Osprey publishing The British Army 1939-1945 (1) North-West Europe

The British Army 1939-45 (1) North-West Europe by Brayley and Chappell (2001)

While I have several books on Canadian units, I didnt have anything on the British. Well not except my book on the Scottish Units.

Bolt Action Demolition: 7th Canadian Brigade attack on Norrey-en-Bessin

This scenario is based on the reports contained in the book Maple Leaf Route: Caen
(Copp and Vogel, 1983)
Canadian units included:
Royal Winnipeg Rifles : 2 stands mounted in a Universal Carrier
Regina Rifles: 2 stands mounted in a Universal Carrier
Canadian Scottish: 2 stands mounted in a Universal Carrier

First Hussars: Humber Armored car armed with a 2pdr gun, and a Bren armed armored car with an M3 AA Half track

Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa 3 Mortars with a Bren gun group

3rd Anti-Tank Regiment Royal Canadian Artillery: 6pdr Anti-Tank gun with tractor

12th Field Regiment Royal Canadian Artillery 1 Sexton

Queens Own Rifles also in support with tanks of 4th Canadian Armored Division 3 Sherman's with a Firefly

German forces

26th Panzer Grenadiers Regiment with 12th Panzer Regiment, elements of 12th Panzerjager, and mortar and Nebelwefer support
1 Panther and a Panzer III made up the Panzer force with attached Hanamog support

12 Regiment Royal Canadian Artillery 

Royal Regina Rifles

1st Hussars advance

7th Brigade begins the advance

26th Panzergrenadiers holding a hedgegrove

Elements of the 12th Panzerjager

12th Panzer Regiment also lends support

German fire takes out a Sherman

A Panzer III makes short work of some Canadian units 

Universal Carriers make a mounted dash while the infantry dismount and assault the Germans

PIAT rounds take out the Panzerjagers

Grenades make short work of the remaining Hanamogs

The SS make a withdrawl. Canadians have achieved their objective.

Royal Canadian Artillery Sexton

One of the kits I bought from Flames of War.
A bit smaller than my other kits but it'll do

This unit I shall portray the 12th Regiment Royal Canadian Artillery.

This piece of artillery was the only piece of equipment I did not have in my collection. 

To the trenches: Bolt Action for The Great War

So one of my basing methods turned out to be a dud. Popsicle sticks do not make good bases. However, since I have so many left over, with glue still on one side, I decided to turn them into trenches.

The local Canadian men and boys remembered on cenotaphs

small monuments

those of my home town

 more names

the flag our country fought under

the trenches from the attacking side

on the defensive

close up

Machine-gun teams 

British and Canadian troops slowly being based, and painted.

British 4th Armored Division 3rd County of London Yeomanry

I'm building up a new British Armored Division. This will be made up of a Tank regiment of Shermans, supported by a 5.5 in Battery of 4 Royal Horse Artillery
and a motor rifle battalion of the 2nd Kings Royal Rifle Corps

Pictures to follow

Also will sort out Recce elements

Probably keep style
With my Bolt Action groups, I'm treating this as a Battle group

May still need to fit out with carriers and a Firefly

British Reinforcements: 53rd Welsh Division

Recently a co-worker of mine had a serious health issue requiring me to work 8 days straight. Another co-worker of mine felt bad and was aware that my main hobby is war gamming. Thus, he passed over two bags of toy soldiers. These were in a play set, but luckily, they are small enough to fit in. I've painted up a bunch and plan on basing them for one of the British divisions I have. I may buy another
set of British infantry to flesh out my Canadian divisions.

I've painted these units of the 53rd Welsh Division.
 

Operation Plunder: March 23, 1945: 1st Commando Bde at Wesel

46 RM Commandos, 45 Commando(RM) 6 Commando and 3 Commando with support from elements of the French army.
Historical information courtesy of Osprey Campaign 178 The Rhine Crossings 1945 (Ken Ford, 2007) Additions of French troops as cannon fodder, and Canadian 9th Brigade with armored and artillery support

Elements of German Panzer Division inside Wesel. A Panzer Regiment made up of Panthers, an assault gun and a Whirlwind. Elements of other German vehicles also have a 251 Armed with a French 75mm gun. A nebelwefer also is hiding.

A Panzer Regiment made up of 2 Panzer III and a Panzerjager

Another Panzer Regiment made of of same.

A German heavy weapons company with an MG42 and mortar seem to be rather open, perhaps some sandbags might be in order.

 The local Nazi HQ having been blasted by the RAF now holds a battery of 88mm Anti-tank guns.

 An SS battalion holding the remains of some houses.

An SS heavy weapons company made up of MG42 and Anti-tank platoons.

 Enter the French

 a mortar team prepares to give covering fire

Two more French battalions prepare to move in. 

The French initally did well but lacking armor support, were only really able to act as a recce force.

They were however able to knock out the battery of 88mm guns, so the Germans then counter attacked with their panzers.

This in turn led to a counter engagement by the entire British force. 

The Allied left being held by the Canadian 9th Brigade, with the left over French.

A Churchill takes out a Panzer III 

Canadian armor on the right rolls past the SS unbeknonst that the Anti-tank teams are well hidden.

British armor races ahead only to be stopped in their tracks by another Panzer regiment and Panzergrenadiers.

The centre of the table becomes a tank graveyard.

A Hertzer takes out a Firefly while a Whirlwind adds to the French casualties

A Panther falls victim to a lucky shot from a Sherman. The 6pdr Gun having been hit by the Panther.

The Canadian 9th Brigade with their Scottish Canadians rush up and conduct house clearing operations. This area saw some hard fought actions with the houses changing sides twice. 

Eventually, the Germans had to give up their village.