Oaths of Allegiance

21/08/2026

I always thought a SMLE No 1 was long until I saw the length of A WW1 German Gewehr 98. Now available for all you WW1 enthusiasts.

20/08/2026

AK47 model kit assembly video. I have enough problems trying to get the tech to interpret Mike's audio, I'm not even attempting to sort out Russian Den Comrade Ski. 😆🥹

19/08/2026

KS-1 variant was adopted as the L403A1-AIW. The latest 1:1 scale addition to the 762mm collection.

13/08/2026

In case you didn't know, for the Memorial Poppies, because it's not feasible for us to list every single cap badge separately, we have a "Cap badge Not Listed" option. So if there's a badge you want and you can't find it as a separate item, we will be able to do it - just order from this link. And please don't take it personally if yours isn't listed separately!

Custom British Military Memorial Poppy Display – Your Regiment or Corps Badge Product DescriptionNot every story fits neatly into a list. This Custom British Military Memorial Poppy Display has been created for those whose regiment, corps, or service badge is not yet shown in our standard collecti...

12/08/2026

Whatever happened to the proper tin of chocolates?

I finally gave in to the temptation of the large piles of Roses and Quality Street chocolates Tesco have, pretending they’re doing me a favour by reducing them from £7.

Now, I live in the world of the enormous tins of Quality Street and Roses that appeared only at Christmas. I’ve meticulously researched this ( i.e. I asked ChatGPT) and it turns out they actually were enormous. Around 1980, you could buy a 2.5 kg tin of Quality Street versus today's standard Quality Street tub of 550g. 550G! That’s 1lb of chocolates versus 5lbs of chocolate.

And they used to come in a proper metal tin built to survive house moves and the collapse of civilisation. I’ve still got two of those tins in my garage. Needles with a bit of black thread in them ready, screws, unidentifiable batteries, receipts from 5 years ago and a set of mysterious keys that nobody dared throw away in case they were important.

So not only did we lose 4lbs of chocolate, we lost a perfectly good storage tin as well. So, having been cheated out of all that chocolate, there’s only one thing to do.

I’m away off down to Tesco to buy another 4 tubs to make up for it.

02/08/2026

We don't often post about people or events which don't have an immediately obvious connection, but today, I wanted to draw your attention to a truly remarkable person who the world has just lost and there's a good chance you've never heard of him.

Nirmal "Nims" Purja MBE was a soldier, mountaineer and humanitarian whose life showed what determination, courage and service to others can achieve.

Nims first earned a place in the Brigade of Gurkhas, which is an achievement in itself. Every year, thousands of young Nepali men compete for only a handful of places, making Gurkha selection one of the most demanding military recruitment processes in the world.

He then went even further, becoming the first Gurkha ever to pass selection for the SBS, one of the toughest military selection courses anywhere. For most people, that would have been enough - but for Nims, it was only the beginning.

After leaving military service, he turned his attention to the mountains, completing all 14 of the world's 8,000-metre peaks in just 6 months and 6 days, beating previous records by years and re-writing mountaineering history. He also helped lead the first successful winter ascent of K2, long regarded as one of the greatest remaining challenges in high-altitude climbing. On more than one occasion, he put his own ambitions aside to rescue fellow climbers, never prioritising personal glory.

His commitment to service continued through the **Nimsdai Foundation**, supporting education, disaster relief, environmental projects and opportunities for others to achieve what once seemed impossible.

Nirmal Purja's life reminds us that true greatness is not measured solely by personal achievement, but by lifting others along the way. We also remember his climbing partner, the local guides, and every member of the expedition who lost their lives.

We're sorry we never got to know you, Nims, but may you and your colleagues rest easy.

31/07/2026

On 1 August 1759, British infantry fought at the Battle of Minden. Tradition tells that soldiers picked roses from the hedgerows before advancing into battle, and many successor regiments still wear the Minden Rose with pride today.

To all those marking Minden Day, we wish you a proud and memorable day.

of WalessRoyal Regiment

25/07/2026

Rifle Stands

I can't leave him alone for one day....this time it's rifle stands. And yes, they're on the shop now, link in comments below. 🤷‍♀️😆

22/07/2026

Graduation season is upon us, including at AFC Harrogate next month. Congratulations to every Junior Soldier preparing to march onto the square this August, and to the families who've supported them every step of the way.

It's (ahem) 45 years since I passed off, and apparently mine was the biggest parade next to the Trooping of the Colour there were so many of us, all under the eagle eye of Drill Sergeant Fox, Coldstream Guards.

We trooped between the rest of the regiment to the tune of Auld Lang Syne - you can imagine the under their breath comments we got which is why I won't be including them here!!

https://www.oathsofallegiance.co.uk/post/afc-harrogate-graduation

Army Foundation College Harrogate Graduation celebrates months of dedication, determination and military training. Find out what Junior Soldiers experience, what comes next after graduation, and why this unforgettable day becomes a milestone remembered by families for years to come

14/07/2026

Just a look at a small selection of the 1:1 scale model kits we have available on 762mm.co.uk