A magnificent diorama from modelling friend Michel Zeller and his stunning work on "Operation Lightfoot" 'Lightfoot' was the British first phase of the 2nd Battle of El Alamein from the 23rd to the 26th of October 1942. As such, this first phase was the 'dogfight' element of a battle which in its entirety lasted from 23 rd of October to 3rd November 1942.
I don’t mind the modelling - perfect little vignette that it is - but I feel the title is inappropriate. Lightfoot was indeed the first phase of the battle of El Alamein; largely an infantry penetration of extensive Axis minefields (hence the bittersweet name of “Lightfoot”) but there is nothing here to exemplify any of that. What is depicted apparently is an LRDG/SAS patrol checking in or RVing with a CP somewhere, or so it seems to me. Perhaps a title of “SAS/LRDG in the Western Desert c.1942” would have been better.
That is not to disparage the modelling at all; as I’ve acknowledged, a lovely little scene - proof again that in small scale it’s so much easier to tell a story - (just not that of Lightfoot!)