World War II: The Australians in the Desert

If you're the British and you have to fight the Germans in North Africa, you might as well bring the tough descendants of that penal colony you started with you. That's right mate - the Australians of the 9th Australian division. This is my son Alex's Flames of War Army: based on the 9th Australian Division and elements of the British Desert Rats.

This is the fierce commander of the Austrailians, Captain Alexander "The Bruce" Reinwald (He's the one in the middle). Like most Aussies, he's so tough, he doesn't need a gun. Here he's shown throwing grenades at the Huns, or as it is more properly known as "Australian rules Baseball."

Crusader cruiser tanks lead the Aussie horde.

Troop commander Leftenant Bruce Higgins.

Another view of Leftenant Higgins.

Recon troops in Bren Carriers. That's Sergeant Bruce McDuff keeping an eye out for the Afrika Korps.

Leftenant Bruce "G'day" Brinkletter leading the recon troop.

"Bruce 1 this is Bruce 3 . . . are you Bruce 2?"

Lance Corporal Bruce Guiness on the left flank.

Two platoons of Aussies . . . not a pretty sight for the Afrika Korps . . . or for not any properly secured supplies in the British 8th Army.

First Leftenant Bruce "Rugby" Ball leads from the front.

Aussie infantry. That's Lance Corporal Bruce Campbell with the light mortar on the left.

Me mates: Bruce, Bruce, Bruce and that's Bruce with the Bren Machinegun.

Leftenant Bruce "Outback" Steakhouse leads the 2nd Platoon of Austrailians toward the British supply depot . . . I mean Germans.

More Aussies.

Valentine Infantry Tanks led by Colour Sergeant Bruce "Crocodile" Shorts.

Colour Sergeant Bruce Shorts calls in the attack.

"Go that way . . . they're having shrimp on the barbie!"

Anti-tanks of the Royal Artillery commanded by (wait for it) Captain Bruce "I'm really English" Thorpe-Gala Apple. Anti-tank guns destroyed more tanks in North Africa than any other type of weapon system.

17 pounder anti-tank gun. One of the best anti-tank guns in the world.

Limbers for the guns had the ammunition. Here L/Cpl Bruce McBruce gets another round of ammunition to use against the German panzers.

Lloyds Tractors. This is what pulled the guns and limbers.

Vickers Heavy Machine guns.

Sergeant Bruce "The Moose" Gibson aims carefully.