The Sun Rises Yet Again
Chapter 23: The New British Grenadiers
April 18, 1926
Today is the the day of Edward and Helen's wedding. The news, although sudden, was widely accepted by her family. At the wedding is King George, Queen Elisabeth, his younger brother Paul, his sisters Irene and Katherine as well as their mother Sophia. Albert, Elizabeth, and their daughter, Prince George, Prince Henry, and Princess Mary and their families are also in attendance. Prince Andrew, Princess Alice, and their children. Mosley and Cynthia are also there. Albert is Edward's best man while Helen's sister Irene is the bridesmaid. A total of 2,000 people or so are in attendance.
The two have prepared for several days for this. They walk down the aisle, in all the pomp and ceremony expected. The priest reads their vows, and they both accept, kissing. The crowd cheers and they head out for further celebration. The party continues into the moonless night. Mosley actually stands and walks somewhat for the first time since January. Eventually they disperse and relax for the night. Britain had a gained a new Queen and a new Princess in 1926. King Edward VIII shall be crowned on January 1st next year, soon after his return.
In the following days, Mosley gets the posters from Risdon and approves them, soon they will enter into the public eye. The "Buy British" campaign would soon begin. He establishes the new bureau, the Institute for Internal Integrity with Basil Thomson as its head, with over 80 members. Kell said he would be happy to work with Thomson in order to I3 get on its feet.
Fuller told Mosley that the new shock troops of the British Army were ready for their demonstration. They were still green, but they showed promise and were already able to compete with the average soldier. Fuller said that it would take place at the Strensall Camp, as the training facility Fuller and co. had designed for them, the Brudenell Military Academy, was still under construction. Fuller still had not told him the name of the unit. As he is driven there he wonders if their performance will meet expectations. He reaches Strensall, Fuller and several other officers waiting in the rain.
J. F. C. Fuller
"Hello Your Excellency!"
Oswald Mosley
"Greetings Fuller, I am eager to see how your men will perform today."
J. F. C. Fuller
"I assure you Your Excellency, they will prove their value."
They walk into the field where a company of around 240 men in uniform stand at attention in the rain, behind them an obstacle course built for the occasion. Mosley and the others move to sit down, Fuller moves up to them and calls over their their commanding officer. He tells him to start the demonstration. He salutes Fuller and moves swiftly to the front of them and screams at them to turn around and head through the obstacle course. They move with lightning speed and dart for the course, the CO following them into it. Fuller hands Mosley an umbrella and invites him to view the men. Mosley takes the umbrella and walks with Fuller and others to view them. He is impressed by the speed and unceasing movement through the course, crawling under barbed wire, scaling walls, and other physical challenges. One of the younger men, 19 at most, falls over, another soldier moves to help him up and they continue through. Eventually, they exit the course and stand in rank in front of Fuller and Mosley, with their CO coming to the front.
J. F. C. Fuller
"You've impressed me Vaughan, I even think you impressed the Prime Minister here."
Charles Edward Vaughan
"Thank you Sir. It is an honor to serve you and Sir Mosley."
Oswald Mosley
"I'm not a Sir yet Mr. Vaughan."
Charles Edward Vaughan
"My mistake Your Excellency."
J. F. C. Fuller
"It's fine. Vaughan, show him how you boys train."
Charles Edward Vaughan
"Yes Sir. Men! Let's show them how we operate."
The men give a hearty "Sir, yes, Sir!" and move to sparring in groups of two. Vaughan calls a man named Campbell and tells him to spar with him. They all fight ferociously, throwing kicks and punches, grabbing and pulling at anything they can get, choking and even spitting in each other's faces. After several minutes Fuller orders them to stop and most do so instantly, with a few stragglers having to be chewed out for their failure. The rain has just stopped and the Sun will be coming out soon.
J. F. C. Fuller
"Splendid job boys, you displayed the ferocity I want to see in you. When you're in a fist fight, there's no time for honour or chivalry, it's life or death. No man ever won a war by dying for his country, he won it by making the enemy die for his. Do you understand?"
They give a "Sir, yes, Sir" in response.
J. F. C. Fuller
"Good, now I want you to head to the bayonet training area and show us that ferocity you've got."
They walk to the area and grab the rifles and bayonets, affix them, and stand ready.
J. F. C. Fuller
"First things first, you are going to take turns charging at those 20 sacks over there. We will only continue once all 240 of you have demonstrated a proper charge."
The first line of men gathers, Vaughan in the center, and they prepare to charge.
J. F. C. Fuller
"On the count of 5, you charge, do you understand?"
"Sir, yes, Sir" they respond.
J. F. C. Fuller
"One!"
They grip their rifles, take deep breaths, and prepare to give it their all.
J. F. C. Fuller
"Two!"
They steel themselves, eager to prove themselves. Anxious to mess up.
J. F. C. Fuller
"Charge!"
The men spend a split second in confusion but then move to strike and with all their force impale the sack.
J. F. C. Fuller
"You must always be prepared to act sooner or later than expected. Do not take anything for granted. On the battlefield, everything is a variable and you can go from being on top of the world to down in the mud in a moment."
The men nod in acknowledgment. The next row comes up.
J. F. C. Fuller
"Same as before on the count of 5, you charge."
The men ready as the last did.
J. F. C. Fuller
"One!"
They get anxious.
J. F. C. Fuller
"Two!"
Mosley looks on, focused on them.
J. F. C. Fuller
"Three!"
Several of the men charge prematurely but stop once they realize the others aren't.
J. F. C. Fuller
"That is another lesson. Do not jump the gun, You must be prepared to act exactly when expected. Expect the expected and unexpected. You four, back of the line, you're gonna have to go again."
The soldiers rush back in embarrassment. The exercise continues, with Fuller continuing to randomize when tells them to charge in order to keep their wits quick. After all have charged they reassemble and are ordered to begin sparring with the bayonets and demonstrate adequate ability to fight someone with a bayonet. When done they once again form up.
J. F. C. Fuller
"Now that you've demonstrated your physical abilities, it's time you showed us your ability to be covert. You are elite troops. Sometimes you will have infiltrate places for reconnaissance, a better position to attack from, or to ambush the enemy. Now obviously when your sneaking about, you can't go shooting people otherwise you make noise. And you can't just stab people normally cause then they'll scream and you've got the same problem. What you need to do is to prevent them from making noise and taking them out as quickly and quietly as possible. Have any of you boys worked on a farm?"
A dozen or so of them raise their hands.
J. F. C. Fuller
"Good, then you should know this. The best way to do this is to sneak behind the enemy, prevent them from screaming by clasping their mouth shut with your one hand, drag them back with it, and use the knife in your other hand to slit their throat, all the way."
Some of the younger men flinch at the thought.
J. F. C. Fuller
"In order to show you can do this, you're going to pair up into groups of two and take turns doing it to each other, minus actually slitting their throat."
The men move into position, a cameraman Mosley bought with him takes a picture of two of the pairs since the lighting is good. After they've all demonstrated they can properly cover the mouth and hold it as well as drag it back and get the knife to it, they stop. They do several other things to demonstrate their abilities and their determination. Fuller orders them back into file.
J. F. C. Fuller
"Men, what are you?!"
"We are warriors! We are killers! We are soldiers! We are servants to Mother Britannia!" they say in unison.
J. F. C. Fuller
"When you head into battle, what name will the enemy, trembling in fear, cry out?!"
"The British Grenadiers!" they say with pride and conviction. Mosley smiles and looks to Fuller.
Oswald Mosley
"You've done well Fuller. It is a better name than I could ever hope to come up with."
J. F. C. Fuller
"I thought you would appreciate it. Grenadiers, you are dismissed!"
They quickly return to their barracks to shower and eat.
Oswald Mosley
"I am proud of the men you have shown me today Fuller, and in such short notice as well. I have great confidence they will make Britain proud. With time, something we luckily have, they will grow into a force greater than our enemies could ever hope to overcome."
J. F. C. Fuller
"I wholeheartedly agree. Good day Your Excellency."
Oswald Mosley
"Good day to you as well."
In the days following, Mosley manages to pass several bills in Parliament to increase protectionist measures against non-allied countries as well as bring the recovery experienced by South England to the North, Wales, and Scotland. This combined with the soon to come "Buy British" campaign would further drive the British economy to higher heights that would help fuel the war machine. It would also help increase the population as prosperous people are more likely to have kids. Mosley is eager to see the performance of these new British Grenadiers and the rest of Britain's developing special forces in the upcoming war against the Ottomans. The British spirit is indomitable.
Several of the New British Grenadiers Training in Infiltration Tactics, 1926
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Several "Buy British" Posters Which Encourage Britons to Engage In Protectionism For the Nation and Each Other, 1926
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Several Vickers Claudius II Tanks During Manoeuvres At Bovington, Dorset. They Are Far Faster, Stronger, and More Dangerous Compared to the Inferior Claudius I, 1926
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