ANTHEADS - peterwhite

Lieutenant Peter White, K.O.S.B. 1944/45

A portrait of a real officer, Lt. Peter White, of the 4th Batt. Kings Own Scottish Borderers, a Territorial battalion which served with the 52nd Lowland Division. The reason I chose him was because I had just read his wonderful book about his service in Belgium, starting with the assault on Walcheren, then through Holland and Germany in the autumn and winter of 1944/45 : "With the Jocks" (Sutton Publishing ; paperback). Harrowing stuff, but the best account of an Infantry Officer's war in Europe I have read. He seemed the perfect subject for the junior officer I had long thought of making.

I first finished him in his parade uniform, after a photograph in the book showing a parade during the immediately post-war occupation of Germany:

He wears entirely typical Battledress, with the Tam O'Shanter worn by Scottish Regiments , and his webbing is smartly blancoed for the parade. This is straight from a contemporary picture.

Reconstructing his appearance in the field is harder, andI've followed all the clues he gives in the text.

Officially, officers were provided with their own type of equipment , which made them conspicuous to snipers, and any officer wishing to survive took steps to make himself blend in amongst his men. The KOSB wore the Windproof smock during this campaign , as is clear in his sketches. I've recoloured this to correct the camo on the DML version.

He carries a rifle, because it was reliable and accurate, and a mix of essential officer's items like the binoculars , compass and the mapcase, along with a universal pouch:~

His war took place during one of the worst winters recorded , most of it in a hole in the ground , hence the shovel.

His book is illustrated with his own quick sketches that enlivened his diary , which he kept despite regulations , and after surviving the war he became a successful artist .

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