Operation Sealion - 'Dad's Army', by Terry Wise, Airfix Magazine August 1975

Watching the cricket match episode of Dad's Army today (the one with Fred Truman) reminded me I hadn't posted Terry Wise's Operation Sealion article on the Home Guard, so here it is.

Wargaming in Australia

Two more undated articles, the second is from around but after 1971. I don't know which publications they are from.

I apologise for the scans being in two parts - until and unless I get an A3 scanner this is the best I can do.

Wellington unveiled

M S Foy's and Anonymous's comments on the Waterloo refight at the Duke of York Barracks (below, here) have made the connection with another photograph and caption - the top-of-the-headless Wellington is almost certainly Eric Knowles (before his Antiques Roadshow fame - another lame cultural reference unintelligible to those outside the UK). Thanks Tony and Anon.

Waterloo refought 3: The RAF

Third and final instalment on a theme, this time from the Cambridge Evening News of Saturday 13 1972.

I think one line of the article may have been lost (at the crease) in the scans - hope you can fill the sense in if so. I am particularly glad to see the reference to the dangers of tie wearing - please see Tony Bath post below.

Wargaming in the Twin Cities, 1966 - take 2

David Wesely, one of the subjects of the 1966 article posted below, has been in touch. This has proved one of the most widely read posts on this blog and provoked a flurry of comments, new readers, and followers. I thought people might be interested in what David said:

A friend sent me to look at your site tonite. I was amazed to see the
Wargaming in the Twin Cities, 1966 picture, which I immediately
recognized because I have a copy on the wall in my office. My copy is
in much better shape than the one you have; but then I am the guy in
the yellow-shouldered sweater! I also still have most of the Scruby
figures seen on the table, which went on to serve in many more battles.
Some of the figures should be Hinton Hunt (though I cannot spot them in
the pictures) and some are very early work from GHQ (before they
invented the first 1:285 scale microarmor). Looking at the picture
takes me back. Most of the gamers went on the many more battles too,
notably Dave Arneson (in green at the far end of the table). And the
table (with the same scenery, but laid out differently) became the site
of the first Role Playing Game, Braunstein.

Thanks for getting in touch David, and for the extra information.

Waterloo refought 2: Tony Bath

Another Don Featherstone photograph, again undated, and captioned "Wellington and Napoleon at the start of a reconstructed Battle of Waterloo".Napoleon is Tony Bath, while not only has the photograph cut off the top of Wellington's head, I can't read his badge either. If anyone knows when and where this was, and who was Wellington, please comment.

Good to see wargaming in ties, though Tony Bath has sensibly tucked his in with a cardigan to avoid any unintended trooop movements.

Waterloo refought 1: Don Featherstone

I don't have a date or attribution for this cutting - I think it is from the Southampton Echo, and possibly from the 1970s?

Wargaming in the Twin Cities, 1966

With apologies again for the quality of the scans (given the condition of the original they are the best I could do on my scanner) here is an article and pictures from The Minneapolis Tribune Picture supplement from April 17th 1966.Although some of the print has been lost I think the sense of the article is still there.

I imagine the figures are mainly Scrubies. Also for UK readers, is this evidence of Vic Reeves collecting 54mm figures?

Lionel Tarr

Further to my previous posts on Lionel Tarr, here are what appear to be some original photographs of his wargame set up in his loft, for his Russo-German Campaign of 1941, and his use of an over-the-table net for dogfighting aircraft. Interesting to note the militaria - caps, gas mask, medals - hanging on the wall.

Don Featherstone's captions are shown below each photo


Blimey! Where did that company spring from? Surprise attack by Russian Guards eat of Berislavl


Kolchos 505. The first snow.


Stalingrad reconstructed by solo-gamer Lionel Tarr for his Russo-German campaign 1941.


Stalingrad South


Air-wargaming - a dogfight between aircraft suspended in an over-the-table net.

Battle in the Attic - Don Featherstone in the Daily Telegraph June 10th 1995

Apologies for the quality of the scan - my original is a photocopy of the newspaper article which has cut a little of each edge of the article off - I think it is possible still to understand it and I thought it might be of sufficient interest to post. I am told (see comment below from John T) the publication date was June 10th 1995.

Unidentified John Ruddle article

Over on his Wargaming Miscellany blog in November, Bob Cordery made a couple of posts (here and here) about the articles in one of the wargaming magazines of John Ruddle and his wargaming in the garden set up.

Yesterday I came across a small pile of old photographs and newspaper cuttings which I think have originally come from Don Featherstone and were collected (and some used) for Wargamers Newsletter.

Among them is this undated article from an unidentified publication which I thought might be of wider interest.

I'm sorry for the number and quality of the scans - the original is not in the best condition and my scanner can only cope with A4.