HobbyBunker
Corporal
- Joined
- Nov 23, 2006
- Messages
- 545
Hey everyone, I wanted to share some sad news from the Prime family.
Gerard was one of the first people I met in the business back in 1999. Frontline was a major player at the time, producing excellent toy soldiers, including American Civil War figures and an extensive range of Napoleonic soldiers. Unfortunately, Gerard lost his longtime business partner, Howard, at least 20 years ago. The company was never the same afterward. Frontline briefly partnered with John Jenkins on the FIW series. I believe the last sets Frontline produced were the Polish Winged Hussars.
At the West Coaster Toy Soldier Show when I was a young lad, Gerard, Howard, and I would spend many nights at the old "Champs" sports bar, hoisting pints, having a laugh, and talking to soldiers. This tradition also continued at the old "Chumley's" bar at the Hyatt in Schaumburg. Some of you may recall the Hawaiian Shirt Posse on Sunday nights after the Chicago Toy Soldier Show. Gerard, Richard Walker, Stuart Hessney, the late Dough Dearth, and others would all go out to dinner in their Hawaiian shirts and then meet up with the rest of us at the bar. One night, a group of us was partying until 3 a.m. on Sunday night after the show! What great times we had. Over the years, we kept in touch with Christmas cards and random emails. Sadly, it has been about two years since we last corresponded. Rest in peace, Gerard. You will be missed.
"Dear Matt,
Very difficult to find the words for this, Gerard became very ill only ten days ago and went into hospital.
He was diagnosed with very aggressive colon cancer. This had spread to many organs.
I am shocked to tell you that he died peacefully in his sleep Monday morning.
He had sold up in HK and come back to the UK to look after us and had only been with us for a couple
of weeks before it all happened We are in total shock here, it was all so sudden.
Could you please let any other toy soldier people who might have known him know
Bobbie and Harry and Martin"
Gerard was one of the first people I met in the business back in 1999. Frontline was a major player at the time, producing excellent toy soldiers, including American Civil War figures and an extensive range of Napoleonic soldiers. Unfortunately, Gerard lost his longtime business partner, Howard, at least 20 years ago. The company was never the same afterward. Frontline briefly partnered with John Jenkins on the FIW series. I believe the last sets Frontline produced were the Polish Winged Hussars.
At the West Coaster Toy Soldier Show when I was a young lad, Gerard, Howard, and I would spend many nights at the old "Champs" sports bar, hoisting pints, having a laugh, and talking to soldiers. This tradition also continued at the old "Chumley's" bar at the Hyatt in Schaumburg. Some of you may recall the Hawaiian Shirt Posse on Sunday nights after the Chicago Toy Soldier Show. Gerard, Richard Walker, Stuart Hessney, the late Dough Dearth, and others would all go out to dinner in their Hawaiian shirts and then meet up with the rest of us at the bar. One night, a group of us was partying until 3 a.m. on Sunday night after the show! What great times we had. Over the years, we kept in touch with Christmas cards and random emails. Sadly, it has been about two years since we last corresponded. Rest in peace, Gerard. You will be missed.
"Dear Matt,
Very difficult to find the words for this, Gerard became very ill only ten days ago and went into hospital.
He was diagnosed with very aggressive colon cancer. This had spread to many organs.
I am shocked to tell you that he died peacefully in his sleep Monday morning.
He had sold up in HK and come back to the UK to look after us and had only been with us for a couple
of weeks before it all happened We are in total shock here, it was all so sudden.
Could you please let any other toy soldier people who might have known him know
Bobbie and Harry and Martin"