British Army (Late 1917 Pattern) WWI – Custom Printed Brick Block Figure

this image showcases a stunning trio of Custom Printed Brick Block Figures.

Together, they represent the exhausted but resilient ranks of the British Army during the grueling later years of World War I on the Western Front. Heavily inspired by the main characters from the acclaimed World War I film 1917, this set perfectly captures the distinct uniform variations and heavy burdens carried by different ranks in the trenches.

Here is a detailed, one-by-one breakdown of each character from left to right:

Individual Character Identifications

1. Left Figure: British Infantryman (Alert Gas Mask Variant)

• Specific Name: WWI British Lance Corporal (Historically styled as Blake)

• Facial Features: He features a youthful, determined expression with a subtle military mustache, capturing the spirit of the young volunteers.

• Uniform & Insignia: He wears the standard Khaki Service Dress tunic. His left sleeve features a single black chevron, designating the rank of Lance Corporal, topped with a red divisional cloth patch.

• Tactical Gear: The defining feature of this specific figure is the tan canvas pouch worn high and center on his chest. This is the Small Box Respirator (SBR) satchel, worn in the mandatory “alert” position so the gas mask could be deployed instantly during a chemical attack.

2. Middle Figure: British Infantryman (Standard Webbing Variant)

• Specific Name: WWI British Lance Corporal (Historically styled as Schofield)

• Facial Features: He sports a weary, resolute expression with a distinct printed dirt smear or battle scar on his left cheek, representing a veteran pushed to his limits.

• Uniform & Insignia: He also wears the Khaki Service Dress and shares the same Lance Corporal single chevron and red patch on his left arm.

• Tactical Gear: Unlike the left figure, his chest is dominated by the legendary Pattern 1908 Web Infantry Equipment. This woven cotton webbing features highly detailed, multi-pocketed ammunition pouches designed to hold stripper clips for the Lee-Enfield rifle.

3. Right Figure: British Commander (Officer Variant)

• Specific Name: WWI British Army Commander (Historically styled as Colonel Mackenzie)

• Facial Features: He features an authoritative, commanding expression with a thick military mustache and a battle scar, denoting years of frontline leadership.

• Uniform & Insignia: Distinguishing him from the enlisted men, his Khaki tunic features an open collar with a black shirt and tie underneath—the signature style of a British officer. His shoulders bear officer rank insignias (pips and crowns), and a colorful ribbon bar rests on his left chest.

• Tactical Gear: He wears the mandatory officer’s Sam Browne leather belt system. This brown leather diagonal cross-strap supports a prominent leather pistol holster on his right hip, highlighting his role as a commander rather than a rifleman.

Shared Features & Historical Background: The Realities of 1917

This collection perfectly encapsulates the technological and environmental realities of the British soldier by the third year of the Great War.

• The Mk I “Brodie” Helmet: All three figures wear the iconic olive-green Brodie Helmet. Often called the “tin hat,” its wide-brimmed steel design was engineered specifically to protect soldiers in deep trenches from shrapnel raining down from air-bursting artillery shells.

• The Mud of Flanders: A crucial detail unifying this collection is the heavy, 360-degree mud weathering printed on the lower legs, puttees (leg wraps), and boots of all three figures. By 1917, relentless artillery had destroyed the drainage systems of the battlefields, turning areas like Passchendaele and the Somme into inescapable, knee-deep swamps of thick brown sludge.

• The Burden of War: The contrast between the heavily burdened enlisted men (left and middle) and the officer (right) highlights the tactical reality. “Tommies” were essentially pack animals carrying immense weight in their web gear, while officers were equipped primarily to direct assaults and defend themselves at close range with sidearms.