28mm NAVAL VBCW (PART THREE) - JOHN RUDDLE'S GARDEN

The sight of a large scale Ark Royal "sailing" contentedly across a lawn brought back to mind the 54mm "naval fleets" of  John Ruddle, as documented in very early editions of Wargames Illustrated/Wargames World:

John Ruddle was for many years involved with the British Model Soldier Society ("BMSS"), and ran a complete 54mm "imaginary world" - approximately based in the 1880s to 1890's period - in the happy tranquility of his own back garden. Concrete towns and ports were constructed in flowerbeds, and battleships hand made of metal and/or wood traversed the "seas" of lawn. The whole set up had to be sufficiently robust to stand all kinds of English weather....

 

A "port" with docked battleship

A better shot of another battleship, with accompanying torpedo boats and small vessels.

Tragardmastre, of the Duchy of Tragardland Blog, has recently dug up this fantastic video link:

https://www.facebook.com/BBCArchive/videos/406874286352274/

being a short clip from a 1978 "Nationwide" BBC Programme of John Ruddle wandering round his wargames garden, explaining everything to a bearded BBC reporter. Well worth a look....

Lessons from John Ruddle's experience for anyone contemplating building a "28mm scale" VBCW Aircraft Carrier Group:

(1). Get a garden. A big one. And an understanding wife. But not a pet.

(2). Make Akula look positively sane.

(3). Choose a wargames period too early for aircraft carriers (of whatever scale).

(4). Don't worry too much about "scale", provided that the "look" (which can be cartoony) is right. "The look" is in turn dependent upon the inter-relationship between elements - "battleships" have to be larger than "cruisers", and "cruisers" larger than "destroyers" or "motor torpedo boats". Aircraft are a whole separate issue....

(5). Pray for decent weather. Enjoy.

28mm NAVAL VBCW (PART TWO) - AKULA'S INSANITY DOCUMENTED

The invariable rule of wargames projects - and building a VBCW Aircraft Carrier group "in 28mm scale" must surely count as a "wargames project" - is that someone, somewhere has done it before you.

Just when you thought it was truly impossible to build a 1/60 aircraft carrier, up pops a 10 foot long model of the Royal Navy's very first flat-top, HMS Argus, in full "dazzle camouflage" scheme:

HMS Argus in "28mm scale" - 10 foot long.

The nutjob crazy wargamer who produced all 10 feet of the 28mm HMS Argus (when contemplating a 28mm carrier, you, of course, are sane - it is only he that is crazy) for a wargames show more than a decade ago (Fiasco 2009) was none other than LAF Member Akula, and his very entertaining build thread is still preserved on the Lead Adventure Forum. A flavour of the thread can be gathered from the very first response (by Rudi Geudens) - "Right mate, beware of those nice young men in their clean white coats: they're coming to take you away...." - but it also covers how the carrier was built and crewed, plus the aircraft stored upon it. In no particular order, lessons from Akula's experience:

(1). the choice of HMS Argus was inspired, in that it was only 560 foot in length, or "10 model feet" at 1/56. Later and larger carriers (such as Ark Royal at 800 feet in length) would have required a model of nearer to 15 feet. This would point to any model of a 28mm VBCW carrier being more of an "escort carrier" (typically 500 feet long) than a "fleet carrier" (typically around 900 feet long);

(2). uniquely but obviously, for a model aircraft carrier, there has to be an inter-relationship (of whatever type) between the scale of any crew figures (Akula - 28mm), the scale of the ship (Akula - 1/56) and the scale of the planes on the flat-top itself (Akula - 1/48). If the scales of any of these elements do not work together, the result will simply look odd. Quite why Akula opted for 1/48 scale planes as opposed to the smaller 1/72 option is unknown. Nevertheless, his cleverly converted 28mm crew (utilising the RND hats from the Gripping Beast line of separate heads) must have "looked right", in his opinion, both next to the planes and "on the deck";

(3). from memory, the 1/56 scale HMS Argus was only used in an "as docked" scenario at Fiasco 2009. Again, this was clever - but not something that the intended "Bristol Fleet" can emulate. To the contrary, the "Bristol Fleet" has to "manoeuvre at sea" for the purposes of the "Assault on Newquay" Big Game (Autumn 2022), which puts an additional stress on building an appropriate "carrier group".

(4). Finally, there is no record of how Akula actually transported his HMS Argus to the show.........

An elegant "transport solution". Not HMS Argus, but the USS Nevada modelled in 1/15 scale
for "Tora, Tora, Tora" and apparently still occasionally produced for parades in Los Angeles.

28MM NAVAL VBCW (PART ONE) - ARK ROYAL

As the Bristol Fleet "turns home" towards the West Coast of Wales and the little port of Newquay, having abandoned (in the interests of the Autumn Big Game 2022) its long pursuit of the Communist aircraft carrier "Red Invergordon", an important issue arises : how to portray a fleet of one or more aircraft carriers (plus accompanying battleships) on a "28mm scale tabletop"?

Here is one possible solution, currently available for purchase on Ebay [note 1]:

"2 bins worth" of WW2 aircraft carrier

Some naval modeller must have spent an awful lot of time on this...

with lots of skill, from massive keel...

..to flight deck and detailed superstructure...

all 5.5 feet of model aircraft carrier...

..floating comfortably on a "sea" of well kept lawn...

..it is, of course, HMS "Ark Royal"...

Massive as this model "Ark Royal" may be, it still isn't large enough for "true 28mm action" (i.e. 1/55 or 1/60 scale, dependent upon taste). In fact, as the Ark Royal's flight deck was documented at 800 feet, even this model scales out at only 1/144, or less than half the size needed.

This could be a bit of a problem.....

[Note 1] The current Ebay listing (from which all photos are taken) is HERE. For the 1/144 wargamer, the Ark Royal must surely be considered a mere snip at £375 (plus collection).

VBCW AIRCRAFT STICKERS (PART THREE) - RAF or BUF SQUADRON MARKINGS

During both the 1930s (pre Munich) and the 1950s (post war), the Royal Air Force loved silvered  and highly decorated aircraft, particularly with distinctive squadron markings along both sides of the fuselage: 

1950s Squadron Markings

Not the VBCW Vickers Venom, but the post war De Havilland Venom.
RAF Squadron Markings.

Back in period - RAF Squadron Markings for the 1938 VBCW

Using the ancient technique of "print carefully and cut even more carefully", these sheets can be used to bring historical colour to VBCW aircraft. Some markings, incorporating national roundels and "flashes", can even be used to decorate the fuselages of BUF aircraft without photoshop amendment:

RAF 617 Squadron - or BUF Air Fleet Marking?

RAF 60 Squadron - or BUF Air Fleet Marking?

VBCW AIRCRAFT STICKERS (PART TWO) - BUF DECALS

After THIS POST on pre-made stickers suitable for VBCW Air Fleets, it is puzzling to record that no modern manufacturer seems to make similar stickers for BUF Aircraft. Can't think why.....

Part of the Hereford BUF Air Fleet - with BUF stickers!

Thus, a budding BUF von Richthofen is forced back to the old fashioned "print on paper and cut carefully technique". Here are two suitable paper decal sheets:

"BUF Decal Sheet 1"

"BUF Decal Sheet 2"

The above decal sheets were used for all of the "Elstree Aeronautics" (aka cheep Chinese) Hereford VBCW BUF Aircraft shown on the blog - and they proved equally useful for vehicles...

The Ledbury "Armoured Fist" BUF proudly demonstrate their "decals".

Note : unfortunately we can't claim any credit for the above artwork, nor give any at this point. The above "BUF Decal Sheets" were downloaded (unfortunately without attribution) at different times, but many years ago, from one of the VBCW public sub-forums (probably the GWP). Anyone wishing to claim credit please get in touch!

AFGHANS IN THE HEREFORD VBCW

While the occasional presence of Abyssinians in the Hereford VBCW could have some historical justification, the introduction at the recent Battle of Leominster of a number of wild Afghans (fighting in support of the Bromyard Social Democratic Republic), albeit chronologically accurate, owes more to low literature (and Corgi nostalgic diecasts):

A Corgi "Comic Classic" boxed diecast, celebrating "The Wizard".
The Afghan with heavy machine gun cartoon on the side of the Morris J. proved irresistible.

"The Wizard" was one of the pre-eminent boys comics of the 1920s and 1930s, published by D.C.Thompson of Dundee. A recurring character within "The Wizard" was one Second Lieutenant Bill Sampson, a British intelligence agent on the North West Frontier (aka "The Wolf of Kabul"), accompanied by his friend and sidekick, Chung. Chung's weapon of choice was a cricket bat, which he called his "Clicky-Ba". Together, they survived many adventures and saw off many enemies of Empire during "The Wizard"s long run of continuous publication (from 1922 to 1963, resurfacing in "The Hotspur" from 1961 to 1975).

Bill Sampson and Chung. Although "The Wolf of Kabul" often
used native dress, he is portrayed here in true Imperial style.

Chung in action with his fearsome "Clicky-Ba". Behind, Sampson
 despatches another enemy with a Very British "straight right".
Obviously, the chaps are badly outnumbered - but are bound to triumph in the end.

Curiously for a British Imperial hero (but less so for a boys own character), "The Wolf of Kabul" was portrayed as an anti-establishment irregular, rather than a classic British Army Officer.  For a taste of "The Wolf's" style, together with the origin of Chung and a classic account of NWF action, see HERE.

And so back to the Hereford VBCW:

The Battle of Leominster. "The Wizard"s red and orange Morris J. can be seen lurking in the
background, having offloaded the Wolf of Kabul's section of Afghans (including a
mortar and Anti-Tank Jezzail). 

Some question why Bill Sampson, Chung and their Afghan allies opted to support the Bromyard Social Democratic Republic. It may be that the Malvern Hills reminded them of the mountains of the North West Frontier. It may be that Sampson's anti-establishment style was better suited to the "liberal values" of Bromyard, rather than the "stuffy Royalism" of Lord de Braose's Hereford. Or it may be that Sampson simply "felt at home" amongst the many strange types (including Red Robed Cultists) fighting on the side of the newly founded Republic [note 1].

One matter, however, is clear. "The Wolf of Kabul" can expect re-inforcements, in due course, from the many fine 28mm ranges of Afghans (of varying periods) already available, the possibilities seemingly endless:

Artizan Designs Afghans, with a fine standard bearer

Empress Miniatures Afghans, with another type of standard bearer and "AT Rifle team"

Eureka Miniatures Afghan MMG and crew

Eureka again - with a (very updated) "Blacker Bombard" AT Gun. The crewman with
the AK47 might be a little too modern for the Hereford VBCW...

More in period - an Empress Miniatures "Jazz Age Imperialism" Afghan mortar and
classic "AT operative".

Whatever the case, Councillor Dribblesnot, the "flame haired founder of the Republic", has duly assigned the Afghan section(s) to the "eastern frontier" of the Republic's boundaries, where they may be expected to keep a watching brief on the forces of the Malvern Hills Conservators, sometime allies of the BUF and other reactionary types. And as for 2nd Lieutenant Sampson, he has obviously been assigned the position of Bromyard's Intelligence Chief.....

[Note 1] Dark rumours have already started swirling as to the true identity of "Bill Sampson". It is argued that he and his sections of infantry have nothing to do with Afghanistan, nor the North West Frontier, being simply "a crowd of roughs" from the back streets of Dundee, robed and organised by D.C.Thompson as "an advertising stunt" to promote the sales of "The Wizard". If so, this would make them the earliest example of LARPing/Comic Con attendees known in the UK. The Afghans strong performance at the Battle of Leominster, plus Bill Sampson's appointment as Bromyard's Intelligence Chief, has done something to dispel such dark rumours....

ABYSSINIANS IN THE HEREFORD VBCW

In the run up to the 10th Anniversary Big Game, the presence of a strange party of "Abyssinians" in the very first Big Game, back in 2012, was occasionally noted. It may be that their presence at such an early stage in the VBCW campaign encouraged the subsequent appearance of even stranger troops (such as Anglican Tirailleurs or the Cameroon Highlanders, not to mention Chief O'Flynn and the Hill Enterprises (Dominions & Colonial) Loyal Volunteers etc., etc.), but the Abyssinians presence was originally explained on the basis that "Hailie Selassie had spent some of his time in exile in Herefordshire."

In fact, this is not quite right.

It turns out that Hailie Selassie actually spent his four years of exile in the UK living in Bath.

Nevertheless, as the Malvern Civic Society are keen to point out, he had also arranged for his grand-daughters (Princesses Aida Desta, Hirut Desta, Seble Desta and Sophia Desta) to be educated at Clarendon School in Malvern. The Emperor in exile was accustomed to staying at the Abbey Hotel, Great Malvern, when visiting them.

The Abbey Hotel, Great Malvern

Clearly, the exiled Emperor's presence close to the seat of all the VBCW action in Herefordshire can only have encouraged him to make the occasional intervention in the affairs of the County, perhaps limited to a "weekend school leave" or "long vac". Which leaves only a personality figure to find:

When not engaged in making jackbooted stormtroopers,
Lineol produced this contemporary version of the Emperor
and a parasol bearing servant - but in 54mm..

That's better! A lovely 28mm version of Hailie
Selassie produced by First Corps.

Only time will tell whether Hailie Selassie becomes engaged once more in the chaotic affairs of the Hereford VBCW.....

HEREFORD ON VE DAY (PART TWO)

On 8th May 1945, along with the rest of the country, Hereford celebrated VE Day. THIS POST displayed a few photographs from the day, and here are a few more:

A view from High Town down Commercial Road. The Old House
just visible on the right. Just visible on the left, Edward Pritchard & Sons,
gentleman's outfitter. Pritchard & Sons trade in Hereford to this day, but
are now situated in King Street. A good view of the Odeon (demolished to
 create the Maylord Shopping Precinct) and King & Sons.

From the right - the Odeon, King & Sons, Pritchards, the Wye Cafe, Lawleys, Hiltons, Gurneys.

Another slightly different position - the Odeon, King & Sons, Pritchard & Sons, Wye Cafe,
Lawley's partially obscured on the left. The signs point the way to an Air Raid Shelter for
285 persons, and to "156 General Hospital, US Army".

Gurneys on the right of this photograph as the camera pans left; to Cash & Co Footwear,
Currys "Radio & Cycles" and the City and County Stores.

Now a pivot, showing the other side of High Town and a long shot of High Street.
The Old House is immediately behind us. On the immediate left is Alban House and
Augustus C. Edwards, "The Furriers of the West".
The spire of All Saints Church dominates the skyline. 

High Town later in the day, and the street party in full swing.
In the background, from right, Currys, City & County Stores, the Buttermarket, Lloyds Bank.

And definitely the wrong time to bring a truck into High Town!

These streetscapes show Hereford not only in the "real life" timeline of 1945, but are also representative of the centre of Hereford during the 1938 Hereford VBCW. There would have been little change in seven years, just as there appears to have been little change since 1939 (see THIS POST, with its advert for Gurneys, "the Leading Grocers in High Town") or even 1918 (see THIS POST)

HM GOVERNMENT FIELD COMMANDERS - AN UPDATED HISTORY

    With the recent capture of Eustace Spode and Staff Captain Maynard at the Fall of Leominster, it's time to reflect once more upon one of the most dangerous jobs in the Hereford1938 VBCW - a Government commander in the field.

    While the Bishop of Ludlow has commanded the Ludlow Expeditionary Force continuously without the slightest hint of trouble (thanks be to God), the Bishop of Lichfield, ditto (hosanna!), Sir Gilbert Hill is consistently utterly victorious (in his own diary) and even Comrade Colonel Professor Winters of the Presteigne Communists has survived long enough to add ever more titles to his name (he is, in fact, the longest serving commander in the Hereford 1938 VBCW), the list of fallen or departed Government commanders is lengthy and doleful.

    So, a peal of muffled bells, please, for the following:

(1). Lord Foy (in hiding): Government C-in-C at the beginning of the Herefordshire VBCW, Lord Foy enjoyed substantial early successes, including the capture of Anglican held Hereford and the detention of the Bishop of Hereford himself, before suffering successive disasters at the First and Second Battles of Foy. He escaped the Government rout at the latter only by shaving off his instantly identifiable moustache and diving head first into the River Wye in an attempt to swim to safety. It is said that he did indeed escape (by punt), but found himself unable to live with his consequent disgrace. He has therefore adopted a new identity and now lives under an assumed name, earning his living as a humble hop picker and agricultural labourer in the vicinity of Leominster. In that capacity, he is presently at substantial risk of being conscripted as a lowly infantryman (or perhaps cook and bottlewasher) into the victorious army of the Socialist Democratic Republic of Bromyard.

(2). Captain Arrowsmith (deserted): BUF Supremo and effective Government C-in-C following the sudden departure of Lord Foy, Captain Arrowsmith strutted to command prominence in a succession of subsequent battles (the Battle of Eardisley, The Battle of Bredwardine Bridge, and the Battle of Bredwarrdine Fords) which (just) contained the Anglicans' attempted advance from Ross on Wye to Hay on Wye in order to capture the whole of the south of the County. Known for his love of behemothic tanks and high technology (planes, "darleks", multi machine gunned armoured motorcycles and converted canal boats) together with a contempt for civilian lives, private property and cute furry animals (particularly dogs), Captain Arrowsmith's BUF forces and "canal boat fleet" enjoyed a last success against a Socialist/Anglican alliance at the Battle of Whitney on Wye before he inexplicably disappeared from Hereford and the Hereford VBCW. His controversial flight has subsequently been associated with the disappearance of the Bank of England's gold reserves and collapse of the pound sterling. There has been much County gossip and speculation about Captain Arrowsmith's fate : having scraped a living for a time in Munich as a lowly translator for "aryan lifestyle magazines", it appears he then moved to Rome and is presently "making fettucine" with an Italian waiter named Guido.

(3). Lord Robert Grover (returned to his estates): Senior Royalist Officer within the County during the early battles of Hereford's VBCW, it is said that Lord Robert "fell into disfavour" with Lord de Braose, HM Government's Lord Warden of the Marches, after intervening in Lord de Braose's enraged attempt to murder the imprisoned Bishop of Hereford. While a re-appearance in Hereford's VBCW cannot be ruled out, Lord Robert has, for the moment, "returned to his estates". 

(4). Major Straitt-Jackett (exploded): Major Miles Straitt-Jackett achieved an early reputation as a masterful VBCW diplomat. It was he who persuaded (the very late) "Cousin Verity" (a supposedly loyal Anglican LDV commander) into a "battlefield truce" at the Battle of Berrington Approaches, thereby saving HM Government from total disaster. He then brokered a treaty between HM Government and Sir Barrington Patchpole KC at the subsequent Battle of Wigmore, thereby administering the first check to Comrade Colonel Professor "Bill" Winters "Red Horde" offensive. But for one small matter, Major Straitt-Jackett may well have been destined to achieve overall command of HM Govt forces. Unfortunately, the explosion of a heavy artillery shell directly on top of his head in the last stages of the Battle of Wigmore did little for his career prospects. Subsequently admitted as an in-patient at the Special Hospital for Injuries Treatment, Woolwich, it is rumoured that Major Straitt-Jackett (or his reanimated and stitched together corpse) is presently on his way back to Herefordshire within the lengthy and slow moving "Mailed Fist" armoured column of the Ledbury BUF.

(5). Commandante Jay (sunk): Commandante Jay, the leader of the (Politically Confused) Spanish Nationalist Monarchist Field Force allied to the BUF in the course of many Hereford VBCW battles, distinguished himself further by finishing second in the County Golf Cup Challenge, and thereafter returned to Madrid for "a triumphal homecoming". Recalled to the BUF colours for the Battle of Wigmore, it is said that the ship carrying Commandante Jay struck an Anglican mine at the junction of the Rivers Severn and Wye, and rumoured that the transport sank "with all hands". The search for Commandante Jay continues, and notwithstanding infrequent alleged sightings suggesting that he may "wash up" in Herefordshire once more, it is very much feared that he has drowned, along with his entire Field Force.

(6). Commandant Stokkies Joubert (captured by Anglicans): A (reputedly very) loveable South African rogue, Stokkies Joubert commanded the "King's Colonials" from an early stage of the Hereford VBCW, taking part in the Battles of Second Ledbury and Marcle Ridge. A constant support for HM Government throughout the VBCW (when not wenching, carousing or "lying in" at the City Arms Hotel, Hereford), Joubert was dramatically captured by the Bishop of Ludlow's forces at the Battle of Winforton Pontoons, and is presently undergoing a course of re-education in Anglican captivity. A potential "prisoner exchange" has been occasionally intimated by the Anglicans, a swap of Joubert for the imprisoned Bishop of Hereford, but there has as yet been no response on behalf of HMG.

(7). BUF Group Leader Giles (shot at dawn): although HM Government have lost a significant number of leaders during the course of the Hereford VBCW (see above), Group Leader Giles is the only one to enjoy the dubious distinction of having been shot by his own troops after a drumhead court martial. Giles originally rose to prominence as the loyal BUF henchman of toady to subordinate of Captain Arrowsmith at The Battle of Bredwardine Fords, there being some suggestion that he transferred to the BUF Three Counties Legion from the Malvern Hills Conservators shortly after the earlier Battle of Bredwardine Bridge. Arrowsmith's initial patronage assisted Giles' rise within the Government command structure. Storm Leader Giles (as he then was) served with distinction at the Battle of Whitney on Wye, before assuming overall command of Government forces following the still unexplained disappearance of his former military mentor, Captain Arrowsmith. It was thought at this time that Giles' influence would wane within the Government command structure; instead, following his stubborn defence at the Battle of Berrington Approaches and battlefield promotion to BUF Storm Commander, Giles' prospects brightened considerably. Joint leadership (together with the allegedly late Major Straitt-Jackett) of the Government assault columns that successfully invaded came to the assistance of Sir Barrington Patchpole KC at Wigmore burnished his burgeoning reputation still further and lead to his rapid promotion, on this occasion to BUF Group Leader. Such new responsibility may have proved too much for Group Leader Giles, or he may have been suffering from the effects of being badly wounded at the Battle of Berrington Approaches; whatever the cause, upon Sir Gilbert Hill's assault across the Wye at the Battle of Winforton Pontoons, the Group Leader went absent without leave, and was discovered in his barrack block perusing Colefax & Fowler catalogues while gorging on strawberrry ice cream. A drumhead court martial organised by Commander Queeg of WYRD Force duly condemned and despatched Group Leader Giles by a hastily formed firing party. He has no known grave.

(8). Eustace Spode, Field Commander, Blackshorts Contingent (captured by Communists) Nephew of Roderick Spode, 7th Earl of Sidcup and Leader of the Blackshorts, Eustace Spode was captured by the Communist forces of Comrade Colonel Professor "Bill" Winters at the Fall of Leominster. It is said that he very personally ensured that Leominster Brewery, which he had so bravely defended, was "drunk dry" before it fell into the hands of the Communists, and rumoured that his subsequent interrogation "in the field" was therefore less than entirely successful. Now completely sober, Eustace Spode has since been interned as a "Prominente" in Shobdon Instructional Centre (aka Professor Winter's Re-Education Camp No.2). 

(9). Staff Captain Maynard (captured, cashiered and condemned to hard labour) North West Regional Commander of Government Forces, Maynard was captured alongside Eustace Spode at the Fall of Leominster. It was Maynard's misfortune to have risen to command prominence after the high point (perhaps the first high point) of Government control of the County. Once, however, Communist forces had broken the Siege of Kington, Maynard's Regional HQ at Shobdon became directly threatened. After the Second Battle of Shobdon (a disaster for HMG), Maynard was forced to blow up his own HQ and retreat to Mortimer's Cross. Having then made informal alliances with "Farmer Roo" and (somewhat controversially) Reichsmarshall Goering (dropping from the sky in the course of an "unauthorised intervention"), Maynard fought a successful holding action at Mortimer's Cross, only to have to adapt to a changing strategic situation and fall back to the outskirts of Leominster. Forced to fall back yet again after another delaying action on the outskirts of Leominster, the Staff Captain refused to retreat any further. Having expended all his available forces in defence of the town, he eventually fell into Communist hands. But for an ironic turn of events, Maynard could have expected to join Eustace Spode in the "Prominente" section of the Shobdon Instructional Centre. It appears, however, that Lord de Braose, Lord Warden of the Marches and Governor of Hereford, was so furious at Maynard's defeat and capture (or perhaps, so desirous of "finding a scapegoat" for his report to Edward VIII and "Prime Minister" Mosley) that he promptly arranged (against the strong protests of Senior Captain Everard, C-in-C Herefordshire and 'mentor' of Maynard's military career) to have the unfortunate Staff Captain "cashiered" and reduced in rank to private soldier (3rd class). As a mere private, Maynard could then be "condemned" by a gleeful Communist tribunal to "hard labour" in the Salt Mines of the Black Hills [note 1], where he remains to this day. Indeed, it is very much doubted whether Maynard will ever see "the light of day" again.

Such historic losses of commander's lives (and/or reputation and/or liberty) pose a significant problem for Senior Captain Everard, C-in-C of Government Forces - few of the Government's senior commanders are now keen to serve "in County" in Herefordshire.

[Note 1] Never heard of the Black Hills Salt Mines? While it is of course true, geologically speaking, that there are no saline deposits beneath the Black Hills, and therefore no salt to mine, that did not stop Comrade Colonel Professor Winters ordering that mineworks be opened, and that fascist prisoners be forced to dig until they found some.

A similar blogpost appeared back in 2018 - see HERE. The list has now been updated to

 take account of recent events, news and "the worst of campaign gossip".

HEREFORD VBCW CAMPAIGN - TOPOGRAPHY AND STATE OF PLAY

Some jolly useful maps to help make cartographic sense of the present state of the Hereford 1938 VBCW campaign. First up, a useful general map showing the rivers and elevations of the entire County:

Map 1 - Topography

North is "up". Having broken the Siege Lines around Kington, Comrade Colonel Professor Winters' Communist troops have surged confidently westward, roughly alone the course of the River Arrow, only to be checked at Leominster. Leominster itself has fallen to the forces of the newly declared Social Democratic Republic of Bromyard, advancing west to east. The Anglicans, advancing southward from Ludlow (not shown above) had been expecting to take Leominster themselves. However, at the critical moment, their forces were drawn off into Shropshire, in defence of Evesham, with only light Anglican "screening forces" being left to the north of Leominster. Government forces have retreated southward to the hastily created "Dinmore Hill Line" between Leominster and Hereford itself.

Next up, a handy computer graphic of the same area:

Map 2 - Computer Generated

Ludlow, the home of Herefordshire Anglicanism "in exile" following the defeat and imprisonment of the Bishop of Hereford by Government forces early in the Hereford VBCW campaign, is shown on this map. Note can also be taken of Ross on Wye, the home of another Anglican army in the south of the County under the command of Captain "Teddy" Jermingham. The south has been relatively quiet of late, Jermingham having been held up by the construction of the "De Braose Line" at the order of Edward VIII's "Lord Warden of the Marches".

Comparison of the two maps allows battlefield reconstruction of both the "Dinmore Hill Line" and the "De Braose Line".

The "Dinmore Hill Line" lies to the north of Hereford, running east - west from Dinmore Hill to Burton Hill (Map 1) with Credenhill to its rear (Map 2).

The "De Braose Line" lies to the south of Hereford, running east - west along the line of natural elevations (Map 2) - Orcop, Aconbury and Woolhope - (Map 1)

Lord de Braose, Lord Warden of the Marches and Edward VIII's Governor of Hereford, is therefore in danger of being literally "boxed in" by Opposition forces. His lifeline, however, is that the BUF are in the process of significantly re-inforcing Ledbury, ensuring that supplies can be got through east-west from Gloucestershire to embattled Hereford via the A438.

Time for a road map of the present "theatre of war":

Map 3 - the "Theatre of War"

The A438/A417 running east-west from Ledbury to Hereford is shown here. At present, this road forms the "backbone" of Government controlled Herefordshire.

The newly founded Bromyard Republic has unexpectedly (but dramatically) expanded its sovereign territory by capturing Leominster, thus taking control of the east-west "A44 axis".

The Anglicans "A49 thrust" south from Ludlow towards Hereford has been checked on the northern outskirts of Leominster.

The Communists advance west - east along the approximate lines of the A4112 and B4362 has stalled on the western outskirts of Leominster.

So what to make of it all? Recent opinion pieces by certain senior Fleet Street war correspondents (Messrs. Featherstone and Scruby) have sketched out the strategic possibilities:

(1). although apparently impressive on paper, the "Dinmore Hill Line" has been only hastily constructed. While it supposedly contains "strongpoints" atop Dinmore Hill and Burton Hill (Map 1) the lower lying land between the two hills (Map 2 - instantly christened "the Dinmore Gap") is undoubtedly a weak point. Government propagandists have pointed out that "the Dinmore Gap" may instead be a perfect place for a strong Government counter attack along the A4410 (Map 3) against Communist forces;

(2). there is a possibility that the forces of the newly founded Social Democratic Republic of Bromyard could use their geographical position (Map 1) to outflank the "Dinmore Hill Line" entirely, sweeping down upon Hereford from the higher ground around Bromyard (Map 2) along the A465 (Map 3). However...

(3). the same Government propagandists have pointed out that the strong and increasing presence of the BUF in Ledbury will hold the Bromyardistas in "strategic check" (Map 1). It is unlikely, they insist, that even "the Bogeyman of Bromyard" (aka Councillor Dribblesnot, the "flame haired founding father of the Republic") will expose his left flank to the BUF in a drive on Hereford, or so weaken his own defensive lines around Bromyard to risk the fall of the Republic itself to BUF forces. These matters, together with the fact that the shadowy "Malvern Hill Conservators" have yet to declare their hand in relation to their neighbouring Bromyardistas must, so goes the argument, prohibit any advance by Dribblesnot towards Hereford;

(4). in any event, point out the Government, the fall of Leominster to the Bromyard Republic "must throw the Opposition Factions into chaos". For the first time, Communist troops are directly "facing off" against Anglicans and Social Democrats around and to the north of Leominster. There is (at least at present) no alliance between any of these factions, and the prospects of "internecine conflict" must therefore be very real.....

Note: for those wishing to study the County's cartography in greater detail, click on the "Maps" label.