Wolfes Army 1755-65

 All of my troops painted as the regular British Army which was sent to North America between 1755-65

British commanders in North America 1756-65

 Amherst and Wolfe with two companies of Grenadiers, 22nd and 48th. Amherst is holding the spontoon while Wolfe is holding his walking stick.

British troops of the Seven Years War/French and Indian War: 1st Royal Regiment

 The 1st Foot, the Royal Regiment, otherwise known as the Royal Scots, took part in the siege of Louisbourg, then joined Amherst's command on the advance to Montreal. Later they took part in the West Indies campaigns with the regiments they served with at Louisbourg. 

Nasu day three

 I had to repost this one. This was the bathhouse in the campground. It was rather nice to take a hot bath listening to the rain hammer down on the roof.

 With all the rain, our kids were playing with their new friends, the owners children. We had to pack the car, and take down the tent in the rain. 

 This was the campground the morning after the storm. There was an elderly couple with their tent, and a family with a camping trailor. 

 breakfast consisted of our leftover steak and sausage mixed with some boil in the bag stew and a pot of strong tea. My messtins from Cadet Direct and my hexy stove worked wonders. My wife noted that we don't need to bring the gas canister stove next time as I was able to cook out food with just what I had. 

Nasu day four

 The morning after the rain storm. As you can see, the campground was nearly deserted! There was a retired couple and a family with a camping trailor. 

 Using some boil in the bag stew, with the left over steak and sausage from the night before, I made a stew for breakfast. I also made a pot of strong tea.

 Posing with the daughter of the owner. They were a great family which my children enjoyed playing with. Emi and I had to pack the car and take down the tent in the rain. Hence why I'm still in my rain kit.

 We then went shopping at an outlet mall as with all the rain, there was nothing else to do. We then stayed at a Japanese style bed and breakfast which is run by a former daycare teacher. She is married to an American from Guam and was very friendly.

The next morning, we went to Nasu Highland Park, which is a big amusement park. 

Emi and the kids went on a lot of rides. I did go on the water slide ride, and an airplane ride. While waiting for my family, two twin boys who had been staring at me, came over to ask for a picture. This is usual in Japan sometimes, as they like to have a picture taken with a foreigner. I was suprised when I started to talk to them, that in fact, they were my students from one of my schools in Tokyo! And the fact that their uncle lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia!

Leena having fun with the mascots. 

All in all it was a great trip. Coming back took about 5 hours driving due to a minivan which blew up and burnt out on the expressway.

Nasu Day Two

The next morning, we went down for breakfast. Still full from the night before, I had a few breads, and french fries.

We had Kraft blueberry jam!

The weather was a mixture of drizzle and overcast. This was a farm where you could pet bunnies, goats, calfs, and feed horses and ride ponies. Leena freaked out when the goats tried eating her skirt! I had a calf find my Roots Canada shirt tasty! Luckily, no damage.

Ian takes his hand at archery. He's the fellow with the buzzed down haircut.

Leena decides to be like Meredith in Brave and tries as well.

My wife and I setting up our new tent at Holiday Camp ground. We bought a Coleman 4 person tent with two rooms. This was great because, due to a typhoon which hit southern Japan, our area in the east was on the hit by massive rains.

Once set up during the rare sunshine, we played outside, and then had lunch.

My lunch was Garlic toast, Beef jerky and Pringles American Cheeseburger

I will post the address of this place once Emi can translate for me. 

 I bbq steak, Johnsonville sausage, the owners of the campground gave us corn. I had bought my mess tins from Cadet direct back in the winter. Made a nice platter. I was able to make a nice pan gravy from the dippings and non-alcoholic beer I had.

 I also had shrimp and salmon.

The weather then continue to change to rain. There was also a fireworks display that night, but with the clouds and rain, you could barely see them. The only thing you was that you could hear them going off. It sounding like we were in Long Tan with Royal Australian Artillery firing at the NVA/VC.

Redden family encampment Nasu, Tochigi, Japan, August 2014

Amazing what you can pack in a Daihatsu Tanto Day one:

we packed the kids around our gear. Their still little enough to do this, however, we may not be able to do this as much next year. Just as we were getting ready, we were aware of an approaching Typhoon! It hit southern Japan, but we saw the forecast indicating that it would be windy and rainy. So we opted to stay at a Hot Spring and pool. After a 3 hour drive from our area outside Tokyo, we then went for a swim in the heated pool. And that's when the rain started! It was funny to be swimming in a warm pool, to be pelted by rain!. We then moved to the hot tubs after a hot bath. As my son and I were in the male area, it really began to torrential rain! Try gingerly running around a spa totally nude with Noah style rains! The Japanese bathe nude in separate men and women's areas.

 this is not iced tea but plum wine! I nearly downed the cup when my brain kicked in, Ive been dry 11 years. This was the complimentary beverages on offer before you could check into your room.

 a Scottish ale with an English flag! Once the bartender came on I informed him of the mistake! He took off the label. 

The food at the first hotel we stayed at was superb! It was an all you can eat Chinese buffet. There were even chefs to grill your steak to order, Chinese chefs to prepare what you wanted! I had Chinese BBQ pork, Char-shu(sp) Peking Duck, several styles of shrimp, stir fry and of course rice,

After we had dinner, my wife was exclaiming we didn't need to eat in the morning!

Another summer with my kids 2014

 while waiting to pick up my wife from work, we went to a park to ride the swings.

 as I was hanging out the laundry earlier in the day, I saw this Cicada on our balcony.

 later in the day I took the kids to our favorite mall to play in the water fountain. Ian enjoyed wearing his 78th Highlanders t-shirt. Leena was enjoying the cooling effects of the water.

 Later in the week, we went back to the park on another day I had to pick up the wife,

they really like this slide

and for dinner, we had Thai noodles. 

what to do today? Whatever my kids decide!

Battle of Oriskiny 1777

Herkimers troops advance

Mohawk warriors await the patriots.

Loyalist force consisting of Queen's Rangers, King's Royal Regiment of New York and Quebec English militia. 

Queen's Rangers 

King's Royal Regiment of New York 

Upon the first turn, the Americans advanced down the road towards the ravine. True to history, the Mohawks opened fire before the full American force moved to their position. The Mohawks charged which put to flight 3/4 of the American force. The Kings Royal Yorkers then advanced with the bayonet and opened up with volley firing. The American militia did their best to withstand the Loyalist fire, but in the end, the entire column was destroyed.

French offensive 1757 in Nova Scotia

 With the British offensive halted by the French Navy off Louisbourg, the garrison with support from the Mik Maq, Acadian, Canadiens, begin an offencive to hold off the Anglo-American conquest of Canada.

This little game was a "what if" scenario I came up with as I was falling asleep. The French could have come down into western Nova Scotia by sneaking down the coast of the Northumberland strait, then going over the Cobequid mountains of central Nova Scotia. 

The Mik Maq and Malecite form up on the left of the Bourgogne Regiment.

 Le Compaigne Frances de La Marine with Regt. Bearn from New France with gun support of the Cannonier-Bombardier.

More Mik Maq form up on the French left, creating a pincer movement against the small British fort.

 The 45th Regiment attempt to bring concentrated musketry and the bayonet to drive off the Mik Maq. This time, however, the Amerindian warriors didn't just run off. The British volleys claimed a few warriors but the warriors charged in with tomahawks and war clubs. Only one company was left.

 The remaining company of the 45th and their officer surrender to Le Regiment du Bearn.

 The warriors eagerly await pouncing on the remaining garrison of Massachusetts provincials.