Major-General Sir Cheslyn Hay and colleagues

Hello again.

Hot on the heels of Fort Nummanmason comes the command for the relief force.

Now, you may well try and research the aforementioned Major-General in your various books and articles on the Seven Years' War, the French & Indian Wars or the British Army of the Eighteenth Century, but let me hereby warn you against such folly. You see, the fellow never existed...

...except in my head, at any rate.

I live in a village called Great Wyrley. It adjoins another village which goes by the name of Cheslyn Hay. The villages have a tiny rivalry, with their respective High Schools trying to outdo each other in terms of level of mediocracy at any number of events both academic and otherwise and, being a fan of the Charles Grant school of thought, of the imaginations idea in general and similar schemes, I thought I would use that "local" knowledge and rivalry for the forthcoming show game set in the FIW. IN due course, I will present for you the Chevalier Gaillardhomme, Sieur de Grand-Werly. This particular outing, however, is to enable me to present the commander of my British and allied forces, Major-General Sir Cheslyn Hay.

The Major-General is a former liaison with the Prussians, hence his propensity for sporting a moustache, but is latterly commanding the forces sent to relieve Fort Nummanmason against the dastardly French besiegers under the aforementioned Chevalier. He is an Eagle Figures casting on one of their horses, painted, as usual, by me with as much gold lace as I could safely muster. Given that he represents the "other village" in my story, and Occasional Wargamer Brother Kev lives in said "other village", guess who is commanding the British in our forthcoming "Wyrley Retinue" outing to the Barrage Show in Stafford on 8th July!



 

Next up is Colonel Wyle E. Fox, of one of His Majesty's Light Infantry regiments, who prefers to go around largely unadorned with the sort of lacey accoutrements so beloved of enemy snipers. This figure is by Dixon Miniatures and, being a tad smaller than the likes of Eagle Figures and Redoubt, was raised up on his base to make him look like he is standing on a rock. Visibility past the troops was a problem for commanders in this era and more than a couple were wounded or worse getting a better look at events. General Wolfe is the classic case in point!

Last up is Major Benjamin. I have yet to decide if he will join the relief or be cooped up in the fort. He is another Dixon figure mounted on a suitable piece of slightly higher terrain.

And that is my British command so far.

The Chevalier will make an appearance soon!

G