Wednesday 13 February 2013

WW2 Sideshows....Part 1

Bare Feet and Bandoliers: Wingate, Sandford, the Patriots and the Liberation of Ethiopia.

Bare Feet and Bandoliers: Wingate, Sandford, the Patriots and the Liberation of Ethiopia. David Shirreff. Pen & Sword Books, Barnsley, S Yorks 2009.Hardback ISBN: 9781848840294336 pages240 x 160 mm8 plates; several maps


Now I have to admit that this is a facet of WW2 about which I know absolutely nothing - aside from having heard of Orde Wingate! I picked up the above for £7.99 from a bookshop in the West End and I am very pleased I have. This type of campaign is ideal for the level of gaming I would like to undertake and this book is full of inspiration for doing so. The title features plentiful maps, troop strengths and accounts of battles etc which is of course the wargamers bread and butter when it comes to projects. The object of the campaign was to reclaim Ethiopia from the Italians following their invasion in 1936 with the assistance of Orde Wingate and what became known as Gideon Force.

I am not proposing to refight this campaign and so my interest is really one of how I can adapt some of the ideas for my own purposes. For similar reasons I would like to investigate the operations against the Vichy French and those that took place in Iraq - for which I already have a number of titles.

I shall enjoy this and I suspect that at least one other gamer I know (if he hasn't done so already!) will do as well!

6 comments:

Lead Legion said...

Thanks for the heads-up. Certainly seems worth a look.

David Crook said...

Hi LL,

As mentioned, it is not a campaign I am familiar with so I hope to get some suitable ideas from the narrative.

I will report in due course - once I have read it!

All the best,

DC

Peter Douglas said...

DC

Looks interesting. Decades ago, WI had lovely pictures of the Rapid Fire crew's Somalian campaign. I am sure Tim G has all of the toys...

Cheers
PD

David Crook said...

Hi Peter,

I will check the WI connection with Mr Fox as he has most of the magazine on disc.

As to Mr Gow I suspect the answer would be a resounding yes - with optional extras!

All the best,

DC

Peter Douglas said...

DC

For Somaliland he'll need a uniquie Anti-tank weapon HMAS Hobart's 4pdr naval signalling gun, mounted on an oil can!

Looking forward to seeing what appears on your table!

Cheers
PD

David Crook said...

Hi Peter,

That is a challenge that a better man than I would have to take up!

I like to think of the book as being a source of inspiration rather than a 'must game at all costs' title - I have more than enough of those although hopefully not for much longer!

All the best,

DC