The term warfare might bring thoughts of the Spartans, Hannibal, or Napoleon’s last stand at Waterloo. Since end of the Seventeenth century and the era of global conflict, warfare decisive battle space has always been the world’s oceans. The nation that controls the seas can guide the fate of the planet. The Napoleonic wave which crushed all between 1803-1811 finally broke when the English Navy protected the English Channel and therefore the English homeland. Many tales are told of the horrors of the Western front in World War I and rightly so, but when trench lines reached the North sea in 1914, the fight for dominance continued between the German and English Navies. The battle for North Sea was mostly a stalemate, but that stalemate kept Central Powers isolated on the territory they controlled. This isolation eventually led to the inability of the German Army to take the offensive. Again in World War Two, the NAZI’s dominance of land combat in the early days was overwhelming. The British, and later the American Navies, control of the sea protected Great Britain from invasion and allowed the Allies time to reorganize, rearm, and counterattack. In all three of these famous conflicts, the control of the oceans was key to victory. Seas are controlled by warships, but warships are only as effective as their sailors. The British Navy could proudly claim the best sailors in the world for several decades. These sailors were known as Jack Tars. The United States of America’s Navy would become larger and more powerful as the nation grew. The marines of the United States Navy would earn the nickname Leathernecks. Originally derived from high and hard leather collar they would wear in combat to protect them from sword slashes to the neck. The term came to encapsulate the demeanor of these hard men doing a tough job for their country. To honor and remember the great sailors of the past, WBritain has introduced the Jack Tars and Leathernecks series. Trains and Toy Soldiers is proud to present to you these proud warriors from the World Wars. Helping you find the right collectible military miniature for you is our mission and our pleasure, please email or call if we can be on any assistance.