Partizan Video Report

Yesterday three members of Posties Rejects traveled up the A1 to Newark and the Partizan show. As usual, I shot a load of pictures but this time I also took a bit of video and decided to combine them into a visual show report. 

The Other Partizan 2022 Show Report

A few days overdue but I have finally sorted through my pictures from The Other Partizan at Newark. Once again an impressively high standard of creativity and innovation was on display plus, of course, thousands of beautifully painted toy soldiers. 

Apologies in advance for the background music volume... I forgot to rebalance the sound levels before completing the video! On the other hand, maybe you like the 1812 Overture at full volume in which, case you're welcome! 😆

Imperial War Museum North: A Unique Collection & Iconic Building

I recently visited the Imperial War Museum North and wanted to share a few of my pictures while extolling the virtue of a visit. This is an interesting and thought-provoking family museum and well worth a visit.

A very interesting museum and well worth a visit if you are in the area. Entry to the museum is free although there is a charge for parking. I rate this quite highly if you have a family group because there are artefacts and interactive exhibits that will appeal to all ages and levels of knowlege. 

Let the Retail Therapy Commence

Although I'm a keen Internet shopper there really is no replacement for hands-on retail therapy. And for gamers like me that usually means visiting a local wargames show or convention. There are a handful of game shops within reach of my home but for the sheer variety of products available you can't beat a convention. My 'show season' (for want of a better phrase) starts this Sunday with Cavalier at Tonbridge in Kent.

I have only been going to this show for a couple of years (since I joined Posties Rejects) but it has become a firm favourite and a regular feature of my gaming calender. It's nice and early in the year and it feels like the herald of spring after a long bleak winter without any other shows (the last one I went to was SELWG, waaaaay back in October). My trigger finger is definitely starting to get twitchy and I have some cash burning a hole in my pocket that absolutely must be spent!

Here are a collection of my pictures from the 2011 and 2012 shows to whet your appetite for this great little event. 

Southend Air Show 2012

On Saturday I took my family down to Southend for the annual Air Show. The Southend Air Show is a free event (if you ignore the parking fees) with a varied selection of aircraft on display. Like all of these events the actual line-up is largely weather dependent but this year - with glorious sunshine throughout - there were no cancellations and the show proceeded as planned.

The Blades Acrobatic Team

The Blades Acrobatic Team

P-40 Kittyhawk

Battle of Britain Memorial Flight

Spitfire PR Mk XIX PM631

Avro Lancaster

Trig Aerobatic Team  - Pitts S-1D biplanes

Black Cats Helicopter Display Team

Breitling Wingwalkers

Eurofighter Typhoon

Family Shot

This was a great show made even better by the excellent weather. As usual I shot hundreds of pictures but managed to trim this down to about a hundred which are shown here as a Slideshow.

Broadside : A Simultaneous Discharge of Guns!

Posties Rejects will be at the Kent wargames show Broadside, on the 10th June. We are running our first Demo game at this show; the The Battle of Amiens 1918 (largely organised by Postie, Fran and Ray... I take no credit). Obviously we want the event to be a success but unfortunately it seems there has been a problem with some of the Magazine Advertising for the show (see Curt's Clint's Blog Anything but a One for details) so we are doing our best to promote the show ourselves.

I hasten to add we have no allusions about the meagre impact our respective Blogs might have on visitor numbers compared to the benefit of advertising in a national magazine, but we have to try and help. Here's a slideshow of my pictures from last years event and I think you'll agree that considering it was The Milton Hundred Wargames Club's first show they did pretty damn good!

So please come along and support this excellent show and while you are there come and say hello to the Rejects. We will be sporting our personalised and very sexy 'Rejects polo shirts' (as seen at Salute last month and modelled below) so hopefully that will help you tell Fran and Ray apart!

Fran and Ray modelling the Rejects polo shirt....ahhh, they look like Brothers!  (Picture: Angry Lurker)

Salute 2012 - Slideshow

Let this be my penultimate post on Salute 2012  - one more on my show purchases will be up tomorrow. I've finally finished reordering, labelling, trimming and cutting the album to a petite 270 photo's, down from the 600 I took on the day! So if you have about 15 minutes spare, sit back and enjoy the slideshow. Alternatively click this Picasa Web Link to go straight to the album and flick through at your own speed.



Phew that was hard work! And the job isn't over either. I still have to post about my purchases from Salute (I got some great stuff, really happy) and I haven't even begun to sort through the photo's from the Rejects game - the Battle of Salutesville! - from the Sunday.

D-Day Museum

I took last Friday off work so that my Brother-in-Law and I could make a full weekend of our trip to Bovington for Tiger Day. On the Friday we drove to Portsmouth to visit the D-Day Museum. Afterwards we drove on to Lepe on the edge of the New Forest to see where some of the Mulberry harbours were built and where many troops were embarked prior to the invasion. I've been here before but this time I had more time, better light and a better camera to record the visit.

We set off early, had breakfast en-route and arrive just before the museum opened. It was a beautiful sunny morning and the area was very quite which meant we could explore and photograph the guardian vehicles outside without holiday goers getting in the way. The museum has a Sherman 'Grizzley' (a Canadian tank built under licence) and a Churchill 'Crocodile' flame thrower tank outside. Both vehicles are in good condition although it was rather sad to see that neither had escaped being daubed with graffiti, albeit a small amount.

There are also several memorials by the roadside which had thankfully escaped vandalism. Most impressive was a tall bronze statue dedicated to Montgomery and a more subdued one of a seated soldier and dedicated to all those that lost their lives in the Second World War.

The first thing we went to look at in the museum was the Overlord Embroidery. This is the centrepiece of the museum and is the D-Day equivalent of the Bayeux Tapestry, tracing the Overlord story from its beginnings in 1940 through to victory in Normandy in 1944. It was commissioned by Lord Dulverton is 272 feet long and took the Royal School of needlework five years to complete. Being a gamer and a tread-head I'm not generally into needlework (as you might expect) but I have to say I was very impressed with this huge tapestry. The detail is quite spectacular with each panel telling a specific part of the story.

One of the things we found particularly interesting was the preponderance of information, designs and models associated with the building of the Mulberry Harbours. We were planning on visiting one of the sites of their construction at Lepe later in the day so this was especially relevant to our days activities. Its not until you see the plans and then visit the building sites that you begin to realise the scale of the undertaking.

I had hoped that we would be able to visit Southwick House later in the day as well. This was the home of SHAEF in the run-up to D-Day and was where Eisenhower and his military commanders made the fateful decision to take advantage of a slight break in the bad weather and proceed with the invasion. This is also the site of the D-Day Wall Map which still exists and is available to view by prior arrangement. I had tried to get in contact with the Royal Military Police Museum which are also on the site to arrange such a visit but they never got back to me. I will try again and hopefully I can plan a visit at some later date.

As well as lots of interesting artefact's associated with the invasion and a small selection of vehicles, there were also several interesting model dioramas.

We stayed in the museum for about three hours then had a quick bite to lunch before taking the hours drive further down the coast to Lepe (on the Hamble Penninsular west of Southampton). This tied in nicely with our earlier visit to the museum as this was one of many places where troops and vehicles were embarked.

Before heading off to our hotel in Bere Regis (10 minutes from the Tank Museum) we were also able to sneak in a quick visit to the now abandoned airfield of Beaulieu. It started life as RAF Beaulieu in 1942 but later became USAAF Station 408 for the Ninth Air force. During the war it was used as a bomber and fighter airfield and afterwards for experimental work before it was closed in 1959. Most of the concrete runways were removed and much of the area has now been restored to heathland.

I think you'll agree we packed a lot in on the the Friday! By the time we had arrived at our hotel and had dinner we knackered but geared up for the following morning and our part in Tiger Day. Here's a slideshow of all our pictures from the museum.

Tiger Day Slideshow

As promised here is a slideshow of all my pictures from Tiger Day at the Tank Museum in Bovington, Dorset. I had to be pretty ruthless to cut down all the pictures I shot to make the final selection you see here. I've posted some of the best pictures over the last two days with my review of Tiger Day Part 1 and Part 2 but this slideshow includes many more pictures not yet seen.



As you may have gathered from my enthusiasm for this event I was really looking forward to Tiger Day. My wonderful wife not only let me off the leash to geek-out to my hearts content she also bought me the tickets! And then - having been away for two days - she didn't bat an eyelid when I meekly told her I had a game with the Rejects all day on Sunday. She truly is the perfect wife... All Hail Mrs BigLee!

Tomorrow I'll post pictures from the D-Day Museum which Ray and I visited on the Friday before Tiger Day.

Skirmish 2012

Yesterday morning I nipped over the QE2 Bridge south of the river to attend Skirmish 2012. This is a small show held in a Grammer School in Sidcup and while not big it is varied and interesting. Ostensibly a Toy Soldier show there are always several wargames and traders to keep things interesting.

I always enjoy the informal atmosphere which is why for the last couple of years I have been taking my youngest daughter along (got to get her training program started early!). We had a great time this year as there were some excellent display games to see and plenty of traders selling toy's rather than miniatures which means she was able to spend some of her pocket money. In fact by the end of the day she had spent more money than I had!

The other thing I like about this show is the opportunity to meet up with fellow gamers and bloggers. I met up with The Angry Lurker and Postie but I was also introduced to David Crook (A Wargaming Odyssey) and Bob Cordery (Wargaming Miscellany).

Cavalier 2012 - Photo's

I got back a little earlier than expected from Cavalier so I had tome to work through my pictures in double quick time to get them posted here. Its was a good show with plenty of excellent stand-out display games that caught the eye. The Rejects were in attendance and did our collective best to alleviate the recession with our spending. We also had a chance to talk to lots of the traders and those clubs running games. We are planning on running a game (our first display game) later in the year at broadside and as newbies to the art of running a display we have lots to learn.

I have posted my pictures as a slide show below but first I have to mention a couple of the outstanding display games being run at the show. For me the best game was The Alamo by Loughton Strike Force. The sheer number of figures on the table was a sight to behold, as were the masses of casualty markers as the battle progressed. It was a visual feast and it certainly hit the spot.

Another beautifully prepared game with some excellently painted miniatures was Defendiing the Bridge at Obourg (1914) by Gravesend Gamers Guild. This WWI battle table was full of character and detailed terrain. But it was the quality of the painted miniatures that made this game stand out. 

Here's the slideshow with the full collection of pictures.

National Army Museum

Last week I posted pictures from my recent trip to the War Horse Exhibition at the National Army Museum in Chelsea. I've now had a chance to work through the pictures I took of the rest of the museum and these are shown as a slideshow at the bottom of this post. I've never been to this museum before but I have to say I was very impressed. Its very family friendly without loosing interest for the older visitor or history buff. There are lots of models and hands on displays throughout the building that will keep children of all ages (and I count myself amongst them) happy and engaged.

One of my favorite exhibits was William Siborne's famous model of the Battle of Waterloo. In 1830 Siborne was commissioned to construct a model of the Battle of Waterloo and thus began an extensive period of research during which Siborne contacted many of the surviving allied officers for their recollections of the day. The model was not completed until 1838 and nearly bankrupted him in the process. He also earned the enmity of the Duke of Wellington as his research appeared to contradict the Dukes own account of the battle.

On the top floor there is also an art gallery with several famous works in it that I didn't realize were held here. One is the well known 1879 painting by Charles Fripp of the Battle of Isandlwana. This image has been reproduced so many times it has become iconic and instantly recognisable. Although Fripp was not a witness to the battle he was able to visit the scene a few weeks later where the bodies of the fallen still remained.

Detail of 1879 painting, "Battle of Isandlwana" by Charles Fripp

Here's the rest of my pictures from the museum. I hope you like them. As always if you see any errors with the labeling please let me know and I'll make any necessary corrections.



I was also very impressed with the museum shop. Most of the stuff you find in these sort of shops is usually just overpriced 'tat'. By here there was an excellent selection of books and gifts, with a range of prices to suit all pockets. If you can get a chance to visit this Museum I think you'll be impressed both with its accessibility and the comprehensive collection they have on display.

War Horse Exhibition

On Wednesday I took a day off work to visit the National Army Museum in Chelsea. Mrs BigLee and my youngest daughter Emily accompanied me (my other daughter is 'roughing it' on a Ski Holiday to America poor dear) as we all wanted to see the War Horse Exhibition being held there. Entry to the museum and the special exhibition is free and despite this being the winter Half Term holiday it wasn't too busy.

The Exhibition was very good and looked at the role of the War Horse throughout the history of the British Army (from the New Model Army onwards) although of course there are lots of references to the book, play and film that inspired this display.



I really enjoyed this exhibition and thought that the mix of items on display and the information provided would appeal to a wide range of visitors. There was no 'dumbing down' in the way this was done but it remained relevant and interesting to an old Grognard such as myself and a young whipper snapper such as my 6 year old daughter.

I took a lot of pictures of the rest of the museum but I'll post these over the next few days as I work my way through them. In the meantime I hope you like the pictures of this exhibition.

Chatham Military Collectors Fair

On Sunday I went to a Military Collectors Fair in Chatham with my Brother-in-Law. It was a very interesting event (I've not been before) but boy was it c-c-c-cold.

The venue was one of the massive shipbuilding warehouses in Chatham Dockyard

Desert Forces in the Snow!

Ray's first purchase - A Mills Grenade

The traders were a bit thin on the ground at this show, presumably because the frigid conditions had driven most of them away! It actually felt colder inside the building known as Slip 5, possibly because of its concrete floor and iron framework. This is actually a Grade I Listed building built between 1847-8 and is quite a sight to behold once you are inside.

Panther Track - Just £165 each!

Inside the meat locker warehouse

I restricted my purchases to a couple of replica tank regiment badges and stuck for the most part to taking photo's. Ray on the other hand is a dedicated collector. He bought a few original insignia and a couple of Mills Grenades to add to his growing collection in his Man Cave.

I'll have to come to one of these events again (they are held every month) but I think next time I'll do it in the summer!

The Battle of Mackenzie Ridge

On Saturday I had the pleasure to get together with the other Rejects for a 15mm Crimean War game. It's 1854 and the British around Sevastopol learn that the Russians have occupied and are beginning to fortify Mackenzie Ridge on the road into the city. The British send out a small exploratory force and thereby set the scene for the Battle to come. Once again I tried to make more detailed notes as the game progressed but at the end realised that they made little sense. I've tried to recreate the action in this series of pictures but I'm sure I've missed many more smaller details.

Our first view of the Battlefield. Both sides would have a chance to redeploy their troops. The British won their initiative role and took the opportunity to redeploy into two wings. This proved crucial as the game progressed as it gave them an extra turn of forward movement and a chance to use their artillery at an early  opportunity. 

Mackenzie Ridge with the Russian redoubts still under construction.

Russian Cossack cavalry prepare to charge (those lances are sharp!)

British 1st Division advance towards the Russian left flank

The Russians man their redoubts and open fire with their Heavy Guns. However these guns were effectively targeted and had to withdraw halfway through the game thereby removing the only real threat the Russians possessed. 

With the Russian guns gone the British 2nd Division advances towards the Ridge

Russian reinforcements arrive

...as do British reinforcements.

The Cossack cavalry outflank the British 1st Division and move into the over of woodland to act as a threat to the British advance.

Meanwhile the Russians continue to build their redoubts and redeploy their infantry to face the British 2nd Division which continues to advance.

More Russian cavalry arrive on their left flank and immediately charge the British cavalry  who didn't stand a chance against the massive Russian formations.

The British halt their advance just beyond Russian musketry range and use their superior weapons to wear down the men behind the redoubts.

The Russian infantry stand firm in their redoubts but continue to be ground down in a battle of attrition they cannot win

Meanwhile the Cossack's charge out of the woods into the British flank. They defeat the unit of Coldstream Guards and overrun an artillery battery.

The Cossack's continue their charge but run dead into British Square. This is too much for them and the surviving Cossack's flee the field.

British Heavy Cavalry now reach the battlefield and the remaining Russian Cavalry decide that discretion is the better part of valor and leave the field. 

By this stage of the Battle the Russians were still winning on points, but only just. However with the arrival of the British heavy Cavalry and the loss of both Russian Cavalry Divisions there was little that the Russians could now do to hold back the British. There was some debate about whether to play on but in the end two of the three Russian players decided to concede defeat. With their cavalry destroyed (or about to be) the British superiority in weapons and quality would increasingly swing the battle their way. In fact there was little need for them to actually assault Mackenzie ridge when all they needed to do was sit back and use their longer ranged rifled muskets to whittle away the Russian Infantry until they were destroyed or broke.

Keep an eye out for more pictures UPDATE: Fran and Ray have now posted their Battle Reports for this game at the Angry Lurker's Blog and at Don't Throw a One.