"15mm British miniatures suitable for Singapore?" Topic

I think that Eureka's Aussies might work, but are there any miniatures for UK and Indian troops out there? I'm thinking pith helmets, shorts, and all the tropical kit. Would 8th Army (Desert Rats) work in a pinch?

Thanks!

what about using some Minifig WW1 Mid-Eastern British for troops in pith helmet and Indians. I'm sure some troops still had 08 webbing in such far-flung theaters.

I don't know of a range in the Wolseley helmet (Peter Pig probably have a suitable head for head swaps – can't get their site to load right now to check it, but the WWI British Sun Helmet is presumably suitable if you're inclined to do conversions.)

That said, 8th Army are fine anyway; photos of British troops prior to the invasion usually show the Wolseley, but photos of them at the surrender are often in the regular steel helmet. I suspect that at least units which arrived as reinforcements such as 18th Division were equipped with the steel helmet rather than the Wolseley.

IIRC the Eureka Aussies have US-style leggings and are more geared for later campaigns. Owen SMGs are certainly too late for Singapore.

As has been said; 8th Army figures are fine for Singapore/Hong Kong/early Burma.

I would think about using Command Decision 8th army types for riflemen. Adding Peter Pig figures for heavy weapons, command and such. Peter Pig probably have tubaned heads available for indian troops. But they often used British kit in action. So one could get away with just using 8th army types. Not as cool looking, though. Are you ready to do some head swapping?

peter pig do turbaned indian troops in their 8th army range.

ERM do a dedicated range for singapore too

Great points guys. Thanks!

Too bad about the Aussies though. I didn't notice the gaters until until you mentioned it. Great news about the 8th Army types. Does that mean that they can do double duty?

Were those uniforms in khaki shades too?

Yes, everybody wore Khaki Drill, as for North Africa. It means you can do double duty, but the terrain and therefore the bases would be very different.

Jungle Green uniforms didn't appear until over a year later.

Just use 8th Army figures for the Australians. They were mostly shipped back from the Middle East & apart from the odd slouch hat photographs show them to be more or less indistinguishable from British troops. Eurekas Australians are in two ranges, either (1) the greatcoated Bardia figures or (2) Pacific war. Neither is particularly suitable for Malaya.

I get the impression that the Wollesley helmet tended to be used by the local volunteer & Malaya raised troops rather than than the British or Indian units. These also seem to be wearing an older style of uniform too.

The OP was referring to Singapore so regarding the Aussies, none were shipped over from the Western Desert. The 8th Div was in Malaya from 1940. The returnees from the Western Desert went to Java, the few of them that actually landed. The reinforcements came from Australia.

" I suspect that at least units which arrived as reinforcements such as 18th Division were equipped with the steel helmet rather than the Wolseley."

My grandfathers regiment was re-routed from the Middle east, although they ended up in Java and not Singapore. A photo of them shortly after disembarking shows them in pith helmets.

Quite right. Wasn't thinking clearly. The 8th divison was originally meant to go to the ME!