DISPATCHES
July 2020
Hi Guys,
welcome to this month’s ‘DISPATCHES’. As you will soon see there is a strong ‘Ceremonial’
element in our toy soldier releases this time around as well as a return to the
very earliest days of King & Country.
So, as I like
to say, let’s get this show on the road...
1.
BEING RELEASED IN JULY...
A.
‘The Auld Forty Twa’
The Black
Watch’s origins go all the way back to 1725, ten years after the first failed
Jacobite rebellion of 1715. King George I (‘German Geordie’)
authorized the formation of six “watch” companies to patrol the wild
Highlands of Scotland.
These troops were
to be employed in disarming rebel Highlanders, preventing sheep stealing and
cattle rustling and bring Highland fugitives to justice.
Because the “watch”
themselves were fellow Highlanders, many belonging to the Clan Campbell,
they wore the dark plaid of the Campbells and thus gained the nickname “The
Black Watch”.
Eventually
the “Watch” gained regimental size and status and were included in the
British Army’s regular list as the “42nd Regiment of Foot”...
‘the auld forty twa’ in old broad Scots, (a
Scottish version of English).
In 1881 they
were amalgamated with the 73rd Perthshire
Regt., to form the 1st and 2nd
Battalions The Black Watch (Royal
Highlanders). From that day on they saw action in virtually every corner of
the world with the expanding British Empire.
During the
years before the First World War broke out they fought
in Egypt, the Sudan, India and South Africa.
WWI SERVICE
The outbreak
of war in August 1914 saw an expansion of the regiment from its original two
regular battalions to an additional seven territorial and war
service battalions which again saw action around the globe but especially on
the Western Front.
After the end
of the war the 1st returned to India while the 2nd
remained in Scotland before moving to Palestine to try and keep the Jews
and Arabs from each other’s throats... at least for a little while until the
Second World War erupted in September 1939.
K&C’s LATEST BLACK WATCH
The Black
Watch has appeared in the King & Country inventory several times since the
company began in 1984.
During the
1980’s and 1990’s we produced a series of ‘Parade’ figures that included
marching Highlanders, Colour Parties and a number of different ‘Pipes & Drums’ sets.
In more
recent times we have had ‘Napoleonic’ Black Watch fighting the Emperor’s
armies at Waterloo as well as taking part in WW2.
Now, we are
going back to the more colourful days when the ‘Watch’
and other Scottish Regiments of the Line wore bright red scarlet tunics, feather
bonnets and swinging kilts and sporrans.
The
ceremonial uniforms worn by these ‘parading figures’ are those that were
in use from 1908, when the MKⅢ Lee Enfield rifle was introduced, up until 1939
when WW2 began.
The figures
you see here are just the ‘Advance Guard’ of The Black Watch on
parade... Many more are to follow.
CE029 ‘Mounted
Black Watch Officer’
In an
infantry regiment of this period only a few of the battalion officers would be
mounted; The Colonel, his Second-in-Command and the Regimental
Adjutant... All others marched on foot alongside their men.
It should be
noted that kilt-wearing was not a good choice while horse riding...
therefor tartan trews, in the Regimental tartan, was
adopted.
CE030 ‘The
Colonel’s Bugler’
This marching
soldier was also attached to the Regimental Band and Pipes & Drums as a
Drummer / Bugler. However when accompanying the
Commanding Officer only a bugle was required.
CE036 ‘Black
Watch Sergeant’ (marching)
Second-in-command
of an infantry platoon and the officer’s right hand
man. On parade he wears three golden yellow stripes on his right tunic arm and
a red cloth sergeant’s sash over his right shoulder.
CE037 ‘Black
Watch Private’ (marching)
Similar in
basic uniform to CE036 but no stripes and no sash. Marching with Lee
Enfield rifle and fixed bayonet on the left shoulder.
CE060 ‘Black
Watch Escort Set’ (value added set)
Sergeant and
three Privates combined at a slightly better price!
AVAILABLE:
Early July
PLEASE
NOTE: Additional
Black Watch soldiers and a special Pipes & Drums set will be available in
the coming months... Watch out for them!
B.
‘Tsar Power!’
When
Nicholas Romanov became Tsar of All The Russias in 1894 he inherited a
vast but
trouble Empire. It stretched from European Russia all the way across the
Ural Mountains and into the plains and forests of Siberia and
finally on to the Pacific coast port city of Vladivostok.
Its
population in the early part of the 20th Century numbered over 175
million
and included
many different ethnicities... Russians, Tartars, Cossacks, Mongols and Chechens
were just a few of the major groups.
Two of the
most important symbols that held this huge country together were the Monarchy,
in the shape of the Tsar and the Army which brought together all the different races
and religions to serve and follow the Tsar through war and peace.
Following the
defeat of its forces in the Russo Japanese War of 1905 Russia belatedly began modernising and rearming its soldiers. Some Russian
military traditions however still remained... especially
in its uniforms.
Although ‘khaki’
had been adopted for many everyday duties throughout the year the more
conservative elements in the military hierarchy (and Nicholas himself)
enjoyed seeing his troops parade in their summer white tunics and caps… and
even on maneuvers.
This second
version of our earlier Imperial Russian Infantry are wearing the strikingly
white traditional Russian Summer tunics and caps.
Weapons and
uniforms are typical of the period 1900-1914.
FW233 Tsar
NicholasⅡ
Nicholas Alexandrovich Romanov (1968-1918) was the last Emperor of All Russia and
ruled from 1894 until his forced abdication in March 1917 and murder in 1918.
An autocratic
ruler he was in favour of limited modernization of
his country but resisted virtually all political change which in the end was to
prove fatal for himself and his family.
Here however
we see him in happier times, reviewing his troops and presenting a religious
icon before them.
Like his men
he wears a simple white summer tunic and cap.
FW234 “Marching
w/Rifle & Bayonet”
Striding
forth in typical Russian style this soldier holds his rifle firmly to the
front.
FW235 “Standing
Officer Saluting”
Armed with
both a sabre and a pistol this officer springs smartly to attention and
delivers a snappy salute.
FW236 “Presenting
Arms”
Another
soldier salutes a superior in ‘classic’ military fashion.
FW237 “Standing-at-Attention”
Head up,
chest out with rifle and fixed bayonet held firmly by the side.
FW238 “Honouring The Icon”
Kneeling
before the Tsar, cap in hand, this soldier is actually paying
homage to the religious icon the Tsar is holding. Most of the Russian
Imperial Army belonged to the Russian Orthodox Church and icons
(religious paintings of the Holy Family and saints) were frequently displayed
to the troops during parades and before going into battle.
FW239 “Senior
Subaltern w/The Tsar’s Personal Standard”
Special
regiments were awarded with the Tsar’s own personal flag as shown here.
This was to
always be carried on parade by the senior subaltern (junior officer) of
the Regiment.
FW240 “Marching
Officer w/Sword”
‘Eyes
Right’ sabre drawn and held to the right this parade commander, usually a
Major, salutes the Tsar as he marches past.
AVAILABLE:
Early July
C.
‘Sand, Bugs and Jungle’
Our Pacific
War Marines are always a popular release and one of K&C’s most
extensive and dynamic series of recent years... Here are 3 great ‘Add-ons’.
USMC054 “Kneeling
Marine w/Bazooka”
Another ‘classic’
post and a very useful one to attack those Japanese bunkers or any
increasingly rare Jap Tank that puts in an appearance
on the battlefield.
USMC055 “Pacific
Hand-to-Hand Combat” Set ‘A’
Although only
wielding an entrenching tool this ‘leatherneck’ is about to leave a
lasting impression on this unfortunate Japanese soldier! (2-man set)
USMC056 “Pacific
Hand-to-Hand Combat” Set ‘B’
Another
unlucky Japanese soldier is about get the ‘point’ of this vicious little
disagreement. (2-man set)
AVAILABLE:
Mid July
D.
‘The Battle of Long Tan Continues’
On
this battlefield journey it’s not so very far from the ‘Pacific Island
Hopping
Campaign’ to the battle erupting in the middle
of a rubber plantation in South Vietnam...
VN082 “The
Battle of Long Tan Set #2”
Another
vitally useful 4-man set to add-on to K&C’s first ‘Long Tan’
set released back in October 2019.
This 2nd
Set shows another 4-man infantry group fighting desperately to rescue a
wounded mate while still returning fire on the ambushers.
The Battle of
Long Tan is justly remembered as a fine example of Aussie fighting spirit and
grim determination to hold on against much superior numbers in bloody awful
conditions.
The set
itself comes in its own labeled box and is a worthy companion set to Long
Tan #1.
AVAILABLE:
Mid July
E.
‘John Ford Cavalry Reinforcements’
Four
more mounted cavalrymen to increase your ‘John Ford Cavalry’ troop
collection.
TRW169 “Trooper
Turning in the Saddle”
Another fine
mounted figure half-turning in the saddle. This figure also has the ‘moveable-head’
feature.
TRW170 “Trooper
Leaning Forward”
One more
recruit to the mounted ranks of ‘John Ford’s Cavalry’. With fixed
head position.
TRW171 “Mounted
Cavalry Officer”
A new officer
to lead the men on patrol. With the ‘moveable-head’ feature.
TRW172 “First
Sergeant”
A very
experienced troop sergeant probably Irish, because that’s how director John
Ford liked to portray his senior non-commissioned officers in his movies. Also with the ‘moveable-head’ feature.
AVAILABLE:
Mid-Late July
F.
Just Around The
Corner and up some dark stairway and into an Opium Den...
An
alternative version to one of ‘Streets of Old Hong Kong’s’ most
controversial releases...
K&C got
quite a bit of notoriety both here in Hong Kong and overseas when we first
introduced ‘The Opium Smokers’ set.
As we all
know history has no shortage of darker moments and the subject of ‘OPIUM’
has been an integral part of the Hong Kong story.
This city’s
foundations were built on the Opium Trade when British traders introduced Opium,
grown and refined in India and then shipped to China in exchange for silver
bullion.
After a few
years it became a major problem for China itself and the Emperor tried to ban
it and stop its import.
The British
traders meanwhile were most upset by this attempted ban on their highly
lucrative business and coerced the British Government to take their side. This
was to lead to the ‘First Opium War’ in which the victorious
British were ceded a small, barren island off the coast of Southern China
called... Hong Kong.
From the
1880’s, the importation of Opium into China declined as Chinese – grown opium,
much cheaper than the imported kind, began to take over the market.
At the same
time, mounting pressure from the Church and the British Government forced Hong
Kong to close most of its legally-operated opium dens
and to cease exporting any to China.
Finally, it
was not until 1943, while Hong Kong was still occupied by the Japanese, that
the British Government completely banned the selling and smoking of Opium in
the Colony.
These two
revised sets portray an earlier time when there was a much-more relaxed and
nuanced official attitude to Opium Dens, their proprietors and customers...
HK298G/M “The
Opium Smokers”
Two recumbent
Chinese gentlemen enjoying a pipe of Opium each while they dream away their
problems.
HK299G/M “The
Opium Merchant & Maid”
An elderly ‘Opium
Seller’ and his Maid who operate the ‘Den’ itself.
AVAILABLE:
Mid-Late July
2.
BEING RETIRED THIS MONTH...
A large and
varied collection of retirals this month which covers a broad range of
different series and historical periods.
Take a closer
look and see if there is something for you.
MG033(P) Lieut. Jack Grayburn
V.C.
MG034(P) Major Frederick Gough M.C.
MG039(P) Crouching Bren Gunner
MG051(P) Lance Sergeant Bill Fulton
MG054(P) Sapper Tom Carpenter
RAF055
The Cricket
Club
TRW022
Captain Myles
Keogh
TRW024
Swinging the
Carbine
TRW028
Standing Loading
Carbine
TRW044(P) Little Wolf
TRW045(P) Running Deer
TRW050
Falling Trooper
& Horse
TRW051
Friends To The End
TRW053
Fight to the Death
TRW055(P) Running Bull
TRW056(P) “Hawk Man” (casualty)
TRW062
To the Death
TRW067
Fatal Shot
TRW074(P) Black Hawk
TRW075
Dead Trooper...
Dead Horse
TRW077
The Rescue
TRW079
Crawling for Help
TRW080
Massacre!
TRW082(P) The Plains Warrior
TRW090
Geronimo The
Apaches
TRW098
The Pike Bishop
Gang
TRW100
Eagle’s Wing
TRW102
Two Old Texas
Ranger Captains
TRW104
Taking Aim, The
Apaches
TRW105
Kneeling Firing,
The Apaches
TRW106
Kneeling Firing
TRW108
Cochise
TRW110
Crouching Apache
Warrior
TRW143
Crouching Apache
WoD035
Carol Singer Set
#2
And that’s the story so far my friends… Enjoy the business, enjoy the hobby
and… in these strange times… Stay
Sane, Stay Safe!
All the best,
Andy C. Neilson
Co-founder & Creative Director
King & Country Ltd.