VBCW Corporate Guards - Hereford 1938

[leadboy]

There's a lot in the published VBCW canon about Trade Unionism, Socialist Militias, Workers Platoons etc. - see Solway's "The People's Armies" supplement. However, taking an example from the 1930s of Henry Ford's organised strikebreakers, it must be just as likely that the owners of large capitalist concerns raised their own (well funded) 'private armies' to defend their factories and property, particularly in areas where the forces of His Majesty's Government (or the BUF) were unable to provide troops. Hence were borne the "Corporate Guards".

Lledo and Matchbox provide lots of cheap diecast trucks pre-painted in "corporate colours", and the troops' uniforms and other kit can be similarly painted. Hence, in VBCW Herefordshire, we already have Cadbury's Corporate Guards in purple and cream, Oxo Corporate Guards in red and cream and Fyffes Corporate Guards in yellow and light blue. All WW1 uniforms appropriately "dyed", of course. See the thread (with pics!) on the blog -

https://hereford1938avbcwtng.blogspot.com/search/label/Corporate%20Guards

If anybody's got any other suggestions for Corporate Guards (in different corporate colours, but with ready availability of supporting LLedo/Matchbox diecasts), would be really pleased to hear, as we may need a "Fourth Section" before the Combined Corporate Guard Platoon is quite done...

[Mad Lord Snapcase]

What about the Ovaltine van, supported by the Ovaltineys!

[leadboy]

Oh, that's truly splendid! On time, on target - pre-coloured diecast WITH supporting 1930s documentation and corporate soundtrack! Got to think about suitable figures now! Many thanks indeed - proof, if ever needed, that the hive mind is infinitely greater than any one individual...
PS. Never drunk Ovaltine in my life - what does it taste like?

[Overlord]

What about a local brewery?  There are delivery lorries/vans for many brewers available, or suitable to convert to something more local.

When planning my VBCW forces (that didn't happen) I intended to use the staff of the local brewery as a force. The Morlands workforce were to make up the (Piss) Artists Rifles, with flag/banner based on the company sign

[Mad Lord Snapcase]

PS. Never drunk Ovaltine in my life - what does it taste like?

Actually, I've never had it either! My wife drinks it, it's a sort of chocolate malt with milk drink, I think.

Got to think about suitable figures now!

I'm looking forward to seeing what you come up with, loved the Cadburys and Fyffes trucks and troops!   

Made at Kings Langley in Hertfordshire during the '30s.

[leadboy]

Mad Lord Snapcase - a lovely postcard. Many thanks again!

Overlord Yes, I thought about breweries, but Herefordshire is more cider and perry country e.g. Bulmers and Westons, and the relevant families are still around in the County. We've got a convention not to use "real people" in the VBCW which we observe pretty respectfully (i.e. unless they were famous and/or their political leanings obvious and/or they have some interesting 'neutral' position). Pubs, however, well the plan is that our LDVs congregate around them (e.g. the Red Lion Rifles, the Kings Head Revolutionaries etc.) but that's a whole different project! And you should get yr. VBCW project going just to see that flag in action!

[commissarmoody]

I'v had it as a kid. It's not bad. as Mad Lord said it's a sort of chocolate malt with milk drink. so not as sweet as say a regular chocolate powder or syrup used to make chocolate milk. And you can lie to yourself and saying its health because, it's got vitamins in it.

[leadboy]

CommissarMoody - many thanks, I'll have to keep my eye out for it on the supermarket shelves and report back....

[FramFramson]

it's got vitamins in it.

And you must pronounce it "vittamins"