King & Country
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KING & COUNTRY DISPATCHES
June 2026
June 2026
Hi Guys,
Welcome to the month of June and a great selection of figures that bring together four very different series of King & Country 1:30 scale miniatures.
Appropriately enough for the month of June let’s begin with the story behind what we are calling ‘The GOLD BEACH Collection’…
Back in early 2025, I was contacted by the former BBC journalist and Royal Correspondent, Nicholas Witchell who was visiting Hong Kong and had discovered our K&C shop in Pacific Place. There Nick had seen some of our D.Day figures and fighting vehicles and been impressed by them.
During a brief phone conversation he told me about ‘The British Normandy Memorial’ and the amazing story behind its creation and how King & Country might be able to help support it.
We then arranged a longer meeting up at K&C Head Office and I heard the whole story and here it is… June 6, 1944 remains one of the best known and most important dates in world history.
On that date, some 60,000 thousand British soldiers and marines came ashore on the two British beaches – ‘GOLD’ and ‘SWORD’ on the Normandy Coast.
They, alongwith their American, Canadian and other Allies on three more beaches were part of the greatest invasion force in history that began the liberation of German – occupied Western Europe.
Among all of the countries who took part in this mighty task Britain was the slowest to build a national memorial to all those Britons who gave their lives in Normandy during that summer of 1944.
By the summer of 2015, a year after the 70th Anniversary of D.Day, Mr. George Betts, himself a D.Day veteran began pressing, with other British veterans, for Britain to build its own national memorial in Normandy. It was then he met BBC broadcaster Nicholas Witchell.
Nick resolved to try and do something about it and helped set up the Normandy Memorial Trust bringing together other key players including a noted British architect.
Just over a year later, the group found the perfect site for the memorial, on farmland just above ‘GOLD BEACH’. In the following years backing and support was secured from both the British and French governments with the land being purchased and the memorial itself being designed. The site was then jointly inaugurated by the British Prime Minister and French president in 2019.
Construction work now began with the Memorial being formally opened by the then Prince of Wales, now His Majesty King Charles Ⅲ on June 6, 2021.
THE WINSTON CHURCHILL CENTRE
Nearby the Memorial can be found the WINSTON CHURCHILL CENTRE where visitors can purchase a small select group of special mementoes that help fund the ongoing upkeep of this unique and memorable tribute to the British men and some women who gave so much to liberate Europe.
KING & COUNTRY’S ‘GOLD BEACH’ COLLECTION
When Nicholas Witchell and myself met up in Hong Kong Nick told me how much he liked our own British D.Day ‘Tommies’ however he also noticed that all their regimental shoulder titles and divisional patches were of troops that landed on ‘SWORD’ Beach on June 6, 1944. He asked whether we could produce a small selection representing some of those soldiers who landed on ‘GOLD’ Beach where the Memorial is located.
I happily agreed with this suggestion and began my own research into finding a suitable regiment and division to ‘miniaturise’.
Fortunately, for all of us, we chose men from the 69th Infantry Brigade of the 50th (Northumbrian) Division. Not only that but the Infantry regiment we decided on was the 6th Battalion of ‘The Green Howards’ in whose ranks was the only Victoria Cross winner of the entire D.Day Operation… Company Sgt. Major Stanley Hollis of that same regiment.
And so, without further ado, here are our special D.Day ‘Tommies’ in action on ‘GOLD’ Beach itself courtesy of and with the support of The British Normandy Memorial.
1. BEING RELEASED IN JUNE 2026…
The ‘GOLD’ Beach Collection
DD410 ‘Gold Beach Bren Gunner’
Firing from the hip this soldier provides ‘covering-fire’ for his mates as they advance towards the enemy.
DD411 ‘Gold Beach Advancing Rifleman’
Moving rapidly forward this ‘Green Howard’ holds his No. 4 Mark 1 Lee Enfield rifle ready at a moments notice to take a ‘snap shot’.
DD412 ‘Gold Beach Kneeling Rifleman’
Crouching down to make as small a target as possible this ‘Tommy’ prepares to move out.
DD413 ‘Gold Beach Kneeling Ready Rifleman’
Even while under cover a soldier has always to be ready to move at a moment’s notice.
DD414 ‘Gold Beach Running, Firing Rifleman’
Despite being under enemy fire this soldier takes careful aim as he moves forward.
DD415 ‘Gold Beach Grenadier’
Every British infantryman on D.Day landed with 50 rounds of .303 ammunition plus 2 spare Bren Gun 30 Round magazines. In addition to all of that most British Infantry also carried at least 2 x Mills bombs (Grenades). Our ‘Tommy’ here is about to get rid of one of them!
DD416 ‘Gold Beach Medic w/Stretcher’
During WW2, British Army Medics were primarily drawn from The Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC). They provided frontline medical triage, emergency first aid and organized casualty evacuation often under intense enemy fire.
In addition, they would often act as stretcher bearers alongside individual battalion infantrymen assigned to these duties.
Medics rarely, if ever, carried weapons. They were classed, under the Geneva Convention as ‘Non-Combatants’ and could only carry weapons, such as a revolver, for strictly limited self-defense or to defend wounded patients. This particular stretcher-bearing Medic is also a full corporal.
DD417 ‘Gold Beach Radioman’
This ‘Green Howard’ Signaller is carrying the British standard Wireless Set No. 18, a High Frequency (HF) portable, man -pack radio transceiver used by the British Forces during WW2. It had an effective range of up to 10 miles.
In addition this soldier is also carrying his standard No. 4 Mk. 1 Rifle with the ‘pig-sticker’ bayonet attached.
DD418 ‘Gold Beach Company Sgt. Major Stanley Hollis V.C.’
CSM Stan. Hollis (1912-1972) was the only British serviceman to be awarded Britain’s highest millitary honour for his actions on D.Day, June 6, 1944.
Stan enlisted in the Territorial Army in 1939 and joined ‘The Green Howards’ who were sent to France as part of the British Expeditionary Force (B.E.F.) in 1940.
He was promoted from Lance Corporal to Sergeant during the Dunkirk evacuation. He was then sent to North Africa as part of the British Eighth Army where he was once again promoted to Company Sergeant Major (C.S.M.) just before the invasion of Sicily in 1943.
On D.Day in Normandy he landed on ‘Gold Beach’ with the 6th Btn. of the Green Howards. After landing and moving inland he attacked one German pillbox capturing all but 5 of the defenders. He then assaulted, on his own, a second pillbox taking another 26 prisoners.
He next cleared a neighbouring enemy trench. Later that same day, he led an unsuccessful attack on a strong German artillery position fortified by multiple MG42 machine guns. All of this in just one day!
In September 1944 he was wounded in action and evacuated back to the U.K. where he was decorated by King George Ⅵ on October 10, 1944.
Part of his V.C. citation read, “Wherever fighting was heaviest, C.S. M. Hollis appeared and in the course of a magnificent day’s work, he displayed the utmost gallantry.
It was largely through his heroism and resource that his company’s objectives were gained and casualties were not heavier. By his own bravery he saved the lives of many of his men.”
K&C’s miniature of C.S.M. Hollis is our tribute to a very brave man and a fine British soldier.
AVAILABLE: Mid-Late June
ADDITIONAL INFO:
The British Normandy Memorial D.Day Sculpture
One of the centerpieces of the British Normandy Memorial and standing in its forecourt are three larger than life-size advancing British infantrymen who appear as if they have just come off a landing craft and are running up the beach towards their objective.
A rifleman, a Bren gunner and a non-commissioned officer (NCO) form the trio and have served as the inspiration for an additional 3-man K&C set which will be available in a few month’s time. Watch out for them!
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