28mm South Africans in Italy, 1944

[Sirius]

Hiya

Have added some pix of some of my South Africans to my blog, for those who are interested.



Its very much a small skirmish force at present, but I am (slowly) growing it for use in the "platoon plus" size games like Victory Decision, Disposable Heroes and Bolt Action. Have attempted to represent a few sections of the First City/Cape Town Highlanders, a regiment in the Motorised Brigade of the SA 6th Armoured division, deployed in Italy from April 1944 until end of WW2. At present I have one squad in "summer" kit (as seen in Tuscany), and another in winter battledress (more representative of the campaign in the Appenines). A point for the purists: the distinctive red shoulder tabs and tam-of-shanters were seldom seen in combat pix, but I included a few to add the vital "flavour" to the unit, so forgive the creative licence...   Oh, and I realise the rifles in the winter squad have the barrels/furniture painted incorrectly, but forgive me, those were first attempts, and I have since learned the errors of my ways...   

In case you are wondering about the regiment name: Due to manpower shortages, some South African regiments were amalgamated for the campaign. (Three factors combined to ensure the Union Defence force was always short of boots on the ground: 1) South Africa was very much a segregated society, and the government of the day recruited its combatants only from members of the white minority, 2) there were many amongst this minority who believed South African should have remained neutral during the war, thus limiting volunteers and 3) the Union Defence Force oath of attestation originally limited service to the African continent, meaning only those prepared to volunteer specifically for service in Europe were available.

I regard this a long-term project, and am planning to add units and vehicles over time. Am currently working on more specialists and supports, and additional rifle sections.





A few more pix here: http://smallwarssouth.blogspot.com/2013/04/28mm-south-african-infantry-italy-1944.html

I have started a reference image gallery for the project: http://smallwarssouth.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_8.html

Clearly the new Perry Desert Rats will have use outside of the Western Desert.



Thanks for looking.

[Slayer]

very nicely painted figures, that AT gun is outstanding

[flags_of_war]

They look great. Did the British wear Shorts as well and could the new Perry Plastics be used for it?

[Sirius]

Thanks for the feedback.

@Flags_of_War: Not sure about the Brits, to be fair.

The South Africans had amongst them many veterans of the Desert War, and the rest of the division trained in Egypt before transferring to Italy, so they clearly carried their tropical kit with them, despite being issued with the regular battledress (which they are seen wearing in the images of them disembarking from their transports at Taranto). I would think any desert war veterans of the 8th army would also still have their desert kit in Italy? IIRC, I think I have seen Indian regiments, and New Zealanders, in shorts in Italy?

I am certainly going to add some Perry Desert Rats to my Saffa force.

[former user]

chapeau at Your collection!

On the issue of shorts.
apart from supplies left in the stores (of the parent unit somehwere) and what soldiers have left from a previous issue, any special piece of equipment appearing on pictures is dependent of the logistical chain.
Noone carries weapons around with no ammo to be supplied, and pants is the first thing to wear out. In rough terrain, You can expect 1-2 months, then it's mending or new issue. The longest life is for greatcoats, but these will also last one winter at best in a rough campaign.

And you can always cut pants to shorts 

[Mainly28s]

Well, all I can say is "stunning". They really look the part.

[Sirius]

Thanks for the feedback. Appreciated.

@former user: I think thats fair comment. Check out this image of the SA 6th Armoured Division victory parade at Monza in 1945 ... I guess the quartermaster had plenty of kit... 

[Atheling]

Really nice work all 'round  .

Are you planning on adding any of the Perry Desert War stuff when it's released?

Darrell.

[former user]

@former user: I think thats fair comment. Check out this image of the SA 6th Armoured Division victory parade at Monza in 1945 ... I guess the quartermaster had plenty of kit... 

Indeed obviously
but that was not my point - all I meant is that we would end up in research and no gaming if we tried to replicate historical settings 100%  what counts for me is the atmosphere created, and of this Your collection has a lot.
It might be of scholarly interest what kind of pants which unit was issued when, but on the tabletop or in a movie it has to be believable. Any discussion going further appears pointless to me.

[Sirius]

@Atheling: Oh yes. Right now its just deciding how many boxes I need...

@ former user. Ah. Understood and agreed. But to a point, that "atmosphere" comes from observing the whens and wheres, and making sure your choices are plausible or at least somewhat coherent.

Just out of interest, have a look at the pic below. It shows one of a pair of duplicate bronzes commissioned by the First City/Cape Town Highlanders at the end of the campaign, to commemorate their amalgamation of 1943-45. I think its cool not because it looks like a 280mm Paul Hicks sculpt  , nor because its a perfectly accurate representation of a FC/CTH trooper, (its not) but because it shows how they saw themselves: Shorts, Tam-O-Shanter and Tommy Gun. The archetypical representation of their regiment.

[former user]

Yes, the collective memory of those who were there 

to be honest, I find this one very fascinating


but this is OT 

[Sirius]

 

[Marine0846]

Great painting.
It looks like the Perry plastics will have a lot of uses.

[aircav]

Great Stuff 

[Mainly28s]

Yes, the collective memory of those who were there 

to be honest, I find this one very fascinating


but this is OT 

Very Saffa comment from waaaay back coming up, but is that a MacAtini from Maritzborough there?