Vimy - 95th Anniversary

A recent commemorative pin showing the colours of the four Canadian Divisions as they were arrayed against the German positions at Vimy Ridge.

Today is the 95th anniversary of the Battle of Vimy Ridge. As the calendar would have it, this year's anniversary falls on a Easter Monday, just as it did on that vicious day in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais, 1917. It is a battle that is often overlooked by the larger histories of the Great War as it was essentially a diversionary action supporting the larger (and very tragic) French Nivelle Offensive. So while it is true that Vimy was not nearly as large as the battles of the Somme, or as depressingly bloody as those in Passchendaele,  it has nonetheless become to many Canadians an important part of our national identity as it was the first time during the Great War in which all four Canadian divisions fought together under a Canadian commander for a common purpose. It was a distinctly Canadian effort
...

'The Agony and the Ecstasy' - The 2nd Annual Analogue Painting Challenge Awards

'I don't know what it is, but I always seem to make a hash of the drybrushing...'

Well the votes are all in and I'm delighted to be able to announce the awards for the 2nd Annual Analogue Painting Challenge.
...

'The Fighting Cocks of the Army': Portuguese 6th Line Infantry from Porto

For the past few months the excellent Napoleonic forum 'La Bricole' has been hosting a painting competition focusing on 'bog average' troops. You know these lads, these are the dust-pounders, the beetle-crushers, the poor dog-faces that make up the vast majority of any army. So members of the forum have been busy producing a fine assortment of units ranging from Austrian Landwehr, French Chasseurs a Cheval, to Prussian Musketeers and Bavarian Chevauleger (just to name a few)
...

20mm Viet Cong

Several weeks ago I posted a few American GIs from the Vietnam War and so I thought I'd paint-up some of their counterparts, the Viet Cong in their distinctive 'black pyjamas'.
...

Awards for the Painting Challenge - Please Vote for Your Choice!

As some of you may remember from my early January post I stated that, in addition to the prizes for the top three finishers for the points standing (Congratulation again to Ray, Kent and Tim!), I added four additional award categories:

Challengers' Choice: This award will be determined by those who took part in The Challenge. So, to all Challengers, please browse through the entries from December 20th to March 20th and send me an email with your selection.

Judge's Choice: This will be my favorite submission of all entries submitted during the Challenge (myself excluded of course!). 

People's Choice: This is for our visitor/commentors to vote for their favorite Challenge submission. So, to all of you who enjoyed following the Challenge, if there was an entry that you particularly enjoyed please leave me a note in the Comments area of this post. I have temporarily reset my blog settings to moderate all comments so your choice will be private and only known to me - I will not publish 'People's Choice' selections. 

Sarah's Choice: This award has been sponsored by Sarah who will give out a prize for her favorite historical female figure. I am busy organizing all the entries for her to review so she will be quite busy over the next little while.


I will announce the winners of all the categories at 2pm, Saturday April 7th (Saskatchewan Time).


Again, for all those who've enjoyed following the Challenge please vote for your favourite entry. If you are new to the blog please take some time and peruse the Challenge submissions (again, from Dec 20th to March 20th), enjoy the excellent work exhibited by the lads and join in the fun by sending in a vote.


Thank You!


Curt