G'day guys
well right now i'm working on a 1/35th Diorama portraying the push onto Buna Village on the 6th of December 1942, though there were numerous units involved i will be showing the Australian 18th Brigade (former 39th Militia Battalion) and a Stuart of the 2/6th Armored Regiment, assaulting Japanese defensive positions during the battle.
My question is, did the 18th have Bren Gun Carriers with them during the battle.
I know it's a fairly specific question but im hoping someone here will know.
Cheers

Hi David,

Don't know if it will help but Bren Carriers and Lloyd carriers were standard issue to British Infantry Battalions being used for their support weapons, mortars, anti tanks guns and MG platoon. So Australian Battalions would be issued with roughly the same kit, althoug I imagine there were some differences.

I can't say whether the 18th Brigade had any, but it is highly likely that they did as your talking not just Bn level but much larger. If they were used or not again I can't say as I don't know the specifics of the battle.

Best I can do I'm afraid. If you have a look for specific units within the 18th Brigade then you might find the answer in a google search.

Good luck with your search.

Cheers

Al

Yeah its a bugger, i know they were standard issue to all Australian Infantry Battalions too, however i haven't seen any in all the photo's ive seen of this battle, before, during and after, i'd assume they wouldve been used... i mean i really just want to be able to put another vehicle in the diorama to fill it a little.
Thanks for the help though mate, if anyone else knows a definite answer i would appreciate it.
Cheers

Hi David,

I'd just put it in, as long as it's marked up correctly then I see no problem.

Cheers

Al

G'day Al
yeah will be, Brad (Honeycut) found me alot of good information some of which confirmed the use of the carriers on the 5th, all of which were destroyed that day, so it would be suitable to have a burnt out one sitting there from the previous day.
Cheers mate thanks for the help

Hi David,

Glad you go some additional data from Brad. I'll look forward to seeing the finished product. 'Burnt Out Bren'

Cheers

Al

Yeah really burnt out, the Japanese really let all armour involved in the Buna-Gona campaign have it!
With the brens, the Japanese were aware of the numerous concealed palm trunk stumps hidden by the tall grass and ferns, and simply waited for the brens to belly themselves on them, which almost all did, they then either threw grenades in the open tops, scrambled over and lit fires underneath them, shot the crews with small arms, teared at the hulls with heavy MG and AT rifle fire, or all of the above!
Taking the thickness of the Brens armour into acount, it isnt surprising they were able to rip through them so easily, and those other various ways of eliminating them were brutal but ingenious as well.
They tried similar tactics when the Stuarts were brought in the next day, but the stumps didn't stop them, nor did small arms, and i believe they mustve either ran out of ammo or just not bothered with the AT rifles as i havent read of them trying their luck on the stuarts with them, however they did still crawl under and set fires when they were stationary, they were even running up to them, jumping on top, and firing their rifles through the stuarts vision slots, crazy brave, but eventually the Australians broke through.
A truly amazing battle if you ever find the time or interest to read on it!
Cheers

Hi David,

Would you have a Web link for the battle? It's kinda the forgotten war but there was some brutal ighting done both by the British and Commonwealth Troops and of course the Americans.

Good luck with the build.

Cheers

Al

Yeah mate here are all the links ive used, some more informative than others but all interesting...



Wikipedia page for Battle of Buna-Gona

Digger History page on Buna-Gona-Sanananda

ANZAC Steel page on M3 Stuarts in New Guinea(includes their role in Buna-Gona)


Information on the American role in the New Guinea Campaign, and also the usage of Bren Carriers at Buna on 5th December 42'


Detalied information on the role of the Bren Carriers on 5th December 42' in Buna

Hope they prove interesting to you mate, it really is a forgotten part of the war and deserves more attention than it gets. Theres alot to read there sp you might wanna put the kettle on :-)
Cheers mate

Morning David,

Many thanks for the links - Kettles on :-) :-) :-)

Cheers

Al

Hi David,
Got to agree with you about the forgotten war in New Guinea - the links you've provided make interesting reading.
After all this info on Bren carriers and Stuarts, I started looking for info on the Matilda II in Aussie service; it would make an interesting alternative to the usual desert based Matildas;
Digger History on Matilda in 42nd
More Matilda in Aussie service
Bandiana Army Base museum, Albury-Wodonga The latter shows Cromwell, Covenanter and Crusaders that had been shipped to Australia. A Churchill Crocodile is featured as well.
Have you been there at all?

I've added a Tamiya Matilda II to my growing list of armoured vehicles i want to build.

Cheers.
Jeff W.

Nah haven't been to Bandiana, been to the Lysterfield tank museum (now gone, all tanks were sold off mostly to the AWM), and also Puckapunyal, the museum there is fantastic, got alot of awesome dioramas too!
Cheers

Gday David
Been perusing the www, and came up with this
http://www.awm.gov.au/cms_images/histories/21/chapters/12.pdf
Read from page 21 onwards for the 5th and 6th Dec. engagements...
Practically a blow-by blow account... Gripping stuff
Cheers
Brad

Morning Gents,

Very interesting read David, the flighting was brutal and very hard in the far east, the conditions extreme. I hope we see a lot more dios from that theatre of war whether Australian, British or American. It's an area of history that unfortunately always seem to have had second place.

Unfortunately, lack of figures has a lot to do with it unless you can scratch your own from the few sets available. There are some good Japanese one about through.

Brad and Jeff thanks for the additional links.

Look foward to seeing the dio David.

Cheers all

Al

Feel a right fool guys
Tanks didn't arrive till the morning of the 18th, were they were immediatly put into action supporting the 18th Brigade that very morning against the Japanese defensive lines.
Upon reading that last link you gave me Brad to the PDF file i realised something wasnt right :-) Not to worry, all this means is ive found the correct date of the action i will be portraying, everything is still perfectly accurate to use, as will the diorama layout, just a mix up with the dates.
Cheers guys

Hi David,

Happens all the time mate, at least to me - :-) :-) :-) :-) I spent all day yesterday making some 4" smoke throwers for my Sermans only to realise when I got the first set complete the barrel width was wrong!!!! LOL, LOL, LOL.

No worries as the Aussies say - going to be a stormer dio

Cheers

AL

Ps Did you get the link to Japanese Armour King?

:-) Thanks mate.

Nah, what's Japanese Armour king?

Cheers

Hi David,

I put a link in re Japanese 1/35 kits on you figures post.

Here it is again:

http://www.japanesearmorking.com/index.html

Just click on price list - some interesting stuff.

Cheers

Al

Oh wow, if i was a ritch man i'd definetly get those Injured Japanese set, those look fantastic!
Cheers Alan thanks for the link!

Hi David,

Some thing useful for future projects? :-) :-) :-) :-)

Great kits, good to see some alternative artillery and armour and they have great looking WW1 stuff too.

Cheers

Al

Possibly, unfortunately this Diorama may well be my last one for some time to come

Hi David,

Sorry to hear that, I'll look forward to it even more then. Of course you could just start to build up the kits for the next one, :-) :-) :-) :-)

Hope it's nothing serious?

Cheers

Al

Oh god i don't think i should start stocking up in anticipation of a future project, ive done that so many times now, it's the only reason i have a "Stash".
But nah nothing bad, i just wont have much free time at all from Feb 13th 07'.
Cheers