National Army Museum

Last week I posted pictures from my recent trip to the War Horse Exhibition at the National Army Museum in Chelsea. I've now had a chance to work through the pictures I took of the rest of the museum and these are shown as a slideshow at the bottom of this post. I've never been to this museum before but I have to say I was very impressed. Its very family friendly without loosing interest for the older visitor or history buff. There are lots of models and hands on displays throughout the building that will keep children of all ages (and I count myself amongst them) happy and engaged.

One of my favorite exhibits was William Siborne's famous model of the Battle of Waterloo. In 1830 Siborne was commissioned to construct a model of the Battle of Waterloo and thus began an extensive period of research during which Siborne contacted many of the surviving allied officers for their recollections of the day. The model was not completed until 1838 and nearly bankrupted him in the process. He also earned the enmity of the Duke of Wellington as his research appeared to contradict the Dukes own account of the battle.

On the top floor there is also an art gallery with several famous works in it that I didn't realize were held here. One is the well known 1879 painting by Charles Fripp of the Battle of Isandlwana. This image has been reproduced so many times it has become iconic and instantly recognisable. Although Fripp was not a witness to the battle he was able to visit the scene a few weeks later where the bodies of the fallen still remained.

Detail of 1879 painting, "Battle of Isandlwana" by Charles Fripp

Here's the rest of my pictures from the museum. I hope you like them. As always if you see any errors with the labeling please let me know and I'll make any necessary corrections.



I was also very impressed with the museum shop. Most of the stuff you find in these sort of shops is usually just overpriced 'tat'. By here there was an excellent selection of books and gifts, with a range of prices to suit all pockets. If you can get a chance to visit this Museum I think you'll be impressed both with its accessibility and the comprehensive collection they have on display.

My 3rd Edition Arrived

Just a quick note to say I don't expect to get much painting or gaming done this weekend. My copy of the 3rd Edition Flames of War rules arrived in the post on Thursday (while I was away on company business... Typical!) and I'll be reading it over the next few days.

This little paperback is a hefty tome in its own right being almost double the thickness of the 2nd Edition paperback rules. My first impressions are good. I like the simple look and easy layout of the book, and a quick scan of the diagrams/illustrations inside reassures me that the rules will be explained much better than in 2nd Edition. For me this is a vital element as I'll be training my Brother-in-Law Ray to play the new rules. As a complete n00b with no background in wargaming at all, I consider him the ultimate test of the new rulebook, which claims to be easier to read and understand.

Right, that's enough Blogging, I'm off to my Bunker to read the rules.

War Horse Exhibition

On Wednesday I took a day off work to visit the National Army Museum in Chelsea. Mrs BigLee and my youngest daughter Emily accompanied me (my other daughter is 'roughing it' on a Ski Holiday to America poor dear) as we all wanted to see the War Horse Exhibition being held there. Entry to the museum and the special exhibition is free and despite this being the winter Half Term holiday it wasn't too busy.

The Exhibition was very good and looked at the role of the War Horse throughout the history of the British Army (from the New Model Army onwards) although of course there are lots of references to the book, play and film that inspired this display.



I really enjoyed this exhibition and thought that the mix of items on display and the information provided would appeal to a wide range of visitors. There was no 'dumbing down' in the way this was done but it remained relevant and interesting to an old Grognard such as myself and a young whipper snapper such as my 6 year old daughter.

I took a lot of pictures of the rest of the museum but I'll post these over the next few days as I work my way through them. In the meantime I hope you like the pictures of this exhibition.

Chatham Military Collectors Fair

On Sunday I went to a Military Collectors Fair in Chatham with my Brother-in-Law. It was a very interesting event (I've not been before) but boy was it c-c-c-cold.

The venue was one of the massive shipbuilding warehouses in Chatham Dockyard

Desert Forces in the Snow!

Ray's first purchase - A Mills Grenade

The traders were a bit thin on the ground at this show, presumably because the frigid conditions had driven most of them away! It actually felt colder inside the building known as Slip 5, possibly because of its concrete floor and iron framework. This is actually a Grade I Listed building built between 1847-8 and is quite a sight to behold once you are inside.

Panther Track - Just £165 each!

Inside the meat locker warehouse

I restricted my purchases to a couple of replica tank regiment badges and stuck for the most part to taking photo's. Ray on the other hand is a dedicated collector. He bought a few original insignia and a couple of Mills Grenades to add to his growing collection in his Man Cave.

I'll have to come to one of these events again (they are held every month) but I think next time I'll do it in the summer!