Remembrance Day in Japan

A German Army truck which would have been used in Bosnia. Shot taken in my city of Kamagaya, Japan.

I always remember the sacrifices of the men and women of Canada who gave their lives, and their time in the service, be it militiary, or merchant marine.
This summer I was proud to visit the Commonwealth War Cemetary in Yokohama to pay respects to all the Commonwealth personnel interned there.
My grandfather served in the Royal Canadian Ordanance Corps during World War 2. He went to war in 1939 and came back unhurt in 1945. One of my happiest memories was taking him with my Japanese family to Pier 21 and having the chance to see the picture of the ship he came home on.

When I have the chance, I play Flowers of the Forest, and Last Post. I take time to remember,
but as I read on the Royal British Legion's website last year, for some people, everyday is Remembrance day.

From 1985-95 I wore my band uniform with my father and played in every Remembrance day parade held in Stewiacke, Nova Scotia.
I took part in our High school drama club's For every tear, a play which was written by students about the war. We took it to Pictou as well as holding it in our village of Middle Musquodoboit.

My father was an infantry officer in the First Battalion Nova Scotia Highlanders (North) in the 1970's.
We took part in memorial services in South Korea in 2001, and I had visited Kapyong 4 times between 1997-1999.
I've visited the Korean War Memorial in Seoul, and Yasakuni Shrine in Tokyo.
Today I remember all those who have died in war, and hope that humanity can find another way to settle our differences.

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.

A typical Seven Years War raid in Western Germany, Zierenberg, 1760

Most of my knowledge of the conflict of 1754-63 (which includes what happened in North America) is just that, due to the fact that my own home province of Nova Scotia was such a battle ground in the conflict as it had with all of the previous colonial conflicts.
However, I wanted to branch out with some cavalry and infantry action.

“Petite guerre” Skirmishes between irregular forces in Europe

France: Berchenny Hussards: blue uniform: 2 troops

       3^rd Battn Volunteer Etranger: 1 coy

       Various Light troops either dressed in cossack style or blue/red

Russia: Ukranian Cossacks: 1 regiment of 6 troops with dismounted companies

Austria: Chevauxlegers (use same as Napoleonic) Jagers (grey uniforms)

Saxony: 1 coy of light infantry in white coats

 

British:

17^th Light Dragoons: 5 troops

87^th Highlanders and 88^th Highlanders: Redcoats faced green, 64th: red face black

Composite Grenadier battalion

25th Regiment (Edinburgh)

Prussia: Jagers

Hanoverian Freytag'scher Freikorps, Luckner'scher Frei-Husaren,
Brunswick Husarenkorps
Hesse-Kassel Leibgarde Grenadier company

(A shot of 77th Highlanders from Yahoo groups)

Representative of 51st Regiment (photo courtsey of former 15th Regiment website)

(photo courtsey of the 77th Regiment Czech reenactors)

Olgilvy's Regiment of the French army (photo taken from the internet sweep for French reeactors)

Composite Grenadier battalion (photo taken from former 15th Regiment website)

I played this action twice this month. The first was on 11/7 and the other today. The first, I lost as I was quite busy that day and didn't have much time for the game. The second, played against my son was a hard fought action.
Ian as the French player saw my mixed allied force attack his town. His defences consisted of an old castle town with stone walls, though as he was to discover, there were a few gaps in his walls which the British Grenadiers tried to break through twice. The first move, Ian deployed his cavalry to try to push my attack out. This only destroyed my 17th Light Dragoons. My Highland brigade was initally affected but rallied. The Royal Artillery were able to grind down his force until they broke back into the town. The British Grenadiers on the right began to march into a gap which the French had left undefended. The French artillery then began a brisk fire on the German contingent. The German horse units then counter charged the French lines scattering the remaining French cavalry but were in turn cut down by musketry inside a covered gallery. The German and Royal Artillery then began to use their guns to seek and destroy the French guns. Meanwhile, the French counter attacked the British breach. The British then assualted the town gate and the gap but both attacks failed to drive back the French. By the end of the action, only one British gun remained, one French, and the British Infantry were decimated. The German troops had been valiant, but also suffered greatly. The French did pretty well. Good one Ian. Daddy needs to remember how to soften up a target first before an assualt.