Hi everybody,
It was a long time in the making, at the cost of my adding legs to Carl Reid’s Gordon Highlander Sgt, but here is my very first scratch sculpted head and bust.
The whole model is made from; various grades of Milliput, 50cm of thin copper wire and a small amount of plasticard. As PF has so many Professional Sculptors on the site it is with much trepidation that I post my Amateur effort.

The subject matter here is of WO! Garrison Sergeant Major (London District) William D G ‘Billy’ Mott OBE MVO Welsh Guards
He enlisted into the 1st. Battalion Welsh Guards in April 1979 and has served with the Battalion in Belize, Canada, Cyprus, France, Germany, Kenya and the USA. He completed operational tours of Northern Ireland and served in the Falklands during the 1982 conflict.
He has held the post of instructor at both the Guards Depot, as a Lance Sergeant, and also at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst as Colour Sergeant, Company Sergeant Major and as Regimental Sergeant Major.

Prior to assuming his present appointment as the Garrison Sergeant Major, Headquarters London District, he held the appointment of GSM at Headquarters Northern Ireland.

GSM Mott's first Trooping the Colour Parade as GSM was in June 2003.

He was involved in the ceremonial arrangements for Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's funeral and the Golden Jubilee State Procession and he has also been a pivotal figure in the repatriation ceremonies for those killed in action during operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Since taking up his appointment he has also served in Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Jamaica and Jordan. On each occasion in a ceremonial capacity.

GSM Mott was awarded the OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours 2007.

For the Royal Wedding of Prince William to Miss Catherine Middleton in April 2011, GSM Mott was presented with a new insignia of rank reviving the original one made for Sergeant Majors appointed to the Court of King William IV in the early 19th century. It incorporates the Royal Coat of Arms worn by selected Warrant Officers Class 1 of The Household Division, placed over four chevrons sewn in gold thread, the traditional badge of the Sergeant Major. The badge was researched by the staff at The Guards Museum and commissioned by Major General Commanding the Household Division, Major General William Cubitt CBE, before being approved by HM The Queen.

GSM Mott was awarded the MVO in the HM Queens Diamond Jubilee Honours 2012.
Cheers,
Keith
With thanks to Trooping-the-Colour for this potted history.

Great bust of a superb GSM, will it be going commercial?

Hi Rob,
Thank you for taking time to look and comment.
Unfortunately I have not got the where with all to make it a commercial piece.
Cheers,
Keith

That is a really impressive piece of work Keith, good work!

Roger.

Thanks Carl,
I thought that you would be at Euro this week end emptying your wallet of the hard earned readies?
Cheers,
Keith

Many thanks Roger.
It was a real task, 10 leeks of all sizes makes your eyes water.
Cheers,
Keith

Very nice work

Hi Keith,
Very well done, very, very impressive for the first one. Are you going to paint it up?
cheers
Richie

Ooo that's good


WOW

Nothing wrong with that and very Guards-ish if you know what I mean. I can't wait to see it painted up.

Colin

Hi Richie,
Thank you for your kind words and the Chimps.
I will be painting it up but I am not looking forward to that gold lace.
Cheers,
Keith

Many thanks Michel.

Thank you Colin,
Yes I know exactly what you mean. I was intending to make it more Guards ish with the addition of His bearskin cap. When I checked it out He has the biggest bearskin you have ever seen, it comes halfway down His back and all you can see from the front is the brass chin scales.
Thank you again Guys.
Cheers,
Keith

What great bit of work, well done on the likeness. Is there any way you could change the head dress etc to become a cold stream guard. Excellent work

I'm looking forward to someone doing a full figure 120/150/200mm version of him in bearskin (http://www.flickr.com/photos/30592379@N05/5788307836/) on parade (http://www.trooping-the-colour.co.uk/gsm/bmott.htm), or holding his bearskin aloft whilst calling for 'three cheers for her majesty" (http://www.flickr.com/photos/defenceimages/7329031116/). A super sculpt.

Mike

Hi Mike and Arthur
Thank you for your positive comments.
For the work put into this 'specific' model of a well known person there is no chance to change it to a Coldstreamer. This would involve removing and re modeling and positioning seven visible buttons, change the sash to show two hidden buttons, remove the cap badge and re model to the Capstar and bin three days work on the medals, Other than that Yes it is possible.
The two previous GSMs were Coldstream Guards, Perry Mason and Alexander Dumon, none of which had similar features to Billy Mott. I have a distant plan to sculpt GSM Alex Dumon, so may be the two of you could commission the figure (full length).
I did refer to these photos and paintings that you posted the link to when I researched this piece. I did think about making the figure full length with the bearsin cap but I couldn't get enough Milliput here in France.
Thanks for commenting Guys they did make me smile and I will try to accommodate your requests somewhere in the future.
Cheers,
Keith

Many thanks Andrey and Adrian. I am pleased that you liked this sculpt.
Cheers,
Keith

Many thanks for taking the time to view this bust Mike.
I am pleased that you like it.
Cheers.
Keith