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Re: Gallipoli - a plea from Down-Under

Hi Alessandro, I've not seen anything to suggest that Strelets have changed their plans to make these figures, along with Turkish assault troops (appropriate for Palestine in 1918).

Re: Gallipoli - a plea from Down-Under

Hi RCD,

Yes, there does need to be mix of headgear. Within a short time of the landings (when certainly the ANZAC troops were largely indistinguishable from British troops - virtually all wearing the forage cap), Imperial troops on the Peninsula took on an exceptionally motley appearance. All troops on campaign start looking pretty scruffy - however, Gallipoli was exceptional (look at photos taken between late April and compare them with August).

Not just the service hat, but also Wollesley sun helmets, slouch hats, lemon squeezers (certainly, for the Wellingtons), short sleeves, singlets, bare chested, shorts etc.

To be fair, the Turks also started looking pretty rough - skull and woollen caps, Arab head dress, as well as the traditional Kabalak.

For my armies for the campaign, I've adapted from existing figures. For example the FFL with pith helmets are ideal for the French at Kirithia etc. The British dismounted Camel Corps, along with another manufacturer's British Infantry in tropical lit, are also ideal for Royal Marines. Strelets' Turkish Infantry in tropical mixed with another manufacturer's offerings with a few additional head swaps gives a suitably motley appearance for Ottoman troops.

However, a lot of head swapping etc is still required. A couple of dedicated sets would be fantastic ... and to really push the envelope Strelets, it would be fantastic to have Kiwis in lemon squeezer hats (same as the US Montana). Only the Wellington regiment habitually wore it - but given what the Wellingtons did at Chunuk Bair ...

On the note, and I'll finish my rant, Plastic Solider review is incorrect as far as the WW2 Kiwis Strelets produced. NZ troops did engage in combat wearing the lemon squeezer in the Pacific island hopping campaign. there is ample photographic evidence of the landings on Green Island in the Solomons etc showing this headgear being worn. I'm sure it was expected that the Brodie helmet would be worn in combat, but I know from a family member that was part of the 3rd NZ Division in the Pacific the lemon squeezer was worn right up to the front line, as a steel helmet could get pretty unpleasant to wear in a humid, tropical environment.

Re: Gallipoli - a plea from Down-Under

It's funny this, as I was thinking the exact same thing yesterday evening for some reason. Where did all these Gallipoli sets disappear to? I for one certainly hope that Strelets hasn't forgotten them....

Years ago I was lucky enough to be in Sydney for the ANZAC Day. I started in the early hours with the celebrations and prayers, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I spent most of the day tearing up. Thinking of these brave young men from the other side of the world thrown at machine guns in Turkey and later in the European trenches, just for the "pleasure" of being part of the British Empire. It touched me deeply and I have the greatest of respects for everybody who went to fight two world wars.

So, in short, YES PLEASE Strelets, bring those Turks and ANZACS back onto your list!!!

Cheers
Alex

Re: Gallipoli - a plea from Down-Under

Alex
It's funny this, as I was thinking the exact same thing yesterday evening for some reason. Where did all these Gallipoli sets disappear to? I for one certainly hope that Strelets hasn't forgotten them....

Years ago I was lucky enough to be in Sydney for the ANZAC Day. I started in the early hours with the celebrations and prayers, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I spent most of the day tearing up. Thinking of these brave young men from the other side of the world thrown at machine guns in Turkey and later in the European trenches, just for the "pleasure" of being part of the British Empire. It touched me deeply and I have the greatest of respects for everybody who went to fight two world wars.

So, in short, YES PLEASE Strelets, bring those Turks and ANZACS back onto your list!!!

Cheers
Alex
Hi Alex,

I think it is a lot more nuanced than that. I spent nearly a month at ANZAC as a CVA volunteer. I would suggest Peter Hart and Nigel Steele's book 'Defeat at Gallipoli.' The trouble with the Great War is that it was in a technological 'blind spot.' Weapons had developed unprecedented lethality, but communications had not.

There were overall, more good generals than bad ones. Allied generals tend to get a bad rap. However, similar atrittional battles occurred in WW2. Its just the people dying had Russian names.

Re: Gallipoli - a plea from Down-Under

With all those Napoleonic campaigners wanting all those endless sets in vast numbers that are currently being produced there should be a healthy profit to produce some Anzac sets:joy:

One just hopes that sets for every obscure German principality are not going to be produced!:scream:

Re: Gallipoli - a plea from Down-Under

Here's another collector interested in buying Gallipoli sets.

Late war Ottoman "stormtroopers", not so much. But that may be because I have so little information about their actual combat use.

Re: Gallipoli - a plea from Down-Under

Pa
Here's another collector interested in buying Gallipoli sets.

Late war Ottoman "stormtroopers", not so much. But that may be because I have so little information about their actual combat use.
Hi Pa

So the Turks in helmets saw action in both the Sinai and Palestine fronts, with one main engagement being the battle of Megiddo. From what I've read, they were part of the Yildirim (Thunderbolt) corps, comprised of a mix of Turkish and German soldiers from the Asien Korps. They were crack Turkish troops.

It's difficult to say how many helmets the Turks actually received during WW1. All we know is that there were three models: one with the so-called "cut visor", which never left Germany and was used during the 1919 revolution. One German model with the visor and part of the rim cut (see the model shown in the Imperial War Museum with sharp edges), and the other one with a rolled edge. It looks very different from the German model.

Unfortunately there very few records. Recently I saw a picture of German prisoners after the battle of Megiddo and one German soldier actually wears the Turkish version of the helmet.

Cheers
Alex

Re: Gallipoli - a plea from Down-Under

Alex, that's very kind of you providing information, much appreciated.

I find info on numbers and use of helmets in the Ottoman army sketchy at best.

https://www.ottoman-uniforms.com/ww1-ottoman-army-uniforms/
pretty much sums it up. There is also some additional information here:
https://landships.activeboard.com/t42292821/turkish-helmets-a-question/
https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/146160-turkish-stahlhelm/

I once thought about equipping Ottoman figures with WW2 paratrooper helmets but they lack the lugs so typical of German WW1 steel helmets.

Megiddo does, unfortunately, not hold much appeal to me. A cavalry dash and a rout make this a rather one-sided battle to game. :grimacing: That's why I hope for some Gallipoli, or East front, sets to supplement the excellent Ottomans Strelets have produced. Regards, Pa

Re: Gallipoli - a plea from Down-Under

I would be interested in sets for Gallipoli; ANZAC, Turk, maybe French Colonial.

I would also be interested in Ottoman stormtroopers, though I would stress that I mean stormtroopers rather than trench raiders.

Re: Gallipoli - a plea from Down-Under

Hi Richard,

As you may have seen, Strelets replied to my question about ww1 future figures. Maybe they still have plans for some ANZAC too, let's hope

Other nice sets would be ottomans amd Austro-hungarian in helmets