Congo Crisis 1960s - Step 1:Inspiration+Step 2:The story+Step 3: Opposing forces

[mikedemana]

It actually never really settled down and has had warfare going on every since independence. I read a really good book awhile back, Dancing in the Glory of Monsters: The Collapse of the Congo and the Great War of Africa by Jason Stearns. Really fascinating (and honestly, depressing) read, which takes it up to present, pretty much.

Link here:
https://www.amazon.com/Dancing-Glory-Monsters-Collapse-Africa/dp/1610391071

Good for wargamers, sad for the people of this monstrous state...    But then again, that could be said about all of our wargaming periods, couldn't it?

Mike Demana
www.firstcommandwargames.com
http://leadlegionaries.blogspot.com/

[traveller]

Having finished most of the timeline I now will start to write up what I have on the opposing forces. It will be quite a massive post that I will build a long with the miniature conversions I am working on. Please comment and add what you might have in addition. Thanks!

[traveller]

Opposing forces

UN ONUC forces - Sweden

The Swedish forces started to arrive in Congo July 15 1960 until their departure June 30, 1964. In total some 6300 Swedish soldiers served in Congo suffering 19 dead (whereof 2 never were found and assumed consumed by cannibals). The Swedes were lightly armed and not really prepared for the heavy fighting that developed during the 4 years of service. I have struggled to find any exact information of the organization of the Swedish battalions as this seems to have fluctuated a bit during the course of the war. However, one example that is confirmed by the veteran Sten Johnson (in the Skalman.nu forum) is as follows:


1st platoon, 3rd Company 18th Bat (October 1962 - May 1963)

3 x Rifle Groups: 7 men, 4 x SMG m/45 and 3 x Semi automatic rifle Ag m/42
1 x LMG Group: 8 men, 2 x LMG Ksp m/58 and 8 x SMG m/45
1 x AT Group: 8 men, 2 x Carl Gustaf recoilless rifle, 8 x SMG m/45

earlier in the conflict an earlier LMG model was used, the Ksp m/42, which is a copy of the Browning MG M1919A6. A sniper rifle, the m/41 (Mauser) fitted with scope, was also used depending on the mission. Mortar platoons supporting the rifle companies used 8 cm mortars.

The uniform was the dark green cotton "Indian uniform" which was based on the British 1937 pattern. Headgear was the blue beret or the blue field cap. Officers can also be seen using the Swedish weapons tunic(see picture below). Please also note the raincoats in the picture below. Besides the weapons they look like US infantry in great coats. Helmet was the US M1 design with a plastic blue liner, worn if not in combat, and in dark green steel for combat with "UN" or "ONU" printed in white letters. During the december fighting 1961 alsp Swedish helmets m/37 was also used

SMG m/45



Ag m/42



Ksp m/42




Ksp m/58



Sniper rifle m/41



Grg Carl Gustaf



Uniforms



























A couple of Swedes sporting captured FALs and a Ksp m/42






































To be continued...

[mikedemana]

Great research! Where's the museum that the mannequin was photographed?

Mike Demana
www.firstcommandwargames.com

[traveller]

Great research! Where's the museum that the mannequin was photographed?

Mike Demana
www.firstcommandwargames.com

I am afraid I snatched the image from the web somewhere. I am not aware of any permanent museum for the Kongo in Sweden. However, from time to time there has been temporary exhibitions in museums such as Armemuseum in Stockholm

[gimzod]

Force on force bush wars has some info on the Irish UN troops and mercenaries including the organisation of a platoon.

[juergen c. olk]

Great project..Don;t Forget your Saab Tunaan

[carlos marighela]

Of which there's a serviceable 1/72 Model from Matchbox, which you can still find second hand or on Ebay.

[cdr]

A Douglas Invader with a Cuban crew is also essential !

[traveller]

Great project..Don;t Forget your Saab Tunaan

Correct, that was a great help for the UN troops. There are 1/48 models available from a number of manufacturers(Hobbyboss, Pilot Replicas, AZ Models) so it should be easy to add. For the early fighting the Katanga side had supremacy in the skies with their the Fouga Magister which also pounded the poor Irish at Jadotville.

[Mike Bravo Minis]

You'll want to avoid the AZ and HobbyBoss ones, although the hobbyboss one is AFAIK more like 1/52.  The pilot replica version is an excellent kit by all accounts. But I digress!

Thanks for the info, Bo.

[traveller]

You'll want to avoid the AZ and HobbyBoss ones, although the hobbyboss one is AFAIK more like 1/52.  The pilot replica version is an excellent kit by all accounts. But I digress!

Thanks for the info, Bo.

Thanks Mike, thats good recommendations once we need some airpower

I updated with some miniatures above (eagerly awaiting your release... )

[Mike Bravo Minis]

On the combined arms front:

[traveller]

Nice photo! Swedish KP armoured cars together with M8s captured from the Katanga Gendarmerie

[Burgundavia]

Related, I found this old photo for the Jadotville Irish forces:


Anybody know what the two vehicles in the back right are? I think the bus/truck thing on the left is either a volvo or a leyland. The other truck to the left looks like an American war surplus vehicle but I can't find either on the internet.