British Engineers & mechanics

British Engineers & mechanics

I found myself needing some British engineers for mine clearance, etc for an upcoming group of games set in Italy. As it happens those stalwart guys at S&S Models released a 6-figure set.

 Always enjoy creating rear echelon and non-combat units for my wargames forces and S&S also produced this 8-figure set of mechanics

The set also comes with these tools and supplies

Allied stuff

Various Additions for my British/Allied Forces

A few bits to add to my British/Allied firces

 Classic Airfix 5.5" Howitzer

A bit rough with a fare bit of flash and not as detailed as newer examples, but still does the job.

I actually used this as a proxy 155mm in my last game - Seizing Boyardville

https://baberonwargames.blogspot.com/2026/04/seizing-boyardville-ile-doleron-1st-may.html

Raventhorpe Ready-to-Roll 

Humber IV

Resin body and turret with white metal gun and mantlet, virtually no flash and just a few holes to be filled - all very easy. Painted green for 1st Army in Tunisia or later actions in Sicily or Italy.

Raventhorpe Ready-to-Roll 

Daimler

As with the Humber above - resin body and turret with white metal gun and mantlet, virtually no flash and just a few holes to be filled - all very easy. Again as the with the Humber, painted green for 1st Army in Tunisia or later actions in Sicily or Italy.

Plastic Jeep 

Found loose in a box of plastic scrap, could be Fujimi or Airfix? I`ve repaired it as best I could added a windscreen cover from tin foil and some stowage to cover glaring gaps 😁

John Chard VC House (TA Center, Swansea)

John Chard VC House 

TA Center, Swansea

We sadly had to return to Swansea last week to attend the funeral on Thursday 22nd April, of a lovely lady - Mrs Jennifer Jones, known to everyone as "Aunty Jen" from Christchurch, Church on Oystermouth Road. The lady used to run the church Sunday school and became a great friend of my wife and was Godmother to our boys.

After the ceremony all were invited to a reception/farewell at the local TA Center just around the corner on Glamorgan Street. The TA Centre is named - John Chard VC House after the commander of Rorke`s Drift in South Africa due to him being an engineer, the local TA battalion based there are: 108 (Welsh) Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia). The place is also home to the local branch of the Royal Engineers Association. 

The soldiers on duty were incredibly polite and good humoured throughout and a total credit to their unit and uniform.

After asking permission I took the opportunity to wander about and take few photos.

20mm scale model of Rorke`s Drift

Painting and information about Sergeant Thomas Frank Durrant VC

I was already aware of the story and was able to explain it to my boys, his VC is on display at the Royal Engineers Museum in Chatham, Kent

In the grounds you will also find a few interesting bits:

Search lights

Just behind this one you can see the prize of display a 25pdr

Now this gun had been the gate guardian for all the years we lived in Swansea, but I noticed it had gone on our last trip and assumed they had sold it or moved it to a museum somewhere, but it turns out they were just refurbishing it and giving it a new coat of paint.

Dedication plate

British Commonwealth Additions

 British Commonwealth Additions

First figures of 2026. 

This year I`ve decided to expand my games into Italy, but I have no intention of creating a whole new British/Commonwealth force! I`m just going to re-use my Mediterranean theatre British and Indians including those in shorts - frankly fuck it it is my table 😁

But I do need to upgrade some elements to that later theatre, particularly PIAT teams, so I quickly messaged Tony at Raventhorpe who was happy to provide what I needed plus separate Punjabi turban heads also.

Ten Raventhorpe desert British/Commonweal in helmet plus 2 Airfix mine detector guys, because my Commonwealth troops don`t have any! (though I have already ordered a new set of Mine detector/engineers from S&S Models)  

Raventhorpe moving PIAT team

Raventhorpe prone firing PIAT team

Moving PIAT team (as above) but with Punjabi heads (all Raventhorpe)

Raventhorpe British medic with a Punjabi head conversion

All 19 figures together

British vehicles

British vehicles

Just pottering about, so decided to build a few plastic kits from my rather small stash.

First up an Airfix Jeep & trailer from gift pack set A68217 sold by Lidl in the UK last Christmas (2024), I didn`t need, so didn`t build the 75mm pack howitzer. I gave the Jeep a driver from the bits box (from the Airfix Bofors gun set) and painted both up for my Mediterranean/Middle East Brits.

Canadian Pattern Quad Tractor

A venerable Esci model 8024 that has been in the stash since before we moved my collection out here to Spain (so at least 12 yrs). Not that I need another British tow, but I was in a building mood 😁 Not a bad model, I didn`t bother with any of the internal detail, again painted up for North Africa.

M3A1 Scout Car

Another venerable Esci kit 8038 which has been in the stash for years (bought at the same time as the Quad above). I wanted a command vehicle for my British/Indian/Aussie battalions and thought this make a nice addition. A really nice kit, I added a bit of stowage, then messed about with the crew - the driver is another Airfix Bofors gunner (with an SHQ head), the seated guy in the back as a RTO is from EWM with a Britannia tanker head with headphones and the standing guy is EWM with a Raventhorpe head - sometimes I can`t help myself 😂