Post Partisan Research - Early War Miniatures: The Raid (WW2 Isle of Wight Kommando Attack)

As part of my post Partisan debrief, I took a look at Early War Miniatures' web-site ostensibly to look at their 20mm Italian Early War range associated with the East African Campaign and the Abbassian/Ethiopian crisis (or rather a blatant invasion of a League of Nation member state [no double standards involved here at all, just because it was black African not white European state]). Please note my growing interest in this period from an earlier post of mine (see link below): 

https://exiledfog.blogspot.com/2026/05/audio-book-prevail-inspiring-story-of.html

While on the  web-site I discovered a fascinating link to a suggested (aka probable) WWII German Kommando Raid on The Isle of Wight in 1943 (see link below): 

https://earlywarminiatures.com/index.php/raid/

Absolutely fascinating, as I had read the cited book just before we went on a family holiday there (pre-Covid). You can imagine a few choice words were said during that holiday, "Why have we stopped here? Are we lost?" and "Why do you want to go this hill? I cannot see anything!" (see below, Adrian Searle's detective story on the alleged/probable raid, it is a good read):

Since the publication of the book there has been archaeological work that seems to suggest (prove?) that German weapons had been fired within the perimeter of a RAF radar station at St Laurence! So, so interesting! There has even been a series of follow up talks in 2025 regarding its finding, so I will be watching to see if there is some form of follow up publication .. or even scenario scenario "in the wind"!

Audio Book: Prevail (The Inspiring Story of of Ethiopia's Victory Over Mussolini's Invasion 1935-1941)

As part of the monthly Audible subscription plan, you get access to a "free library" of titles. Skimming through these, one title in particular caught my eye, "Prevail: The Inspiring Story of Ethiopia's Victory Over Mussolini's Invasion 1935-1941". I vaguely knew of the Italy's Abyssinian Campaign from my O-Level (not GCSE, so that ages me) history lessons about the League of Nations failure to act effectively in the interwar years. I was intrigued and felt ashamed for not correctly thinking of it as the Ethiopian Campaign. In my early Western Desert reading there were always references made to the East African Campaign. The "one" Wavell "diverted" resources to (see below, not only does the book describe the war, but also the fascinating political world events and personalities that became involved from Evelyn Waugh, Bernard Shaw, Joe Lewis, Laval and Eden but to name but a few): 

Still a "work in progress" for me .. but the shooting is about to start. 

Note: Ethiopia was the only African country that was a member of the League of Nations, partly because Mussolini's Italy championed its cause, thinking that France or Britain would block its membership, but they didn't. The irony of that cannot be lost, and a great exercise of double-thinking yourself into an awkward political corner! 

Note to Self: 28mm Warlord Games US M3 Lee Assembly Instructions

I am still wading through the Warlord Games AFV "sprue sale" bargains I picked up. I have to confess, despite my initial forebodings (post purchase click, "Did I need this?"), I am glad really I purchased this M3 Lee. It slotted together perfectly. which is a plus, as a very easy model build and the end product looks quite imposing. In fact it was far easier to build it in 28mm than the multiple Airfix and Hasegawa kits I have put together in 20mm (1/76 and 1/72  in old money). The M3 Lee is an intimidating beast despite its archaic sponson mounted 75mm howitzer (see below, in assembly you could be forgiven in thinking you were putting together a medieval castle): 

It suddenly comes together as a tank when the top is placed on (see below, the M3 Lee 90% there, or there until an 88mm gets the Lee in its sights): 

Complete with radio aerial (and like the Tiger I model I wonder how long the radio aerial is going to last) and a few more fiddly bits - front and rear lights, handrails (see below, the finished "monster", possibly for its crew survival potential rather than fighting ferocity, although a 75mm high explosive shell is highly respected by infantry and anti-tank crews on the Tunisian battlefield): 

Primed in The Colour Forges (Renegade Green) as a primer (see below, using this colour also as a shade colour, with a Vallejo dipping wash to follow in teh recesses, then a new set of greens [Olive Drab and highlights] should lighten its appearance up): 

 

Although "cheap" by buying a loose sprue these online assembly instructions from Warlord Games saved me from stupid errors. Despite the cleaness of the build I had to make study of these, particularly in reference to the turret build and the M3 Lee commanders hatch (see below, Warlord Games M3 Lee Assembly Instructions link): 

https://assembly.warlordgames.com/files/4070200017_M3_Lee_Grant_assembly_booklet.pdf

Another interesting Blog post comparing the plastic kit version (much better IMHO) versus the old resin version!

https://www.goonhammer.com/goonhammer-historicals-warlord-games-plastic-m3-lee-grant-review

Netflix: The Liberators - WWII Small Unit Action (US GIs in Italy)

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZaIZgkCcXQ

Saw the first episode and I am already hooked (although I had an issue how they knocked out one Panzer III in particular). Also have the "urge" to start making and painting 28mm American GIs for a "Chain of Command" platoon - which cannot be a bad thing, can it? (I do already have them unmade, unpainted and feeling unloved in various Warlord Games boxes).

Footnote: Really impressed with this mini series .. it soon became a story rather than a procession of kit .. the trauma (and story) came through very well.