Today was a day of sorting out and building kits. I did get almost everything undercoated and some colours on things, but nothing finished.
The Platoon on the way. This shows my bulk painting style with everything undercoated guns with first basic colour and “hummies” with flesh colour completed.
75mm Light Howitzer and crew with first basic colours.
2 Six pounder Anti-tank Guns I have a third almost completed for tomorrow.
Australian “cut down” Bofors gun
Assorted crew.
Infantry support, leaders and forward observers.
Two Bren gun carriers and an LVT-4 which, although not for this platoon, I will paint at the same time as they are the same colours.
More infantry in the process of being put together.
I am rushing to build an Australian Tank Attack Platoon for a Bolt Action competition coming up in July. I find having a deadline – real or self imposed – helps with the motivation to get things done. I originally started collecting these figures because I liked them and well before I was playing Bolt Action. Putting this platoon together will allow me to use the excess artillery pieces I had picked up.
As normal I like to complete the research first before I go on to the build.
In December, the regiment was withdrawn back to Palestine, at which time preparations began for the 9th Division to return to Australia, where they were to join the other 2nd AIF divisions fighting the Japanese. Embarking in January 1943, the regiment returned to Australia by sea, and reached Sydney the following month.
A period of leave followed, before the regiment was reconstituted at Kairi, Queensland; around this time it was re-designated the 2/3rd Tank Attack Regiment. As the Australian Army was reorganised for the fighting in the Pacific, it adopted the jungle division establishment. This saw a reduction in the number of anti-tank batteries assigned to each division to one, as the armoured threat was considered low in the Australian Army’s area of operations in the Pacific; as a result the regiment became a corps asset, assigned to I Corps.
The 9th Battery was subsequently assigned to the 4th Division, and was transferred out of the regiment, moving to Townsville, Queensland, while the 12th Battery was temporarily assigned to the 6th Division.
2/3rd Anti-Tank Regiment gun, New Guinea, November 1943
The 10th Battery deployed to New Guinea in July, initially with a view to provide support during the advance through the Markham Valley; however, the lack of Japanese armour meant they remained around Port Moresby and were used in a defensive role, and undertook manual labour until returning to Australia in April 1944. Meanwhile, in September 1943, the 11th Battery was detached for the landing at Lae, supporting the 9th Division.
Later, it deployed to support the 20th Brigade around Scarlet Beach during operations to secure Finschaffen, manning defensive positions along the beach, before returning to Australia in March 1944. In May 1944, the regiment was reconstituted, with the 10th and 11th Batteries rejoining regimental headquarters at Mapee, Queensland; in August, they moved to Wongabel. The 12th Battery returned to the regiment in September 1944, when the 6th Division deployed to Aitape–Wewak where there was no need for anti-tank support.
By late 1944, the jungle division establishment was changed, and the allocation of anti-tank batteries restored to three per division. The regiment moved to Ravenshoe, Queensland, concentrating with the rest of the 9th Division at this time in preparation for deployment overseas. By December 1944, the regiment was under the command of Lieutenant Colonel J.N.L Argent, on the Atherton Tablelands. He subsequently commanded the regiment during its final campaign of the war, the recapture of Borneo.
The move began in March 1945, via Cairns, Queensland, and then to Morotai Island; the regiment undertook labouring duties in May loading ships to support the 26th Brigade’s operation to retake Tarakan. Further stevedoring work was undertaken in June before the regiment embarked to support landings around Labuan and Brunei.
There was no real anti-tank role for them, and as such during the advance on Weston and Beaufort, the regiment was employed mainly as makeshift infantry assigned to the ad hoc Gusforce, to carry out patrols around Sipitang; it also employed a variety of weapons, including 4.2-inch mortars, 6-pounder anti-tank guns, 2pdr anti-tank guns and 75 mm pack howitzers. At the end of the fighting the regiment undertook garrison duties on the Natuna Islands.
Before I start I need to decide which Bolt Action List I will use. There are two available, one from the Campaign book “Battle of France”, which is very generic and does not provide a lot of detail which may perhaps cause some issues with opponents in a competition environment. The other is the Late War British Anti-Tank Platoon from the D Day British and Canadian Campaign book. This has slightly more infantry which fits more with the information above about some of the roles it was used for.
I will use the later but replace it with Australian figures.
We had our first Silver Bayonet campaign game on Tuesday 2nd of May. As there were an odd number we played a 3 player game with us each competing against each other. The Russians of Rob, Prussians of Wayne, and the French from Guru. We were playing the first scenario trying to find the Hobgoblin and destroy him/her.
TURN ONE
The French Sergeant Marcel move forward explore the first “clue marker” while Corporal Godefroy fires to keep the Russians at bay.
Russian scum attacking the local inhabitants.
Father Severus moves to a second clue marker but cannot explore it until next turn. Vivandeir Clarisse follows while Corporal Jules provides support.
The rest of the French move in between these two parties to add support where required.
Halt who goes there! “Honk honk” was the reply! Meanwhile a Russian has bit the dust from Prussian fire.
A fight over the cow pen sees the Prussian swordsmen shot down by the Russians in reply.
Prussians advancing on a clue marker.
TURN 2
The Prussians search a clue marker and find the Hobgoblin who is rampaging towards the Russians.
The Prussian Officer takes him on and inflicts a pile of wounds. Yuck a Hobgoblin with piles!
The Russians shoot the Hobgoblin and fail to wound but re-roll and take him out!
Poor dead “hobby”.
The Were bear finally appears after several attempts and heads towards the Prussian Commander.
The scene so far (and yet so near?)!
The “cuddly wuddly” hovers of the Prussian but is eventually taken out by French musketry.
TURN 3
The French Officer searches their third clue marker in the farmyard.
French volleys at the Russians.
Take a gander at that for harassing the Goose and Goslings!
The Russian Officer takes out another Prussian which causes the closest carnivorous moo moo to munch munch.
With all of the clue markers dealt with we all started to “head for the hills” and called the game.
The post game phase saw Guru end up with the most rewards, a Prussian die of his wounds and a down figure the Russians wanted to die survive!
As you can see the game was taken very seriously and a great fun time was had by all.
Same time, same channel for the next thrilling episode.
A second D-Day Commando section designed for fire support with 2 Vickers K machine guns and the rest of the section all armed with rifles. Designed to sit back and support the SMG armed Commandos.
The British Commando section did not change much throughout the war. Each man could be equipped with a standard issue rifle or SMG.
Initially a section carried one Bren Light Machine Gun but during Operation Overlord and throughout 1944 – 45 they were often equipped with one or two Vickers K machine guns.
Originally intended for RAF airfield defence units, these guns were remanufactured from original Vickers G.O. No.1 Mk.1 aircraft guns. A number of these ‘Vickers G.O. Land Service’ machine guns found their way to a variety of British commando and reconnaissance units which operated in Europe during 1944 and 1945. The Land variant has the spade grip replaced with a “semi bullpup” short stock at the rear and a pistol grip with trigger below the receiver. A short forend or a folding carrying handle are added below the gas cylinder, and a folding bipod is attached to the gas block. New iron sights are provided on folding bases
The Vickers ‘K’ has a higher rate of fire and this is reflected in game terms by rolling an extra die for shooting (5 instead of 4).
Like the 3″ mortar the Vickers medium Machine Gun was portable enough, and rugged and reliable enough, to provide the suppression fire the Commandos required on raids.
With the support teams now completed I just have four more sections (forty figures) to complete the army.
Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC, DL, nicknamed “Monty”, was a senior British Army officer who served in the First World War, the Irish War of Independence and the Second World War.
Bernard Law Montgomery – Monty – was born on 17 November 1887 in Kennington, Surrey, the fourth child, of nine, to The Reverend Henry Montgomery, an Ulster-Scots Church of Ireland minister, and his wife, Maud.
In a long and distinguished career Monty served in the British Army from 1908 onwards and rose to the rank of Field Marshal.
Monty graduated from Sandhurst in 1908 and during the First World War served with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment and was wounded during the Battle of Ypres in 1915. By the end of that conflict Monty was Chief of staff for the 47th (2nd London) Division.
In the inter war years Monty held a number of staff positions and married a widow, Elizabeth Carver, in 1927. Their son was born in 1928, and joined the 2 sons from Elizabeth’s first marriage. Tragically Elizabeth died in 1937 due to an infected insect bite.
At the start of the Second World War Monty commanded 3rd (Iron) Division and successfully evacuated the unit virtually intact from Dunkirk in 1940. Monty was outspoken about the leadership and tactics shown by the BEF and Allies and essentially his career stalled for a short while, even though he was awarded Companion of the Order of Bath at this time and eventually promoted to Lt General.
In 1942 he was appointed Commander in Chief Middle East and Commander 8th Army and earned his reputation as a meticulous planner with the ability to foresee his foes actions by carefully studying their character and tactics, with the successful Battle of El Alamein and subsequent routing of Axis Forces in the Middle East.
Monty proved popular with troops handing out cigarettes on visits and at this time started to sport a black Tankers beret, which became very much part of his image.
During operations initially in Tunisia and later in Sicily and Italy tensions rose with American Generals, particularly Patton and Bradley. However, this tension perhaps could be explained due to the competitiveness between such high status and determined military figures during a period of total war.
The figure is from Warlord Games, but other than the stance and the beret there is not much likeness.
Montgomery on Juno Beach.
I will use this figure as a senior officer for my British Commandos.
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