We Stand and Fight: BEF 1939-40

24 February 2017

Morris CS9 Troop

HERE is a troop of Morris CS9s belonging to 12/Royal Lancers, who were equipped with thirty-eight of the vehicles, which I will use to recreate some of the regiment's hair-raising May 1940 actions. With their attached Royal Engineers they were tasked with blowing bridges in the face of the inexorable German advance through Belgium and were involved in the counter-attack at Arras on 21 May, where during a reconnaissance they destroyed a limbered battery of 15 cm sFH 18s. Although its armour was comparable to other armoured cars of the period, the CS9's armament (a Bren and Boys anti-tank rifle) was insufficient and the high profile made for a conspicuous target. The regiment were forced to scuttle their vehicles before being evacuated from Dunkirk on the evening of 31 May. I have also read that the regiment fielded up to six Guy Armoured Cars during the campaign, which were virtually indistinguishable from the Humber Mk.I, although sadly no-one seems to make either in 10mm. The models are from the ever-redoubtable Pithead Miniatures.

29 January 2017

Situation Report

WELCOME to We Stand and Fight, dear reader, which I intend to use to document my ongoing wargaming projects. Currently I am building forces and terrain with which to recreate the 1940 German invasion of France and the Low Countries in 10mm. For this I am also writing my own rules, which I am still in the process of testing. These are company-level and I hope to be able to make them available here when they are in a more presentable state! Concerning miniatures, over the preceding year I have gradually amassed and painted the best part of a BEF infantry company with various optional attached support elements. These are drawn exclusively from Pendraken and Pithead Miniatures and may be seen in the photographs below. To these I am to add:

1x company and 3x platoon HQ stands
2x Matilda A12s
1x Cruiser I A9
2x QF 2 pounders
3x Morris CS9s

I have also started work on ze Germans and should be able to share some of my efforts in this direction over the coming weeks. As far as the future goes, I should like to add some French and then perhaps look at Poland 1939, but let's not put the cart before the horse! Regarding the former I have it in mind to recreate some of the desperate actions south of the Somme from late May-12 June 1940, where two Brigades of the 51st (Highland) Division were annihilated along with French 9th Army Corps. The Highlander's valiant stand is well documented in Saul David's excellent 'Churchill’s Sacrifice of the Highland Division: France 1940', which shines a light onto this obscure post-Operation Dynamo action and the rather grubby political machinations that lay behind it. A much recommend read. Anyway, that's enough waffle: on with the pictures!