WW2 British Engineers

Started by holdfast, 10 February 2020, 07:40:39 PM

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holdfast

Having finally got round to painting up the WW2 British Engineers, I am puzzled as to what they are supposed to be doing. One is nicely sculpted with a mine detector. The second one has a round thing on his back which might be a flame thrower but might also be an anti tank mine. The ambiguity is good enough to group him with the mine detector as someone has to move the mines away that have been detected. But the third one appears to he running with no weapon and something slightly cylindrical in his hand. Is it a mug for his tea, or a compass, or his loo roll? (Which might explain why he is running). It corresponds to no sapper activity that I can think of. Help please.

fred.

One is carrying the flame thrower.

The other I think is just a generic moving around figure.
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petercooman

Maybe a bobbin of wire for a telephone?

Dr Dave

Flamethrower
Polish mine detector
Reel / drum of tape (usually white) for marking the cleared path thru the mines?

FierceKitty

11 February 2020, 02:22:50 AM #4 Last Edit: 11 February 2020, 02:33:32 AM by FierceKitty
Sounds like a good song...with a tow row row row row row, // To the British engineers.
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Lord Kermit of Birkenhead

But in the British army the flamethrowers were operated by the infantry.
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holdfast

Many thanks for the ideas. I think it is supposed to be a small flamethrower but as has been pointed out, they were not standard sapper kit. The white tape is a good thought but the tape came on a rucksack frame and stuck out at 90 degrees from the back of the carrier.
Linking with the running chap with no weapon and a loo roll, it may well be the toilet seat of course.
Perhaps time to remodel the group? The mine detector man usually held the detector with one hand and kept his other hand thrown back to balance himself. A good accompaniment would then be a man with the tape reel and another prodding, which would make up a normal mine detecting group in that period. A spare Gunner with binoculars or compass from the 25pdr crew goes well as the commander.
What does Pendraken Main HQ think?

pierre the shy

Quote from: holdfast on 11 February 2020, 05:36:21 PM
Many thanks for the ideas. I think it is supposed to be a small flamethrower but as has been pointed out, they were not standard sapper kit. The white tape is a good thought but the tape came on a rucksack frame and stuck out at 90 degrees from the back of the carrier.
Linking with the running chap with no weapon and a loo roll, it may well be the toilet seat of course.
Perhaps time to remodel the group? The mine detector man usually held the detector with one hand and kept his other hand thrown back to balance himself. A good accompaniment would then be a man with the tape reel and another prodding, which would make up a normal mine detecting group in that period. A spare Gunner with binoculars or compass from the 25pdr crew goes well as the commander.
What does Pendraken Main HQ think?

If you want some British Engineers laying or prodding for mines what about these chaps from the Falklands range??

https://pendraken.co.uk/_img/products/3087/FLB33.jpg

FLB33 Engineers, helmet 

or

https://pendraken.co.uk/_img/products/3070/FLB16.jpg

FLB16 Engineers, beret

OK they are (presumably) in '58 pattern rather than '37 pattern webbing but can you really tell the difference in 10mm given the poses that they are in?

Just an idea  :)

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holdfast


steve_holmes_11

Is the round bit of kit the Flamethrower (Portable) No. 2.

Usually known as Lifebuoy.


fsn

   

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fsn

Oh ... and the other guy I assumed was carrying a mine or demolition charge under his left arm. 
Lord Oik of Runcorn (You may refer to me as Milord Oik)

Oik of the Year 2013, 2014; Prize for originality and 'having a go, bless him', 2015
3 votes in the 2016 Painting Competition!; 2017-2019 The Wilderness years
Oik of the Year 2020; 7 votes in the 2021 Painting Competition
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holdfast

But we were taught not to run when carrying this sort of stuff as it made everyone justifiably nervous

paulr

I'm not sure that rule still applies when the enemy is shooting at you, unless you are a British officer ;)
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holdfast