A serendipidous find

If there is such a word!


While rooting in the loft last night, (we are trying to empty the detritus of years) I came across a box with my son's name on it. On opening it I found four biscuit tins containing, not only his Britains spacemen but a large amount of unpainted original plastic Spencer Smith 'Charge' style figures. Over the next few days I'll be sorting these out and will produce photos of the horde.
It is my intention to dispose of these, possibly bagged up in units, at the original price (1d per infantry, 4dha'penny per cavalry). Any one interested in them, please let me know. It will take some time to sort them out, as they include hatmen, grenadiers, two styles of cavalry (and some Franco Prussin Uhlans) mounted officers and artillery.
Keep your eyes on the blog updates.


Update.
To save a lot of problems, I shall just mention that I have been contacted by someone, and will be letting this person have first refusal.


These have now been sent on their way to their new home.

Happy 50th Anniversary to 'ZULU'

As most of us knowm today is the 5oth anniversary of the film 'ZULU', arguably the best war film produced (closely followed IMO by 'Waterloo') and the film that appears to have inspired the wargaming interests of a generation. I had intended to mark the fact by illustrating the cover of a book on the making of the film, but my machine seems to have taken exeption to putting up pictures at the moment, so I'll stick to a brief description.

'ZULU with some guts behind it, the making of the epic movie' by Sheldon Hall and published by Tomahawk Press in 2005.

Some 409 pages with black and white illustrations on many of them, and a colour section, the book covers the initial idea from a magazine article by John Prebble through research and developement, the actual problems of casting, finding locations, extras and props, and the difficulties of filming under apartheid South Africa. Getting the film edited, past the censor, the publicity and reviews, and a section on 'myths,gaffes and spoofs'. There is information on how the filming affected the Zulu participants (something I think tends to get forgotten, after all, it's their history too), their opinions on the story, and the way it helped bring back some of the old pride..

I like all the little snippets included, almost as asides. One that amuses me shows that soldiers are the same world-wide, where part of one of the songs is interpreted as "stick it up his a**e witch-doctor".

Well worth reading, if you can get hold of a copy. Sorry about the picture.

Compliments of the Season

Although I've been very lax and inactive for a while (getting a finger on the right hand caught between a hard piece of wood and a very sharp blade!) as I've had to visit the doc's surgery on a weekly basis, I have been keeping up with the various blogs I follow, gaining inspiration and planning next years projects, while trying to finish those from the current years schedule. Many thanks to the writers for their well appreciated efforts, I may not comment every time, but you do get read.

My Christmas card is a little different this year, as a little bit of nostalgia. This drink was a mainstay when we kids used to spend the school holidays being looked after by grandma while the grown ups were working. The taste was unique and I was always fascinated by the picture on the bottle. I read that the drink was originally produced at the armie's request as something quick and easy to produce when out in the field (what was wrong with tea, for goodness sake?)  I didn't realise it was still around (£1.70 from Tescos evidently), I must look out for it next time.

 

Unfortunately the label fell into the hands of the PC brigade, and it has had to be changed, first by removing the tray from the Sikh's hand, and finally to letting the two figures share the seating arrangements.

 

 

So, may you be overfed, overwatered, and not overworked during the next few days, normal service should be resumed in the new year.

 

ps. A Merry Christmas to Captain Widdrington, wherever his travels happen to have taken him at the moment. He seems to have forgotten to post any reports lately, I hope he hasn't been sidetracked by the various ladies heseems to meet!

 

 

 

 





A Quandary

One of the benefits of doing voluntary work at a charity warehouse is the amazing variety of 'stuff' that comes in from all kinds of people. We get all kinds of board games, and these must all be checked for missing pieces, if incomplete, the game is recycled. I try to make sure useful pieces come my way, but this isn't often. Recently I managed to pick up a complete IKEA slatted blind which will make many bases for my small scale cavalry, but a couple of weeks ago I turned up to be told that a donation of games material had arrived and would I look at it.

It looked as though a retailer had had a clear out, among about 30 large boxes were many containing brand new jigsaws (no need to count the pieces) and expensive chess/mah jong/ backgammon sets (one of which retailed at £120) and childrens board games (Ludo/snakes and ladders/mousetrap/etc.), but also many games and books relating to the Dungeons and Dragons ethos, Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, and so forth. As well as two boxes full of Fantasy miniatures from the likes of Reaper. I just wish I had the time to sort through them, but persuaded the manager that e-bay was the place for them. They will be appearing over the next few weeks, I assume. Already some of the books have gone on, and I believe enquiries have come from as far as the other side of the Ocean.

Among the debris were three large boxes of miscellaneous clutter. Games pieces, poker chips, and many, many dice (die?).

These photos show only about half of the stuff, as there's another box full. I rescued these, having paid a miserly £10, which included a complete counter display rack of model paints and brushes!! rather than have them disappear into landfill.

The problem is, there are far too many bits for me to ever find a use for, so how do I dispose of them? Current possibilities are -
a) put them into 'job lots' and sell them on the hospice's behalf through e-bay.
b) offer them to the local wargames clubs.

Can anyone suggest something else that is fairly straitforward, relatively easy, and won't cost a packet. I pass the problem to your collective minds in the surety that you'll come up with something.

ps. I'm keepin the paints to myself, especially now the UK mail services are restricting the postage on these.

What am I Reading?

Because of the weather, a little part-time work, and Mrs.J's redundancy I have been rather sidetracked over the last few weeks, but have noticed a few bloggers filling out details of a recent book survey. My answers are apt to change on a day-to-day basis, so I have resisted temptation to answer in full, but I have 10 bookcases of various sizes scattered about the house, the 27th book from the left in the one on the landing is, strangely enough, a copy of the Bible (we appear to have three in the house), and the author I have read most of is Terry Pratchett (probably because he has been so productive).
The item I'm reading at the moment, having just finished Conn Iggulden's 'Stormbringer' - and I look forward to the reast of the series - is this -

Non UK residents may not know the name, but Al Murray is a well-known and well-educated comedian with an alter-ego as a pub landlord. I find him hilarious. He has written the above book which I dipped into in the local bookshop, and I think it could be something along the lines of 'Achtung Schweinhund' for interest, though covering war films and their accurate portrayal of historical events.

The blurb - in full - says "Have you ever watched a film with someone who, at the most dramatic scene, argues that the plane on screen hasn't been invented yet? Or that the tank rumbling towards the hero at the end of the film is the wrong tank altogether?
Al Murray is that someone. Try as he might, he can't help himself.

ps - the little collection of 'Monty' pictures is something totally unexpected.


Something else I picked up at the library today (if you don't use it, you lose it) was this

It's an area of history I'm not too familiar with. Yes, I knew we'd burnt the White House and I read C.S.Forester's book on the naval war many years ago, but apart from that, nothing. I look forward to reading this book over the next couple of weeks.

According to the Daily Telegraph review section last saturday, publishers are releasing around 1000 books on WW1 over the next twelvemonth, to cover the anniversary of the beginning of WW1. In my mind we are 'celebrating' four years too early, as it should be the end of the war we look back on, rather than the start. Just my opinion.

e-bay items of interest?

As I've mentioned, one of my other interests is fretwork and I have a standard saved search on my e-bay files. These two popped up today. I already have these in my collection, but someone else may be interested in checking them out.

two forts in the old style.

four military vehicles.

Further details can be found by going to - hobbies plans - newly listed.

A couple of photos

I see Captain Widdrington, our roving Military Observer, has been getting some action, in more than one sense of the word. Perhaps not everything will be going in his official reports? His latest exploits in Svennhasselstein can be viewed over at  the Megablitz and others blog, and on the Funny Little Wars forum, courtesy of Tim. Gow. Thank you. Who knows where he'll turn up next? he certainly hasn't told his office.

                                         photo 'borrowed' from Tim, if that's ok?

Next, a request. Over the past few months I've been trawling through my late mother's cache of family photos. Most are fairly recent (i.e. post war) but among some of the older ones is this.

 

Taken, according to the back, by G.W.Lawrie & Co, of Lucknow, Naini Tal, Bareilly and Ranikhet.

 

Obviously a family member, but no-one seems to know him. Can anyone help identify the uniform? I don't know if it shows up, but the trousers seem to have 'tartan' style lines on them. I have a swagger stick with a Staffordshires crest on it, which could be the one in the photo, but I can't place the badge.

Any assistance would be appreciated.

(ps, family scuttlebutt has a vaguely remembered 'Uncle Arthur', who, on his demise, had three women claim a widows pension!! I like to think this is him, using his various postings - "I have to go out to Inja for a couple of years, me dear. See you then"