April, 2022
Sierra Toy Soldier Company

Sierra Toy Soldier Company

Today's Headlines

Missed the March Edition 2022 Newsletter, view it here!

Welcome to the Easter Edition of Sierra Toy Soldier News written on a very hot day here in the Bay Area. We are about to experience a major heat wave this week. The winter was very hard on California and the West, with a terrible rainy season of almost no rain. This means we are entering a Mega Drought season. If you are visiting us from the Mid West or East Coast, please bring some water, it will be appreciated.

We are preparing for the next show. We are heading to Texas and the Texas Toy Soldier Show, being held at the San Antonio Menger Hotel Saturday May 21 and Sunday 22, 2022. Special room rates are available. Please come and support this event and help make it a great success. For details, please contact us.

If you haven’t been visiting our website lately, you’ll be surprised to find that our Collector’s Corner page has been growing exponentially! Let us entice you with long retired gems that have been flooding this portion of the website for a while now, which have further bolstered the ranks of sections like King & Country, W. Britains, First Legion, John Jenkins, and Odds and Ends. This area of our website provides collectors with rare opportunity of having another chance to obtain sold-out items, thought to be gone like the dodo bird. Likewise, if you’ve decided that your collection has grown too big, fret not because we have an opportunity for you. Please feel free to contact us at sales@sierratoysoldier.com for questions regarding how to place your items on consignment with us to help slim down your ranks and make a little money on the side.

Another portion of our website that has bee increasing in size has been our Scratch and Dent section! This unique area of the Sierra Toy Soldier online experience provides collectors with a knack for fixing stuff an opportunity to obtain broken or incomplete sets for a very affordable rate. While this part of the website historically has had a heavy King & Country influence, lately we’ve received a few diamonds in the rough from a multitude of companies that could provide a little more depth to your displays at home. We highly recommend that you check out the Scratch and Dent tab or follow this link:

Scratch and Dent

We have some great new announcements from King & Country, John Jenkins, First Legion and Thomas Gunn.

For information on John Jenkins Future Releases.

John Jenkins Future Releases.

Check out our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for more pictures.

Instagram:sierratoysoldier

Twitter:sierratoystore

You can keep up to date with us by visiting our Facebook Page.

Sierra Toy Soldier Facebook Page

Hope you enjoy our newsletter.

Cyber April (Easter) Sale

Cyber April (Easter) Sale.

We have added even more items. Check out our Thomas Gunn, First Legion and King & Country Sale items.

King & Country Mega Sale

First Legion Big Sale

Thomas Gunn Grand Sale

We will have lots of items on sale between 25 - 45% off throughout the month, please look at the special pricing being offered. We will be adding daily to our list of items on sale.  So please check back often and you may find a pleasant surprise.

Collectors Corner
Sierra Toy Britain's Exclusive
King & Country
John Jenkins
First Legion
Thomas Gunn

Showroom

We are open Monday - Saturday 10.00 - 5.00pm.

Just a reminder for those of you living in Northern California, or perhaps just visiting, that our Showroom dedicated to toy soldiers is now open 6 days a week. 1350 Dell Avenue, Ste #5, Campbell, California 95008. (408) 395 3000

www.sierratoysoldier.com

Sierra Toy Soldier Facebook Page

Check out our latest arrivals, new dioramas and events at our store!

Sierra Toy Soldier Facebook Page

Sierra Toy Soldier Virtual Video Call

To set up a Virtual Video Call to see any of our latest releases or displays. Contact us via Email or Phone.

Virtual Video Call Email

Phone 408-395-3000

Scratch & Dent

Do you enjoy repairing or modifying toy soldiers and vehicles. Every now and again we receive figures and vehicles in need of a new home and some special care. If yes, this may be the section just for you.

Scratch & Dent

Collectors Corner

Occasionally we get a rare opportunity to acquire individual items and complete collections for collectors that are thinning out their collection or from other dealers. These pieces are items that we do not normally stock. All are in mint condition or and in their original boxes, unless specified in the description. Please note these may have been on display.

So these are ideal pages to view if you are looking for that missing piece in your collection or just looking to find some very unique pieces that are not normally available.

In March we greatly expanded our Collectors Corner section with some great Britain's, First Legion and King & Country. One of my favoties is Britain's Ceremonial State Open Road Landau, brand new and never opened.

Consignment Highlight

This month we feature sets from Thomas Gunn, First Legion, Britain's, Jenkins, King & Country, Frontine and Dragon. All effectively brand new and unopened.

Collectors Corner

Sierra Toy Soldier Britain's Exclusive

Sierra Toy Soldier Exclusive - In Stock Now!

Zulu Storehouse Attack

King & Country

King & Country April Releases!

Ancient Egypt

Now, to add to these pieces are a small collection of Egyptian workmen who helped excavate the burial site of the ill-fated boy pharaoh and carried some of his treasures into the harsh, light-of-day in the modern age. At the same time we have also included a fictional addition to the series which would certainly come as a surprise to all of those diligently digging…

  • - A young worker carefully carries an almost perfect rendition of an Ancient Egyptian female ruler to the surface. Although the statue has lain in the sands of Egypt for many hundreds of years it still retains its original colour and fine finish.
  • - Two more Egyptian labourers carry a heavier burden in the shape of ‘Anubis’, the ancient ‘God of The Dead’ sometimes represented as a jackal or, occasionally, a man with the head of a jackal.
  • - No horror movie from Hollywood U.S.A. to Hammer Films in the UK is ever complete without an Egyptian ‘Mummy’! For decades whenever Ancient Egypt was evoked on the screen, one of these long-dead, wrapped-up monsters would appear and come alive again and go out looking for likely victims… female if possible!

Ancient Egypt

ON THE FIELD OF BATTLE

A single addition, but a useful one, for our last release of Scots Greys. PLUS no less than 8 of 18 of Napoleon’s ‘Dragons a Pied’, the ‘Foot Dragoons’. In early 1805, as Napoleon gathered his forces together at Boulogne for a projected invasion of Britain he decided to dismount several regiments of Dragoons in order to more easily transport them across the English channel. He supposed that these troops would fight on foot after their initial landing until such time as they could capture or requisition sufficient horses to be remounted. After the French defeat at Trafalgar in October 1805 the invasion, was cancelled however these ‘Foot Dragoons’ did not have their mounts returned. Instead they were dispatched to fight on foot in campaigns across Europe and into Austria and Russia. They did however retain their tall brass helmets complete with black horsehair plumes and the traditional, green tunics of French Light Cavalry and Infantry as well as their long dragoon muskets. To suit their new fighting role they wore long, black canvas leggings and the regular French Army infantry backpack.

  • - Sabre in right hand and reining in his horse with his left this officer leads his men into battle.
  • - This Dragoon reaches back into his cartridge pouch for a fresh round.
  • - Another Dragoon ‘draws a bead’ on the enemy.
  • - In the midst of battle one ‘Foot Dragoon’ reaches over to a fallen friend to see if he is still alive.
  • - Taking the fight to the enemy.
  • - Once a paper cartridge was taken out of the pouch the soldier had to bite the top off before carefully pouring most of the gun powder down inside the barrel and then inserting the steel ball. A small amount of powder was retained for the firing pan of the musket while the empty paper cartridge was pushed down the barrel with the ramrod in order to keep the ball in place before firing. During the Napoleonic Wars a properly trained group of regular infantry soldiers was able to load and fire four rounds a minute. Some expert rifle regiments could even load and fire five aimed rounds in a minute. Foot Dragoons would fall into the former group as regards ‘rate of fire’.

Napoleon's 'Dragons a Pied', the 'Foot Dragoons'

Scot's Grey's

British 2nd North British Dragoons

RALLY ROUND THE FLAG BOYS!

Here are five additional figures to add to our American Civil War collection of the 83rd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry Regt.

  • - This private adopts the most comfortable position to open fire on the enemy.
  • - Also in a similar position to the previous figure but raising his head to get a clearer picture of the opposing forces.
  • - Three different soldiers of the 83rd who have fallen to Confederate bullets.

American Civil War

Ceremonial

Two small additions to our ‘Ceremonial Series’ in the shape of a pair of dismounted Life Guards troopers.

  • - Visitors to London almost always go, at least once, to see ‘The Changing of The Guard’ at Buckingham Palace where the ceremony is usually performed by one of the five regiments of Foot Guards in their scarlet tunics and tall black bearskins. Lesser known, but just as colorful, is the Guard Changes on Horse Guards Parade at Whitehall in central London performed by soldiers of the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment on a daily basis. From 10:00am until 4:00pm this duty is carried out by mounted troopers of either the Life Guards or Blues & Royals squadrons of the HCMR. At 4:00pm the mounted troopers are replaced by dismounted troopers who remain on post until 8:00pm each day. Our K&C trooper stands at attention in his full ceremonial uniform, with his sabre gently resting on his right shoulder.
  • - Accompanying the dismounted guard is always a Trumpeter… Up until the outbreak of WWII all trumpeters wore the same uniform as their dismounted fellow troopers complete with the heavy metal cuirass. In modern times the cuirass has been removed for Trumpeters who now wear the simple dress red tunic.

Ceremonial

HAVE GUNS WILL TRAVEL

Although many people think of the Vietnam War as the ‘Helicopter War’ most transportation around that war-torn country of men, material, food, fuel and ammunition was by truck… and lots of them. Almost as soon as American Forces began taking over the major role of combating the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army the enemy began to ambush the U.S. convoys carrying their much needed supplies and reinforcements between the major bases and depots to far flung out posts all over the country. Although U.S. Army and Marine Corps units provided armoured cars and sometimes even tanks to protect these convoys it was simply not enough to deter enemy attacks. Fortunately, it was the transportation units themselves that came up with one of the best innovative solutions… Gun Trucks! Each ‘Gun Truck’ was a standard U.S. Army 2 1/2 ton cargo truck armed with a variety of machine guns and protected by additional sheets of steel and armour plate. Simultaneously convoys were reduced from, on average, 200 vehicles to just 100, making them easier to control and protect. To ‘ride shotgun’ on these small 100 vehicle convoys a force of 10 ‘Gun Trucks’ would ensure one ‘protector’ for every group of ten trucks. Some of these Gun Trucks mounted the WWII era ‘Quadmount .50 calibre’ machine guns. During the Vietnam War an estimated 300-400 vehicles were converted into ‘Gun Trucks’ and King & Country is proud to present two of them…

  • - The M35 2 1/2 ton cargo truck was the mainstay of all the U.S. Forces transport throughout the Vietnam War and well into the 1980s. Our King & Country model has the Quad-mounted .50 cal. Machine guns complete with a gunner manning the turret. Upfront sits the driver alongside a pintle-mounted M60 machine gun and his personal M16 rifle. This crew has also painted a rather attractive Vietnamese ‘pin-up’ called “Suzie Q” on the armor shield as well as the legend ‘Have Guns Will Travel’ (a reference to a then popular TV cowboy show back in the ‘States) on the Quad mount.
  • - The second of our Gun Trucks is the aptly-named “The War Wagon”. Many of the nicknames painted on these ‘Gun Trucks’ were inspired by rock songs, TV shows and even movies of the 1960s. ‘The War Wagon’ is a case in point… It came from a 1967 ‘Western’ starring John Wayne and Kirk Douglas and was popular with the troops at that time. As our first vehicle the driver and gunner are included along with their weapons.

Vietnam - Tet'68

John Jenkins

New April Releases
Trojan War - Greeks

Menelaus’ brother Agamemnon King of Mycenae, led an expedition of Achaean troops to Troy and besieged the city for ten years because of Paris’ insult. After the death of many heroes, including the Achaeans, Achilles, Ajax and the Trojans Hector and Paris, the city fell to the ruse of the Trojan Horse.

The Achaeans slaughtered the Trojans, except for some of the women and children whom they kept or sold as slaves. They desecrated the temples, thus earning the wrath of the gods.

Few of the Achaeans returned safely to their homes, and many founded colonies in distant shores.

The Romans later traced their origin to Aeneas, Aphrodite’s son and one of the Trojans, who was said to have led the surviving Trojans to modern day Italy.

Greeks

Trojan War - Trojan

Troy and her allies

Punic Wars - Cathaginian Ship

Punic Wars

Scythian

Scythians

Almoravid

El Cid and the Reconquista

Aztec

Aztec Empire - Conquest of America

War of the Roses

Wars of the Roses 1455-1487

Jacobite Rebellion

It is argued that despite being depicted as horseless troopers standing forlornly in the rear at Culloden, the Jacobite cavalry were regarded when it came to scouting as superior to their regular opponents.

All of the Jacobite cavalry units remained mounted throughout the campaign, except for Kilmarnock’s and Lord Pitsligo’s who turned their horses over to the newly arrived Fitzjames Cavallerie in March 1746, and were then re-organized as a regiment of foot guards.

The cavalry, with the exception of the single troop of Hussars, were organized into two troops, and were over-officered to an even greater degree than the infantry.

BAGOT’S HUSSARS

A single troop of 50 men raised in Edingburgh by John Murray of Broughton and officered by a group of Lothian gentry, were designated as Hussars. It is unclear why they were designated hussars a role until then unknown in Britain.

Their clothing included a fur-trimmed hussar cap of obsolete French pattern. These caps were an obsolete style once worn by hussars in the French army, and were probably brought over from France, along with the Lifeguard blue coats.

As Murray of Broughton served on Charles’ staff, the hussars were led by Captain George Hamilton of Redhouse until his capture at Clifton.

Bagot originally an officer in French service recognized that the unit would be ineffective in open battle and instead trained them to operate as light cavalry in the continental manner, and earned the respect of Cumberland’s cavalry as a proficient reconnaissance unit.

In keeping with the rest of the Highland army, most Jacobite cavalry were dressed in Highland clothes of some description.

The depiction of the Bagots’s Hussars in their distinctive tartan coats and fur caps is based on the Pencuik drawings, and James Ray’s description in his contemporary history of the Rebellion where he describes them as wearing “Plaid coats and huge fur caps”.

Most Jacobite cavalry were armed with a firelock, which reflected their primary role as a scout and skirmisher.

During the battle of Culloden, the Hussars were positioned on the left wing, but a volunteer from the Lifeguards named John Daniel mentions they were later moved to the centre, where they suffered heavy casualties.

As they only numbered 26 troopers at the start of the battle, it is believed that at least half their strength was lost. One of the casualties was the unit’s commanding officer, Major John Bagot, a regular officer in the French service, who was badly wounded.    

Jacobite Rebellion 1745

Mountain Man

Whiskey, Scalps and Beaver Pelts

Blackfoot

Whiskey, Scalps and Beaver Pelts

American Revolution - Drums along the Mohawk

3rd New York Regiment

Drums along the Mohawk - Booster Sets

Drums along the Mohawk

American Civil War

14th Regiment, New York State Militia

Wellington in India

19th Regiment of Light Dragoons

Wellington in India

Maratha Cavalry

Wellington in India

Madrass Native Cavalry

First Legion

French 5th Hussars

The French 5th Hussars was originally formed (under various different names, including as part of Lauzun’s Legion) during the Ancien Regime but was finally given the title of 5th Hussars in 1793. It fought in many battles of the Napoleonic wars with great distinction, receiving battle honours for Jena, Eckmuhl, Borodino, and Hanau. Marshall Ney also began his distinguished military career with the 5th hussars in 1787. Hussars of course had a reputation for being the dashing, if unruly, adventurers of the army. The traditional image of the hussar is of a reckless, hard-drinking, moustachioed swashbuckler. General Lasalle, an archetypal hussar officer, once remarked that "Any hussar who is not dead by the age of thirty is a blackguard."

French 5th Hussars

Polish Imperial Guard Lancers

Polish 1st Light Cavalry Regiment of the Imperial Guard, the famous ‘Polish Lancers’. Formed in 1807, the lancers took part in nearly every major campaign of the Napoleonic wars from the time of their formation until the battle of Waterloo in 1815. Perhaps their most famous action was on 30 November 1808 at the Somosierra Pass when squadrons from the regiment singlehandedly cleared the pass of 3,000 men and four batteries of Spanish cannon, clearing the road to Madrid for Napoleon and his army, an action which led to the regiment’s incorporation into the Old Guard. Initially equipped with sabres, the regiment acquired their lances following the battle of Wagram. So legend has it, during their heroic charge at Wagram the regiment took the lances of Schwarzenburg’s Uhlans and used them to great effect subsequently during the battle. So much so that Napoleon supposedly said "Give them these lances, if they can use them so well." These iconic Napoleonic cavalry are released in dynamic charging poses as befitting their many courageous actions throughout the period.

Polish Imperial Guard Lancers

Thomas Gunn

Glory of Rome

New releases Expected in April.

Thusnelda was the daughter of Segestes and the wife of Arminius who had led the revolt against the Romans leading to the massacre in the Teutoburg forest.

According to local folk lore Arminius had abducted Thusnelda from her fathers camp (who he had been in a long running dispute with), forced her to become his wife and also made her pregnant at the same time. Approximately a year after this event Thusnelda had managed to return to her fathers camp. Unfortunately for her the Roman General Germanicus was at her fathers camp and when he learned of her relationship with Arminius, took her back to Rome with him in triumph. When Thusnelda's son Thumelicus came of age, he was inducted into the Roman gladiator school and was killed in combat, the Romans finally had their revenge over Arminius.

Arminius was apparently distraught at the loss of his wife and son and never remarried. He himself was assassinated a few years later by members of his own tribe who felt he was becoming too powerful.

Our depiction of Thusnelda with a Roman sentry comes in the normal 3 shield versions and depicts her just after her capture and being made to kneel before Germanicus. A command tent and accessories will follow shortly to further enhance this diorama.

Glory of Rome -Thomas Gunn

Enemies of Rome

TG-Enemies of Rome

Australian - Matilda Tank

The long awaited Australian version of our Matilda. The Matilda was the only Allied tank to see service for the duration of WW2, from 1939 right through to 1945. It was designed as a heavy armour infantry support vehicle and provided much needed firepower for our boys on the ground.

This 1/30 scale model is admittedly more expensive than our previous German tanks, but it does come with 4 crew members and has another 20 additional parts compared to our Panzer 3. All of these things add to the manufacturing cost.

As such we only have 30 of each version available at present, the B and C versions (Ace and Ale) will follow shortly. If the demand is there we will make more.

The 'A' Version 'Apache' includes 4 tank crew with berets and bush hats that you can alternate as you wish.

D Version - includes 3 tank crew and decals to add as you wish. The 2 drivers wear headdress, the commander does not. You can make another version of 'Apache' with the decals supplied or source your own decals and make a version of your own choice.

The red lined fording markings have been added to all our Matilda as these were difficult to apply and were found on most Australian Matilda's, therefore we applied this end at the factory. to save any hassle your end

Thomas-Gunn-WWII-Europe-Allied

Indochina

Indochina

Very best regards from Mike & Myszka Hall and the Sierra Toy Soldier team - Alex, Cody and Sean.

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