The Australian Jungle divisions were designed specifically for jungle warfare. Significantly smaller in size than the standard AIF division they had less fire power but due to the narrow frontage of most battlefields they were able to bring to bear more fire power per section than their Japanese opponents.
With 4 Owen guns and a Bren gun per ten man section this meant the short range firepower required in jungle fighting was more than sufficient.
NCO with SMG
Three soldiers with SMG
Soldier with Bren gun
Five soldiers with .303 rifle.
Next the final stanza of my “Matilda story”
Section 3 because they are all numbered on their bases and I just picked the wrong one to paint first!
This is the last of my Matilda tanks, and is another Murray flamethrower tank.
Down the track I hope to build a Matilda hedgehog but am currently awaiting the parts to complete a conversion.
This one is shown operating in Tarakan.
In the next few days I intend to finish my Australian “Sentinel” tank squadron which was one of the best armoured and armed tanks of the early war. Given the cheaper American Stuart tanks and the free “out of date” Matilda’s from the UK, only just under sixty tanks were produced, none of which saw action.
Squadron 1 with II CS, command tank, a Murray flamethrower, and a standard 2pdr.
Squadron 2 with II CS, a Murray flamethrower command tank, and a standard 2pdr.
These should not be confused with the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels posted on yesterday who were porters and stretcher bearers, as the 1NGIB were tough fighters who formed part of the Australian defence of New Guinea and the defeat of the Japanese elsewhere.
The 1st New Guinea Infantry Battalion (1 NGIB) was a battalion of the Australian Army during World War II. One of four infantry battalions raised in New Guinea, 1 NGIB was formed in March 1944. In late 1944, the battalion began deploying company-sized elements in support of combat operations on Bougainville, New Britain and on mainland New Guinea. It later became part of the Pacific Islands Regiment before being disbanded in June 1946.
Sergeant Bengari of A Company, PIB on 5 August 1944
These were local men recruited in New Guinea and led by Australian officers and senior NCOs. They were superb jungle fighters who, being local men, were particularly good at reconnaissance. They were also almost impossible to ambush. They fought from the Kokoda campaign right through to end of the war against Imperial Japan.
Battle Honours include – South West Pacific 1942–45, Kokoda Trail, Kokoda-Deniki, Nassau Bay, Tambu Bay, Finschhafen, Scarlet Beach, Liberation of Australian New Guinea, Sio-Sepik River, Kaboibus-Kiarivu and Bonis-Porton
Originally they were poorly equipped, armed only with rifles and the occasional NCO with an Owen gun. Later in the war and especially when fighting outside of Papua and New Guinea sections were armed the same as as standard AIF infantry section – Bren Gunner, 8 rifles and NCO with SMG.
Bolt Action rules do not allow them to carry a Bren gun despite the historical evidence.
Members of 1 NGIB received 3 Military Medals (MM), and 6 Mentioned in Despatches (MID)
The battalion’s total casualties amounted to 15 killed, 1 missing, 17 died, 25 wounded.
I have another two of these section one armed with Bren gun and the other without which will no doubt feature in due course.
Yesterday marked the fifth anniversary of the passing of the last “Fuzzy Wuzzy Angel.
In most countries to call a man of colour a “Fuzzy Wuzzy” would, and should be considered inappropriate. In Australia, however, when referring to the indigenous peoples of Papua and New Guinea it is both a a term of endearment and honour.
The late Havala Laula was the iconic figure head and living image of the historical Kokoda Track until his passing just after Christmas at his Kagi Village along the track, on the 27th of December, 2017. He was 92 years old.
Meeting Australia’s Governor General Peter Cosgrove.
PNGTPA Chief Executive Officer Mr Jerry Agus said on his passing the late Laula’s death brings to a close an enduring chapter of the Kokoda Track, especially its affection and historical bond with the Australian people.
“He gave sole and meaning to the legend of the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels especially for the thousands of Australians that walk the Kokoda Track every year,” said Mr Agus.
The name, Fuzzy Wuzzy Angel, was a term of endearment Australian troops gave to the local Papua New Guinea villagers who were recruited during the Second World War to bring supplies to Australian troops and to evacuate injured soldiers.
Mr Agus said it was not only fitting but indeed sad that the late Laula lived to commemorate the 75thAnniversary of the Battle of the Kokoda Track before closing an incredible chapter in PNG’s war history.
The Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels were employed as porters to carry supplies to the front line and as stretch bearers to return the wounded back for medical assistance. Most of the ‘Angels” belonged to the Koiari tribe who lived along the Kokoda track. Traditionally the peoples of the Koiari tribe were a hostile and warlike people but in 1908 Missionaries moved into the area and built schools and hospitals.
It was with this history that when the Japanese invaded they decided to stay loyal to their missionary friends which was no doubt helped by they way their young men were captured to work as slaves, and the way their women were treated badly.
This Iconic photo by New Zealand photojournalist Peter Silk, along with the photo below by Damian Parer, and the poem below that, best sums up the relationship and respect of the Australian people to the Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels.
The Fuzzy Wuzzy Angels
Many a mother in Australia, When the busy day is done, Sends a prayer to the Almighty For the keeping of her son, Asking that an Angel guide him And bring him safely back Now we see those prayers are answered On the Owen Stanley track, For they haven’t any halos, Only holes slashed in the ears, And with faces worked by tattoos, With scratch pins in their hair, Bringing back the wounded, Just as steady as a hearse, Using leaves to keep the rain off And as gentle as a nurse.
Slow and careful in bad places, On the awful mountain track, And the look upon their faces, Makes us think that Christ was black. Not a move to hurt the carried, As they treat him like a Saint, It’s a picture worth recording, That an Artist’s yet to paint. Many a lad will see his Mother, And the Husbands, Weans and Wives, Just because the Fuzzy Wuzzy Carried them to save their lives.
From mortar or machine gun fire, Or a chance surprise attack, To safety and the care of Doctors, At the bottom of the track. May the Mothers in Australia, When they offer up a prayer, Mention those impromptu Angels, With the Fuzzy Wuzzy hair.
Australian howitzer-equipped Matilda II tank in combat at the Battle of Tarakan.
This is the Warlord Games’ standard Matilda II plastic version. You can make either the Matilda II with 2pdr or the Matilda II CS. As the CS versions with the 3″ Howitzer were used by the Australians as their command tank when available, I have chosen to put together that version.
When getting the sprues ready I found out that the Western Desert/Pacific version was the easiest to put together as it has one piece tracks and not as many parts, so the task would be quicker than I thought.
The only pieces that were difficult to put together were those attached to the turret. The instructions were vague and I needed to get some reference books out to make sure these smaller bits were in the right place.
The kit came with two sets of tracks, a second turret version, and some odds and sods extras. I used these to make up a destroyed Matilda that could be used as either scatter terrain or for when a tank is destroyed. This turned out OK for pieces that would otherwise be thrown out or stored forever in the bits box.
The original thinking was that Engineers would be less required in the jungle than in the desert, but early experience proved the opposite and each jungle division had a field park company, 3 field companies and a camouflage training unit.
The engineers were the only Australian unit regularly equipped with anti-tank grenades with the exception of the Commando units which carried them if the mission required.
They were equipped slightly different than the standard jungle section having only three SMG’s and a Bren Gun which was one less SMG than the standard jungle section.
The Engineers were also equipped with flame throwers and regularly used these to assist with clearing bunker nests.
The unit can also be equipped with anti-tank grenades. I use this figure to designate when the are equipped with them. The flame thrower and anti-tank grenades make it a useful close-combat assault unit that can cause problems to enemy armour.
Six riflemen.
The Bren Gun is a luxury I personally would do without for its 20pts cost.
An Engineer section has two OR’s with Owen sub machine gun. You can see the only problem I have with these Eureka miniatures. As the SMG’s are accurately scaled the barrels tend to break off too easily. Oh well – they have cut it down to fit in their violin cases!
NCO also equipped with Owen gun.
A sapper recalls is a useful read to give you an idea of the day to day life of a sapper in New Guinea and what they were going through.
I have painted 12 figures to be able to cater with the various options that are available. The standard section size is only ten.
No I am not talking about Amelia Matilda Murray the British botanist (1795-1884), writer (in support of slavery), and courtier, or the Co-founder of the active wear Stax (although in that case the pics would be more attractive), but rather the Australian improved version of the Matilda flamethrower tank.
The British Matilda Frog had to wait for the air compressor to recharge before it could fire again. In order to overcome this weakness in 1944 the Murray version was introduced which used a cordite charge as propellant, eliminating the firing delay. See more in a previous post.
A close up of the flamer barrel.
You can see one of the many Australian alterations. Given their experience in North Africa the Australians were aware that their was a weakness to small arms fire where the turret joined the hull. The addition of a metal strip clearly shown here eliminated this weakness.
The kit is the Warlords Australian Matilda which can make the either of the 2pdr, Murray or the 3″ howitzer CS versions.
The resin and metal kit goes together very well and I couldn’t fault it in any way.
I have another Matilda II Murray, and a Matilda II CS to finish painting and should post on these in a few days.
I am awaiting a set of decals to arrive to finalise all of the tanks.
The kids in the corner on their phones and ipads…………………………………..
The adults snoozing away……………………………… and you know what – Guru and SWMBO are left alone to tidy up and get ready for another lot of free loaders in the evening!
The strange thing is we all love it don’t we!
PS: BTW Santa brought me these:
Book reviews when I have had a chance to read them.
Better go as one lot have left and the other will be arriving soon. Have a great Xmas and New Year.
To all you readers out there may you and your family and friends have a very merry and safe Christmas from Guru and SWMBO.
May your tank capture all the presents you want!
And now for my favourite Christmas Song (although “Gunners” “White Xmas” isn’t bad).
This song retells the true story of World War I’s Christmas Truce of 1914, but from the oddball perspective of Snoopy facing off against his imaginary antagonist, the Red Baron.
I wonder if Vladimir will heed the “Faith Leaders” call for a truce in Ukraine. Well actually I don’t.
This post was written on the 22nd so I hope my scepticism turns out to be ill-founded!
I had just started gluing some resin tanks and needed to wait while they dried. I have had this plastic Reaper figure on the painting desk for ages and just decided to finish it.
It is one of those figures that looks great but the problem is when are you ever going to use. I am not sure either but isn’t that the case with a lot we paint?
Thirty minutes later and the tanks were dry and the “Flying Ape” was finished.
Back to something a bit saner next which I think is a rather relative term isn’t it!
