BUF LONDON HQ - "THE BLACK HOUSE"

The learned editor of "The Very British Civil War - Then and Now" (not, of course, to be confused with the much more voluminous "Hereford in the VBCW - Then and Now") has kindly provided, with full illustrations, this new information on the BUF's London HQ from 1932 - 1940. See also this subsequent post with film of the entrance to the Kings Road "Black House".

HOW CLOSE WAS CIVIL WAR?

Archivists of the Ludlow Public Records Office have made public certain extracts from a tome of arcane lore on a subject close to the heart of every VBCW student of alternative history : how close was Civil War? Also contains contemporaneous illustrations of the Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool. See HERE

OXFORD UNIVERSITY BUF

The Bishop's Broadcasting Service has come into possession of one of "Big X's" bulging intelligence files (or possibly just scanned the internet) and produced this programme on the Oxford University Fascist Association in the 1930s (and its 1939 successor, the Oxford University National Socialist Association), as addressed by Oswald Mosley, Leader of the BUF.

VBCW "PROLEY" TANKS

Comrade Colonel Professor Winters has become increasingly worried by the Government's rapid introduction into service of "Elstree Industries" tanks, apparently now being produced by his sworn enemies within the County (and the Automobile Association) on an industrial scale. Determined neither to lose face nor the Civil War, and following anxious consultations with Comintern, Winters has therefore established a "shadow factory" for new model tank manufacture at a secret location "behind the Black Mountains", based on a "flatpack assembly line" sent to him by secret freighter from Leningrad:

If Comrade Colonel Professor Winters had actually believed in Christmas, his secret delivery from Leningrad
might have given him that "warm Christmas morning feeling". As a militant Atheist, however....

......he was concerned only to establish the number and utility of the tanks contained in "the Leningrad package"....

and the speed with which they could be assembled. With a maximum of only six pre fabricated parts
 per tank, there was yet hope that the County Communists might catch up and even exceed the
 "Elstree Industries" output. Winters noted that a variety of tank marques could be made:

Comrade Colonel Professor Winters' Soviet flat pack factory was assembled in record time, and was officially christened the "Popular Revolutionary Organisation Light Engineering Yard No.1" (or, in Comintern records, "Narodnyy Revolyutsionnyy Organizatsiya Svetlyy Inzheneriya Dvor No.1"). Soon enough, Winters reckoned, his new assembly lines would be churning out "PROLEY" tanks in vast quantities, enough to bring the Hereford VBCW to a swift end in his favour.....

Following manufacture, only field testing of the PROLEY tanks would remain, and Winters was supremely confident of Soviet manufacturing techniques.

Field testing would no doubt demonstrate the unique capabilities of Winters new PROLEY Tanks (Mks.1 - V)

Notes

(1). The "PROLEY" tanks are in "approximate 1/48ish -1/50ish scale" and look fine next to 28mm figures, being almost exactly the same size and height as "Elstree Industries" tanks. They were obtained from this Russian Ebay Seller ("kotofeykotovich") and are made of hard plastic, costing about £4.00 each (INCLUSIVE of Postage & Packing from Russia to UK). Not quite as (ridiculously) inexpensive as the "cheep Chinese plastic tanks" from Elstree Industries used in the Modelling Challenge 2019, but of much better material and modelling detail - and you don't have to source an alternative tank turret for any of them!

(2). Unfortunately, it appears that Ebay seller "Kotofeykotovich" has temporarily shut his shop by reason of the Covid crisis, but no doubt he will be back, once things return to normal, for anyone wishing to order. Just as well that Winter's planning staff had the good fortune to have already "laid in" a goodly supply of PROLEYS....Onward to Hereford, Comrades! Death to the Fascist Beasts!

HEREFORD ON VE DAY 1945

On 8th May 1945, the country celebrated the end of the European War and Victory over Germany [note 1]. Here is how Hereford celebrated:

The scene in High Town. British and American flags decorate an awning erected in front of the Butter Market.
To the left, Lloyds Bank advertises Savings Bonds. A variety of uniforms can be seen in the crowd,
including some airmen and WAAFs, possibly from RAF Shobdon, plus an excited schoolboy in striped cap,
 possibly from the Cathedral School.

The same scene in High Town, the camera veering right. The Market Hall sign is clearly visible above the entrance to the Butter Market, together with, to the right, the "City and County Stores" and Currys, selling radios and bicycles.

A children's street party in Church Street, just off High Town.

The same party, with Union Jacks and a portrait of Churchill in the centrepiece. Behind and to the right, an outlet
of Ind Coope & Allsopp, the Lichfield Vaults pub, which remains in Church Street today.

The same party with its most senior member at the head of the table. Check the ties, flat caps, and airman in the background.
Capstan cigarettes are available from the Lichfield Vaults.

The same ground many years later (probably the late 1980s) looking in the opposite direction towards the Cathedral.
The Lichfield Vaults are still in business to the left, and the shop fronts have little change (the white arched windows
to the left of the Lichfield Vaults, for example, are the same - and the same colour - as in 1945).

[Note1] - for those visiting this Blog for news of the "Very British Civil War", these photographs are no doubt somewhat disorientating. They emanate, of course, from a parallel universe where Edward VIII did not fight for his throne, Mosley never became "Prime Minister", and Neville Chamberlain declared war on Germany in 1939. Instead of leading an "Assault Column" into Herefordshire (blog posts to come), Mr Winston Churchill became Prime Minister in May 1940, and five years later celebrated victory:

WHAT'S THE BEST TANK?

Continuing our vague theme of providing suitable entertainment to the socially isolated, HERE is Richard Smith, the Director of the Tank Museum, Bovington, delivering a lecture from home on the subject of "What is the Best Tank?"

The "comments" section beneath the video provides universal approval for this "academic but delivered with some verve" lecture. Perfect material to accompany a 28mm painting session.

And if you like the Tank Talk, the Director's EARLIER LECTURE could be straight from the quirky depths of the VBCW: "Why do soldiers wear Hats?"