QUICK march! The military are massing in Tavistock. Rows of battle-ready soldiers, serried ranks of khaki-clad riflemen, buglers, scarlet-tuniced brigades from the Boer War and legions more are all camped out in Robin Fenner's auction rooms.

You can almost hear the crunch of polished boots on the parade ground as hundreds of diminutive figures appear to be steadily advancing across display shelves and cabinets.

'This is the largest collection I have ever seen — and one of the largest English collections to come on the market,' said Robin.

The items were bought during a lifetime of collecting by a retired head teacher from Cornwall and the hundreds of figures are estimated to be worth 'tens of thousands of pounds'.

Boxed sets of soldiers are worth between £150 and £1,200. Some individual figures are expected to fetch up to £250 each.

Robin said famous British makes such as Britains, Taylor and Barrett, Joe Hill and Charbens are featured from an 1819 figure to special editions up to the 1970s.

'Virtually every known British Infantry is represented in the collection from the Boer War to World War Two. '

As well as lead figures favoured by British manufacturers there are many examples of 'composition' models — sawdust and glue moulded around a metal armature — preferred by Continental companies such as Elastolin and Lineol.

'What makes these things so valuable is their age. Lead, like most metals, suffers the rigours of fatigue over a long period of time. So too, do composition models because they react to temperature and split.' said Robin.

There are also miniature manoeuvres with platoons of plastic soldiers — and an engagingly amusing collection of carved and painted 1850s toy Coldstream Guards from the 50s.

A close inspection of the ranks will reward the observant with glimpses of a number of military luminaries such as Churchill, Montgomery, Hitler, Goering, Franco and Mussolini. If you look even closer you might spot the unlikely images of Laurel and Hardy and Charlie Chaplin lurking incongrously among the war lords!

'The owner was more of a compulsive collector rather than a refined historian who collects a particular period of military history. He was fascinated by military figures pure and simple and bought them up until 1997,' said Robin.

As well as the military items there is also an impressive collection on the subject of monkeys which was built up by the head teacher's wife.

This ranges from 18th century Chinese jade to 1950s porcelain apes with prices ranging from £50 to £1,000.

The auction is on Monday, July 8.