Fire support for the Waffen SS

As I went through Akihabara, I stopped at Yellow Submarine to see what cheaper kits they had. There were several, but I only got two. These will be Ian's Christmas presents.
I'm still thinking on ordering kits from Plastic Soldier Company. I'd like to get him some Hanamog Half-tracks.
The first kit he gets is a Whirlwind Anti-aircraft tank, a Panzer IV version. He'll get some good use taking out troops and my carriers with this.
The other is a Nebelwefer! I think I had one of these in storage, but not sure.
So the Waffen SS will have a bit more sting come the New Year
Pictures of boxes to follow.

3rd Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery

Today was my payday, so I went to the used shop in Akihabara, and got an old Japanese kit of a Universal carrier with 6pdr gun. The decals are for the 51st Highland Division, but I will save those for other kits. I will look in my spares box for other decals.
My Dad bought this kit many years ago, and I still have them in storage.
I plan on painting this kit up in a bit.
Pictures of box, kit and finished models to follow as a work in progress.
The scale of the kit is 1/76 but will fit well.

Italy Vs Britain - Bolt Action Battle Report

 a video by Wargaming for Fun, showing what seems to be an Italian campaign battle.

Bolt Action Germans Normandy

 this video by Kleber shows some of the German units which can be fielded in Normandy in 1944.

Battlefield S5/E6 - The Battle for Caen

 Part of the campaign, many men from my home town were involved in, including my grandfather.

Canadian Divisions in Italian campaign 1943-45 and North-West Europe 1944-45

3 Canadian Divisions took part in the invasions of Scilly and the Italian mainland. Most of their equipment was used from 8th army stores from North Africa.
First Canadian Division
Recce: 4th Recce 4th Princess Louise Dragoon Guards
1st Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery: 25 pdr, 5.5in gun
1st Anti-tank Royal Canadian Artillery: 17pdr
Weapons battalion: Saskatoon Light Infantry: Vickers machine-guns, mortars

1st Brigade:
Royal Canadian Regiment
Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment
48th Highlanders of Canada

2nd Brigade:
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Seaforth Highlanders of Canada
Loyal Edmonton Regiment

3rd Brigade:
Royale 22eme Regiment
Carleton and York Regiment
Wesr Nova Scotia Regiment

1st Canadian Armored Brigade:
11th Armored Regiment, The Ontario Regiment
12th Armored Regiment, Regiment de Trois Rivere
14th Armored Regiment, The Calgary Regiment

4th Canadian Armored Division (in NNormandy)
22nd Armored Regiment, Canadian Grenadier Guards
28th Armored Regiment, The British Columbia Regiment
South Alberta Light Horse, Armored Recce
Motor Regiment, Lake Superior Regiment

10th Brigade:
Lincoln and Welland Regiment
Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada
The Algonquin Regiment

5th Canadian Armored Division
Recce: Governor Generals Horse Guards
17th Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery
4th Anti-tank, Royal Canadian Artillery
2nd Armored Regiment, Lord Strathconnas Horse
5th Armored Regiment, 8thNew Brunswick Hussars
9th Armored Regiment, The British Columbia Dragoons
Motor Regiment, The Westminster Regiment

Weapons: Princess Louise Fusiliers
11th Brigade:
The Perth Regiment
The Cape Breton Highlanders
The Irish Regiment of Canada

Point Defence: 7th & 8th Canadian Brigades take on German 272 Division

 This battle takes place somewhere in Belgium. The 7th and 8th Brigades of the Canadian Third Division are to capture the lock house on the canal. 

The remenants of the German 272 Division are to hold the position at all costs. However, with the loss of armor at Falise, the Germans can only hold this position with infantry.

 The Germans position their MG42 crews in the lock house, and some trenches in cover positions. 

The Canadians arrive in Universal Carriers, as well as M5 Half-Tracks, supported by the 27th Armored Regiment. 

I played the Germans while Ian took the Canadians. Ian used a preliminary bombardment onto the German positions. In response, the Germans fired back with their artillery. While the Canadian artillery fire took out some Germans, the German fire was less effective, only wounding a great many of the Canadians.

The Germans had placed their anti-tank weapons in the forward trenches, forgetting that Ian always likes to take these out first. His tanks, and armored car ran forward spraying the trenches with accurate machine-gun fire. He then used his infantry to storm the trenches, using grenades to clear them out.

The Germans were left reeling from the hard assault. The Queens Own Rifles charged the German right, taking these trenches, without their ability to fire back.

A German officer with one lone support attempted to charge back at the Queens Own, which nearly worked. The MG42 crews then pinned down the advancing Canadians. One gun crew attempted to take out the Universal carrier, which was then taken out by tank fire. The lone German mortar then landed rounds on the carrier which eliminated it, as well as a bunch of riflemen.

Another German group charged at the Cameron Highlanders  taking out a fire bren gunners, but failed to take out the mortar. The RCAF Air officer was able to direct an airstrike on the lockhouse, and with further concentrated machine-gun fire, the Germans were taken out.

The lone mortar attempted to fire on the Canadians, but a PIAT gunner rushed forward taking the mortar out. The Canadians took the position with minimum casualties.

Captain Donald Ross MacInnis MD 1924-2014

My good friend, Dr. Ross MacInnis, passed away on Octorber 11, 2014.
He was a friend of my family, and a respected family doctor in Shubenacadie, Nova Scotia.
Ross was also an avid gun collector, had an avid interest in history, and was a reenactor with the 2nd Battalion, 84th Regiment, Royal Highland Emigrants.

Ross was also a Captain in the Princess Louise Fusiliers during World War Two. He trained as an MD, so thus was able to avoid action in North West Europe. He remained the medical officer for that regiment for sometime during the Cold War period. He was an expert shot, having won many competitions while in the army for Thompson Sub machine guns, and service rifle matches.

My father met Ross via the army, and as a doctor. My family was a part of his practise.
Ross was definitely a character, from his stories as a doctor making house calls in rural Hants county Nova Scotia during the 50s and 60s, his insights in Commonwealth military history, and his time also a a coroner for Hants county.

I had many good times with Ross as his driver to reeactment events. I learned a lot from him.

He was also very generous allowing my family to store household goods with him, until I was able to return to Nova Scotia on a visit in September of 2013.

Rest in Peace Ross, we will miss you, but keep our memories of you always.

 My family with Ross and his wife Madeline. Ross is centre, next to his wife.

Chiba, 1946

 Chiba-ken, the Boso-hanto, 1946. An allied invasion of the Japanese home islands has begun. The Canadian 6th Division, landing on Kujikura beach on the east coast of Japan, advance inland and hit a mountain range. This is all that stands between them, and Tokyo.

 Most of the Canadian units, are made up of battalions which were to be used a reinforcements for Europe, but since May, 1945, they were retrained for use in the invasion of Japan. This force has a Universal Carrier, and a Vickers machine-gun armed jeep.

 There is also a Churchill tank attached as a main gun ank. 

 The infantry approach the Japanese hill.

 Canadian troops in reserve.

 A video of the action, explaining the battle.