Introduction

Resicast continues to expand their range of 1/35th scale World War 1 items. This time it is in the form of a Private Soldier in 1915. I’m really pleased to see some new World War 1 figures coming onto the market and with the 100th anniversary coming up next year it’s quite possible we will see a few more additions to their range.
The figure was sculpted by Gerard Detroeye and the painting was done by Christophe Nachtergael.

The Figure

The figure comes cast in a light grey resin and is packed in the standard format for Resicast smaller items (double ziploc plastic bags) Inside are the figure parts and a card insert showing the manufacturers and product details and the card contains a coloured picture of the figure to aid painting.

The figure portrays a soldier of the Great War in Winter 1915, in a standing pose. The figure consists of 18 parts. The body is cast as a whole with separate right arm and head. The equipment consists of a SMLE rifle with a protective cover over the breech, a combined No 1 bayonet and pick helve, carrying webbing for the pick head, a water bottle, small side haversack and in a new development 5 small plugs containing very fine straps and buckles for the equipment.

At the outbreak of the war it became clear that the Mills Equipment Company could not keep up with demand for Webbing equipment so a 1914 Leather Pattern of equipment was introduced by the British Army. Britain had a fairly large leather industry as did America and so a version of the 1908 equipment was produced in leather. This consisted of a leather belt with an S buckle, leather pouches and shoulder straps with canvas haversack, standard water bottle and bayonet. It is this equipment that the figure is modelled in.

There is no specific evidence that the leather equipment was supposed to be used in training only and exchanged when transferred to active service. A high specification was demanded in the quality of the leather. In reality both individuals and whole battalions arrived with this equipment still on issue.

The equipment belt, pouches and shoulder straps on the figure are beautifully done with very fine detail and fixings. Under the equipment the soldier wears a winter jacket made from cow skin. The jacket has a good texture to it. Standard tunic trousers, long putties and ammunition boots complete the dress with the collar of the tunic just visible under the outer jacket. The figure has nice folds and creases and is of good proportion body size overall, being approximately 44mm in height from heel to shoulder.

To add to the main body are the right arm, designed to hold the SMLE, a head with a standard forage cap. The forage cap has a cap badge and leather band with small button fixings. The face is of a mature man, and his very good detail so should paint up well.

Other equipment includes a SMLE rifle with a canvas magazine cover, No 1 bayonet and linked pick shaft, digging tool in a canvas cover, water bottle and small side canvas haversack. 5 small pours containing straps and buckles are provided to give that extra bit of detail. The detail on this equipment is also excellent.

Clean up should be minimal, the new buckles and straps will be interesting to work with and normal precautions apply when working with resin.

Conclusion

This is an interesting development in the Resicast range. The figure is beautifully sculpted by Gerard Detroeye and excellently cast. The small straps seem flexible enough to work with and the individual buckles should add nice detail.
There is a good range of appropriate equipment again all very highly detailed. I watched the development of this figure and the end result is not disappointing.

Figure painters and diorama builders should find this chap very useful and let’s hope he is joined by a few friends in time for the 100th anniversary. It would appear the leather equipment survived in service longer than intended and although most probably eventually replaced by web equipment in Infantry units I would hazard a guess it was still standard issue for many support troops by wars end.(see link below)

Another interesting and well crafted product for the Resicast range. Exciting times ahead?

I have enclosed a picture of the original idea that this sculpt was based on plus some work in progress photographs courtesy of Gerard of the completed sculpt.

I found this site an interesting read on the leather webbing.

Karkee Web Live links