WW1 Toby Jugs - The Beauvais Agreement

These Toby jugs from the Imperial War Museum (London) represent Allied commanders who attended a crisis meeting in late March 1918.

The Beauvais Agreement put French General Ferdinand Foch in command of the Allied armies. British Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig and US General John Pershing willingly accepted.

Foch sent troops where they were most needed, rushing in reinforcements to help the British. This unity would be the key to Allied victory.

Charbens : Royal Navy

Charbens (UK): Royal Navy plastic soldiers. This metal cannon was bought in the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery.

 

Belgian army artillery crew operating the British BL 5.5-inch Medium Gun (Part 2)

The Belgian army soldiers produced by Durso (Belgium) in the end of 40s.The BL 5.5-inch Medium Gun is produced by Crescent in 50s (Great Britain).

Roman figurines of Hercules (around 1 - 300 AD, bronze)

These figurines show Hercules's club and the lion skin that he wears over his head and shoulders and wrapped around his left arm. Hercules was especially popular because he had originally been human, but had become a god because of his great achievements. In the northwest provinces of the Roman Empire - Gaul, Britain and Germany - Hercules was often identified with local Celtic gods. These figurines are displayed at the Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery exposition. 

The Somme offensive on the Western front 1916

Diorama of the 'Battle of Flers', 15–22 September 1916 (London, Imperial War Museum).

Ships models to test “Dazzle” camouflage

These models were used to test “Dazzle” , a camouflage scheme for ships invented by artist Norman Wilkinson. The idea was, wrote Wilkinson in 1917, “to paint a ship with large patches of strong color, which will so distort the form of the vessel that the chances of successful aim by attacking submarines will be greatly decreased”. By the end of the war over 4,000 British ships were painted in Dazzles schemes. (The Imperial War Museum, London). 

Russian Red Cavalry night fight on Halloween night. Happy Halloween !

These plastic toy soldiers are produced by Engineer Basevich (Red Cavalry) and Armies in Plastic (Cossacks).

Durso Chasseurs Ardennais

The Bataillon de Chasseurs Ardennais (French: "Ardennes Chasseur Battalion") is an infantry formation in the Land Component of the Belgian Armed Forces. The unit, currently at battalion strength, is a part of the Medium Brigade.
This Ardennais Chasseur is produced by Durso (Belgium) in 30s.

The Märklin armored car of the Weimar Republic.

The Marklin toy armored car of 30s. The prototypes were real German street armored vehicles, which were used since 1919 by the Prussian police in the Weimar Republic . (Photo Spiegel.de) 

Fortress Europe Hitler's Atlantic Wall (King & Country)

Fortress Europe Hitler's Atlantic Wall (King & Country).

Please use the link below to watch the video:

Page from a German war toys catalog from around 1938

Playing in an emergency: Strategic-military thinking should be trained as a child (https://www.spiegel.de 26.06.2013). Toy soldiers from different German makers (Hausser, Elastolin, Tippco, Karl Bub).

The Chasseurs Alpins

The Chasseurs Alpins (English: Alpine Hunters) are the elite mountain infantry of the French Army. They are trained to operate in mountainous terrain and in urban warfare.
These Chasseurs Alpins are produced by different Belgian makers in 40s (Durso, NB, Nazaire Beusaert).

Belgian army artillery crew operating the British BL 5.5-inch Medium Gun

Belgian army artillery crew operating the British BL 5.5-inch Medium Gun. The artillery crew in produced by Durso in the end of 40s/50s. You can notice that the Belgian army soldiers from Durso are wearing the American uniform. In the end of 40s, Durso changed the uniform of its Belgian army toy soldiers moving from the previous British uniform (Free Belgian forces) to the US one. The BL 5.5-inch Medium Gun is produced by Crescent in 50s (Great Britain).

CBG Mignot WW1 tin soldiers catalog

1914-1918, the CBG Mignot ( Soldats de plomb) First World War 12 pages catalog presenting French and foreign regiments, historical figures, dioramas, teams and vehicles from the First World War.

Please use the link below to download the catalog:

L’Omnibus Illustre (19 January 1890)

The French magazine L’Omnibus Illustre cover depicting the German Emperor Wilhelm II kids playing with a castle and toy soldiers (19th January 1890) . 

King & Country : Destination Dunkirk !

King & Country : Destination Dunkirk ! The Battle of Dunkirk (French: Bataille de Dunkerque) was fought in Dunkirk (Dunkerque), France, during the Second World War, between the Allies and Nazi Germany. As the Allies were losing the Battle of France on the Western Front, the Battle of Dunkirk was the defence and evacuation to Britain of British and other Allied forces in Europe from 26 May to 4 June 1940.

Please use the link below to watch the video:

Le depart pour le front

The French postcard “Le depart pour le front” (departure for the front)  from 20s. Have a nice weekend!

Elastolin Reichswehr soldiers making Stechmarsch/Gänsemarsch (Goose Step)

The goose step (Gänsemarsch) is a special marching step performed on formal military parades and other ceremonies. While marching in parade formation, troops swing their legs in unison off the ground while keeping each leg rigidly straight.The step originated in Prussian military drill in the mid-18th century and was called the Stechschritt (literally, "piercing step") or Stechmarsch. German military advisors spread the tradition to Russia in the 19th century, and the Soviets spread it around the world in the 20th century. Apparently, standing on only one leg reminded soldiers of how geese often stand. The term was later applied to the German Stechschritt during World War I and is nowadays heavily associated with Nazi Germany in many English-speaking countries. These Reichswehr toy soldiers are produced by Elastolin in 1932 - 1934 (Germany). You can also see the Honour Cross of the World War 1914/1918  

Explosive bursts and German composite soldiers

These Explosive bursts and injured German composite soldiers are produced by Elastolin, Leyla and Lineol in 30s ..The Elastolin burst is battery operated !

Red Cavalry night fight

Russian Red Cavalry night fight. These plastic toy  soldiers are produced by Engineer Basevich (Red Cavalry) and Armies in Plastic (Cossacks).

Unknown US WW2 GIs ...

Any hints on these US GIs maker ? Many thanks in advance.

Fokker Dr1 Dreidecker and 'the Red Baron' - Manfred Von Richtofen (Part II)

Fokker Dr1 Dreidecker and 'the Red Baron' - Manfred Von Richtofen (Part II). The pilot figure is produced by Froha (Germany). German bivouac soldiers are from different German makers : Elastolin, Schusso.