HEREFORD HISTORY LESSON (1055 AD)

The Autumn Big Game 2019 ("Mortimers Cross Redux aka Operation Scylla") was fought over the same ground as the historic Battle of Mortimer's Cross, 2nd February 1461. This was hardly the only occasion, however, when warfare came to the County - to the contrary, one of the earliest recorded historic battles took place around Hereford itself in 1055:

A 28mm representation of Hereford in 1055. Castle Green is easy to spot. The City's walls appear made
of wood rather than the later substantial stone structures (some parts of which survive to this day).

Matt Crump of the splendid "wargamesinadungeon" blog has recreated all the action of Hereford 1055 HERE. Lord de Braose, Edward VIII's Lord Warden of the Marches, must be praying that history does not repeat itself......

Note1: Detailed information on the battle and the wooden state of Hereford's defences can be found HERE

Note2: Matt has also lovingly detailed the progress of the VBCW in the Cumberland area - see all his beautifully illustrated posts HERE

TOPICAL ELECTION POSTERS?

For reasons best known to herself, Miss Smythe, the Head Librarian of the Ludlow Public Lending Library, has arranged an exhibition of election posters from the last election held, before the start of the VBCW, on 14th November 1935. The Bishop's Broadcasting Service covers the story....

A VIEW FROM "THE CITY & COUNTY"

As long term followers of the Herefordshire VBCW know only too well, the varied customers of the City & County Dining & Refreshment Rooms, situated hard by Herefordshire's famous Old House in High Town, are always first with the gossip. The fact that their whispered information is usually as reliable as a round thruppeny bit [note1] is neither here nor there....

An Edwardian view of the centre of Hereford. The famous Old House is in the centre of the picture. The even more famous (for the Herefordshire VBCW fan) City & County
Dining & Refreshment Rooms are to the left (white building without awning)

A coloured view of High Town, providing a longer shot of the Old House and the
City & County Refreshment Rooms to its left. There is some argument as to
whether this photograph is similarly Edwardian, or taken during the VBCW.
The absence of traffic and/or visible trade suggests (particularly at 1.30 in the afternoon
 - check the Butter Market clock on the left) that it may well have
been taken during yet another "De Braose/BUF internal security sweep"
of the City, some time in the early months of the VBCW, following
 its recapture by Government forces from the Anglican League.

What does "the City & County" make of recent events at Mortimer's Cross? Given the many Government informers amongst the aspidistra and fug of cigarette smoke, one has to be careful what one says, Deirdre, but I heard:

(1). there is general relief - particularly amongst the petit bourgeousie sipping their Earl Grey so carefully - that the seemingly endless advance of the ("now purified", i.e. blatant) Communist Front of Colonel Comrade Professor Winters across the north east of the County, all the way from breaching the siege lines of Kington to the outskirts of Mortimer's Cross itself, has seemingly been brought to an end;

(2). Senior Captain Maynard and his commander, Major (CRO) Everard, are obviously the social lions of the hour, receiving praise from all quarters for their military and diplomatic exploits. Senior Captain Maynard's regrettable defeat at the Battle of Shobdon (and destruction of Shobdon Court on military grounds) is now quite forgotten. On the sensitive issue of whether the Senior Captain should have co-operated quite so happily with Reichsmarshall Goering and his Fallschirmjager, opinion is predictably divided;

(3). Senior Captain Maynard has quietly "let it be known" that, quite by chance, the Reichsmarshall's Ju-52 crash landed next to the Spanish Blue Division, and the "decision was somewhat taken out of my hands". The Spaniards, of course, had greatly benefited from considerable German largesse in their own civil war, and were therefore wildly enthusiastic in their welcome. In the heat of battle, the Senior Captain therefore (it is whispered by Captain A.D.Mann, Press Officer to Lord de Braose, but wholly unofficially, you know) had little choice but to accept "the unlooked for assistance from the skies". Quite what the attitude would have been of other troops, such as Lord Scudamore's Loyal Legion, had they been the first to meet the Reichsmarshall, "can only be a matter for speculation"; [note2]

(4). be that as it may, Lord de Braose has now ensured "as a matter of courtesy to our distinguished visitor" that the Reichsmarshall and his immediate entourage are comfortably quartered at the Castle House Hotel in the centre of the City, with the remaining "German parashots" barracked together with their ideological friends, the BUF, within the City walls.

A modern shot of the Castle House Hotel, Castle Street, Hereford. It was here that Reichsmarshall Goering was comfortably quartered after his intervention at Mortimer's Cross.
 One of the many VBCW re-enactors now to be found locally
 (and his carefully restored "Command Car") is in the foreground.

(5). there is considerable excitement - certainly amongst the ladies - that one member of the Reichsmarshall's immediate entourage is said to be none other than the famous boxer, Max Schmeling. Heavyweight World Champion between 1930 and 1932, and famously the conqueror of the American Joe Louis in 1936. It is widely rumoured that Schmeling "jumped with the lead stick" of Fallschirmjager over Mortimers Cross, and has now been tasked as the Reichsmarshall's bodyguard within Herefordshire [note3]. Ladies of a certain type are more than looking forward to meeting "the hulking Hun", trilling already that "life hasn't been quite the same since dear, dear Stokkies Joubert got himself captured at Winforton...if you know what I mean....I do hope he's alright, but one so moves on, musn't one?"

Max Schmeling in his boxing heyday, and jumping from a Ju52 over Farmer Roo's fields at Mortimer's Cross. Although often reproduced, there has been some criticism as to the authenticity
 of Schmeling's "Mortimer's Cross photograph". Although there can, of course, be no doubt of Schmeling's participation in this famous Herefordshire battle, the better view is that
 the photograph itself was a "reconstruction" undertaken at a Government airfield some
days after the events of Mortimer's Cross (copyright - Capt. A.D. Mann Archive)

(6). it is unclear quite how long the Reichsmarshall will be staying at the Castle House Hotel. While the Foreign Office and the Wilhelmstrasse are said to be "working overtime to smooth things over", relations between King Edward VIII and the Fuhrer are said "to be somewhat strained", and the Fuhrer "absolutely furious" with his deputy and Luftwaffe C-in-C. On the issue of whether the Reichsmarshall had asked for his personal authority to intervene within the VBCW, the Fuhrer could not be more clear:

 
It may, therefore, be some time before Reichsmarshall Goering will be welcomed back to Berlin......

(7). amidst the customary swirl of lesser stories - the Anglicans are quiet, too quiet since Shobdon; Mr Churchill is leading an "Assault Column" into the County, I know it's been rumoured before, Deirdre, but I'm quite sure he's on his way; now that farmer, what's his name, again, Giles? Just "a landless Ronin", the Japanese Military Attache was telling me only the other day, apparently "bent on revenge". And the other one, you know the one with the strange name, Farmer Roo? Denounced as "No.1 Fat Kulak and Class Traitor" by the Presteigne FreePress, gosh, he'll be in for it if the Communists ever get him; don't you think the Lefties are going to split, they always do, dear, and Winters is just so hardline and - some more tea? - so in hock to the Comintern; the VBCW "Peace Envoy", Mr Chamberlain, is making absolutely no progress with his talks with "various parties", well, that's hardly a surprise; Captain Arrowsmith has moved to Rome and taken up with an Italian waiter called Guido, ditto; substantial BUF re-inforcements are already on their way from London to Herefordshire, yawn, how many times has that been said; dear Stokkies is now a dab hand at jam making, well, Deirdre, he's got a lot of time on his hands in Ludlow Gaol, poor man....Yet amidst all this gossip, a wholly new rumour is doing the rounds - "the Bristol Fleet".

(8). "The Bristol Fleet is being prepared". The words are on everybody's lips......

What is happening at Bristol Docks? What can be the use of "the Bristol Fleet" within landlocked Herefordshire? Does "the Bristol Fleet" even exist, or is it yet more Government propaganda? The answer to these and even more pressing VBCW questions can, in the usual way, only be discovered by participation in the Herefordshire VBCW Spring Big Game 2020 (coming to a Village Hall near you
in March 2020)!!!

Notes:

(1). ok, you have to be pre-decimal to get that reference;

(2). this appears to be the first recorded VBCW example, according to political historians, of the famed "reverse ferret" manoeuvre. Defined as "a phrase used predominantly within the British media to describe a sudden reversal in an organisation's editorial or political line on a certain issue. Generally, this will involve no acknowledgment of the previous position", the Herefordshire roots of the well known phrase (being a predominantly agricultural county) are obvious.

(3). you have to live in the alt-timeline (of reality) to mention the Louis-Schmeling fight in 1938, where Louis famously took a first-round revenge. In this timeline, Max Schmeling was clearly knocking around somewhere in Herefordshire in 1938, perhaps putting on exhibition bouts with some BUF bruisers to keep the local populace entertained. In both timelines, however, Schmeling enlisted in the Fallschirmjager.

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There was now much hard fighting. 

In the east, the remaining Fallschirmjager slowly re-formed, dodging the much feared OGPU and tangling with the Fyffes Motor Guard and Soviet back Boy Scouts. Heavy exchanges of fire wiped out the yellow clad Fyffes troopers and sent the catapult waving Boy Scouts into a hasty retreat, but at the cost of significant Fallschirmjager casualties, the survivors being pinned and flanked by the OGPU. They were soon to die where they stood (mostly behind a hedge).

In the west, the buoyant Fallschirmjager and Government troops hastened towards Farmer Giles' land, readying themselves for the critical assault.......

On! On to victory, boys! Senior Captain Maynard (right) encourages his black clad HQ Section forward.
A Hereford Police Section leads the advance. In the distance can just be seen the "Shredded Wheat Irregulars",
still filled with fighting enthusiasm as a result of Maynard's battlefield oratory, supported by the
Lucton School Cadets.

In the centre, Farmer Roo's troops cautiously moved towards Farmer Giles' land, not in co-operation with the Government, you understand, just on the same axis of advance...The Police AT Gun disabled Farmer Roo's slow moving "Flame Tank" (much consulting of rules written in dense script on Umpire Roo's mobile phone), only to be viciously and spectacularly incinerated in their turn, but the "western" Fallschirmjager sections were now clearly flanking the Giles' farmhouse, even as Staff Captain Maynard maintained the frontal pressure...

An assault by the Shredded Wheat Irregulars on Farmer Giles' front line, manned by the News of the World
1938 Competition Winners and a variety of Giles tenantry (some of whom had clearly "just been called
up to the Navy, don'tcha know")

It was all too much. Farmer Giles' two medics were now working frantically, bandaging furiously and shoving the wounded back in to the firing line, but the attackers were making progress through the force of sheer numbers. As dusk began to fall, Farmer Giles had no option but to call for a "reluctant retreat" into the reformed Communist lines to the east of Mortimer's Cross, and tearfully abandon his family farmhouse.....

To add to Farmer Giles' discomfiture, the Fyffes Bananaman continued to plague his sniper and HQ even as
Giles' troops fell back towards the tender mercies of Colonel Comrade Professor Winters...

Such are the fortunes of the Very British Civil War. It soon became apparent that, despite his protestations, Farmer Roo had indeed "done a deal" with Senior Captain Maynard. While the Government nabbed Giles savings in lieu of back tax, in exchange Farmer Roo acquired all of Farmer Giles' former land. The retreating Farmer Giles claimed that he still had all his agricultural animals, but quite whether any would survive the Communist collective cooking pot was clearly an open question...

A tired Farmer Giles at the end of the day's combat. While his VBCW future may now be uncertain,
Farmer Giles received (by general acclamation) the Umpires VBCW Award, the tremendously valuable
Mortimers Cross Cup (and medal). Better a patriotic Hun killing hero than a caddish collaborator
and low land grabber (nb.Farmer Roo).

Colonel Comrade Professor Winters at the end of the day, surrounded by his bodyguards.
The mounted OGPU Cossack notes the "Comrade Leaders" terms for receiving Farmer
Giles surviving troops and animals into Communist lines, and will soon convey them
to the exhausted Giles. Why is Winter''s looking so pleased with himself? Perhaps
looking forward to a large, freshly cooked meal of prime Herefordshire beef?

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While Reichsmarshall Goering was now safely ensconced with the Spanish Blue Division, his Fallschirmjager were widely scattered over the fields of Mortimer's Cross (and some had not even made it, their Elefun markers falling off table). A sudden rush for their equipment pods, as NCOs barked the well trained paratroopers back into some sort of section order, and a widely differing fate for different sections.....

To the east of the table, falling into Communist held territory, the Fallschirmjager had difficulty re-organising before
Colonel Comrade Professor Winter's highly trained OGPU troops (and their allies) fell upon them. Here, a lonely
trooper realises his utter isolation. Behind him, and admittedly rather blurrily, some of his comrades are executing
the Soviet Realist Film Crew (making sure there will be no witnesses, presumably) while being pelted with
catapult stones from the Soviet backed Boy Scouts. Our lonely Fallschirmjager will not survive for long...

A different story in HMG territory to the west of Mortimer's Cross. Here a section of Fallschirmjager have
re-organised themselves quickly, and are now heading towards Farmer Giles' land (carefully avoiding
Farmer Roo's), supported by a section of Govt. Infantry,the Hereford Auxiliary Reserve Division ("HARD")

The Government "Advanced Crusader" tank leads two more sections of Fallschirmjager towards Farmer
Giles' land. Farmer Roo's infantry advance in support, keeping a wary eye out for "any trespassers or townies".

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Where was Reichsmarshall Goering? Not in Berlin, by all accounts, but very visibly "on the ground" at Mortimer's Cross itself, extricating himself from a crashed Ju.52: 

Reichmarshall Goering's crashed Ju.52. Farmer Roo's farm buildings can be seen in the background.
In truth, the Reichmarshall was well pleased with this result (caused by ordering his personal pilot
to land on unprepared agricultural ground) as it meant that he did not have test his considerable
bulk against both a parachute and the laws of physics....

The Falangist Blue Division of Senior Captain Maynard provides an enthusiastic welcome for the Reichsmarshall and his Ju-52 aircrew. Arriba! Perhaps now that feelthy commie Winters is for it...

It need hardly be said that the unexpected arrival of the Reichsmarshall and his Fallschirmjager troops within Herefordshire had all the makings of major diplomatic incident - and perhaps propaganda disaster. While the course of Colonel Comrade Professor Winters was clear and unchanged ("Kill the Fascists!"), what should the representative of HMG, Senior Captain Maynard, now do? Would County opinion approve of him co-operating with a Hun? What would London say? And what of our local farmers, Roo and Giles? To be freeborn patriotic Englishmen, and take on the Germanic invader, or take the course of a low collaborator with a foreign power?

Senior Captain Maynard did not flinch. He welcomed the arrival, however surprising, of fresh and experienced troops ready to fight against the Red Horde of Comrade Professor Winters. In the ideological war of the Herefordshire VBCW, he was ready to make compromises, even with a German.

Farmer Roo was more cautious, and happy to revert to his native type. "Get off my land!" was to be his motto, content to allow the world (and the Fallschirmjager) go by, provided they used the public highways and clearly marked rights of way.

And as for Farmer Giles, already entangled in a fight with the forces of Communism (and Morris Men, and the AA, plus a few police sections, not forgetting the lingering "Bananaman") his patriotic course was clear - "Bring 'em on! Bring 'em all on! I'll fight the blighters, you see if I don't! Blasted Huns! And Blasted Commies! The whole blasted lot of 'em!"

As a series of slogans, it was magnificent. As a strategy, it was, um, er, well, courageous.

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From our diplomatic correspondent: How had it come to this, the pride of the Third Reich's armed forces intervening in the Very British Civil War? Contacts in Berlin and Presteigne suggest a very simple explanation - the visible success of Colonel Comrade Professor Winter's "drive on Hereford". The danger that "the cockpit of the VBCW" could "go red", with all the associated consequences in London - and thus, obviously, across Europe - was clearly too much for the Fuhrer, Adolf Hitler, who delivered a vicious denunciation of "the Ogre Winters" and "all his filthy Communist works" to the Reichstag just this last month:

The Fuhrer's notorious "Herefordshire Speech" to the Reichstag.

It is now rumoured that the Chancellor of Germany's private views as to Winter's successes within the Hereford VBCW were, if anything, even more extreme than those he had expressed to the Reichstag. Was there any prospect that Greater Germany could even contemplate Herefordshire turning red?

Adolf Hitler expresses his "Herefordshire policy" within the confines of the newly rebuilt Reich Chancellery.

Against this background and anxious to curry favour with the Fuhrer, Reichsmarshall Goering took it upon himself, it is said, to plan the intervention of his Luftwaffe troops from the skies above Mortimer's Cross [note1] It has been categorically denied from Reich Chancellery sources that "Operation Cilla" was "an authorised intervention", and suggested to the contrary that "it was a whim of the Reichsmarshall himself".

And what of the Reichsmarshall? He has not been seen in Berlin since the start of "Operation Cilla"....

[note1] for those living in the alternative time line (of reality), very much like the flight of Rudolph Hess to Scotland in 1941. Although Goering's escapade clearly involved a lot more planes (and no, we didn't research the range of Ju.52 as against an Me110. This is the VBCW....)

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And the Umpires speak : The issue of how best to simulate a 28mm Fallschirmjager landing (2 full Platoons of troops, together with their Platoon HQs and sundry support weapons) had long vexed even the planet-sized brains of the campaign umpires. Drearily, the Umpires were about to be forced to the conclusion that only the "Featherstone method" would do (standing on chairs, throwing or dropping torn up pieces of tissue paper from a height above the table) when Umpire Roo had a moment of inspiration (nay, genius) - the Elefun Machine!

A boxed set of Roo's Patent Fallschirmjager Random Relocation Device.
The "coloured butterflys" were coded as against the available troops -
infantry sections, support weapons, HQs etc...

...and then blasted from a happily buzzing Elefun machine onto (or off) the table itself!

The Elefun in action! The machine was relocated at prescribed intervals across the table, travelling from "east" to "west", just as the "Tante Jus" had travelled in the skies above Mortimer's Cross. Farmer Giles (to whom we
owe this photograph) contends that the Umpire's "cherubic expressions of child-like wonder" at the Elefun's
operation were "something to behold". In fact, it may just have been relief that the machine actually worked...

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The Battle of Mortimer's Cross was now truly underway. Boy Scouts fought with rugby players. Morris Men dashed around madly, assaulting all and sundry. The Police Anti Tank Gun methodically shot every wheel off the Automobile Association armoured car, which somehow survived endless direct hits, and continued to fired its LMG. The AA infantry patrol (so randomly aggressive that they were renamed "Assassins Anonymous") picked a seemingly endless fight with some passing and wholly blameless postmen. Farmer Giles ambushed a passing Fyffes lorry, only to be dismayed by the appearance of another Fyffes "Bananaman" mascot, who attached himself to Giles' supposedly heavily camouflaged sniper and started hollering, off key, the Fyffes company anthem (copyright : Rob). Amidst all this carnage, a brief survey was undertaken of the mid-game "wealth and goodies" of the principal players:

Farmer Roo - 14 agricultural animals, 40 Ludlow Groats in cash;

Farmer Giles - 9 agricultural animals, 70 New Pounds in cash;

Comrade Professor Winters - 7 agricultural animals, 20 Liverpool Roubles in cash, 3 Bananas, 3 bottles of Champagne (obtained by raiding the Perrier Jouet van, not for distribution to the proletariat) and 3 chocolates;

Senior Captain Maynard - 9 agricultural animals, 30 New Pounds in cash, 1 Banana and 1 chocolate. 

So far, so good for most, but then....then Mortimer's Cross began to throb with the sound of a huge fleet of strange, tri-motored aircraft, and the sky above to fill with blossoming canvas shapes and shrouds...what could be happening? Surely not - surprise, surprise - the long anticipated "Operation Cilla"?

German parachutists! Blimey! Fahsends of 'em! A snatched shot of  the start of "Operation Cilla"
over the Mortimer's Cross area. (c) "Hereford Times" VBCW 1938.

An official Luftwaffe photo of the first landing zone to be established, subsequently reproduced in the limited circulation pamphlet "Gebirgsjager und Fallschirmager ein der Englischer Kreig" (Munich, 1938)

A rare colour photograph of the descent. Farmer Roo's West Field is clearly visible below.

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 Meanwhile, back at Mortimer's Cross:

The Luctonians RFC move out purposefully. They have heard of Communists in the area, supported by
Boy Scouts and "some yellow clad blighters" - possibly cricketers or dart players. The Luctonians "are
having none of that, mate", and their Exploding Rugby Ball improvised mortar is promptly fused and readied..

The action at Mortimer's Cross, with Luctonians RFC top right. The Communists have stopped

a Cadbury's lorry and recruited a section of Cadbury's Commandos, who now flank the advance of

their Vickers VIB tank. Catapult waving Boy Scouts take cover behind the hedgeline along

the sunken lane, with the yellow Fyffes Motor Guard just visible to their left... 

The Cadbury's Commandos are duly ambushed by more Morris Men, being gradually wiped out.
"True Chocolate Soldiers" mutters Senior Captain Maynard. "Always thought they'd be flaky."

while the AA tank runs into trouble, confronted both by a highly experienced section of Soviet trained
sticky bombers (the very same who disposed of Sir Alan McGuffin's armoured vehicle, see blogposts
 passim) and a "Soviet Realist" film crew, anxious to record the encounter for the Presteigne People's
Cinema...

The diversion of the AA tank from the crossroads allows Farmer Roo to advance his own heavy armour,
a startling Armoured Flame Thrower! (this was Roo's entry for the 2019 Armoured Modelling
Challenge, using rules that he assured everyone were fair - as he had written them down
 on his own mobile phone. The advantages of Umpiring....)

Boom! The Soviet trained sticky bombers pull off another amazing success against the AA tank,
 and the film crew have all the cinema footage they need....

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A notorious incident: Flushed with the "single banana" success of his last raid on a Fyffes lorry (and perhaps rather envious of Colonel Comrade Professor Winter's recruitment of a whole section of Fyffes Motor Guard), Staff Captain Maynard duly ordered yet another stopped. On this occasion, however, the Government's luck ran out, and out of the back of van stepped none other than "Banana Man", the Fyffes corporate mascot. The corporate role of "Banana Man" was to sing, without cease, the corporate song - "Yes, we have plenty of bananas!" - but so badly that it caused the morale factor of his captors, Lord Scudamore's Legion, to drop severely. Colonel Comrade Professor Winters (Rob) kindly improvised the "banana song" (at full volume) in order to taunt Staff Captain Maynard (Alan) to distraction, with the result that a firing party was ordered:

Banana Man courageously faces a Government Firing Squad. He continues to sing
as, unbelievably, every single rifle of the firing party misses......

....only for the section's Light Machine Gun finally to do the necessary duty. Enraged by this obvious
war crime, out of the adjacent scrub jump a party of fierce Morris Men...

...who proceed to beat Viscount Scudamore's troops with sticks and jangle their nerves with bells....

....only to be wiped out in their turn as the (literally) "Blue Division" of Spanish Falangists
come to the aid of Scudamore's troops.

On the northern flank of the Government advance, matters proceed more peacefully. Here, a section of seamen
(commanded by their Petty Officer) from the Royal National Lifeboat Institution are stopped by elements of the Hereford Auxiliary Reserve Division ("H.A.R.D."), while further east, Senior Captain Maynard,
 still brandishing his pistol....

delivered yet another inspiring speech, persuading the "Shredded Wheat Irregulars" to the side of HMG.

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A Military Correspondent reports: With the advance of Communists from the east and Government Forces from the west, both Farmer Roo and Farmer Giles were playing a cagey game. Neither would enter into an outright alliance with one of the larger factions (and pay their taxes or revolutionary contributions), but neither would openly declare "for the other side" and enter into a shooting match. While some diplomatic whispering could be heard (particularly from Staff Captain Maynard), all sides concentrated on nicking the available "agricultural animals" and stopping the passing "commercial traffic" to see precisely what the vans and lorries were carrying....

Senior Captain Maynard, at the head of the advancing Government column and still waving his pistol in
encouragement, overtakes an innocent Fyffes Banana Bulk Import Lorry. His Falangists (blue coats)
are invited to investigate, and proudly produce a (1/1 scale) banana. Riches!

The Government "Advance Crusader" tank intercepts a Cadbury's lorry. Staring down the muzzle of
of its main armament, the Cadbury's crew duly surrender (a 1/1 scale) chocolate. Tasty!

Being an organised sort, Senior Captain Maynard created an animal pen for his agricultural captures...

Over on the other side of the table, Colonel Comrade Professor Winters was missing out on the food supplies,
but gaining allies. His stop of another Fyffes Banana Bulk Import Lorry had produced a section of Fyffes Motor Guards, proudly clad in the company colours of yellow and blue (top left). A revolutionary speech had persuaded
them to back the Communist side. Winter's OGPU operatives are now investigating a Boy Scouts Association
van, which duly produced another section of catapult waving youths, anxious to forward the cause of progress..

Winter's successes meant that he could conserve his own crack troops. Here, they are parked up by Farmer
Giles' farmhouse, enjoying the sight of a section of "Cadbury's Commandos" (wearing the company colours
of purple and white) taking on a section of wandering Morris Men. Farmer Giles and his troops were
(conveniently) on the other other side of the farmhouse, recruiting an infantry section of the  News of the
 World 1938 Competition Winners after stopping their van....

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In the east, the Communist Front traffic convoy (aka "Jam") sets out
on another "Long March" (shouldn't that be "Country Drive"?)

Colonel Comrade Professor Winter's much feared Revolutionary Auditors' van. A crack team of
 proletarian accountants shall mete out justice to any defaulting farmer
 unwilling to meet the "legitimate monetary demands of the people"!

Commander Camshaft of the AA, recovered from his exertions as the Battle of Shobdon, orders his shiny new
tank forward to investigate. This was Umpire Clive's "Shoddy Tank" entry for the
 2019 Armoured Modelling Challenge (see blogposts passim).

Meanwhile, to the west, the forces of Her Majesty's Government advance. Military commentators
suggest that HMG have rushed through the development of a new type of "Crusader" tank.
The accompanying foot sloggers of Viscount Scudamore's Loyal Legion are about to accomplish
their first strategic objective, the capture of some un-armed goats. Yet another battle honour
for the Legion's standard!

A view of the Government's advance from the north. Staff Captain Maynard (waving his pistol in an encouraging manner) and his accompanying Inland Revenue tax inspector "take a stand" on top of the lead van. Farmers beware -
its tax collection time! To the right of the photograph, Alan's "Shoddy Tank" entry for the 2019 Armoured
Modelling Challenge noses into view, exploiting its camouflage and the tree lined route to the full.... 

....but not for long! The exact specifications of this "Shoddy Tank" are unknown, but it boasts a "Fat Barrel" main
armament (possibly with enhanced muzzle velocity attachment), sneaky hedge cutters and a snazzy 1930s three colour camo scheme. Magnificent! However, what is known about this "Shoddy" is that (in line with all its companions), it suffered continual mechanical breakdowns....

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A close up of "Farm Giles" - white farmhouse and red tiled barn. Some of his farmworkers
mill about on the side road to Mortimer's Cross, flagging down a "News of the World" van.
An Automobile Association Tank, Armoured Car and Infantry Section have taken
position at the Cross itself, anxious to "keep the roads clear for the ordinary motorist".

By Farmer Giles' farmhouse, some old buildings for his workers and tenants.
The area is rich in "agricultural animals", with a cow and two sheep in
evidence here. To to the north of Mortimer's Cross can just be seen a
Herefordshire Police Speed Trap (Anti Tank Gun & Crew), with a purple
Cadbury's lorry passing Luctonians RFC rugby ground.

A closer view from the north. Some red Royal Mail vans pass under the watchful eye of the Herefordshire
Police speed trap. Horses graze and pigs snuffle. The AA tank turns to the east, ready to investigate reports
 of a Communist Front traffic jam. It always happens.........

Further to the west, a section of Herefordshire Police line the route, protecting a Herefordshire Fire Brigade
tender as it races towards Shobdon Court. Apparently the country house has been blown up.....

At the eastern tip of Farmer Giles's land, another section of Herefordshire Policemen (one with spherical AT
sticky bomb). They are investigating reports of vandalism and "tagging", but have yet to see any evidence...
A Perrier Jouet delivery van passes undisturbed along the road.

Back at Luctonians RFC rugby ground, the team are looking rather angrily for the groundsman, who has produced
cricket wickets rather than rugby posts. The groundsman has wisely decamped. The Luctonians RFC are not
just angry but heavily armed, and anxious to try out their "exploding rugby ball" improvised mortar.
A Cadbury's van heads from the north towards Mortimer's Cross.

West of the Luctonians RFC rugby ground, the forces of Farmer Roo line the stout walls of his ochre-coloured
homestead. His prize horses graze in his "South Field", soon to be gathered into his stables. Farmer Roo is an
old adversary of his near neighbour, Farmer Giles....