VICTOIRES et CONQUÊTES des ARMÈES FRANCAISES 1792 - 1801 book review

A fabulous pick up at a second hand book shop yesterday VICTOIRES et CONQUÊTES des ARMÈES FRANCAISES 1792 - 1801.


96 fabulous Revolutionary French army plates from various artists, some I have never seen before. Particularly some of the Ardennes and Italian campaign. Published in 1898 I think my copy is 1901. 

Cheers

Matt

Partizan haul a little bit of shopping

 Shopinnnnggggg

Finally back home from my first ever Partizan and what a blast it was. I managed to get a great amount of supplies and miniatures from Partizan and photograph it. First up I did have a lot in pre order and some was paid for back in January (my Christmas shopping time), so could be packed and sent in time for my return from Australia and has been sitting at Shaun’s awaiting pick up at this Partizan, particularly as the customs duties to France are punishing if the value is high……oh well Brexit continues to hurt UK small wargaming businesses. 

AB miniatures

20mm American Para, artillery crews and vehicle crews

Ready to Roll 

Raventhorpe British airborne jeeps 

Alder miniatures 

20mm American para, British airborne vehicle crews, German vehicle crews

Early War Miniatures 

Early War Miniatures, British artillery bits

EWM Dutch hussars and artillery crews 

Belgian Hussars, cyclists frontiers and some AA crew

Books

First up we met Harry Sidebottom, and received signed copies of his books, a thrill as I have been reading the stories of Ballista since his first one. 

A lot of books, a lot of these were from my mate in Wales who is clearing his library, but a great selection available and cheap! Even my wife purchased two. 

Old Glory

Two packs of French casualties and wounded for markers for my revolutionary -1809 French army

Gripping Beast 

28mm Gothic cavalry so I can compete my goth cavalry units. 

Foundry miniatures

Imperial Roman Command, praetorian shields, gladiators 

Random stores and Hinds miniatures 

Imperial Roman’s, dark age skirmish types, goths, Bolt action Dice, random truck loads, glue, paint and clippers 

ABC Paint brushes 

First time trying the Pro art series, picked up work horse acrylic and sable they are a great price 

Warbases 

Always need these, possibly should of purchased another 20 or so for my Napoleonic casualties 

Plastic kits 

I had to rescue two Horsa gliders and a German fighter for a tenner

ww2 new kits and a modern jet for my Cold War warpac.

Resin bits 

Bridges from Kallistra, really nice and suitable up to 28mm 

So a huge haul, only a little over budget, a lot of painting ahead of me! 

Cheers

Matt

Book review -Tilly-sur-Seulles 1944

Tilly-sur-Seulles

Finally back from our holidays in the lower Loire and some packages were awaiting me when I returned home.  First up was a bunch of books from the Heimdal book sale.

A book I have been meaning to pick up was Stéphane Jacquet’s, Tilly-sur-Seulles 1944, as it relates to my 50th infantry division project. Lots of Fabulous then and now photos and lots of personal accounts and maps. I will be plowing through this to make up some scenarios for my Tyne Tees and using what I can for building references and perhaps a tour. 

I rate all of Heimdals ww2 books and Stéphane as a author does a great job with his series. The text is in English and French and is worth the €59 price tag (on sale €50) and is a big tome with lots of great information. Rate 10 out of 10!

Cheers

Matt

Vendee Rebellion book find

Great buy off FB market place this week, the three volume series by Jean-Francois Chappe of the history of the wars of the Vendee. All unread hardbacks in excellent condition, published in 1993 for the anniversary of the rebellion. 

 A bit of light reading for the next few weeks while I am on holiday, continuing my knowledge of the war. It will help I am sure with our Vendee battlefield tours, plus as  I continue to write my scenario series and Wargames rules for Vendee rebellion in western France.

Our Vendee Rebellion tour and Wargame is hereVendee rebellion tour

Sarthe, août 1944 Histoire d’un Libération

Sarthe, août 1944, Histoire d’un Libération, Fabrice Avoie

 email the author to order favoieauteur@hotmail.fr

Sarthe, Août 1944, Histoire d'un Libération, Fabrice Avoie 2009

Recently researching fighting around my house and the closure of the Falaise pocket from the south in August 1944 , and reference to this book kept coming up. This book fully covers the breakout from Normandy, through Brittany and Pays de Loire and the push east through, Mayenne and Sarthe to Chartres, then north to close the Falaise pocket. The author spent 15 years attending unit reunions in Germany, France and America, to discover first hand accounts and rare never seen before photographs.

Day to day strength reports for german units in the fighting retreat and trying to hold the Mayenne then Sarthe river lines,.

German units include 

• 7th Army HQ units
• 17th SS Division
• 9th Panzer Division
• Panzer Lehr division
• 352nd infantry division
•  708th infantry division
•  91st infantry division
•  77th Infantry division
• 5th fallschirmjager division
•  Sicherungs regiment 1, 194, 195 and 196
• flak elements defending the radar stations at Domfront, Madre, oisseau, 
• Luftwaffe and Flak elements at Laval and Chartres air bases, 
• plus scratch kamfgruppes from retreating SS, Wehrmacht, Fallschirmjager and Luftwaffe units

Allied units include

• US 2nd Armoured Division
•  5th armoured Division
• 79th Infantry division
• 90th infantry division
• 80th infantry division
• 106th cavalry division
•  la 2nd division Blindés Francaise. 
• Plus air support and ground support units and air communication units.

The hardback book has 440 pages and is well worth the €38 price tag.

Recommend for those interested in the southern flank of the Falaise pocket actions, lots of photos, small unit actions and after battle reports to wade through. Probably the best I have seen in English or French on the southern flank of the German army.

Cheers

Matt