I'm humbled by the many forum members tha voted for my entry in the wonderful Challenge 2009.
A wonderful contest with a lot of high quality works.
Here is my full post on this figure, with my usual historical background information.
8th Company, 1/95th Rifles
2nd Brigade(Col. George Drummond)
Light Division (Brigadier General Robert Craufurd)
Lieutenant General Spencer (In charge of Infantry)
British Commander-in-Chief : Lieutenant General Viscount Wellington
Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro
May 3-5, 1811
My figure represents a rifleman in the famed 95th Rifles, part of the Light Division during the Battle of Fuentes de Oñoro, near the frontier between Portugal and Spain in 1811.
The images show the figure as it would have appeared during the battle, and then , once the Light Division reached the high ground, the rifleman has taken off his equipment and though vigilant can finally rest and relax after a very long day.
The figure is DID’s “Dick” figure with some upgrades. The most important upgrade is Tony Barton’s wonderful Baker Rifle. As many know the Baker that comes with the figure is dramatically undersized.
The Tony Barton Baker is an amazing model . Very clean resin main piece with perfectly fitting metal acessories. I kitbashed the sword/bayonet by using a SideShow sword blade (filled in the middle grove with Aves Apoxie) and a chopped down Sideshow sabre hilt. I used two of the DID scabbards to make one of the correct length as the scabbard is also undersized.
The HS is from the DID Hussar and the body is the recent Hot Toys “narrow shoulder” figure. First time I use one of these nudes and it is an interesting piece. Although too tall for my tastes. I specially likes the shoulder area. The way it is constructed you can get some new angles in this area. The figure can actually “shrug” its shoulders! The Hot Toys nude comes witht wo pairs of hand, which are very nice. I don’t like the way the hands go on the figure, as it seems a bit fragile, but in particular the relaxed hands were perfect for the second series of images.
I reduced the outside of the shoulders a little more and made some cuts high on the thigh to get more movement for the seating poses. The later cuts were not worth it as the garments on the figure restrict the movement beyond the limits of the joints.
The Battle
The Duke of Wellington was blockading the fortress of Ciudad Rodrigo with 32,000 troops. The French sent a force of 45,000 troops under Marshal Andre Massena to relieve the fortress.
On 5th May 1811, a large force of French cavalry crossed the Don Casas on the extreme right flank and drove the Spanish from the hill. The Guard cavalry, brought up by Bessières, attacked the Seventh Division followed by two divisions of French infantry. There was an immediate crisis, the Seventh Division being unable to hold Poco Velha against such force.
Wellington ordered the Seventh Division to withdraw to the ridge and to make the retreat possible sent the Light Division to occupy the woods on the extreme flank beyond Poco Velha.
Craufurd’s Light Division drew off some of the French strength while the Seventh Division fell back, assisted by vigorous support from the British cavalry. At one point in the critical fighting in the plain the French cavalry was seen to heave about and Bull’s troop of Royal Horse Artillery, which had been nearly overwhelmed, burst from their ranks and galloped for the British lines, the gunners fighting hard with their sabres.
Once the Seventh Division had been extracted the Light Division marched back across the plain with the large force of French cavalry circling them, attempting to find an opportunity to charge home. The British regiments marched in square and the French shirked from the attack. Napier described this hazard withdrawal saying, “there was not during the whole war a more perilous hour”.
Once the Light Division had reached the high ground, Wellington’s flank was secure, with the Seventh Division on the right and the British line resting on Fuentes de Oñoro to the left. Massena did not press the attack.
The British army held their ground with the cost of 1,500 casualties, the French suffered higher losses of 2,200 troops and finally withdrew. The Duke of Wellington quickly seized Almeida.
