You have to give credit to Facebook, from half way around the world, photos descend into your life and memory. I vaguely remembered the 7th November was the anniversary of the “Oktober” Revolution but to see the reenactment of 1941 was something special.

I immediately thought of the all-time classic World at War, with Laurence Oliver relaying the bravery of the Russian soldier taking part in the parade and then marching straight into the front line. There is something about colour photos and their ability to jump start the imagination. The attention to detail is fantastic and I am seriously planning to get to Red Sqquare before retirement. For the moment I was left with my World War Two Soviet collection and thought I’d post pictures of just a part of the behemoth!

Not 1941 but more an example of how the Russians were ever adaptable. Mounting a 85mm gun this late war T-34 was more than a match for all but the heaviest German armour. Here the enterprising commander is preparing for his retirement with a stolen/liberated piano. And when you deploy these vehicles in numbers, then numbers have a quality of their own…..

And if you hit a minefield, then keep going…..more are on the way!

If the Nazis do bring up the heavy cats, then call on the SU s! 

Still not stopped the Tigers? Dig in and use naval guns as anti-tank cover.

My own personal favourites are the Cossack units. Battlefront excelled themselves with these miniatures.

They may not have heavy guns but from the Civil War days, they can still charge with maxim machine guns in support! Watch the otherwise forgettable film “Reds” to see a Tsanka disembarking from a train. “Tsanka” was also a popular children’s song ( see youtube!) Nestor Makno, the Ukrainian Anarchist and inventor of the vehicle, would be spinning in his…….erm……do anarchists get put in graves?

Just to remember that the Cossacks were not known for their forgiving nature, I also painted a group being welcomed by local Ukrainians. A local taxi driver and Ukrainian exile used to tell tales of fighting the Reds as late as the 1950s…just don’t mistake him for being Russian.

It has been far too long since we played a big WW2 battle down at the club. I have bought some of the version 4 Flames of War books but really couldn’t summon up the energy to get back heavily involved. You may notice my new Commands and Colors mat in use, which should stretch to 15mm Squad Leader in Miniature. Thanks for reading and look forward to seeing the old faces in Reading Warfare next weekend.

Battle of Berlin Airfield-from too many years ago!