow and hopefully a Bolt Action win with the Commandos and the Churchill.

Whilst I was waiting for yesterday’s posts Churchill tank to dry between painting stages I started some more commandos. These are the last of the figures I have and am still nearly a box full short.

The first was a Commando armed with rifle to act as the loader for the first squads Bren gun.

The loader now completes this squad.

The second was also a loader, this time for the second squad.

Again this figure completes the second squad.

Next are two commandos with SMG.

These are part of the Lieutenants team. Most times only one will be used.

A third Commando with SMG makes up the last figure.

This was added to the part completed third squad.

I still need two SMG Commando’s for the Captain, and two loaders for the Light Mortar and PIAT teams.

Although I can see no rules in Bolt Action for a Commando demolition team I am making one up based on the SAS demolition team for use in scenarios where the Commando’s mission is to destroy a target.

I have made up the demolition expert carrying a handful of C4 explosives to complete his dastardly deed! Whilst technically it perhaps should be a Lewes bomb, it will do.

I will need three more figures to complete this team and would like to make up a fourth squad as well, meaning I am twenty three figures short. Seems another box of plastic Commandos is on the cards. I am starting to see the end of this project.