In response to Andy Dumelow’s initiative “Marking 11/11/11”,
‘The publication of the IWM volume on 1918, complete with jacket cover depicting the 137 Brigade on the banks of the St Quentin canal , has firmly placed in the reading public’s mind the 46th Division’s breaking of the Hindenburg Line as the epitome of the revival of British Arms at the end of the war. It also provides a central plank in the revisionist arguments in favour of a “learning curve”. As Brian Bond has argued, the “learning curve” has become an orthodoxy for military historians whilst public perceptions remain fixed on the Somme. The breaking of the Hindenburg Line is important to revisionists because, unlike at Amiens, the key breakthrough was achieved by an ordinary English “county” division not one of the elite formations, such as the Canadian Corps, that had spearheaded the assault of 8 August.’ #
We have an opportunity to recognise this important contribution by units local to the catchment area of our club; 137 Brigade North & South Staffs, 138 Brigade Lincs & Leics & 139th Brigade Sherwood Foresters. I am prepared both to sort out a Square Bashing scenario and to put together suitable memorial words, including a note on this local division at the Eleventh Hour.
As to timing, we have at least two choices:
1) To re-enact the SB scenario on club night Thu 27th September 2018.
2) To re-enact a larger /longer scenario on Sat 10th November, subject to room availability.
Either way I propose that some of us at least attend the Stretton War Memorial; if on a Thursday perhaps just before the start of club night.
Responses, commitment & ideas please.
# [Simon Peaple, Mud, Blood & Determination: The History of the 46th (North Midland) Division in the Great War. 2015 p146]
Ray
count me in
I’d play either but I think a one day game would be more suitable. An evening game may be a little rushed.
As an aside the Staffordshire Regiment Museum will have a lot of info on this scenario. Anyone fancy a visit to their archives?
They may even be interested in hosting something – their previous curator Erik Blakeley was a wargamer and we played a couple of games on site. I havn’t been in contact for a few years so don’t know what their current attitude to wargaming is. Do you think it’s worth pursuing?
Thanks Andy. I intended to call in to the SRM so will do on my way to the club in the near future.
Any way I think that we should have enough information; the Peaple’s book quoted is pretty comprehensive and as it is currently of offer at £3.00 at NAMP I am getting a copy for Richard & Dene. Richard has a particular interest in this Division & has a lot of related stuff.