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This diorama is based on the famous scene painted by William Barnes Wollen, depicting the final stand of the cold, wet, tattered and weary remnants of an entire army on a small hill close to the village of Gandamak, Afghanistan. The event took place in the latter stages of the disastrous Retreat from Kabul in 1842 in the course of the 1st Afghan War, (1839 - 1843).
During a break in the almost continuous fusillade from well-aimed jezails, Afghan leaders tried to persuade the British soldiers that if they surrendered then their lives would be spared. In response, an unidentified sergeant is said to have cried out "not bloody likely!" The deadly sniping swiftly began again, followed by a series of rushes and the hillock was overrun by tribesmen. An officer named Captain Souter was mistaken by the Afghans as a high-ranking officer because they thought he was wearing a general's yellow waistcoat. In fact the officer had wrapped the regimental colors of the 44th Foot around his body for additional warmth. He was dragged into captivity along with two or three other soldiers, the rest were cut down where they stood.
All 14 x figures are 1/32 scale bought directly from Time Machine Miniatures in the States. The diorama base is a Chinese miniature table and the groundwork is celluclay with a few bits & pieces of rock and dead grass clumps added. The “snow” is from Woodlands Scenic with a slight smattering of talcum powder to depict touches of frost on the uniforms, which has the happy side effect of adding a rather pleasant smell to the project.
Research wasn’t too much of a chore, mainly consisting of re-reading (yet again) the first book in the “Flashman” series by George MacDonald Fraser.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Flashman-Papers-George-MacDonald-Fraser/dp/0006511252/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1479546915&sr=8-1&keywords=flashman
You do some great figurer work, Thanks for sharing your work.
Robert
Modelrob You do some great figurer work, Thanks for sharing your work. Robert
Hi Robert -- thanks for that and I'm glad you like the stuff I'm posting.
Cheers
Oh wow, I didn't notice that you've got another diorama up! Another beautiful job here. Love the figures, base, and the whole composition of everything!
"I dream in fire but work in clay." -Arthur Machen
Gamera Oh wow, I didn't notice that you've got another diorama up! Another beautiful job here. Love the figures, base, and the whole composition of everything!
Yeah, this one came together quite nicely and I'm glad you like it. Using talcum powder to simulate frost on the uniforms was one of those off-the-wall ideas I occasionally have that actually worked quite well I reckon. I contacted the owner of Time Machine Miniatures direct a couple of years ago. He was an absolute pleasure to deal with and sold me all 14 x resin figures while taking care of S&H himself, which was a terrific gesture.
They sat in my stash cupboard for quite some time before I finally got brave enough to tackle them during October this year. Here's a few WIP shots that might be of interest.
Harry Outstanding work as usual
Mac
MAC Harry Outstanding work as usual Mac
Thanks Mac, I enjoyed putting this one together. What I need to do now is get my weathering techniques on AFV's to the same level. It ought to come, just needs a lot more practice.
Ohhhhh thanks for the in progress photos. And love the frost on the uniforms look, really gets across the idea of the cold.
People build dioramas to tell history and create realism. You've hit both on the mark with these mini works of art. Great job sir. I am most impressed is an understatement!
Toshi
On The Bench: Revell 1/48 B-25 Mitchell
Married to the most caring, loving, understanding, and beautiful wife in the world. Mrs. Toshi
Toshi People build dioramas to tell history and create realism. You've hit both on the mark with these mini works of art. Great job sir. I am most impressed is an understatement! Toshi
Aye well, hmm, great as it is to receive kudo's -- and I'll accept them gracefully -- no problem there........I simplified the paintjobs on these figures to some extent. They do get the story across though, which was the entire object of the exercise in the first place.
More of my "older" vignettes coming up over the next several days as the opportunity arises.
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