I'm still trying to develop my Frozen Spring TL although not making much progress, for a range of complicated reasons. However here's the position on which I want thoughts. Some of these I've raised before, but the emphasis is changing. As a reminder the POD is a mismanaged military response to a coal strike in South Wales in 1910 leading to many deaths.
By 1914 Britain is struggling to control waves of political and industrial unrest. This has led to the need to recall regiments of the Army from India, Malta and South Africa after attempts to use the Territorials against strikers led to widespread mutinies. In Ireland both Republicans and Loyalists have armed themselves with covert support from Germany. Suffragist violence is also growing (much as in OTL where only chance prevented much more serious outcomes) and there are disturbing signs of alliances between some parts of the suffrage movement with workers and between some parts of the labour movement and some of the Irish. Independence movements also gain strength in Scotland and Wales, with some signs that they might begin to work together with some Irish groups - not necessarily those talking to the Labour movement!
Faced with this the Civilian Force (a real group which fizzled out) gains much greater strength, allies itself with Loyalists in Ireland and obtains some of their weapons, growing in the process into a strong para-military and proto-fascist organisation offering support to the employers in industrial disputes - with predictable results.
In an attempt to defuse all this there is a Constitutional Conference in early 1914 but this is mismanaged from the outset and for a while only makes matters worse.
By the time of the Balkan Crisis Britain is desperately trying to keep a lid on matters at home and does not send the BEF to France at the outbreak of war. German forces head for the coast and are allowed to take Paris, (much as in WW2) although they bog down before getting much further.
My question, finally is this. Given German occupation of Paris and a portion of the Channel Coast and assuming Britain gets its act together by early 1915 (probably in part on the back of some promise of Home Rule All Round), what would be the best way to get British ground forces into play. I'm assuming opposed landings are not feasible. In OTL Empire forces from India landed in the south of France and moved north I think by November 1914 but certainly in 1915 and nothing has happened to change this. In fact it could be earlier, if troops were already on their way to Britain at the time. On the French Channel coast though I'm not sure, and ports on the Atlantic coast would mean long sea journeys and so a long time to build up forces. They might be a destination for Canadian forces I suppose.
There also seem to be two outcomes with respect to Germany. First we might be more willing to do a deal in order to get back to dealing with matters at home. Second is that the war might be extended because it would be harder to dislodge Germany from occupied France. In this case it could overlap, even merge into the Russian Revolution and perhaps give rise to a much more extended Allied Intervention in Russia (perhaps even with German support)
Thoughts please?
By 1914 Britain is struggling to control waves of political and industrial unrest. This has led to the need to recall regiments of the Army from India, Malta and South Africa after attempts to use the Territorials against strikers led to widespread mutinies. In Ireland both Republicans and Loyalists have armed themselves with covert support from Germany. Suffragist violence is also growing (much as in OTL where only chance prevented much more serious outcomes) and there are disturbing signs of alliances between some parts of the suffrage movement with workers and between some parts of the labour movement and some of the Irish. Independence movements also gain strength in Scotland and Wales, with some signs that they might begin to work together with some Irish groups - not necessarily those talking to the Labour movement!
Faced with this the Civilian Force (a real group which fizzled out) gains much greater strength, allies itself with Loyalists in Ireland and obtains some of their weapons, growing in the process into a strong para-military and proto-fascist organisation offering support to the employers in industrial disputes - with predictable results.
In an attempt to defuse all this there is a Constitutional Conference in early 1914 but this is mismanaged from the outset and for a while only makes matters worse.
By the time of the Balkan Crisis Britain is desperately trying to keep a lid on matters at home and does not send the BEF to France at the outbreak of war. German forces head for the coast and are allowed to take Paris, (much as in WW2) although they bog down before getting much further.
My question, finally is this. Given German occupation of Paris and a portion of the Channel Coast and assuming Britain gets its act together by early 1915 (probably in part on the back of some promise of Home Rule All Round), what would be the best way to get British ground forces into play. I'm assuming opposed landings are not feasible. In OTL Empire forces from India landed in the south of France and moved north I think by November 1914 but certainly in 1915 and nothing has happened to change this. In fact it could be earlier, if troops were already on their way to Britain at the time. On the French Channel coast though I'm not sure, and ports on the Atlantic coast would mean long sea journeys and so a long time to build up forces. They might be a destination for Canadian forces I suppose.
There also seem to be two outcomes with respect to Germany. First we might be more willing to do a deal in order to get back to dealing with matters at home. Second is that the war might be extended because it would be harder to dislodge Germany from occupied France. In this case it could overlap, even merge into the Russian Revolution and perhaps give rise to a much more extended Allied Intervention in Russia (perhaps even with German support)
Thoughts please?
