Blog British Army Normandy 1944
Following the landings in Normandy in June 1944, the British forces found themselves in bitter fighting for the breakthrough inland. Hoping to push towards Caen and liberate northern France from tough German resistance.
The models in this commission showcase represent the men of the 3rd Infantry Division who took part in the Battle of Normandy. This project made use of the Warlord Games British Starter Army along with additional Churchill and Sherman V kits for increased armour support.
Up first is the Vickers Machine Gun, having seen extensive use in the First World War, plans were in place to replace the weapon but it remained in service right up until 1968. This gave the British some much needed firepower against the Germans high rate MG42. Although unable to shoot as many rounds a minute it was very reliable.
Second the ML 3 Inch Mortar, able to rain down indirect high explosive rounds on enemy positions. The mortar was also capable of firing smoke rounds to cover infantry advances and screen troops from enemy fire.
For anti tank purposes the British had a multitude of weapons available to suit this role. At the infantry level the PIAT was used. Introduced in 1943 it used a spigot mortar mechanism to launch its projectile. Whilst not having the range of say a bazooka or panzerschreck, the PIAT was still highly effective and eliminated the back blast of the previous mentioned weapons.
When a bigger punch was needed the British could employ the 6pdr Anti Tank Gun. This fixed gun was capable of taking out the majority of German armour in the field.
This commission force also contains a number of armoured vehicles that saw action in the Battle of Normandy.
The iconic Churchill tank in two variants, the first being the Churchill MK VII armed with a 75mm gun. This was one of the most produced versions of the tank and had front armour much thicker than even that of Tiger Is.
The other version of the Churchill in the force is the AVRE. This replaced the main gun with a 230mm Petard Mortar and could knock out heavy enemy emplacements with ease. These only had a very short range for a tank based weapon so utilising the Churchill’s thick armour was a bonus.
The last tank of the force is a Sherman V. These were the most popular variant of British Sherman and featured a longer hull than the standard US M4. They would also provide the base hull for the famous Firefly. This particular tank is marked up as belonging to the 1st Polish Armoured Division. Although this unit did not fight directly with 3rd Infantry Division in Normandy, it was supporting Canadian forces around Mont Ormel and the closing of the Falaise Gap.
Finally rounding off the force is a universal carrier. This open topped tracked transport vehicles were the armoured workhorse of the British. Able to transport infantry and also tow guns, they were vital to support units and also formed a new type of British fighting force, the Motor Platoon. Able to keep up and support Armoured Divisions.
This project was a pleasure to work on and matches nicely alongside the Normandy German Grenadiers than I previously completed for the same client.
