Tuesday 25 September 2012

1938: Independent Labour Party Militia


A battalion of the Independent Labour Party Militia armed with Russian weapons: the command unit, a stormtrooper company with smgs (front right) and three rifle companies one with an AT rifle and two with LMGs. The battalion has a support weapon in the form of a Russian AT/field gun.

The Independent Labour Party is forgotton now but it was a significant socialist movement before the war. It was the ILP that bought George Orwell's ticket to Spain and it was why he fought in the POUM militia (socialist/anarchist revolutionaries) rather than the communist forces. That was also why he had to flee Catalonia with a communist price on his head.  You can read all about that in Homage to Catalonia, one of the finest books on the Spanish Civil War, warfare and the human condition ever written.




8 comments:

  1. Another impressive addition, John!

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  2. I just finished Homage earlier this year. I thought it was an excellent book and gave me a good primer on how the politics of the conflict were so convoluted.

    ColKG

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  3. Thanks Monty
    I am still learning how to paint these small figs. The are very detailed so washes work well. Also it's not about the individual figure but the look of the whole unit.
    J

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  4. Dear Col
    Orwell was brilliant in every meaning of the word. He was the first to point out that political extremists of the left and right are almost indistinguishable in their behaviour. He was prescient about so many things.
    John

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  5. I like the color of the troops,that pegasus set is really nice.my fav is the officer on the flag stand.thanks for my next book read.

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  6. Dear Tsold
    Hinterlands or Catalonia? On second thoughts don't tell me. :)
    J

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  7. Best uniform so far, "It was the too-cool for school cap wot won it, William, init!"
    Hugh

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  8. Dear Hugh
    Wait until you see my Blackshort uniform, :)
    J.

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