Wow!! You are really talented Sir!!!

Cheers

Romain

Hi Romain,

Thanks, glad you like it so far.

Al

Dear Alan,
Once again, you are able to take us into the horific reality of the "Great War" by showing us a rather rare item in that war: an ambulance. Rare, since a British Division in 1916 used approx 877 horse drawn carriages, owned about 5,600 horses and just 9(!!) vehicles. Only in 1918 this 'improved' into 822 carriages, 8840 horses and 3 trucks, 11 cars and 21 motorized ambulances.

Thanks for showing us. It helps to get a better historical feeling.
For those who are interested in the personal catastrophies, this war caused, I can advise the book '365 Soldaten uit de Groote Oorlog', (ISBN 90 209 4529 7) written by Ian Connerty, Sir Martin Ghilbert, Peter Hart, Lyn MacDonald and Nigel Steel. Using the years calander, a KIA is mentioned on every day. It describes briefly the event in which the person was killed, but also it gives a personal background. All ranks are there, from the Chinese Labour Troops up to Brigadier Charles Fitzclarence, V.C.

Looking forward to see the rest soon!

P.

Hi Paul,

Your absolutely correct the British Army used a lot of horse drawn wagon, both GS and ambulance. The version of the Ford T I've used was supplied by the Scottish Woman's Hospitals, many charitable organisations felt it their duty to provide medial aid. These organisations purchased their own transport. The SWH operated extensively around the Somme area, providing transport from the CCS to hospitals throughout the region. They were one of several charities providing the same service. Further back in the thread is a link that gives details of their operations and they became a vital part of the medical support network that developed during the war.

Many of these services were later incorporated into the new RAMC.

The American Field Service provided the same type of support for the French at Verdun and elsewhere long before America became involved in the conflict.

Thanks for the info on the publication, feedback appreciated.

Cheers

Al

Hi folks,

Here's a blast from the past:



I'll use this as the doner for my mounted officer/soldier.

Al

Déja Vu. The horse is still very good in detail.
I'm getting old...

Hi Alan,

Here, Tamiya announces a "new comer" for your dio!
Just wait a few weeks..............
http://www.perthmilitarymodelling.com/newkitnews/tamiya.html
P.

Hi RJ,

I did a conversion of the horse soldier many years ago, don't know where it ended up.

Hi Paul,

Yes, saw that one, lets hope it is a good kit, some WW1 British Infantry too I believe which might be interesting.

Cheers

Al

Hi folks,

I haven't gotten much done recently, for a variety of reasons. I think I'll add some stacked ammo either by the rail side or across the road.






and some rum jars by the track or along the boared area.





I'm hoping to get a bit more done this evening or tomorrow morning.

Cheers

Al

Would anyone have a rear view of British Officers 1916 leather equipment. I'm interested to know how the shoulder straps sit and fasten to the rear of the belt.

Can find a pic at all.

Thanks

Al

Edit, Cancel my last found one.

Al

Hello Alan ,

do you mean a SAM BROWNE belt ? Belgian officers had the same leather belt as the British during the First World War. This remained the standard equipment for the officers in the Belgian army until 1940.

http://www.abbl1940.be/ABBL1940files/Uitrusting/Riemen/officiersriemen/SBriem3.JPG

http://www.abbl1940.be/ABBL1940files/Uitrusting/Riemen/officiersriemen/SBriem2.JPG

http://www.abbl1940.be/ABBL1940files/Uitrusting/Riemen/officiersriemen/sambrownedetail.JPG

The big difference was that the British belts had two shoulder straps , the Belgian belts only one .

I hope this was interesting ?

Cheers
Kurt

Hi Kurt,

Thanks, I managed to find some pics of the rear fixings. Just started work on an engineer officer in shorts!

Cheers

Al

Summer at the Somme Part 2

Hi RJ,

This is the work on the RSM (Warrant officer Class 1). Two separate parts of Tamiya bodies and a Hornet head. I was going to make him an officer but realised I'd let off the collar and tie!! Progress so far:







He's carrying a couple of German Grenades for the job in hand.

Cheers

Al

Hi folks,

A little more work. Still a WIP. The rum jars have open and closed tops and I've started on the shell stack.





Al

Nice!! LOve the progress. Good lookin' NCO. He looks ready to kick some arse.
J

Nice so far Alan. I'm allways amazed by the fact that there is 'booze'involved, when the Brits come along. Faces cooked like a lobster and the overall white legs.
I love it

Cherio,

JR

Hi Jerry,

Thanks, a bit more work on the face and mud on the tunic required.

Hi RJ,

Yip, gotta have your rum ration - got stopped in the late 60's I believe but I remember getting an unofficial tot when we were doing our battle training, cold enough to freeze the nuts of a brass monkey and most welcome.

Our outstanding climate gives us our wonderful complexion .

Rum collection dumping point.



Cheers

Al

LOL.
But it's a serious thing that the forces, no matter what war comes along, are 'doped'
Perhaps it used to be a bottle of rum, wodka, weinbrandt or cognac, later on during the century of wars 'drugs' got involved. Speed and related amphetamines for the German fighter pilots for example.
Take away the fear by feeding them and let them fight like hell. Sad, but true.
Interesting stuff.

Cheers,

RJ

Hi RJ,

The prospect of getting out of a trench to walk into a hail of machine gun fire and shrapnel would put the fear of death into any man.

Harry Patch 'The Last Tommy' said in a TV interview that any man who went over the top and said he wasn't scared was a lair. Those who went over the top more than once knew exactly what was coming and their chances of survival.

Dutch Courage it may have been but without it many would just have stayed put. It's the same thinking that the Allies used when choosing the Battalions to land on D Day, they were very much inexperienced young men, who had not seen battle before. Experienced soldiers would be much harder to coax out of the boats and a lot more cautious.

Dutch Courage in whatever form has been around for a long time. - There but for fortune.....

Cheers

Al

Alan.
What do you mean by "Dutch' courage. This is new for me.
Is it like 'going Dutch', so to say, to express a way of live?

Just read a book about our history, as being not involved in the great battles so far. History tells that we are no war makers. As a 'country', we got involved being traders, to represent cities like Amsterdam & Antwerp. As a modern country, for 200 years now, we only had one. WW II
So please explain the saying 'Dutch courage'

Tonight part 3 of the Great War Diaries plays on Dutch channel 2. Very nice docu. It's not the Disc or Whatever sequence of rubish. Never seen these moving pictures before.

RJ

Hi folks,

This is the last effort for to day.











Cheers

Al

Hi RJ,

It's an expression used here when taking something to give yourself courage. Don't know the origins, probably the Royal Navy.

Cheers

Al

Hi RJ,

Several suggested origins on the net depending on who you believe.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dutch_courage

Al

Hello Alan ,

that Warrant officer first class (or adjudant-chef as we say ) looks great ,a real bully . It reminds me (in a certain way )of the song '' Your in the army now '' from the band Status quo.

STAND UP AND FIGHT !!!!!

Oh boy , you are a true champion sir in the conversion of figures....

Cheers to that

In the First World War , soldiers who went over the top were never drunk by the way. It is a well kept secret what kind of liquor they ( the soldiers )were drinking before they attacked. But if people think it's rum or any kind of alcohol they are wrong !

Kurt