Tasker Watkins leads B Company, 1/5th Battalion, Welch Regiment, back to Battalion HQ, 16 August 1944

[R T Fishall]

Outside one of the Gates of the Millennium Stadium (formally called something else for sponsorship reasons) in Cardiff is a statue of a bespectacled older gentleman.

 

 

There are plaques on four sides of the statue's plinth. Each plaque is topped with his name: Sir Tasker Watkins VC GBE PC DL

 

Three of the four plaques provide details on aspects of his life and the fourth his dates of birth and death (November 18 1918 to September 9 2007) and a quote from him.

One plaque details his distinguished legal career, ending as Deputy Chief Justice of England and Wales from 1988 to 1993. One details his time as President of the Welsh Rugby Union from 1993 to 2004.

 

The third contains a summarised version of his citation for the award of the Victoria Cross which reads:

“On 16 August 1944 at Barfour, Normandy, France, Lieutenant Watkins' company came under murderous machine-gun fire while advancing through corn fields set with booby traps. The only officer left, Lieutenant Watkins led a bayonet charge with his 30 remaining men against 50 enemy Infantry, practically wiping them out. Finally, at dusk, separated from the rest of the battalion, he ordered his men to scatter and after he had personally charged and silenced an enemy machine-gun post, he brought them back to safety. His superb leadership not only saved his men, but decisively influenced the course of the battle.”

 

It is this plaque that has inspired the build planned.

 

I've been considering how best to do this. It turns out that Sir Tasker rarely talked about his VC and apparently refused to allow the Welch Regiment museum to display a painting of the incident that led to its award as he felt it ‘over-glamourised’ his actions. I thought any sort of ‘action’ diorama might be interpreted the same way. I feel therefore that it might align better to his views to depict the moment when he returned to battalion headquarters with the remnants of B Company; 27 men. Tired, weary men who had lived through terrible events; their officer amongst them but barely distinguishable. 

 

I therefore intend to use the below kits to try and represent at least a selection of those men and some of the vehicles that might be found at the battalion headquarters. I'll probably need to get more British Infantry.

 

 

I hope that I can complete this diorama to represent in this GB not just Sir Tasker Watkins VC, not just the men of B company, but all of the ‘Poor Bloody Infantry’ who fought and suffered and died in Normandy.

 

According to the Imperial War Museum “All seven infantry divisions that fought in Normandy had lost three-quarters of their initial strength by the end of August. The rifle companies had been the hardest hit. Though they formed no more than 20% of the whole, they had taken 70% of the casualties. In an echo of the First World War, junior infantry officers had a mere 1 in 10 chance of surviving unscathed.”

 

https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/tactics-and-the-cost-of-victory-in-normandy

 

I’ll leave the last words to Sir Tasker Watkins VC himself, speaking on the events that led to his Victoria Cross award, as quoted on the fourth plinth of his statue.

 

"I did what needed doing to help my colleagues and friends and saw more killing in 24 hours than is right for anybody. From that moment onwards I have tried to take a more caring view of my fellow human beings and that of course always included my opponents, whether it be at war, sport or just ordinary life."

[JOCKNEY]

I can think of no finer tribute to everyone involved in D-Day than what you are undertaking in this build.

The very best of luck.

 

Cheers Pat 

[R T Fishall]

Made a start on this one with the Jeep for Battalion headquarters

What can I say, it's a Tamiya kit, it just falls together so it's already starting to look rather jeep like.

 

 

I've also made a start on some figures. Having bought a fair amount of Tamiya's 1/48 range I've managed to lay by quite a stock of assorted figure bits from other projects. I've gone through those to pick out any parts I can use, with or without significant surgery.

Interestingly the Tamiya 1/48 German figures some of the legs were purloined from appear to be modelled larger than the British Infantry but I've been shaving down their trousers to make the British Torsos fit them at least a little better. Some will need work to turn jackboots into ankle boots (possibly lower leg transplants) and I've used styrene strip to add the distinctive battledress pockets.

Much more work needed but so far I've roughed up the below; aiming to get the poses about right first, then add on pouches, helmets, arms, heads...

 

Someone supporting an injured comrade as they walk in

 

An early arrival being seen to by the Medical sergeant (I'll try and knock up a medical bag for him similar to the below)

 

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205202399

 

©IWM (B 7571)

 

 

And other early arrivals sitting down on something (maybe a fallen tree trunk?) or just slumping on the ground.

 

Any suggestions on the figures gratefully received; I'm still adjusting them and trying to get the poses right. If these all work I think that's 8 of the 27 men of B company I'll need, plus a Segeant from the Regimental aid post.

I think tea and fags need to feature somewhere...

Cheers,

Richard.

[Corsairfoxfouruncle]

2 hours ago, R T Fishall said:

And other early arrivals sitting down on something (maybe a fallen tree trunk?) or just slumping on the ground.

Possibly a ruined brick or stone foundation from a old building ? Or a stone railing on a bridge or stone wall ? 

Edited June 29 by Corsairfoxfouruncle

[jackroadkill]

A fitting tribute to a brave soldier and an exemplary human.

[R T Fishall]

On 28/06/2024 at 22:58, Corsairfoxfouruncle said:

Possibly a ruined brick or stone foundation from a old building ? Or a stone railing on a bridge or stone wall ? 

Great suggestions, thanks. I think I'm about to go down a rabbit hole of trying to work out where the battalion headquarters was that day and whether it was more likely to be in a field or wood or some Norman farmyard!

Realised I'd forgotten to post the sprue shots for the jeep before cracking on...

 

Just for good measure I'll pop the Universal Carrier sprue shots in so I don't forget them.

 

Been making more progress on the jeep, it's coming together fairly quickly.

 

Hopefully will get the jeep finished soon and then can make a start on the Univeral Carrier and come up with more figures.

Cheers,

Richard.

 

[Muchmirth]

Wow actually quite touching reading what he did and said. I hadn’t heard about him or his actions before. Really considerate of you to poise this in a way he’d approve of. I’m not in this gb but will follow along as such a brilliant idea. 
ATB

Paul

[R T Fishall]

Today involved a speedy lunch time visit to Cardiff Castle and the 'Firing Line' Museum: the 'Museum of the Welsh Soldier'.

https://www.cardiffcastle.com/see-do/firing-line/
 

Worth a visit if you're in the area, it's not a huge museum but is nicely laid out and it includes a display on Sir Tasker Watkins VC.

On the Diorama front I'm focusing on getting the Jeep finished and aiming to get a handful of figures done to go with it by the weekend to make a mini-diorama.

The Jeep is ready for decals and final touches and I think I've got a reasonable couple of figures for a small version of my planned Diorama.

 

I've seen some photos of Jeep bonnets being used for briefing sessions and the like and thought it could work for this? Any thoughts?

In my head here we've got someone like the Battalion Intelligence Officer taking notes (rather awkwardly, I need to work on the surgery involved in adapting figures...), the Battalion Commanding Officer looking over a map, and Tasker Watkins giving his report and pointing to some significant feature in the distance.

 

I assume he'll have propped his Sten somewhere so I'll add one in (apparently during the attack his Sten jammed when he was attacking a German Anti-tank Gun so he threw it at the last of the gun crew then got his pistol out and shot him while he was recovering from having a Sten thrown at him). He later uses a Bren to attack a machine gun post but I'm going to assume he unjammed the Sten and handed the Bren back to someone else before they reported back.

So, got to

1. Decal the Jeep
2. Weather it a bit more (The battalion was just back on the line after a rest period so I'd assume it would have been cleaned during that time so will keep it relatively light)
3. Add some Stowage to the Jeep (lots of the photos I've looked at show them fairly well stacked with kit.)
4. Paint the Figures.
5. Do a little base so I can create a cut down version of my planned diorama as an interim step.

 

Lots to crack on with; then the Universal Carrier and a whole lot more figures!

Cheers,

Richard.

Edited July 31 by R T Fishall

[Muchmirth]

Defo think the map on bonnet idea is the way to go. I’ve also seen this few times…. Map looks pretty good actually. 
Paul

[R T Fishall]

Think I'm getting close to getting the mini-diorama done.

 

Figures getting painted, more work still needed.

 

Left to right we have;

 

Lt Col J S Morrison-Jones, Battalion Commander of 1/5 Welch Regiment. I managed to find a picture of him later in the war and he had a moustache, so added one in here.

He was killed, aged 32, in April 1945 when his jeep struck a roadside mine at Ochtrup in Germany.
https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2040555/jack-spencer-morrison-jones/

 

Captain (Acting) Tasker Watkins, Commander B Company 1/5 Welch Regiment.

 

Battalion Intelligence Officer (maybe?) - No name yet but I'll see what can be done.

Knocked up a basic little base, it's only a temporary home. Decals on the Jeep, stowage added, plus more weathering. I was going to keep it light but then found this films, including elements of 53rd Division, about 10 miles south 2 days earlier. LOTS of dust.

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1060019772

 

Decals either cobbled from the spares box or printed. The Jeep registration on the bumper had to be assembled from individual letters and numbers and if I never have to do that again at this scale I'll be happy!

 

 

Added some more maps and gubbins to the bonnet.

 

 

On 31/07/2024 at 22:39, Muchmirth said:

Map looks pretty good actually. 

 

Thanks Paul! The website below has what looks like all the British maps used in WWII available; the full resolution, full size versions are downloadable for a charge.

https://www.battlefieldhistorian.com/

The three maps used above are one of Caen and Falaise at 1:100000 scale and a pair at 1:50000 of Flers and Falaise; the attack on 16 August took place pretty much on the boundary between the two maps which can't have helped matters.

 

Just got to finish the figures and do a matt coat and final details on the jeep tomorrow.

Cheers,

Richard.
 

[dnl42]

THAT is outstanding!  

 

10 minutes ago, R T Fishall said:

The website below has what looks like all the British maps used in WWII available; the full resolution, full size versions are downloadable for a charge.

https://www.battlefieldhistorian.com/

And for this, THANK YOU! 

[Muchmirth]

The jeep looks the business. Good going.

Paul

[R T Fishall]

I wanted to get the mini diorama finished to take along to the IPMS Avon show today so I had to rush things a little last night; the matt coat ended up being from a rattle can (can't run the airbrush compressor when my son is asleep or risk waking him up and the consequences of that...). I think I over did it on the jeep but there we go, at least it got finished and had an outing!

 

I'll still be working on the larger diorama but I guess at least I've got this in my back pocket for the gallery if I run out of time...

 

There were a few last details to add.

 

I found the below site useful to identify changes that were made to US jeeps in British service (fortunately not very many) that I could add to the Tamiya Jeep to 'Britishfy' it.

 

https://www.britishjeep.com/how-to-recognise-a-british-jeep.html

 

These include the Bridging plate over the right headlight.

 

I saw some photos of jeeps with ropes wound around the front bumper and decided I liked the look so added one from linen thread.

Formation markings are on the Windscreen.

 

 

Formation markings were a bit of a headache.

1/5 Battalion Welch Regiment was moved from being the Second Battalion in the third Brigade (160th Infantry Brigade) to swap with 4th Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers and move to being the Junior Battalion in the Second Brigade (158th Infantry Brigade) on 3 August 1944 (the actual dates for the moves seem to have been messier but I think that the order was issued on 3 August).  Originally 158th Infantry Brigade had been made up of three Battalions of the Royal Welch Fusiliers and when the brigade suffered heavy casulties in earlier fighting around Evrecy it was decided to split the battalions up to avoid similar casulties falling on a single Regiment again as this apparently caused some difficulties with reinforcements.

 

I think this means that 1/5 Battalion Welch Regiment would have changed from formation markings on 68 on a brown background to 62 on a green background. I'm not sure if vehicle markings would have been changed quickly but as this is supposed to represent the Battlion CO's vehicle I'll assume it would have been one of the first changed. I might give the Universal Carrier 68 markings just for variety!

The change of formation would also have affected the unit insignia worn on the shoulders of battledress. Bolt Action do a set of 1/56 scale Welsh Division insignia decals so a set of those was acquired. I've decided that with the three figures depicted being Officers they would have had a Batman to update their uniforms so I've given them the two red stripes under the Divisional insignia that indicate the Second Brigade in the Division. Again I might leave the ORs with a mix of two and three stripes. The Osprey Men At Arms book British Battle Insignia 2 1939-45 notes that 53rd Welsh Division also used vertical red bars below the horizontal Brigade stripes to indicate the battalion within the Brigade but the Bolt Action decals state that these vertical bars were only used by the Royal Welch Fusiliers. I've gone with the latter interpretation because it's 1. less work and 2. makes sense if the Royal Welch Fusilier battalions were all in the same Brigade originally; you wouldn't have been able to distingish between the three battalions otherwise. Other Brigades with battalions from a mix of regiments wouldn't have had the same issue.

 

 

I was originally doing the rolled stowage at the rear on the right as a grey army blanket but after treatment with VMS paper shaper and some grey paint it looked too smooth to be a blanket so I repainted as a khaki groundsheet.

 

The last change to match what the British did on their jeeps was to paint the rear differential white, apparently this was done so a small light (tiny square blob under the 25 at the end of the vehicle reg) could be shone at it at night so it would show up to vehicles driving behind (e.g. in a convoy) without being readily visible to others (e.g. the enemy). It's of course entirely invisibile unless you really try and view the model from an awkward angle but I know its there...

 

 

I also appear to have managed to get my fingerprint on the Welsh Division insignia...

Right, Universal Carrier and more figures next!

Cheers,

Richard.

[YorkshireT]

Great attention to detail here 

On 04/08/2024 at 22:30, R T Fishall said:

but I know its there...

That's the most important bit!

[R T Fishall]

Eighty years ago today 1/5 Battalion Welch Regiment were advancing from Leffard (captured by the Brigade the previous day). They moved down the Leffard to Falaise road before being shelled, moving off the road and heading to Martigny Sur l'Ante. At some point they made contact with a squadron of supporting tanks. From Martigny they were tasked with taking the Falaise road and the railway just beyond the road. Sir Tasker’s VC citation gives the location as Bafour; this was a small hamlet near Martigny where there was a railway station that had served the area (the railway closed in 1938).

 

B Company took the left flank and C Company the right, with the tanks providing supporting fire and the attack began at around 19:30. It appears to have been somewhat chaotic; shortly after the attack began the Brigade informed the Battalion HQ to “Stand fast, do NOT cross main Falaise Road”. Unfortunately communications had broken down and B company crossed the road at approximately 20:00. 

 

Extracts from the VC citation probably give a good summary of the subsequent events. 

 

“Lieutenant Watkin's company had to cross open cornfields in which booby-traps had been set. It was not yet dusk and the company soon came under heavy machine-gun fire from posts in the com and farther back, and also fire from an 88 mm. gun; many casualties were caused and the advance was slowed up.”

In one of the few interviews Sir Tasker gave where he talked about the events of this day he apparently described how the casualties amongst his men in the cornfield meant “I just got so bloody angry”.

 

“Lieutenant Watkins, the only officer left, placed himself at the head of his men and under short range fire charged two posts in succession, personally killing or wounding the occupants with his Sten gun. On reaching his objective he found an anti-tank gun manned by a German soldier; his Sten gun jammed, so he threw it in the German's face and shot him with his pistol before he had time to recover.

 

Lieutenant Watkin's company now had only some 30 men left and was counter-attacked by 50 enemy infantry. Lieutenant Watkins directed the fire of his men and then led a bayonet charge, which resulted in the almost complete destruction of the enemy. It was now dusk and orders were given for the battalion to withdraw. These orders were not received by Lieutenant Watkin's company as the wireless set had been destroyed. They now found themselves alone and surrounded in depleted numbers and in failing light. Lieutenant Watkins decided to rejoin his battalion by passing round the flank of the enemy position through which he had advanced but while passing through the cornfields once more, he was challenged by an enemy post at close range. He ordered his men to scatter and himself charged the post with a Bren gun and silenced it. He then led the remnants of his company back to battalion headquarters.”

 

The survivors, 27 men, returned to the Battalion HQ early on the morning of 17 August and the battalion consolidated its positions around Hill 223, just to the east of Martigny.

 

During the course of the day B Company apparently suffered 33 Casualties. Because they returned on 17 August some of the casualties are recorded as having occurred on this day. The casualty records only give the Regiment and Battalion of casualties and the War Diary of the battalion notes that both B and C Company were in action. I shall name them all; whether these men were with B or C company seems a futile distinction.

 

On 17 August 1/5 Battalion Welch Regiment recorded 7 men missing. 2 of these were later confirmed dead; the other 5 were later confirmed to be Prisoners of War; I assume that these were almost certainly from B company, getting separated during the chaos of the attack. They were as follows.

Private G Hollier

Private I D J Morgan

Private E H Randle

Private A C Yeates

Private G Williams

 

Identifying the wounded is difficult as unfortunately in the War Office Casualty Returns for this period the majority of wounded from 1/5 Battalion Welch Regiment are marked as date DNR, which I assume is Date Not Recorded. I’ve been able to identify six wounded on these two days. I’d imagine that the remainder are amongst the DNR’s.

 

Private P Vaughan

Private W Clifford

Private J B David (I believe this was Private Joe David who was Tasker Watkin’s batman)

Private J M Egan

Lance Corporal J H Thomas

Private WG Lewis

 

14 dead are recorded for 1/5 Battalion Welch Regiment on 16 and 17 August 1944. 

 

The words each year on Remembrance Sunday are “lest we forget”; I hope that by telling this story and naming those who died it will help keep alive that memory of the sacrifice made by these men eighty years ago.

 

Private Douglas Evans, aged 18, Son of Gwilym and Elizabeth Mary Evans, of Llanelly, Carmarthenshire.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2848011/douglas-evans/

 

Private Edgar Evans, aged 21, Son of Robert James Evans and Olive May Evans; husband of Lilwen Evans, of Rhigos, Glamorgan.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2848012/edgar-ronald-evans/

 

Private Thomas Evans, aged 26, Son of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Evans; husband of Joan Mary Evans, of Port Talbot, Glamorgan.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2848024/thomas-benjamin-evans/

 

Private John Hendrick, aged 25. Son of William Hendrick, and of Hannah Hendrick, of Nantyfyllon, Glamorgan.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2342881/john-stephen-hendrick/

 

Corporal Joseph Holley, aged 28. The Commonwealth War Graves Commission notes no additional details but a little research revealed that he was from Rhiwbina, Glamorgan and left a widow.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2342926/joseph-holley/

 

Lance Serjeant George Holt, aged 28.  Son of George F. and Isabella Holt; husband of Lily Holt, of Chorley, Lancashire.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2342933/george-frederick-holt/

 

Lance Corporal David Humphreys, aged 28. Son of Edward and Rachael Humphreys; husband of Elizabeth Humphreys, of Newry, Co. Down, Northern Ireland.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2342970/david-gwynfryn-humphreys/

 

Corporal David Morris, aged 39.  Husband of Lily May Morris, of Beddau, Glamorgan.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2323477/david-benjamin-morris/

 

Private Aubrey Sharp, aged 30. Son of Thomas Charles and Caroline Sharp, of Mayhill, Swansea.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2344316/aubrey-charles-sharp/

 

Private Glyndwr Thomas, aged 33, Son of Benjamin and Emma Thomas, of Treharris, Glamorgan; husband of Clarice Evelyn Thomas, of Treharris.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2344503/glyndwr-thomas/

 

Private William Thomas, aged 19.  Son of Robert John and Sarah Thomas, of Landore, Swansea.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2344507/william-gwynfor-thomas/

 

Lance Corporal Leonard Vincent, aged 23. Son of William John and Alice Mary Vincent; husband of Annie Teresa Vincent, of Newry, Co. Down, Northern Ireland.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2344587/leonard-john-vincent/

 

Lance Corporal Ivor Williams, aged 22. Son of George Norville Williams and Agnes Williams, of Barry, Glamorgan.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2344684/ivor-norville-williams/

 

Private Herbert Worthing, aged 19.  Son of Herbert E. and Lilian E. Worthing, of Sandycroft, Cheshire.

https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2344740/herbert-edward-john-worthing/

 

“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, We will remember them.”

[R T Fishall]

Made a start on the Universal Carrier. Tamiya, falls together as usual.

 

 

The Tamiya Universal Carrier comes with a radio set to go in it but I think it's a No. 19 type as used in Armoured Divisions, not Infantry divisions. So it needed to be replaced with a seat.
Handily, part of the radio 'stand' (middle below) is exactly the same size as the seat base, so a bit of chopping down, a rectangle of plastic card for a seat cushion and presto, second seat for the rear, installed above.

 

 

I was looking for photos of 1/5 Battalion Welch Regiment to use for reference and found one on the IWM website marked "Carriers of 1/5th Welch Regiment, 53rd Division, crossing the Meuse into Holland, 20 September 1944."

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205206353

©IWM (B10138)

 

and another marked "Troops from 1/5th Welch Regiment, 53rd (Welsh) Division crossing a folding boat bridge over the Maas-Schelde Canal, 20 September 1944. A universal carrier is in the foreground."

 

https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205202521

 

©IWM (B 10134)

 

Great stuff, exactly what I need.

Oh, except the Universal carrier in the first image is marked 55 (at the time of the picture this should be 4th Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers, 71st Infantry Brigade, so wrong battalion, wrong brigade) and the carrier in the second is 60 (7th Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers, 158th Infantry Brigade, so at least the right Brigade...)

Oh well, at least they'll do for ideas.

And the first picture has the Universal Carrier loaded to the gills with kit. That's a look I want. There's an especially interesting bit of kit balanced on the top of the Universal Carrier; some sort of handcart.

A bit of investigation suggests it's a Wireless handcart; the Royal Signals museum has one at Object 31 of the below.

 

https://www.royalsignalsmuseum.co.uk/history-of-royal-signals-in-100-objects/

 

I bought the below for another project for which they weren't quite right but I think they'd be ideal for the handcart wheels. Got to work out how to do the rest of the handcart but I think this build just acquired a scratchbuild exercise...

 

 

Cheers,

Richard.

[R T Fishall]

Coffee stirrers, a soldering iron, 0.5 mm brass rod and quite a bit of swearing all go into making...
 

 

One side frame for a Wireless Handcart! Hoping the little jig makes making a second one which is sort of the same easier. Then it's just the loadbed, chassis and wheels to add on, joining the two side frames. Ideally without desoldering them in the process... How hard can it be?

If all else fails I'll just drape a tarpaulin over it, leaving the best looking bits poking out...

There's a set of "Working Instructions Wireless Set No. 22 Handcart" available online which gives some useful dimensions and diagrams so at least I'm not working just off the photo.

 

I think I've glued maybe 1 more part to the Universal Carrier as well?

Cheers,

Richard.

[Muchmirth]

Oh that’s very cool!

[JOCKNEY]

That very impressive