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Author Topic: Snapforce (AAR Link, Page 3)  (Read 5363 times)

Offline Mad Lord Snapcase

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Snapforce (AAR Link, Page 3)
« on: February 09, 2019, 11:44:13 AM »
With all due respect and admiration for the services of the British Army Commandos in World War II. Here are two of my photos of the Commando Memorial at Spean Bridge in Scotland. By the end of the war 25,000 men had passed through the Commando course at nearby Achnacarry.



I have recently decided to assemble and paint an Army Commando force and hence this thread to record progress. In my usual style, these turned out to be a rather eclectic and eccentric bunch of soldiers. Inspiration derives from the great Commando comics plus authors such as James Delingpole and Michael Asher. Also, in a fit of nostalgia, The Hotspur, The Victor and The Valiant comics of boyhood. Doug em4 and myself had a long e-mail discussion about boyhood comic heroes and Doug was the inspiration behind the naming of some of my Commando characters.



« Last Edit: March 08, 2019, 12:49:42 PM by Mad Lord Snapcase »


Offline Mad Lord Snapcase

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Re: Snapforce
« Reply #1 on: February 09, 2019, 12:10:43 PM »
So, without further ado, the first group of Snapforce. As the Special Service Brigade under Brigadier Joe Haydon was expanded to twelve Commando units, Lieutenant Colonel Hector McSnapcase, the Laird of Glencairn was quick to offer his services to Admiral Roger Keyes, appointed commander of Combined Operations. McSnapcase had assembled his unit from inhabitants of the Glencairn Estate originally, ghillies, crofters, poachers and farmers. However, as their reputation spread volunteers flooded in from all over the Commonwealth and other countries allied to Britain.


L to R: Sergeant Talaiasi Labalaba, Pipe Major Shughie McFee, Hector McSnapcase, 'Tickle' McScrotum, Captain Peter Fleming.

Sergeant Talaiasi Labalaba is an ex-international rugby forward from Fiji. The Laird's 'pipey', Shughie Mcfee lives in a croft on the Glencairn estate right by the Crossroads and has been the piper at Glenbogle House clan events and highland games for many a year. Hector McSnapcase is the current Laird of Glencairn and inhabits his ancestral home, Glenbogle House. McScrotum is the aged and wrinkled Glencairn head-ghillie. McScrotum will follow the Laird into battle wearing his lucky Celtic scarf! He will of course, also carry a bottle of the Laird's favourite whiskey, Glen Goolie, a dram of which will see them through the worst that Jerry can throw at them. Captain Peter Fleming, the explorer is the originator of the stay-behind Auxiliary Units as well as the man who blew up Montgomery's flower beds! He has armed himself with an elephant gun, the .577 Nitro Express.


« Last Edit: February 09, 2019, 01:18:29 PM by Mad Lord Snapcase »

Offline Mad Lord Snapcase

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Re: Snapforce
« Reply #2 on: February 09, 2019, 01:11:31 PM »

L to R: Chief Petty Officer Jon Pertwee, Arnold Tabbs, Nick Smith, Alf Tupper, Stavros the Greek.

CPO Pertwee is the Commando's naval liaison officer from the frigate HMS Troutbridge. After falling out with the commander of HMNB Portsmouth, Vice-Admiral 'Burbly' Burwasher, Pertwee found himself transferred to Snapforce. Arnold Tabbs is Nick Smith's old mucker from Glenbogle Rangers. Tabbs was considered a hard-man at the Rangers and dominated the midfield. Nick Smith, the 'Wizard of the Dribble' was the top player at Glenbogle Rangers. Unusually he was not only captain of his side but also coach and manager! Alf Tupper used to live with his Aunt Meg in Anchor Alley, Loose-Chippings. The house had one room upstairs and one room downstairs; Alf's bed was a mattress on the kitchen floor. He was employed as a welder working in Ike Smith's welding shop which was located under a railway arch, his wages were £1. 5s per week of which he paid his Aunt £1.2s.6d for rent. This meant he had 2/6d for himself. Following a bust up with his Aunt Meg, he moved into Ike Smith's welding shop, sleeping on a mattress by his workbench. Alf joined the Much-Piddling Harriers paying a subscription fee of half a guinea; he was only a member of the Harriers for three weeks and was instructed to return his membership card by Major-General Kenwood-Chef the Honorary Secretary, following an on-track fight with ‘Catsmeat’ Potter-Pirbright in the 440 yards at the Much-Piddling Harriers Sports meeting. According to Alf ‘Catsmeat’ called him a ‘guttersnipe’. Alf's staple diet is fish and chips wrapped in newspaper. Stavros the Greek originally hails from Santorini. He emigrated to England before the war and was running a kebab shop called Abra-Kebabra in Much-Piddling. When Stavros was called up he immediately volunteered for the Commandos, hoping for a posting to the Aegean where he could fight the Axis forces occupying his homeland.

Offline Dr Bogo

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Re: Snapforce
« Reply #3 on: February 09, 2019, 01:24:08 PM »
Absolutely smashing! The backstories always make these units special (aside from the painting naturally) - can't wait to see them in action!

Offline Mad Lord Snapcase

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Re: Snapforce
« Reply #4 on: February 09, 2019, 02:44:35 PM »
Absolutely smashing! The backstories always make these units special (aside from the painting naturally) - can't wait to see them in action!

Thanks, Dr Bogo. The first game for them is planned for early March.

The canoeists will have a foot version each, two of which are painted and shown already.


Nick Smith, Arnold Tabbs, Wally Brand, 'Limp Along' Leslie Tomson.

All four of the canoeists are old friends and players from Glenbogle Rangers. As a child 'Limp Along' Leslie's family were involved in a car accident, his parents were killed but he survived with a leg injury which never quite healed. Leslie's leg helped him curl the ball in an unnatural manner.

Offline Doug ex-em4

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Re: Snapforce
« Reply #5 on: February 09, 2019, 05:11:47 PM »
What a fine body of men and we have yet to see the appearance of the RAF liaison personnel - made up of a true legend.

I’ll say no more for now.... ;)

Great stuff, Snapcase. You’re mad but in a very good way :D

Doug

Offline Mad Lord Snapcase

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Re: Snapforce
« Reply #6 on: February 09, 2019, 05:31:48 PM »
What a fine body of men and we have yet to see the appearance of the RAF liaison personnel - made up of a true legend.

I’ll say no more for now.... ;)

Great stuff, Snapcase. You’re mad but in a very good way :D

Doug

Thank you, sir! ...and now, Doug's boyhood hero the flying legend, Matt Braddock. Doug flew with Braddock on many a dangerous mission in his younger days!


L to R: McAuslan, Seth Starkadder, Karamjeet Singh Judge, Wackford Squeers, Matt Braddock.

McAuslan, the dirtiest commando in Snapforce and possibly not the full jar of Marmite has had his training on the grenade range. Now he's in a quandry trying to remember what Sergeant Major Tudor Bryn 'Shut Up' Williams told him about hand grenades. Does he throw the clip-thingy on the side of it or does he throw the lumpy bit in his hand? What to do, eh? Seth Starkadder is the youngest son of Judith and Amos Starkadder. He grew up on Cold Comfort Farm. Judith has an unhealthy passion for her own son, Seth. Amos Starkadder, Seth’s father is the hellfire preacher at the Church of the Quivering Brethren. Seth is handsome and over-sexed, with a passion for the movies. As a boy he was given a .22 rifle and became an expert shot, bringing rabbits home for the pot. The Laird of Glencairn spent some time on the North West frontier between the wars and quickly came to recognise the fighting qualities of the warriors who inhabit that area. Wishing to take the war to the enemy, Karamjeet Singh Judge, a Sikh obtained a Lieutenant's commission and volunteered for service in the commandos. Wackford Squeers, despite his unfortunate name is a first class signaller. He can get a bleep out of a tin can and some string. He went to school at Dotheboys Hall in Yorkshire. Flight Sergeant Matt Braddock is one of the best pilots in the RAF and has flown many different types of aircraft on many dangerous missions. However, he does have a knack of upsetting senior officers (occasionally offering to punch them) and refuses to be promoted above the rank of sergeant. When the Laird of Glencairn came to the Air Ministry looking for a Forward Air Controller for Snapforce, the Air Ministry staff put Braddock's name forward in a trice. A potentially suicidal posting with the Commandos plus attaching Braddock to the 'Pongoes' seemed to be killing two birds with one stone for the staffers at the Air Ministry. So, Snapforce gains a 'Crab' Commando FAC.
« Last Edit: February 09, 2019, 06:10:23 PM by Mad Lord Snapcase »

Online Ultravanillasmurf

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Re: Snapforce
« Reply #7 on: February 09, 2019, 05:38:37 PM »
Creative stuff.

I look forward to hearing of their adventures.

Offline Blackwolf

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Re: Snapforce
« Reply #8 on: February 09, 2019, 06:56:37 PM »
Brilliant!
 Mad but true story which maybe of interest? Great Uncle Bill ,ex-detective in Kingscross (Sydney), petty officer in the RAN(he ran away to sea before becoming a policeman) seconded to the RN for special duties,became a commando doing goodness knows what ,possibly with Ian Fleming’s chaps? Met Stalin on a propaganda mission,returned home returning to the police,and becoming a selector for Australia ‘s international Rugby Union side (he had won a best player thing in the 20s,which  still have).
And finally he was half Austro-Hungarian on his fathers side...!
Stranger than fiction.
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Offline Mad Lord Snapcase

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Re: Snapforce
« Reply #9 on: February 09, 2019, 07:03:10 PM »
Creative stuff.

I look forward to hearing of their adventures.

Thanks, Ultravanillasmurf, more to come.   ;)

Offline Mad Lord Snapcase

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Re: Snapforce
« Reply #10 on: February 09, 2019, 07:09:22 PM »
Brilliant!
 Mad but true story which maybe of interest? Great Uncle Bill ,ex-detective in Kingscross (Sydney), petty officer in the RAN(he ran away to sea before becoming a policeman) seconded to the RN for special duties,became a commando doing goodness knows what ,possibly with Ian Fleming’s chaps? Met Stalin on a propaganda mission,returned home returning to the police,and becoming a selector for Australia ‘s international Rugby Union side (he had won a best player thing in the 20s,which  still have).
And finally he was half Austro-Hungarian on his fathers side...!
Stranger than fiction.

Hi Blackwolf, thanks for that fascinating story. A real-life hero. I have the book about Ian Fleming's commandos. I have a miniature on the painting desk ready for the Commandos which I'm now going to say is Great Uncle Bill.

What is Bill's surname for my back story?

Will post when painting is complete.

Offline Doug ex-em4

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Re: Snapforce
« Reply #11 on: February 09, 2019, 08:44:37 PM »
Snapcase...! For God’s Sake man. What about the Mounties....?

Doug
 ;) :D :D

Offline Blackwolf

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Re: Snapforce
« Reply #12 on: February 09, 2019, 09:11:14 PM »
Uncle Bill would be honoured I’m sure :)
His full name was William Martin Coleman,the children took their mothers name,and anglicised their forenames (his was Bela).
Look forward to seeing him :)
Cheero
Guy


Offline Dr DeAth

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Re: Snapforce
« Reply #13 on: February 09, 2019, 10:09:14 PM »
Brilliant. Completely mad, but brilliant!
Photos of my recent efforts are at www.littleleadmen.com and https://beaverlickfalls.blogspot.com

Offline Harry Faversham

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Re: Snapforce
« Reply #14 on: February 10, 2019, 01:58:15 AM »


 ;)
"Wot did you do in the war Grandad?"

"I was with Harry... At The Bridge!"