78th Fraser Highlanders

Tis Nova Scotia is my home

I love it as no other. Where man is free to ply his trade, and each to each his brother. The Hills and Glens that I love well. The rolling surf that charms me. The lakes with speckled trout lie still and all is peace around me. In summer warmth and winter cold. In fog and storm and sunshine, whater it's mood me heart is here and will remain for all time
(The Hills and Glens collected by Dr. Helen Creighton)
This song has a special place in my heart for I learned it as part of a school singing contest when I was a third grade student back in 1983.
My wife and I are preparing our trip to go home and were remembering all of the places we miss.

My hometown of Stewiacke, Nova Scotia, half-way between the equator and the north pole.

The old train station and the dayliners. This shot was taken in the 1980s. I found it on wikipedia

(courtsey of NS Tourism)

VIA Rail's The Ocean, the train which goes between Halifax, Nova Scotia and Montreal, Quebec.

Ketchup Potato chips

Poutine

and Donairs! (all photos were found with google search)

 

WOW one year on the blog!

Amazing how fast one year goes! And amazing the amount of games, events and stuff I've put up on this site.

I may have put this shot up earlier.

This shot was taken way back in 1984. I'm standing with Sgt. Bill Nelson

Thank you to everyone who has viewed my blog. I do hope you enjoy this over time.

Saint Andrews day 2011

I had planned a Nova Scotian style kitchen party since our massive earthquake of March 11 to pick up the spirits of my friends, family and I. Eventually, it turned to November before I could get it together.
So Sunday November 27 became the date.

I must thank my head teacher Komatsu-sensei for taking the pictures. As most Japanese enjoy taking pictures of food, this shows what we ate, which was Acadian Fricot using Farmer John's herbs from Kings County, Nova Scotia, and burritos. (Ok so not so Scottish, but I did have Walker's short breads, and Robertson's Mincemeat)

My co-worker Trevor Cooms who surprised us with his Jews Harp and Harmonicas

My good self with my sticks and practise pad and my friend Andrew Gilhooley on a set of John Walsh miniature pipes.

Not to be outdone, Trevor had to pick up Komatsu-sensei's mandolin. Since this party, he's now gagging to get one himself, he's a pretty good player.

Apart from drumming, I also sing folk music. This must have been one of the slow tunes I was singing. Will ye go tae Flanders

So then my son Ian decided to get in the music. He plucked away. Not bad for a little guy.

While the musicians played our other guests enjoyed, tea, drinks, and food. Andrew MacKay, our newest teacher in our division enjoyed a little taste of home. In the back round are my wife, friends daughter Sara and my little girl, Leena

My little girl Leena who insists on always wearing pink.

Ian checking out Trevor's knitting. And the harmonicas.

It was a fun afternoon, which we hope to repeat in a few months.

A little more background information on me and my son

Greetings and salutations to one and all. My name is Rod Redden, a Canadian expat teaching English in Japan. Since I was a child, I have collected plastic 1/72 figures. My collection started somewhere around 1978 and includes such illustrious companies such as Airfix, Esci, Italeri, and Revell. More recently, the ranks of my plastic have been joined by new comers Zeveda, Strelets, and Mars.

This blog is intended to showcase what my son and I play with whenever we have the chance. I'm not very tech savy, and despite living in Japan and playing with toy soldiers, I do not fall into the “otaku” geek category, maybe a little eccentric, but hey, if you are checking out this site, maybe we share something in common

God save the King, and confusion to his enemies!

If you feel the need to leave comments, please respect others with proper manners.

My collection is about 90% plastic with some metal figures. However, the majority of my collection, say about 60% is in storage in Canada (say about 9000 figures, which actually outnumbers the regular force of the Canadian army!) I began teaching EFL (English as a Foreign Language) in 1996 first in South Korea and then moved on to Japan in 1999 where I have been ever since. I did make a 9 month honeymoon with my wife and kids in Canada in 2003-04 then returned to Japan to continue my career as an English teacher.

When I was a single guy in Japan, I spent a lot of time and money on beer, cold war figures, more beer, pizza and more figures. By the time I met my future wife, I had acquired quite a bit of figures for the 1940-1990 age. This took in the Second World War as well as the Cold War. When I moved back to Canada, all of this collection went into storage and some play between my work as a cook in a pub, or as a security guard. When I returned to Japan, to keep my sanity, I packed my Napoleonic figures as I have never really painted them up, mounted them nor played many games. However, my game time was a bit hampered by work and more importantly two additions to my family.

Five year later, my son is now interested in playing with Daddy's toys. As he enjoys pirates and my stories of reenacting 18^th century Nova Scotian life, I have gone back to my favorite period, 18^th century wargamming.

Overtime, I shall post pics of refights my son and I play, as well as older shots of myself and my kids playing games.

For Christmas 2011, I'm planning on refighting some of the 18th century battles which were fought in North American in particular some of the large and small actions around Nova Scotia.
Here's a list of what I have.

His most Britanic Majesty King George II 1740-62

Royal Navy: Landing party HMS Rose: 2 guns & 1 coy Marines red/white(metal)

Royal Artillery: 6 guns (metal)

The Duke of Cumberland’s Hussars: 3 troops (italeri) green/red

1^st Regiment of foot The Royal Scots: 1 Grenadier 3 Hat (accurate/airfix) red/blue (Jpn)

15^th Regiment of Foot: 1 Grenadier, 2 hat 1 Light Infantry (accurate/airfix) red/yellow

17^th Regiment of Foot: 1 Grenadier 1 Hat (Zeveda/Revel) red/white (Japan)

22^nd Regiment of Foot: 3 Hat (Zeveda) red/buff (Japan)

27^th Regiment of Foot: 1 Light Infantry coy (airfix conversion) red/buff (Canada)

35^th Regiment of Foot: 1 Light Infantry coy. 1 Hat (metal/airfix) (Canada)

40^th Regiment of Foot: 1 Grenadier, 3 Hat (metal) (Canada)

42^nd Regiment of Foot: 2 hat (metal) red/buff (Canada) 1 hat 1 Gren (Japan)

43^rd Regiment of Foot: 1 Light Infantry, 1 Grenadier, 1 Hat (Japan) red/white

44^th Regiment of Foot: 1 Light Infantry, 1 Grenadier, 1 hat (Japan) red/yellow

45^th Regiment of Foot: 1 Lt. Inf, 1 Grenadier, 1 Hat (Zeveda) red/green (Japan)

46^th Regiment of Foot: 1 Lt. Inf, 1 Grenadier, 1 hat (Japan) red/yellow

47^th Regiment of Foot: 1 Grenadier 1 Hat (Revel) red/white or red (Japan)

48^th Regiment of Foot: 1 Lt Infantry, 1 Gren, 1 hat (Japan) red/buff

55^th Regiment of Foot: 1 Lt Infantry 1 Gren (Japan)

58^th Regiment of Foot: 1 Grenadier 1 Hat 1 Lt Inf (Japan) red/black

60^th Regiment of Foot: 1 Grenadier, 4 Hat, 1 Light Infantry red/blue (Canada)

77^th Regiment of Foot: 1 Light Infantry stand (metal, Cdn) 1 Grenadier (Japan) red/green

78^th Regiment of Foot: 1 Grenadier, 4 Hat (2 metal 2 airfix con Japan) red/white

80^th Regiment of Foot Gage’s Light Infantry: 1 Light Infantry (metal) brown (Canada)

95^th Regiment of Foot Burton's Regt.: 1 Gren, 1 hat (red/grey in Japan)

His Majesties Provincial troops in America 1740-70

Massachusetts Regt: 1 hat (accurate) 1 Light Infantry (airfix con) blue/red

2^nd Connecticut Regiment: 1 hat (metal) red/yellow (Canada)

Rhode Island Regiment: 1 hat (metal militia) (Canada)

New London Artillery company 1762: 1 gun (Zeveda) blue/buff (Japan)

Newport Artillery company: 1 gun (Zeveda) blue/red/white (Japan)

New York Independent company: 1 coy (Zeveda) green/green with plug bayonets (Jpn)

New York Provincial Regiment 1756: 2 coy (airfix/italeri) brown/brown (Canada/Jpn)

New York Provincial Regiment 1759: 2 coy (airfix/italeri) green/green (Canada/Jpn)

New Hampshire Provincial Regiment 1756: 1 coy (metal) grey frocks (Canada)

Augusta Regiment: 1 coy (italeri) green/red 1756-57 (Japan)

Pennsylvania Regiment 1758: 1 coy (italeri) kharki drab (‘Japan)

Boston Artillery company: 1 gun (metal) blue/blue/red (Canada)

Virginia Regiment: 1 company (Italeri) blue/red (Japan)

McKay’s Independent company of Georgia Rangers: 1 coy (italeri) (Japan)

Georgia Independent Highland company: 1 coy (german) (Japan)

Goreham’s Rangers: 2 coy (metal) black/blue(1759) (Cdn) 1 grey/red waist coat (Jpn)

Roger’s Rangers 3 coy (metal) green or grey (Canada)

Starks’ Rangers 1 coy (metal) various frock coats (Canada)

Dunn’s Rangers 1 coy(Strelets) grey coats green waistcoats (strelets) (Japan)

South Carolina Regiment of Horse: 1 squadron (Revel) Blue/red (Canada)

Middleton’s South Carolina Provincial Regiment: 1 coy (strelets) blue/red in caps (Jpn)

Charleston Artillery Company: 1 gun (zeveda) Blue/red/blue 1756-67 (Japan)

His Majesties Indian department: 2 bands Mohawk Warriors (metal) (Canada)

Louis XV army in North America

Regiment La Reine: 2 hat (Revel)

Regiment Royal Roussilion: 1 Grenadier 1 Hat (Revel) white/blue

Regiment La Sarre: 2 hat (Revel)

Regiment du Bearn: 2 hat (Revel)

Regiment du Berry: 2 hat (Revel)

Regiment de Landeouc: 1 hat (Revel)

Regiment du Cambis: 1 Grenadier, 3 Hat (Revel) white/red

Regiment du Bourgogne: 1 Grenadier 3 Hat (Revel) white/white

Regiment d’Artios: 1 Grenadier 3 Hat (Revel) white/white

Regiment du La Marne… 1 hat (strelets) white/black

Regiment Voluntaire d’Etranger: 1 Grenadier, 3 Hat (Revel/metal) white/green

Compaigne Franches de La Marine: 7 Hat companies (Canada/Japan) grey/blue

Regiment Karrer: 1 hat (Revel) red/blue

De La Roche Battn: 1 hat (streets) blue/yellow (Japan)

Cannioner-Bombardier: 12 guns with 1 Grenadier (Canada/Japan) blue/red

La Milice du Quebec: 5 coys (Canada/Japan) red caps

La Milice du Trois Rivere: 4 coy (Canada/Japan) white caps

La Milice du Montreal: 4 coy (Canada/Japan) blue caps

La Milice du Chambly: 1 coy (Revel) civilian clothes (Canada)

Les Savage: 1 band each of Huron, Abenaki, Ottawa, (Canada/Japan)

 

The Continental Line 1775-83

2^nd Continental Artillery: 1 gun (IMEX) black/red

3^rd Continental Artillery: 1 gun (IMEX) blue/red

Lambs Artillery: 1 gun (IMEX) blue/buff

3^rd Bristol Co. Militia: 1 coy (accurate) brown/red with knit caps (Canada)

Glover’s Mass Regiment: 1 coy (accurate) brown/red with knit caps (Japan)

2^nd New York: 2 coys brown/blue (Canada/Japan)

3^rd New York: 1 battn (airfix) grey/green 2 hat (Canada/Japan)

5^th New York: brown/blue 1battn (Italeri) (Japan)

4^th Massachusetts: 1 coy (Italeri) blue/white (Japan)

4^th: Connecticut: 1 battn (Italeri) brown/red (Japan)

19^th Connecticut: 1 battn (airfix) blue/white (Canada)

Knowlton’s Connecticut Rangers: 1 coy (accurate) in frock coats (Canada/Japan)

Morgan’s Rifles: 2 coys (accurate) in frock coats (Japan)

Col. Jackson’s Regiment: 1 coy (airfix) blue/buff (Canada)

22^nd Connecticut Regiment: 1 coy (airfix) red/blue (Canada)

Fairfield Alarm company: 1 coy (accurate) civilian clothing (Canada)

Washington’s Guard: 1 coy (airfix) blue/red/buff small (Canada)

1^st New Hampshire Regiment: 2 coys (Italeri) green/red, yellow/green (musicians) (Jpn)

Monmouth militia: 3 battn: (accurate) various civilian clothes (Japan)

1^st Pennsylvania: 2 coys brown/buff (Japan)

9^th Pennsylvania: 1 coy (accurate) brown/red in caps (Japan)

11^th Pennsylvania: 1 coy (cta) blue/red in caps (Japan)

13^th Pennsylvania Rifles: 1 coy in black frock coats (Japan)

1^st New Jersey: 2 coys (accurate) blue/red (Japan)

 

His Most Christian Majesty Louis XVI Army in North America 1778-83

Regiment du Royal Dupont (German) 1 Grenadier (Revel) blue/yellow (all in Canada)

Regiment du Bourbonnais: 1 Grenadier (Revel) white/purple

Luzon’s Legion: 1 Grenadier, 1 Hussar (Revel/Zeveda) skyblue/yellow

His Majesty King George III Forces in North America 1765-85

Horse:

The 17^th Light Dragoons: 6 squadrons (Japan)

The Royal Regiment of Artillery:

4^th Battn Royal Artillery: 6 guns (Metal) 4 guns (plastic) (Canada/Japan)

         Royal Irish Artillery: 1 gun (plastic) (Japan)

Hesse-Cassel Artillery: 1 gun (plastic in Japan)

4^th Regiment of Foot: 1 Grenadier 2 hat (accurate) red/blue (Japan)

7^th Royal Fusiliers: 1 Grenadier 2 hat (accurate) red/blue

10^th Regiment of foot: 1 Grenadier 2 hat (accurate) red/yellow (Canada/Japan)

23^rd Royal Welsh Fusiliers: 2 Grenadier (airfix/cta) red/blue (Canada/Japan)

26^th Regiment of foot: 1 Grenadier, 2 hat (accurate) red/yellow

33^rd Regiment of foot: 1 Lt (cta) red/red (Japan)

35^th Regiment of foot: 1 Grenadier (Japan)

37^th Regiment of foot: 2 Hat (Japan)

38^th Regiment of foot: 1 Grenadier, 1 Lt, 2 hat (accurate) red/yellow (Japan)

43^rd Regiment of foot: 1 Grenadier red/grey (Japan)

46^th Regiment of foot: 1 Lt (Japan)

49^th Regiment of foot: 1 Grenadier, 1 Lt. 2 Hat red/green (Japan)

55^th Regiment of foot: 1 Grenadier, 2 hat (Japan)

59^th Regiment of foot: 1 Grenadier red/purple (Japan)

63^rd Regiment of foot: 2 hat (Japan)

64^th Regiment of foot: 2 Hat (Japan)

84^th Royal Highland Emigrants: 2 hat (metal) red/blue (Canada)

(additional troops use from F&I War)

The Royal Provincial Corps

The New Jersey Volunteers: 1 Grenadier, 3 hat, (Canada/Japan) green/white

The King’s Orange Rangers: 1 hat (airfix) red/orange (Canada)

The King’s Rangers: (metal) green/red (Canada)

The North Carolina Highlanders:  2 coys blue coats/kilts (Japan)

The Queen’s Rangers: 1 Hussar, 1 Lt, 1 Scot (Italeri) green/white (Japan)

The Jamaica Rangers: 1 hat (accurate) white/red (Canada)

The Royal Fencible Americans: 1 hat (accurate) green/white (Canada)

Butler’s Rangers: 1 Lt (cta) green/red (Canada)

Lord Dunmores Ethiopian Regiment (Japan) black militia: 1 coy

Hessians:

….. Hussars 1 squadron (Zeveda) green/red (Japan)

1 Battalion blue faced red 1 Grenadier 1 Hat (Revel) (Canada)

King Fredrick II The Great Army of Prussia 1756-83:

1 Musketeer Infanterie-Regt.  blue faced red 1 Grenadier, 1 Hat (Canada)

Husaren-Regiment Nr. 5 (Reusch) 4 Squadrons (black with buff breeches) (Cdn/Jpn)

Dragoner-Regiment Nr. 9 (Holstien-Gottorp) 1 Squadron (blue/yellow) (Canada)

The Beauport attack

The British cross the river

The French await the assualt

Cannonier-Bombardier make ready

17th Regt. Overrun the French trenches

The British advance on Concord 1775

Baggage for arms and powder to be siezed.

The American militia pop up to fire.

The table top

The militia wait on the green.

Other militia hide to ambush the British.

The 10th Regt. takes out the militia hidden in homes.

Militia attempt to outflank the Grenadiers.

Yeah I know that the Grenadiers are painted as Seven Years War, but Christmas is coming.

My other life as a drummer

I was one of the founding members of the 2nd Battn 84th RHE in Nova Scotia, Canada back in 1984. The cover shot is of myself back in 1989 at the Burning of Fairfield event in Connecticut.
I was also a member of the Tokyo Pipeband in Japan for two years until my graduate work and full time job left me with little time for band practise.

I

However, I am forming a small group of guys who enjoy playing bluegrass and Celtic music in my own home.

This was the 2010 shot of the drummers in the Tokyo Pipeband including the drumming judge. I'm the bearded fellow in the dark glasses.

Warming up with my buddy Andrew from Scotland.

Another shot of myself in 1987 with a piper from the 78th Highlanders out of the Halifax Citadel. This was during one of our recruitment events at the Metro Highland Games.

This is a shot taken of me back in 1989 by Kerry Delorey. The coat is taken from a sample of tartan found on Culloden Moor. My father had the coat made up for himself but I snagged it that morning as it was the only thing which wasn't wet from the rain the night before.

This shot was taken by my wife at the 84th RHE dinner back in 2003. My best buddy back home, Mark Weatherby is a fellow private and Saint Mary's University grad.

Before my morning cup of tea! And after a night of Alexander Keiths.