Swiss Army of WW2.

 Last September, I reviewed Jim Ring's book, Hitler's War in the Alps, which started me down the rabbit hole of Switzerland and WW2. I have previous on this sort of wargaming distraction, not to mention a book on another neutral, Turkey.

The Swiss published a German invasion plan in 1933, but more needed to be done to modernise the Swiss Army and their defence plan. In 1938, in the aftermath of Anchluss, the Swiss declared that it was 'Switzerland's secular mission in Europe to guard the passage of the Alps in the interests of all.' 

General Guisan reorganised their defences and, in May 1940, mobilised 700,000 men, almost one in five of the Swiss population. He controversially decided to screen the border and fall back to the Alpine Redoubt. This meant abandoning the major cities, but the idea was more of a deterrence as the Axis would be blocked from the main communication routes like the Simplon Tunnel. The army was equipped to fight WW1, although the terrain and the size of the military would have made it a challenging prospect for the invaders.

On 12 August 1940, Captain von Menges revised his plan and submitted it to Halder. He allocated 11 divisions (150,000 men) for the attack, adjusting the Axis of the attack following a reconnaissance along the border. Operation Sea Lion and Operation Barbarossa put the plan on the back burner.

So, a modest wargaming 15mm project was born. The first challenge was figures, as the Swiss army wore a distinctive helmet. No manufacturer did it, although a scalpel to the Dutch helmet might work. Then I came across these 3D prints by Eskice Miniatures.  Postage from France was prohibitive, but I found a UK supplier, although his illness meant the delivery was delayed a long time. It's not a massive problem, as I am not short of projects! The prints are well-sculpted and relatively clean. They don't come with the bases in the sales picture, so use a strong super glue. We will see how robust they are after handling on the wargame table.

I went for the early war grey uniform and black helmet, as that was the period most likely for invasion. This Swiss militaria site was helpful, and a museum in Switzerland has a range of uniform types.

Equipment was less of a problem as the Swiss didn't have a massive armaments industry and bought it overseas. I found some support weapons in my spares box and got the German 20mm AA and a mountain howitzer from Butlers. The main light tank was the Panzer 39, manufactured in Czechoslovakia. It was similar to the Pkw 38t, close enough in 15mm. The air force had bought modern fighters, including the Me 109 and the MS 450.

That gives me eight infantry bases, with an HMG and mortar as support weapons, AA, light artillery, and a tank. That should be plenty for defending part of the Alps against German mountain troops using Blitzkrieg Commander rules. We will see!

Lord and Master - Master of Gray Trilogy

 The latest in my Nigel Tranter re-reading project is set during James VI's reign, although we have now moved into his adult reign. The story is told through the life of Patrick, Master of Gray, and this is the first of a trilogy. He obviously intrigued Tranter.

The book is narrated by Patrick's half-brother, David, who is portrayed as a very different character. I am unsure if Tranter made him up, as I can't find a reference to him, but he may have been missed as an illegitimate offspring. 

Patrick, Master of Gray (1559–1612), was a Scottish nobleman and politician who played a notable, though often controversial, role during the reign of James VI of Scotland. Known for his political cunning and shifting allegiances, Gray was deeply involved in the intrigues and power struggles that defined late 16th-century Scotland. He was born into the influential Gray family and became Master of Gray, a title that referred to the heir to the chief of the Gray family. 

Gray emerged after Mary’s forced abdication and subsequent imprisonment by Queen Elizabeth. Initially a supporter of Mary, his loyalties shifted as he sought to secure his position and favour with her son, James VI. He became an important courtier and diplomat during James VI's reign. 

Tranter adapts the history somewhat (this is fiction). For example, he went to Glasgow, not St Andrews University, which is important in later volumes. He was entrusted with missions abroad, including to England, and Tranter captures his duplicity well. His trips to France are interesting, as this is the French War of Religion period. Most infamously, he is believed to have betrayed Mary, Queen of Scots, during her imprisonment in England, which Tranter takes as fact. Gray, ostensibly sent to plead for Mary’s life in 1586, reportedly advised Elizabeth I to execute her, aligning his interests with those of James VI and Elizabeth. According to Tranter, this was his undoing when Patrick was declared a traitor and sentenced to death, only to be rescued by his half-brother's intervention. He was undoubtedly jailed and later banished from Scotland, but the Tranter version is a better read. Some of the Master of Gray's papers were published in 1835 and can be read here, but they are not easy to read.

Patrick was a politician and not a soldier, so this is not an action read. However, he offered to join Philip Sidney at Vlissingen (Flushing) in April 1586, fighting against the Spanish with 2,000 or more Scottish recruits. Something Tranter chooses to ignore. He does get into a few fights, although how anyone fought in that Tudor dress is beyond me! 

This volume ends with his banishment, but he will return.

The Athenian Army 507-322 BC

 There have been many general studies of the armies of this period, but now the Athenian Army has a stand-alone Osprey by Nick Sekunda. Fortunately, there are surviving texts about ancient Athens and lots of archaeological evidence. However, as the author highlights, that doesn't mean there are no differences in interpretation.

The book starts with Cleisthenes's reforms in 507 and a new 'democratic' system of government. However, it was a limited form of democracy as Athenian society was a slave-owning society and economy. Consequently, its citizens could be released to perform military service without the economy collapsing. This was tested early on by the Persian Wars, including the battles of Marathon and Platea. 

This book's strength is in the army itself. It starts with the practically universal liability for military service, with registration from 17 and the oath-taking. Service was limited to the boundaries of Attica until age 20, an obligation that remained until age 50, then only within the borders again until 60. The citizen of sufficient wealth would serve as a hoplite, providing their own equipment accompanied by a psilos, which usually meant an attendant (often a slave) rather than a lightly armed combatant. 

The evidence for Athenian cavalry is limited, but they appeared to be recruited from the wealthier citizens. They originally numbered no more than 300, although this was expanded to 1,000 during Pericles's reforms. They provided their own horses and equipment but were paid a fodder allowance and a grant to replace horses lost on campaigns. There was also a 200-strong unit of horse archers.

At the start of the Peloponnesian War, the Athenian army's strength was 13,000 citizen hoplites of military age with 16,000 ephēboi (old and young), limited to home service. There were 1,200 cavalry, including the 200 horse-archers and 1,600 foot-archers. The Athenian fleet was one of its strongest assets, with 300 seaworthy triremes. The triremes would have required over 50,000 oarsmen if fully manned, which meant the Athenians depended on foreigners to crew their navy. The fighting troops on board included hoplites, archers and peltasts.

The organisation and equipment did not change hugely during this period. However, the author shows how it evolved in response to losses, economic pressures and the different campaigns. For example, at the end of this period, wealthier citizens would donate equipment to allow poorer citizens to fight. The hoplite shield was particularly expensive. 

As you would expect in an Osprey, there are excellent colour plates and other illustrations for all the troop types. These are situated close to the relevant text in the Elite series, which I prefer, although it takes a bit of getting used to. 

Some of my 28mm Athenian hoplites.

Fighters over the Aegean

 The Dodecanese campaign has been the subject of many books, but they tend to focus on the land and naval aspects. The air war is often brushed over with the comment that attempting to hold islands without adequate cover was folly. It was, but that doesn't mean there wasn't an air warfare component. Brian Cull examines the air war across the Aegean in the second half of the war.

The region saw intense aerial engagements between the Allies and Axis forces. These operations were characterised by bombing raids, naval support missions, reconnaissance, and dogfights over islands, the sea, and mainland targets. 

After the failure of the Dodecanese campaign, The RAF and USAAF conducted bombing raids targeting German airfields, supply depots, and shipping lanes to weaken the Axis hold in the region. Long-range aircraft, such as B-24 Liberators and B-25 Mitchells, operated from air bases in Egypt, Cyprus, and later southern Italy. Fighter cover, including Spitfires, Beaufighters, and Hurricanes, was crucial in protecting bombers and supporting ground troops during operations. 

German air superiority during the early part of the campaign was mainly due to the proximity of their airbases and the rapid response of their forces. They utilised a variety of aircraft, including Messerschmitt Bf 109s, and the Stuka still had a role to play in this theatre. The Arado seaplane is another aircraft that came into its own here, and the Ju-52 transport workhorse of the Luftwaffe was crucial in supplying the islands. The Allies eventually achieved air and naval superiority in the Aegean, but the campaign demonstrated the challenges of coordinating joint operations in a geographically complex area.

The author works his way through the various phases, starting with Churchill's obsession, or as Brooke put it, 'He has worked himself into a frenzy of excitement about the Greek islands. He refuses to listen to any arguments or to see the dangers. The whole thing is sheer madness.' The Beaufighter doesn't get many plaudits, but in this region, its range and versatility made it a useful aircraft. They devastated German naval supply craft, forcing the Luftwaffe to fly in Ju-52s at night. Quite a few interned in Turkey, who kept the planes and returned the crews. Several squadrons were based in Cyprus, another WW2 base rarely mentioned, and more were in the Libyan airfields.

252 Squadron Beaufighter (Martin Čížek)

Once Operation Dragoon had finished, seven small carriers were redeployed to the Aegean, unleashing Seafires, Hellcats, and Wildcats on targets in the islands and mainland Greece. The author also outlines Luftwaffe operations, and there is an interesting chapter on the challenges they faced in reconnaissance operations. Radar coverage and RAF night fighters were crucial in protecting the various deception operations prepared across the Middle East.

I am not a huge fan of air warfare books from a readability perspective. Planes take off, shoot down the enemy, and return, which can be tedious. However, the author breaks up this narrative with lots of first-hand accounts. The rarely covered aircraft types are a big plus as well. This book is currently on special offer at the Naval and Military Press. For £3.99, you can't go far wrong.

I definitely need some Beaufighters and Arados for my Blood Red Skies games.

Cypria: A Journey into the Heart of the Mediterranean

 Books on Cyprus written by Greek or Turkish Cypriots are rarely objective. I have a collection of them, often including pages of text in capitals where the author literally shouts at the reader. Frequently illustrated with pictures of atrocities - only those committed by the other side, of course. Alex Christofi, while a Greek Cypriot, has written something close to an objective history of Cyprus. While it is a personal journey of discovery, it's not just a travelogue.

He starts in modern Nicosia (Lefkosia/Lefkoşa), crossing the border at Ledra Street. There is an illustrative story of what will come when he visits the old caravanserai on the Turkish side. This is where Greek and Turkish Cypriots have met every Saturday since the crossing opened almost 20 years ago to enjoy each other’s company. When a new UN special representative was appointed in 2022, he came to the Büyük Han Coffee Club to say hi, and the group gave him a toy donkey to remind him that in Cyprus, what you need most is patience.

Most books on Cyprus's history rush quickly to the 19th century. However, Christofi lingers in the earlier periods. The island was not only strategically important even then, but it was also an innovator, the first to learn the secret of smelting iron. Alexander carried a Cypriot sword into battle. The island had Indigenous peoples, Greek, and Phonecian colonists. The Jewish Revolt against the Romans was fought in Cyprus in the Kitos War between 115 and 117 CE. Cyprus was an important centre of early Christianity and a base for Islam when the island was conquered in 649. For three centuries, they shared power with the Byzantines and divided taxes. This is all the more remarkable as they were at war for most of this period.

For those into culinary matters, I hadn't realised Cyprus's role in bringing cauliflower, sugar and halloumi (hellim) cheese to our tables. The sugar-plantation complex was first conceived in Cyprus, making it the main sugar producer for Europe for two centuries.

The strength of this book is its exploration of the pre-modern history of the island. I covered Richard the Lionheart in a recent post and the Venetian and Ottoman periods. As an example of objective history, the author dismisses Spyridakis' assertion that ‘under the Turkish domination no important cultural achievements were made’, saying 'that is not only untrue but it fails to appreciate the unique blend of cultures that I find is most special about Cyprus.' The story of the US and British robbery of historical artefacts from the island makes Lord Elgin look positively progressive! 100 museums worldwide harbour Cypriot antiquities.

Objectivity becomes more challenging in the modern period. For someone of his heritage, I think the author steers a reasonable course through this. For example, he doesn't avoid the genocidal statements made by Makarios, acted upon by Grivas and Sampson. One detail he gets wrong is that "Turkey’s military codename for the invasion, Operation Attila, makes it hard to avoid the implication of invading and sacking Greek villages." It is a common mistake, but Attila is the name the Turkish armed forces gave to the eventual demarcation line; the operation was called 'Victory' or 'The Peace Operation'.

This is an entertaining and well-researched history of the island. Illustrated by good stories from his own family and others. 

Richard the Lionheart v Isaac Komnenos. Unmistakably a game of To the Strongest!

The Empress and the English Doctor

 My library pick last month was Lucy Ward's book, The Empress and the English Doctor. While not my usual military history fare, Catherine is a key player in my current writing project.

Thomas Dimsdale was a physician from Hertfordshire, England, known for his expertise in smallpox inoculation. He had published a book, The Present Method of Inoculating for Smallpox (1767), which attracted Catherine's attention. She invited him to Russia to perform the procedure.

Dimsdale arrived in St. Petersburg in 1768 and faced significant challenges. Inoculating a monarch and the heir to the throne was a high-stakes endeavour. Failure could result in political or personal ruin or worse, and the consequences for Russia could have been incalculable. Catherine put her Royal Yacht on standby to whisk Dimsdale and his son away if it went wrong.

To ensure success, Catherine underwent a preparatory regimen to optimise her health. The inoculation was conducted in secrecy to avoid public panic or political fallout. It was successful, and Catherine recovered without complications. She even ordered her court to follow suit, popularising the practice among the Russian nobility. She went on to institute other much-needed medical reforms.

While British kings had inoculated their children, Catherine was the only reigning monarch to undergo the procedure - an act of courage that has since been all but forgotten. The methodology was not the refined modern vaccination but simply inserted a small amount of infected matter into pierced skin. This conveyed a mild case of the illness and a lifetime immunity. The idea made its way into Europe from Turkey, where elderly women delivered the jab with a blunt needle. 

This is topical, given the anti-vaxers in our own age, and was even more controversial in the 18th century. Reading this book, my admiration for Catherine went up a notch. It took some nerve to do this, given the religious and political views of the period. Even in Britain, where the beneficial results were clear, churchmen claimed it interfered with the divine plan, "God sent the disease either for the trial of our faith or for the punishment of our sins." Other objections were as remarkably ill-informed as the conspiracy theorists of the 21st century.

A fascinating story, well-researched and told.

Cartoon showing Edward Jenner, Thomas Dimsdale and George Rose seeing off opponents of vaccination.

Richard the Lionheart and Cyprus

 My current bedtime reading is Cypria, a history of Cyprus by Alex Christofi. It reminded me of a little-known excursion Richard the Lionheart made to Cyprus on his way to Acre and the Third Crusade. 

The Third Crusade (1189–1192) was launched to recapture Jerusalem, which had fallen to Saladin in 1187. Richard I and Philip II of France journeyed to the Holy Land by sea. Richard had already stopped off in Sicily and dabbled in the local politics there before sailing for Acre with a fleet of 150 ships and 53 galleys. 

In April 1191, Richard’s fleet encountered a storm near Cyprus. Several ships, including one carrying his fiancée, Berengaria of Navarre, and his sister, Joan of England, were blown off course and landed on the island. Cyprus was controlled by Isaac Komnenos, a Byzantine nobleman who had declared himself Emperor of the island. Isaac seized the opportunity to capture some shipwrecked Crusaders and their supplies. Richard unsurprisingly decided to intervene and landed at Limassol on May 6, 1191. He viewed the island as a helpful resource and a strategic base for the Crusade. The English chronicler Benedict of Peterborough says, "Then in great wrath, he sent messengers to the Emperor of Cyprus, once, twice, and yet a third time, making his request with mild entreaty, that his fellow pilgrims, whom the Emperor was keeping in durance, should be restored to him together with their belongings. To whom the Emperor made answer with proud words, refusing to surrender either the prisoners or their belongings, and saying that he had no fear of the king of England or of his threats." 

Limassol Castle today

The concept of Richard making a 'mild entreaty' is unlikely! Richard's forces quickly overwhelmed the defenders at Limassol in a contested amphibious landing. Many of the local nobility and merchants, dissatisfied with Isaac's oppressive rule, submitted to Richard, bolstering his position. Isaac initially conceded defeat and even promised to join the Crusade. However, he then retreated into the interior, hoping to rally resistance. Richard sailed around to the north of the island, leaving Guy of Lusignan in command of the army to pursue Issac. It is unclear how many actions were fought, but the evidence points to at least one significant battle, and Richard did capture the main castles. This included St Hilarion Castle, which was no mean feat. Just climbing to the top was enough for me.

 

Isaac eventually surrendered after being promised lenient treatment. Richard honoured his word but added a twist: Isaac was imprisoned in silver chains, as he had requested not to be shackled in iron. Richard sold the island to the Knights Templar later in 1191, who then resold it to Guy of Lusignan, the deposed King of Jerusalem, establishing the Kingdom of Cyprus. A vital stronghold for Christian powers in the Eastern Mediterranean for centuries.

This story formed the basis for our midweek game of To the Strongest in 15mm. The Crusader army lists work fine for Richard's forces. We used the later Byzantine Komenean list for Issac. The chroniclers mention men at arms and Turcoples, but there must have been local spearmen.

The battle initially went well for Richard, who seized the high ground in the centre and made good progress on the left wing.

However, the Byzantines rallied and, with some impressive shooting on the right, managed to win the game with one victory point left.

A good, close game and an interesting bit of history.

Happy New Year!

A Happy New Year to everyone! The weather has somewhat curtailed Hogmanay celebrations in Scotland, but a dram or two were still raised. My wife is suffering from the lurgy, and while I have largely recovered, my left ear is still blocked, making hearing challenging. Not always a bad thing 😉.

2024 was productive on the writing front. Two books were published, and two were written and are with the publisher, making six since I semi-retired. 

I have a couple of books planned for writing this year, with one just underway. This is irritating the cat, who has to manoeuvre his way past a large pile that constitutes the first research scan from my bookshelves. 

I also averaged two blog posts a week and kept the website updated. I wrote a few articles for journals and was very chuffed to receive the prize for the best overall article in Slingshot for my piece on the Young Alexander. I reviewed 60 books last year. My reading pile is relatively modest, although that is unlikely to last, with book tokens burning a hole in my wallet.

Some of my planned wargame projects, including Ruritania and the Indo-Pakistan War, never made it to the painting bench, and I still have the Starfighter kit from last Xmas to build. However, I finished the Montrose and Covenanters project in 15mm and made an excursion into Ireland. I finished more ships for the Black Seas, Falklands and WW1, and just the sails to finish some reinforcements for the Russian fleet. More Cyprus infantry and armour were completed in time for participation games at the Carronade and Targe shows. Strength and Honour bases were painted for the Young Alexander project, jet aircraft for Blood Red Skies, Border Wars, sci-fi, and some cowboys/girls. A book on the Caucasus started a project on the Persian army of the Napoleonic Wars in 15mm, which is now finished. Finally, in 28mm, I painted a Russian force for the late 18thC Russo-Ottoman Wars, although as my daughter bought me more figures for Xmas, that project has a way to run.

For the coming year, I have a pile of 6mm Ottomans for the 18thC wars, a modest force of WW2 Swiss (yes, another book impulse), and more 28mm Napoleonic Ottomans and Greeks. The Strength and Honour supplement has sparked a project on the Punic Wars, a return to my first wargame army. There are other bits and pieces to reinforce other projects, including my current Cold War dabble. I was remarkably disciplined about not being sidetracked with lots of new rules in 2024, but this is unlikely to be repeated! I have actually returned to some old favourites this year, including DBA. The Nigel Tranter re-reading project is getting perilously close to the Jacobite rebellions, but thankfully, I already have the figures.

Last year, my overseas trips took me to Vienna and Türkiye. Nothing has been finalised yet for 2025, but I haven’t been to Romania for a long time. I got to a few shows in England and many museums linked to the shows or following the mighty whites (Fulham FC), who are having a better-than-expected season. I will certainly be at the York show, conveniently after the Newcastle game; Hammerhead and Salute are pencilled in.

I hope everyone had a good holiday season, and I wish you all a happy and productive 2025.