Operation Anthropoid

Operation Anthropoid was the code name for the targeted killing of one of the Nazi regime's most infamous leaders, Reinhard Heydrich. He was chief of the Reich Main Security Office (RSHA), Protector of Bohemia and Moravia and one of the leading architects of the Final Solution

Some time ago, I confess I don't remember when exactly, K+C released a strictly limited set of figures depicting his assassination. I recently decided to display this set on a specially commissioned terrain base, and asked David Marshall over at TM Terrain to do the job for me

Well, yesterday I took a trip over to Loughborough and collected the finished terrain base. If you have looked at the blog recently you may have seen photos sent to me by Dave showing the finished piece. I have every faith in Dave's ability to pack things safely and securely, but I didn't fancy taking the risk of it getting damaged in any way in the post, so I decided to collect it in person

So, here it is, the finished piece in all its glory, complete with the K+C figure set, placed in position. The car isn't the right colour, and is undamaged, and I'm not sure how historically accurate Heydrich's uniform is either but, historical inaccuracies and uncertainties notwithstanding, it makes for quite a dramatic piece and I'm sure you'll agree that Dave's work sets it off very nicely indeed

 

The trees, shrubs and park fencing are all supplied by John Gittins, the lamp posts, tram lines and cobbled street sections are by Mini-Art, whilst the pavement section has been scratch built. The whole thing has been given a firm foundation by being based on MDF, and Dave has created a slight slope to the road, just like the real life one

The commissioned piece was based on one of the photographs taken of the site where the assassination was carried out, often referred to as Anthropoid Corner

The hairpin turn where the assassination attempt took place

Two pictures showing the damage done to the car Heydrich was travelling in, photographed where it came to rest just after the bend in the road

I don't intend to go on for too long about the historical details of the event in this post. If you've been inspired to find out more, then there is plenty of information available on Wikipedia and on the HRP website

Suffice to say, the two courageous men responsible for Heydrich's eventual death are remembered, and commemorated, as heroes in the Czech Republic, as are the unfortunate inhabitants of Lidice, the tiny village that bore the brunt of Nazi reprisals after Heydrich's death later in 1942

A memorial to the two assassins

A memorial to the murdered children of Lidice

I'm going to leave you with a few pictures of the completed diorama which now rests on the top shelf of the IKEA display cabinet reserved for it

Thanks Dave for all your hard work. I hope you like the finished results as much as I do