Arnhemjim
Corporal
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2009
- Messages
- 403
License taken on original last radio message transmitted from the Oosterbeek Perimeter (Battle of Arnhem 1944):
“OUT OF (Omit word AMMUNITION), Replace with TOY SOLDIERS, GOD SAVE THE KING (& COUNTRY)”
In 1995 (introductory year for K&C Arnhem ’44 Series) I had already been collecting toy soldiers for fifty years. As importantly I had been collecting a full range of militaria directly associated with the British Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces, focused predominately on Operation Market-Garden, for about 40 years. As most know, the Battle of Arnhem is somewhat lesser known in the United States, compared to certainly Great Britain, the Netherlands and Germany. Even with Cornelius Ryan’s best-selling book, “A Bridge Too Far” in 1974, and the subsequent all-star cast movie of the same name in 1977, knowledge and interest still remained rather limited.
My first exposure to the series was around 1998, at what was then Bob Fisher’s Old Toy Soldier Shop in Vista, California, during one of my normal quests for vintage W. Britains sets. During the course of subsequent years I acquired 8 of the 16 sets in the series, some even with the Arnhem veteran autographed certificates. When the Operation Market Garden series was introduced, I had retired and moved to the Phoenix, Arizona area, and immediately requested that the local dealer set aside one set each, as they were issued. Needless to say that was a bit of a stretch on essentially a fixed retirement income. However at this juncture believe it to have been a very wise move. Am not certain regarding extent collectors will buy extra sets, and modify them to create variants.
As a boy and young man I made the mistake of not collecting bands, or any of the “bad guys”. Given the recent pronouncement on the Market Garden Series, I decided to at least purchase a representative set of the Waffen-SS 9th Panzer Division “Hohenstaufen” (Advancing on the Enemy) WS122. Ironically, this set is also being retired (discontinued). Got the last set at local dealer.
Judging from what I have personally observed as a scarcity at auction or on e-Bay, of the Arnhem ’44 Series, and the number of Market Garden Sets already retired (discontinued) I would anticipate a combination of speculators and enthusiasts to deplete/eliminate the remaining ranks. Only time will tell, but the series certainly deserves the battle honor, ARNHEM 1944.
Arnhemjim
Arizona Territory
“OUT OF (Omit word AMMUNITION), Replace with TOY SOLDIERS, GOD SAVE THE KING (& COUNTRY)”
In 1995 (introductory year for K&C Arnhem ’44 Series) I had already been collecting toy soldiers for fifty years. As importantly I had been collecting a full range of militaria directly associated with the British Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces, focused predominately on Operation Market-Garden, for about 40 years. As most know, the Battle of Arnhem is somewhat lesser known in the United States, compared to certainly Great Britain, the Netherlands and Germany. Even with Cornelius Ryan’s best-selling book, “A Bridge Too Far” in 1974, and the subsequent all-star cast movie of the same name in 1977, knowledge and interest still remained rather limited.
My first exposure to the series was around 1998, at what was then Bob Fisher’s Old Toy Soldier Shop in Vista, California, during one of my normal quests for vintage W. Britains sets. During the course of subsequent years I acquired 8 of the 16 sets in the series, some even with the Arnhem veteran autographed certificates. When the Operation Market Garden series was introduced, I had retired and moved to the Phoenix, Arizona area, and immediately requested that the local dealer set aside one set each, as they were issued. Needless to say that was a bit of a stretch on essentially a fixed retirement income. However at this juncture believe it to have been a very wise move. Am not certain regarding extent collectors will buy extra sets, and modify them to create variants.
As a boy and young man I made the mistake of not collecting bands, or any of the “bad guys”. Given the recent pronouncement on the Market Garden Series, I decided to at least purchase a representative set of the Waffen-SS 9th Panzer Division “Hohenstaufen” (Advancing on the Enemy) WS122. Ironically, this set is also being retired (discontinued). Got the last set at local dealer.
Judging from what I have personally observed as a scarcity at auction or on e-Bay, of the Arnhem ’44 Series, and the number of Market Garden Sets already retired (discontinued) I would anticipate a combination of speculators and enthusiasts to deplete/eliminate the remaining ranks. Only time will tell, but the series certainly deserves the battle honor, ARNHEM 1944.
Arnhemjim
Arizona Territory
