Please excuse the "macho fairy lights" in the title but this one is a bit ... er "far-fetched".
Reality Bites ! Seventy years ago - this week - the well documented battle for Arnhem bridge came to an end.

Lesser known is the story further South at Nijmegen. There, the British 30th Corps fragile supply line ('The Corridor'), was repeatedly cut by enemy attacks / reatreating units. Worse off were the troops (including the Guards Armoured Division) that found themselves lodged on the Northern bank of the river Waal. This bridgehead became known as The Island.

Napoleon once said "An army marches on it's stomach", so I guess you could say that around this time belts were getting tight !!

Right then, all sitting comfortably ... then I'll begin

Once upon a time, twixt the goodly Blue Island and the wicked castle of s'Hertogenbosch, lay the beautiful town of Oss. Within it's magnificent walls lay the three great laagers of 'King Adolf the Nasty'. Two of these fabulous stores were richly stocked to the hilt with tinned food, bacon, meats and Bols Gin. The third was crammed to bursting point with sugar, cigars and brandy etc.
Then on the 20th, the Good King's own Household Cavalry - with much chomping of their bits - charged Westwards down the yellow brick road to Oss and 'rescued' many of these fantastic little treasures - right under the very noses of the dark knights.

They returned with sumptuous cargo and tales a' plenty of  great adventure, so was born the legend of the Magical Kingdom of Oss. The rumor was whisperd to so many ears, that even the 'Grand Prince' Adair's own fine troop received the news. Off they went like 'Meteor's' upon their fine Cromwell steeds to Wonderland.

Upon arrival, they at once proceded to knocketh the seven bells out of the foe. Shortly thereafter and with eyeballs as large as chapel hat pegs, did our happy band begin to plunder the ogre's lair. Then with all 'breadbaskets' and 'chargers' packed full they trotted home, even bringing back with them some prisoners ... albeit Bakers. Henceforth the diet plan did cease and the sound of vast eating and other strange 'tones' were to be heard throughout the freed lands.

... and so ends my version of 'The Wizard of Oz'. Ok, I did jazz my story up a bit - Merlin (the tanks name) is in another yarn and the crew do look as though they had visited a fancy dress shop, but knowing the OLD British love of 'acting the prawn' and being able to laugh at oneself, I thought that a flight of fantasy would be more than fitting for this Dio.

At Arnhem, the Germans were living off allied rations as they controlled the drop zones. I thought I'd put the shoe (or clog) on the other foot here.

You may well see some differences between the stageing pictures and completion, but that's  Dio building I'm afraid ...  last minute changes though are the exeption and not the rule, at least for me.

So, that's about all I can 'counjour-up' this month, oh and before I 'click my heels', I did state at the beginning that this was a bit 'far -fetched'. From Oss to 'The Island' is about 40 kms ... some distance to go for a Take-Away !! Still, twisting the enemy's arm to pick up the restraunt tab is what I call ... M-A-G-I-C !!                                     

Completed: September/ 2014

Stage 1

Stage 2

Stage 3

Stage 4