In this post I mentioned that the Attestation papers which appear on the table were real ones and that they had been scaled down and printed. What I failed to say was that they were my Great Grandfather’s Attestation papers. I am also reminded that I need to take some photo’s of this model again with a stately home background. My winter projects are beginning to mount up!
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“It Will All Be Over By Christmas” – WW1 28mm Diorama (Part 2)
A little narrative on the completed diorama, images of which appear below.
Following the declaration of war with Germany a patriotic call to arms led to mass recruitment the length and breadth of the country. Recruitment centres were set up just about anywhere with lengthy queues forming outside town and village halls as well as on the open streets. My diorama is set in the grounds of a modest stately home with men queuing along the pathway outside the main gates.
A few observations regarding the construction of the diorama. The recruitment posters are all real posters which were downloaded images appropriately resized. The table was made from match sticks and the red, white and blue bunting from paper. The railings were constructed using wire mesh and simply cutting away pieces here and there. The paper forms on the table are real Attestation papers printed and downsized. The tree was another wire tree constructed along the same lines as others I have done and which I have covered in past posts. The shrubs and bushes were constructed using seafoam and leaves from Noch. The grass edging was constructed using twisted wire to replicate Victorian rope tiled edging often used in grand buildings of the day.
The figures are all commercial 28mm figures from various suppliers and are without any modifications.
Although I’m not creating my WW1 models in the sequence of the timeline I am hoping to create this particular model will be number two in the sequence and is the natural follow on from my “War Declared” vignette which I recently posted.
Images of the completed diorama are below.
TIM
The Imperfect Modeller 
Another awesome one Dave. My Grandfather joined up on his 18th birthday after walking 12 miles to do so. He was gassed at Ypres, but survived and came home to work in the mines… that finished off what the gas had started.
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Thanks Steve. Sad about your Grandfather, tough times back then for sure.
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Definitely was, at least he had a job to go back to
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Always liked this one, so nice to see it again, especially with the added note about your granddad! 🙂
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Thanks John.
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Very nice- had a great- great- uncle gassed at Ypres/ Passendaele… he survived luckily.
Cheers,
Pete.
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One of the lucky ones Pete but I suspect like others he saw things differently after it was all over.
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Ah yes remember this one well. Every time I see your Monday post pop up I sing… “Just another manic Monday whooaaa awhoooa”
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A lovely piece on so many levels. I love all of the tiny little details.
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Cheers mate. It is a few years old now but still one of my favourites.
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Great to see this again. Ditto on what John said. Had not heard of attestation forms before – we call them enlistment forms I guess. Love the melancholy feel of this – gives the feeling that the world would never be the same.
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Thanks Mark, glad you still like it second time around. 😊
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I’m surprised I missed this one Dave ,really well done as usual mate, you certainly have a way with producing great away from the front dios ,another one that gave me that lump in the throat feeling.
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Thanks Pat. It’s one of my WW1 favourites and a little different too.
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It really is a great scene and it depicts something that was really common during the Great War but is often overlooked as a subject in modeling. I know that is one of your goals in making these dioramas so I’d say this is a job well done!
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Thank you.
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