“The Malaya Campaign” (Dec. 8, 1941 – Feb.15, 1942) (1 Viewer)

[King & Country]

Hi Guys,
As many of you are too… I am also a “history-buff”!
That means I enjoy reading about all aspects of history… the good… the bad… and the sometimes ugly.
Among my many particularly interests is the disastrous (at least from the British and Empire point-of-view) campaign in Malaya that began on Dec.8, 1941 and ended on Feb 15, 1942 when the great city of Singapore surrendered and almost 130,000 British and Empire troops fell into the not-so-gentle hands of the Imperial Japanese Army.
The 70-day campaign was living proof that “anything that can go wrong, inevitably, will go wrong!” And that’s exactly what happened on the British side.
By contrast, the Japanese waged on aggressive and inventive campaign that was swift, ruthless and single-minded despite having less than half the number of troops of their opponents.
Amidst the gloom and doom and disasters on the defenders’ side there were many individual brave and heroic attempts to hold back and stem the Japanese advance.
With our upcoming release of figures, vehicles and aircraft depicting this side of WW2 I thought we would give you a little taste of things to come…
Using a mix of older retired pieces and a brand new diorama by my brother Gordon here’s just a very brief glimpse of what we have in mind.
Best wishes and enjoy!

Andy​

 

[villagehorse]

That's a classy bridge Gordon. Really stirs up the imagination. Certainly will be following along with this series. Thanks Andy for cheering up this cold and wet night here in Adelaide. :salute::, Robin.

 

[wayne556517]

Agree Robin will be watching this series develop,looks good Andy and a big well done to Gordon,you have the best job in the world hands down.

 

[Desertkiwi]

Love all the lush tropical foliage, river and bridge setting, not to mention some great looking figures and vehicles.:salute::

 

[DM101]

I see a NEW Japanese Type-95 Ha-Go Tank :salute:: (Definitely in my "Must Get" list)


The picture is too small - but hope we do get a NEW Malaya Campaign Chi-Ha tank as well.... {sm4}


{bravo}}{bravo}}{bravo}}{bravo}}

 

[Obee]

Thanks for the preview of this new range of figures from the SE Asian Theatre of WW2.

I love Gordon's diorama depicting the bridge, and in particular like to use of Quad, limber and 25 pounder of the RA advancing to wards to coming advancing Japanese forces.

Well Done, and I suppose that we will be seeing the new troops released next Monday ????

john

 

[TomNT]

Great looking bridge and diorama and the new tank looks nice as well. Congrat's to Gordon and thanks for posting pic's of the dio Andy and giving us a preview of what is coming up in the future.

Tom

 

[ChrisTay]

Can't wait for the Type 95 to join my Chi-Ha tank.. Nice mix of the old and new figures as well.

Also hopefully, maybe, we get a couple of Japanese on bicycles and some local resistance fighters.

 

[Guy]

Great dio . The bridge as the centre piece od the dio is a great idea .
guy

 

[villagehorse]

Yes that little tank will fit in nicely and not hurt the budget either^&grin, Robin.

 

[Colonel RNZIR]

Can't wait for the Type 95 to join my Chi-Ha tank.. Nice mix of the old and new figures as well.

Also hopefully, maybe, we get a couple of Japanese on bicycles and some local resistance fighters.

Some local resistance fighters would work really well from Hong Kong, Malaya and the fall of Singapore.
Have a new display cabinet ready for this series, hopefully Monday we will see the first of many releases.

 

[King & Country]

Hi Guys,

On behalf of Gordon and myself, many thanks for the enthusiastic response to the preview diorama of “The Malaya Campaign”.
You will see the first releases relating to this in the upcoming “AUGUST DISPATCHES” in a few days time.
Down the line we may venture into “local resistance fighters” but it’s a fair bit down the line… I think more Japanese as well as British, Australian, Gurkha, Indian, Malay and Singapore Volunteers (as well as British, Canadian and Chinese Soldiers for the Battle of Hong Kong) may have more priority… So watch this space, it’s going to be interesting.

Many thanks, best wishes and happy collecting!
Andy & Gordon.

 

[Obee]

I think more Japanese as well as British, Australian, Gurkha, Indian, Malay and Singapore Volunteers

I think that the Indian troops that were released recently in the Eighth Army range could suit nicely as that are wearing light khaki clothing.

and a repaint of the 2 Pounder AT Gun could also go well trying to stop the advance 'down the peninsular'

What to you think ?????

John

 

[DM101]

We can made a diorama of this below..... based on true events :salute::





An Australian 2-pdr anti-tank gun of the 2/4th Australian Anti-Tank Regiment, commanded by Sgt Charles Parsons (left), firing on Japanese Type 95 Ha-Go ..

 

[DM101]

More pictures.... even can be used for New Guinea battle grounds. {sm4}





An Australian infantry section passes a Japanese Type 95 Ha-Go light tank, knocked out at Milne Bay, New Guinea in World War II.

 

[DM101]

Japanese troops street by street fighting in Malaya or Singapore or even Hong Kong....





Those K&C HK shop houses would come very useful for such dioramas :salute:: (however recently these HK buildings prices were increased {sm2})

 

[TomNT]

I think that the Indian troops that were released recently in the Eighth Army range could suit nicely as that are wearing light khaki clothing.

and a repaint of the 2 Pounder AT Gun could also go well trying to stop the advance 'down the peninsular'

What to you think ?????

John

I think you might be busy John..{sm3}^&grin

Tom

 

[BHogan]

Hi Guys,

On behalf of Gordon and myself, many thanks for the enthusiastic response to the preview diorama of “The Malaya Campaign”.
You will see the first releases relating to this in the upcoming “AUGUST DISPATCHES” in a few days time.
Down the line we may venture into “local resistance fighters” but it’s a fair bit down the line… I think more Japanese as well as British, Australian, Gurkha, Indian, Malay and Singapore Volunteers (as well as British, Canadian and Chinese Soldiers for the Battle of Hong Kong) may have more priority… So watch this space, it’s going to be interesting.

Many thanks, best wishes and happy collecting!
Andy & Gordon.

I'd be very interested in a Battle of Hong Kong series. The defence of Hong Kong was one of the most tragic episodes in Canadian military history.

Cheers,

Brendan

 

[Colonel RNZIR]

Brendon,
here is a photo I took a few years back in the gardens on Hong Kong Island.
It is CSM John Osborn a Canadian who won a Victoria Cross on 19th Dec 1941,
he was killed in this action.
Hopefully there will be a figure of him released.

 

[Artillery_crazy]

Hi Brendon,

It is an impressive nice bronze statue! I have read some good work related to the Commonwealth´s valiant defense of Hong Kong against great odds and it would be nice to see those heroes come to life in the form of K&C sets.
The only note that I would make as to the statue is that no British or Canadian troops ( in the case the Royal Rifles of Canada nor the Winnipeg Grenadiers ) were wearing at the time as per the statue designer the old WW1 putties and long coats! Having said that, beleive or not the 1908 pattern equipment webbing was still being used by the Canadians during the valiant defense of the Colony Island!So the webbing gear is right at the mark...Given that the 1937 pattern web equipment was not fully deployed...So when sets are considered the statue is not a reference to the correct uniform used at that time. The correct one would have been the 1937 pattern battledress, with short boots or the equivalent tropical uniform, but still using the 1908 pattern webbing equipment pattern set up.:salute::
Cheers
A_C

Brendon,
here is a photo I took a few years back in the gardens on Hong Kong Island.
It is CSM John Osborn a Canadian who won a Victoria Cross on 19th Dec 1941,
he was killed in this action.
Hopefully there will be a figure of him released.