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.







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41 comments:

  1. The Dark Templar27 September 2011 at 09:25

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

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  2. Anonymous27 September 2011 at 09:26

    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. BigLee27 September 2011 at 09:27

    They look really good.

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  4. Ray Rousell27 September 2011 at 09:48

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

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  5. shintokamikaze27 September 2011 at 09:52

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

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  6. The Extraordinarii27 September 2011 at 10:07

    Very nice buddy, there looking good.

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  7. Beccas27 September 2011 at 10:11

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

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  8. Paul27 September 2011 at 10:19

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

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  9. Unknown27 September 2011 at 10:28

    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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  10. The Angry Lurker27 September 2011 at 10:30

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

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  11. The Angry Lurker27 September 2011 at 10:31

    Beccas: I never knew about the Aussies?

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  12. Thomas Nissvik27 September 2011 at 11:07

    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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  13. Bart27 September 2011 at 11:44

    hhaha did they lose?

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  14. Dalauppror27 September 2011 at 12:01

    Very nice looking unit.

    Best regards dalauppror

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  15. Paul O'G27 September 2011 at 12:24

    "Beccas: I never knew about the Aussies?"

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

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  16. WarRaptor27 September 2011 at 12:35

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

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  17. Dan27 September 2011 at 13:06

    Great looking figures and an excellent paint job

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  18. DEZMOND27 September 2011 at 13:10

    They do look like lions!

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  19. Anonymous27 September 2011 at 13:54

    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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  20. mamtc27 September 2011 at 13:56

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

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  21. Zombie27 September 2011 at 14:17

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

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  22. Chris C.27 September 2011 at 14:17

    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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  23. Steve Bailey27 September 2011 at 16:12

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

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  24. DWei27 September 2011 at 17:09

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

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  25. Wargame News and Terrain Blog27 September 2011 at 17:12

    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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  26. MRanthrope27 September 2011 at 18:59

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

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  27. Curt27 September 2011 at 19:01

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

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  28. Mike27 September 2011 at 19:21

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

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  29. Porky27 September 2011 at 19:34

    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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  30. Unknown27 September 2011 at 19:41

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

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  31. The Happy Whisk27 September 2011 at 20:10

    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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  32. Simon Quinton 27 September 2011 at 20:35

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

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  33. Damon27 September 2011 at 20:56

    great work
    nice post

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  34. Copyboy27 September 2011 at 21:00

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

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  35. Hasidic Plumber27 September 2011 at 21:44

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

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  36. Beccas27 September 2011 at 22:53

    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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  37. Jason Meyers27 September 2011 at 23:54

    More great looking figs. Nicely done!

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  38. Major Mack28 September 2011 at 01:41

    nice paint job on those figures

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  39. Ogilvie VC28 September 2011 at 02:45

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

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  40. Christopher(aka Axebreaker)28 September 2011 at 09:46

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

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  41. Al28 September 2011 at 10:16

    Lovely, any support weapons to go with these?

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