"Scenarios: British Paras in Middle East Uniform" Topic

I painted up a set of British paratroops for Primosole Bridge, Sicily. Painted them in tropical dress as per an Osprey (the light khaki trousers). Can anyone suggest other scenarios I can use them for? Eg I believe there was some hard fighting against the Germans at a place called "Cork Bark Wood" in Tunisia. I'd like to get more mileage out of my paras than just Primosole Bridge, so any additional historical scenario suggestions for the same uniform appearance would be appreciated!

What-ifs.

link

And remember that the Para's continued to fight as infantry after the Bridge was taken.

Fatman

John Frost's "A Drop too Many" and Niall Cherry's "Tunisian Tales. The 1st Parachute Brigade in North Africa 1942-43," have lots of information and scenario fodder, although I have no idea if the uniforms in Tunisia will match those on your figures.
Cheers,
Bertie

Suez in 1956?

V/R,
Jack

Just Jack
Actually that's true nothing much would have changed. I know that they had to raid a museum to get the equipment needed too drop jeeps.

Fatman

Yeah, I've read that too. I was also looking for post-war Greece and Indonesia, but I don't have much time right now and my Google-Fu is failing me.

V/R,
Jack

Tunisia as Bertie mentions above

Why worry too much about pale khaki trousers? They'd be pretty mucky after a day or three in the field.

The 2nd Para Brigade was detached from 1st Airborne Div and served in the Mediterranean theatre until 1945; Italy and Southern France etc.
Post war the brigade was joined with 6 the Airborne as part of the Imperial Strategic Reserve……arriving in Palestine in 1945\6.
Palestine up to '47 is another scenario setting, early Arab insurgency and the Jewish independence struggle.

Fatman thanks for the link and tip to check out post Primosole in Sicily. I see from the link that these committed and well trained troops were initially to some extent squandered in Tunisia by a somewhat inept higher army command. However, they then settled into a conventional ground troop role and there were lots of hard fought actions. Interesting to see that many were alongside the French, including Foreign Legion and Senegalese. Clearly huge scope for historical scenarios here if one can get the detail. And speaking of which, Bertie much appreciated your two book suggestions.I will be putting in an interlibrary loan request to see whether they are available here in South Africa!
Ugly (and I feel bad to call you that!) very true about the trousers -photos of the Paras in Tunisia indeed show them as darkish, so one could paint the figures either way. Clearly, it is well worth painting a contingent of British paratroops in Mediterranean dress. I hope to be posting some WW 2 scenarios down the line if I can get my hands on the books or equivalent detail elsewhere. Best festive season wishes, everyone.

I know that they had to raid a museum to get the equipment needed too drop jeeps.

Nothing changes….I was given a private tour or the small arms museum at the school of infantry, Warminster some years ago. They have an example of every small arm that has been used by or against the British Army since around Cromwell's day.

Almost all of this stuff is maintained in working order, including a Ferguson breech loading flintlock rifle and a couple of de Lisle carbines! The curator said in 1982 the SAS came and took the de Lisles to use in the Falklands campaign………(they passed on the Ferguson rifle though)