Disclaimer- this Gruber family is not Swiss not were my ancestors but a lot of the family like the country a lot.
What prompted writing this post was a surprise raised as to why one would paint up WW2 Swiss…
As a result of being on family holidays to Switzerland l sought out and bought books on the Swiss Army.
These are just a selection of those l have. My interest in the Swiss takes in the Burgundian Wars, the Sonderbondeskreig , WW1 and 2 and beyond, not to mention the Napoleonic period - because I saw monuments in the Alps on family holidays.
These were bought in Interlaken in a wee tobacconist/ stationers. They are Elastolin, composition material and are Swiss soldiers circa 1970.
They are my pride and joy and sit on the bookshelves. My father , seeing my liking for these and the modern plastic 40mm Elastolin used to periodically buy me figures from an importer who published a typed list of figures he sold. These came through the post in wee grey boxes , containing tissue wrapped toys.
I am using this chap as a guide for painting my 28mm resin figures.
Circa 1947 my father went on a coach tour to Switzerland. The house had musical boxes and wooden figures he returned with. After my mother’s death whilst clearing out her house l found this scrapbook with hand drawn maps, photos and writing by my father - an account of the holiday.
The coach company brochure from the aforementioned scrapbook.
My uncle and cousins go regularly to Switzerland for summer or winter family holidays. I last went in my early twenties with my parents and particularly enjoyed the National Museum in Zurich where l went for a day trip by train.
I have much more Swiss material on my blog - http://armyredwhite.blogspot.com/
Some photos from it-
The soldier in the top photo holding the bazooka thingy reminds me of Terry Scott…
I collected a 54mm 1914 Swiss army for the Little Wars Centenary game organised by Paul Wright. I posted it to the wrong address ( to save me carrying it on the train) so it never took part in the celebrations. I did get it back later and enjoyed the Centenary toy soldier jamboree with a borrowed army.
Finally just to say do read up some Swiss military history, it is fascinating. Who knows you might paint up some Swiss figures of your own…
Intereresting theme. Switzerland is a beautiful country and well worth to visit. I've usually visited Switzerland with my friends from my Model Railway Club as we have been there for railway journeys, or while visiting some Model Railway exhibitions near by. Several of my friends run Swiss trains in the garden, and I seems to be the exception. It's a lot of Intereresting narrow gauge railways in Switzerland. I must try to visit some of their military museums too while being there sometimes. Interesting blog. I added it to my blog-list on my own.
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