Robert, Lord Willoughby

This is a vignette of the English commander, Robert Lord Willoughby, who’s noted in the accounts of Cravant for vigorously leading the successful attack over the bridge, possibly to directly engage the Scots.

Lord Willoughby was from an established landowning family with estates in Lincolnshire and East Anglia and was already an experienced captain in English armies in France by 1423. He can first be found in the Soldier in Later Medieval England database fighting in the Agincourt campaign. In 1417 he was a captain indentured to Humphrey duke of Gloucester’s forces which captured Bayeux and Lisieux and in the same year was made a Knight of the Garter. In 1424 he was at the English victory at Verneuil. He continued for many years to campaign in France and was an integral part of the English occupation, being closely involved in the Lancastrian government. In 1430 he was present at the coronation of Henry VI in Paris and two years later he was appointed King’s Lieutenant in Lower Normandy. His last active campaign appears to be in 1437. He died at the age of sixty seven in 1452.

The figures are Perry AO Range – the Willougby figure is from the French command pack and has had the cast-on heraldry removed. These have been painted by me using my usual layered approach (no short cuts on these). I’ve purposely used washes a little more on these, particularly on the plate armour, inspired by Stuart’s excellent painting guide for his Landsknechts and I’m happy with the results. The flag was purchased from GMB.

The post is homemade and bears the arms of Cravant town, with a declaration for the town to surrender to the French king pinned to it, made from a thin foil tomato paste tube. Fencing is cut down Renedra, bent into a slight curve to match the round base. Original plan was to add this post to the Willoughby base, but then thought that having them separate was a better idea.

If time allows I will make a gaming base for Lord Willoughby, to lead the attack over the bridge… but that’s a “desirable to-do” at this moment in time.