Tuesday 27 September 2011

WW2 French troops in Britain during Operation Sealion?

Dunkirk June 1940 brought over to Britain approx 139,000 French troops along with approx 200,000 British troops during the evacuation and they were then placed in camps in South West England and were eventually and quickly repatriated and ferried to the ports of Brest, Cherbourg and other ports in Normandy and Brittany before the Armistice but could some French infantry units have stayed in Britain and had gotten involved in Operation Sealion fighting?

Well I've decided with my What If? scenario that they could have (De Gaulle maybe needed protecting?) and have started to build up a small French infantry platoon plus staff officers from Blitz Miniatures (very nice figures, good selection and very little flash), I believe they would have light weapons but nothing heavy as it would have been left behind at Dunkirk and any vehicles required would come from the British.

Painted this section up using the guide at Crusader Miniatures.







41 comments:

  1. I'm loving these guys – what brand of paint did you use?

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  2. Good idea to have some French chaps for the project as it adds a little variety.

    I'm holding back from the usual jokes?

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  3. I painted these up really nice didn't I FRAN!!!

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  4. cool, they look great, now you have to teach them to say "je me rends"

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  5. Great work Angry. Don't forgot the Brigade of Australian Infantry in England at the time. Get painting.

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  6. Really nice work, but in the end they still are French...

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  7. The whole idea of alternate timelines in history is fertile ground for gaming and for writers. The fact that the heavy artillary was left at Dunkirk is critical to coming up with an alternate story that makes sense. I always enjoy looking at your artwork as well. You've got a mind like a steel trap and hands as supple as a dancer Angry. Great Job

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  8. @The Dark Templar: Vallejo with a Windsor and Newton ink wash.

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  9. Beccas: I never knew about the Aussies?

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  10. Oh, that is dead clever! I feel a Sealion project coming on. I have French and some BEF and Hornby houses, now for some German Paras. I'll have to go back and look at the ones you posted earlier.

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  11. Very nice looking unit.

    Best regards dalauppror

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  12. "Beccas: I never knew about the Aussies?"

    Sacrilegious admission Sir! Rectify this shortfall immediately please!!!

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  13. Very cool. No doubt there would have been French troops involved had this really gone down.

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  14. Great looking figures and an excellent paint job

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  15. There were 3,000 French troops in the UK in July 1940, who chose to join the Free French Forces. There's a few pictures of them about, including one with George VI and De Gaulle inspecting them.

    They started off with French uniforms and equipment and missing items were replaced with British items as their ranks grew.

    After the immediate invasion scare was over, they were sent to the Middle East, where the remaining Free French troops were assembled.

    There were a lot of Dominion and Commonwealth troops in the UK, iirc the Australians were part of the forces held in reserve in the South East and would have been right in the thick of it.

    Good painting as always!

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  16. British and French troops. Were they asked to wear same uniform?
    Love these. Cute ones.

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  17. one of the guys looks a little chubby... He's gotta do some miniature sit ups! lol.

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  18. Nicely painted minis and a very clever and creative idea. The cool thing about a what-if is that you can easily expand it like this. An excellent thought!

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  19. nicely done... and as always "Crush the stupid frenchies!"

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  20. My history buff friend never ceases to remind me that my birthday is really close to sharing the same day.

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  21. Nice I will use the pegasus french infantry as the metal ones are great for "skirmish" sized games and plastics for mass battles.

    Nice paintjob by the way!

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  22. nice. I like your whole "What if" logic also. ha. That probably makes for some awesome battles.

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  23. Excellent work! I really like those great coats and Adrian helmets.

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  24. Another great unit for your project. Waiting patiently to see an AAR

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  25. Hard to disagree with all of that. They're great miniatures and you've done a brilliant job on the painting - you can feel the landscape in that scheme. It's pretty good photography too given they're only 20mm!

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  26. I like this what if scenario. It would make a good book or film.

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  27. Did Ray get your a gift yet? Hope your day is going well. The vet called and said Miss Wiggy is resting and going great. Little Baby Bug is also sleeping, but on her big sisters bed.

    So cute.

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  28. Nicely painted there sir! When we gonna see some battle reports?

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  29. Again I marvel at the detail. That scarf is incredible.

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  30. I find anything WW2 related completely fascinating. This was no different. Incredibly detailed.

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  31. Hey Angry. 18th Australian Infantry Brigade (4 Battalions - 2/9th, 2/10th, 2/11th, 2/12th) under the command of General Morshead was stationed in the general area of Salisbury Plain between May 1940 and January 1941.

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  32. More great looking figs. Nicely done!

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  33. nice paint job on those figures

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  34. Perhaps those Froggies could be sent to reinforce Capt Mainwaring and his mob at Warmington on Sea?

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  35. Really nice! Your WWII collection is moving along at a nice pace.

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  36. Lovely, any support weapons to go with these?

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