"20mm WW2 Canadians in Winter Gear" Topic

I am looking for 20mm WW2 Canadians in winter gear (winter of 1944/1945). Of course, any Commonwealth figures will do… :)

Any suggestions? My google-fu fails me.

Thanks,

Mike

Lancashire Games have Brits:

link

Would they do?

Sergeants Mess do these rather cartoony sentries:

link

All I could find. Thought Foundry might have some, as they do US in greatcoats.

Is it worth taking a look at Reiver's British & Commonwealth for the Korean War for this

Yes; Reiver's Korean war figs are useable. Only a few figs with post WWII items of gear or clothing. The Americans are also quite good if you leave out the recoilless rifles.

IIRC, SHQ did British troops in two-piece snow suits.

Aha, it was TQD, not SHQ who do the British Infantry in windproofs: link

The windproofs can simply be painted white for the issued two-piece snow suit.

Good link that, Jemina – I ordered some immediately for my 1945 Motor Co.

Yay! :)

If you're going for the non-snowy option, the basic windproof was a pinkish-khaki colour. Then some were produced in dyed olive drab. I think the camo items were produced simply by painting them!

An interesting mix of dress here: Some windproofs (some camo, some not), one pair of windproof overtrousers (camo), some Dennison smocks and some just in BD:

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. For skirmish gaming, I like to have soldiers in a variety of gear on the table, especially for winter scenarios (as shown above). The squads look more interesting.

It is too bad someone doesn't make a complete range with great coats, parkas, winter camouflage suits, head coverings, windproofs, etc. I guess everyone assumes Canadians simply faught in the winter in there khaki shorts (being used to the cold and all).

Mike

Don't limit yourself to looking specifically for 'Canadians'. The British Army wore all the same kit.

However, I've never seen a photo of a parka being worn in NW Europe though. Great coats were not commonly worn in the field, though I have seen one photo of (Scottish) troops marching wearing them during the winter of 1944/45.

The most common form of winter gear was unchanged since WW1 – the venerable leather jerkin. Windproofs were generally issued to 52 (Lowland) Division and other formations and units soon got them as well on a fairly random and ad hoc basis. Dennison smocks were also popular as 'scrounge' items and thousands were issued to non-Airborne troops from stocks at Nijmegen once 1st Airborne Division were no longer needing them…

Jemima,

For sure, rarely does anyone make 'Canadians'. We are usually lumped in with Commonwealth Units. Not so much a classic parka, but I mean heavy coats. Something like this picture which shows mixed gear. Gives the table some character.

Yes, I want to see jerkins, windproofs, smocks and so on. Would love to see a complete winter Commonwealth range. The Lincoln and Welland soldiers wore white snowsuits, which is cool:

Including units with toques, gloves, balaclavas, scarfs, etc. Like this:

And as you mention, spread through out units in an ad hoc basis – which would look great in a skirmish game.

Yes, the white windproofs/snowsuits seem to have been sporadically issued. One old boy of the 53rd (Welsh) Division told me that they had enough sets in the battalion to equip a single (Section?) patrol and that was it! :(

They also tended to arrive after the snow had melted… :)

There's a famous sequence of photos showing 6th Airborne Division soldiers wearing them:

The more typical 53 Welsh Div 'Winter' look:

:)

Big difference between poncy staff officers and frontline infantry of course.

Tim,

The 52 (Lowland) Div was primarily roled as a Mountain Division (although it had been assigned to 1st Airborne Army as an Air/Sea Transportable Division during 1944), so maybe they had stocks of snow-suits anyway? I've no idea if they dd or not, but they were certainly issued generally with hooded windproof jackets and bergan mountaineers' rucksacks long before everyone else.

Oh I know that! Great photo and I've not seen it before! :)

I was just commenting that 52 Div might have been one of the better equipped divisions due to their intended role. But then again, maybe not! ;)

Is it me, or does the bloke on the right seem to have a simpler sort of 'cagoule'? I love the white cloth wrapped around boots and the section commander's Sten. Their camouflage looks very effective.

Ah! " cagoule'! I read that in a novel lately and wondered what the heck it was. Now if one of the Britons here could describe or picture a " donkey Jacket" for me!

It's a short, heavy work jacket with an oilskin panel across the shoulders. Latterly the black oilskin was replaced with day-glo orange plastic.

Used to see them a lot on anyone digging up the roads during the 70s and 80s. Since replaced by orange/yellow PPPE.

@Jemima Fawr; Thanks! I can picture it now from old episodes of " the Sweeney" and "Taggart".

here you see (although dutch site) troops in winter uniform
link