Hi Guys
I have been a little quiet lately - been visiting my son at uni - but I am back and happy to announce the release of my latest bust commemorate the 75th anniversary of Arnhem I am releasing my latest bust - Major Robert Cain VC who was awarded the VC for his actions and leadership at Arnham during operation Market Garden.
His is a remarkable story of leadership, at one point he ran out of PIAT ammo so fired a 2" mortar 'from the hip' at German armour - goodness knows what the kick must have felt like.
Here is a link to his bio which contains his VC citation: https://sarnia-miniatures.co.uk/i/robert-cain-vc
This bust consists of 11 parts to make one of three different versions:
1 - wearing the red beret
2 - wearing the paras' helmet
3 - wearing the helmet but with the red beret showing from under his smock

10 of the parts are resin, one is a length of plastic tube for the mortar barrel.
because of the complexity of the kit I have to price it at £25.00 plus postage.
here is a link to it on my website:
https://sarnia-miniatures.co.uk/p/021-major-r-cain-vc

All comments and feedback welcome
Peter

Robert Cain was also Jeremy Clarkson's father-in-law.

Hi Chris

You're right, and he made a documentary about him which was on tV about a decade ago. Here is a link to it on youtube:



Peter

South Staffs Regiment cap badge and battledress insignia (not worn on Denison) - for reference.

There was also a Bakelite version of the cap badge issued, but it is unlikely that Major Cain wore one!

I also seem to remember (from many years ago) that a replica of Major Cain's VC & a copy of his citation hung on the wall of a pub in Lichfield town centre called the Old Cross. He was commissioned into the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers, & attached to 2nd Battalion The South Staffordshire Regiment (Airborne); his life & military career are well-documented in the Staffordshire Regiment Museum at Whittington Barracks, Lichfield.

Robert Cain VC was a Manxman and lived in Castletown . Jeremy Clarkson lived for a while on the Island in the Langness Lighthouse. Jeremy wasn't popular with local residents.

Billy

Major Cain's VC is on display in the museum's VC cabinet, at the Staffordshire Regiment Museum, Lichfield. His well faded Denison smock, worn at Arnhem, is also on display. Cain's daughter, Frances, visited the museum last week, to see off a party of ex-Staffords, who were cycling to Arnhem for the 75th anniversary commemorations. The Regiment's last Arnhem survivor, Lieutenant Jack Reynolds, (he of the famous V sign to a German cameraman, following his capture), sadly passed away in August, aged 97.

Chris - well documented, yes, but it is a shame that his story is not well known. His Arnhem action was quite remarkable.

Billy - not surprised really, I think Clarkson is a bit of a 'Marmite' person.

Hembo - I would have liked to have visited the museum, one disadvantage of living on Guernsey is the difficulty (and cost) of visiting museums.

Thanks all for the comments.

Peter

Peter - the great advantage of living on any of the Channel Islands is that they're all great places for history buffs. I visited Jersey in 2005 & found the Underground Hospital & all the fortifications fascinating. You're very lucky.

Chris - yes we do have more than our fair share of fortifications ranging from WW2 back through out history. Although most are Victorian or Napoleonic some do date back a lot earlier.

Apparently when the Germans landed they immediately started to plan their defences but the advance across France was so fast they did not bring any maps. They ended up buying a tourist map and planning their defences on that. Apparently it is held in the Bundesarchive.

Here is a link you may be interested in, an archive of Guernsey occupation photos: http://www.occupationarchive.co.uk/

Peter