28 Days Later - Death of a Nation
- Thread starter kspence92
- Start date
We have debated this before, but the Rage virus is not getting off the UK.
Anything from the UK 28 days or even 28 weeks later is getting sunk/shot down or if it lands or makes the beach whatever is in it is getting shot/set on fire before anyone goes near.
The paranoia about the deadly Rage virus reaching population centres in Europe is such that the UN put a total quarantine on the UK during the crisis. They where sinking boats of healthy people and shooting stuff down - do you think they are going to get a laspe on that anytime before NATO declares the whole island safe? Nope. Refugee crisis or not, nothing gets out of the UK.
Once the news of the Isle of Dogs outbreak happens- and it will immediately, France etc are watching the skies and the beaches.
Europe does not fall.
Anything from the UK 28 days or even 28 weeks later is getting sunk/shot down or if it lands or makes the beach whatever is in it is getting shot/set on fire before anyone goes near.
The paranoia about the deadly Rage virus reaching population centres in Europe is such that the UN put a total quarantine on the UK during the crisis. They where sinking boats of healthy people and shooting stuff down - do you think they are going to get a laspe on that anytime before NATO declares the whole island safe? Nope. Refugee crisis or not, nothing gets out of the UK.
Once the news of the Isle of Dogs outbreak happens- and it will immediately, France etc are watching the skies and the beaches.
Europe does not fall.
If 28 Days Later really did happen, I also wouldn't think it would move over to mainland Europe, though, it's a small possibility.
Some Facebook comments on CNN's post: Europe marks the 20th anniversary of the Rage Virus epidemic that destroyed the continent.
"I was only five when the Rage Virus epidemic broke out in May 2002. I only turned 6 in November. I don't recall much of it, being only in kindergarten at that time. My world was mostly Cartoon Network and Nick Jr. I only knew more of the Rage Virus outbreak when I was in high school. Our Biology and History books taught about it. Once I learned the true nature of the infected, I was terrified. I couldn't imagine my friends and family turning into foaming, red-eyed homicidal beings intent on killing or spreading the virus. 20 years later, I'm just glad it never reached the Philippines. I can never imagine seeing my beloved town of Tubigon, much less Bohol, or even the entire Philippines turned into a bloodbath. I guess its fair to say our archipelagic geography would have protected us either way."
- Thea Rose Rizaldo (26), from Tubigon, Bohol, Philippines
"My mum and dad were one of the first people to take the first flight into France when the virus hit Cambridge. I was only six back then. I was scared that the monsters will get to us first. Thankfully, my parents were fast enough to get out of Britain fast. My six year old self thought we were on a long holiday in Calais. We stayed in the refugee camp in the region that also housed several people from Africa and the Middle East that wanted to live in Britain. They sympathized with us, along with the French, but there were also some French who wanted us out because they could not feed us all. Once we learned that the monsters were dying, we were told that the government would allow us to resettle back home. However, my parents knew it was a lost cause since the Rage virus destroyed our town. Even some of my cousins, uncles, and aunts did not make it. My parents applied for refugee status at the U.S. Embassy in Paris. It took around six months for the visa to be approved. This was just before the Rage virus was reported to have reached northern France. We took one of the first flights out of Paris and made it to Miami, where I started a new life. I later learned that my family and I were among the 10,000 British refugees that chose to resettle in the United States. I'm glad our American friends welcomed us, despite being enemies over 300 years ago. I guess Anglo-American friendship, which dates back to World War I, extended even further. I've since become an American citizen in 2006, though I still am proud of my British roots. My mum and dad still fly the Union Jack in our Miami home next to the Stars and Stripes. I've also met a lot of British people that resettled in America. Every May 4, we take part in a ceremony held in the British Embassy in Washington, D.C. or in Central Park in New York. I'm currently dating a Colombian girl named Paulina. She's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. A year younger than I, she finds my story interesting. Paulina's family is just like me, moved to America for greener pastures although she never had to face the horror that I did. Recently, I starred in several American films and TV series. I'm glad I got to get out of Europe before it was destroyed. Others weren't so lucky as I am."
- Maxim Alexander Baldry (26), a British refugee that has settled in the United States since December 2002
"I remember Singapore being on high alert since we are big island city and sitting right in the Straits of Malacca. It was only like a year after 9/11 and the Global War on Terrorism already expanded into Southeast Asia since Islamic terrorists were known to operate in the regions of Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Singapore would have been no doubt a target of a terrorist attack because it is an economic powerhouse and Western-leaning nation that has ties with Britain and America. The military and the police were frequently patrolling the streets. Being a former British colony and a member of the Commonwealth. Singapore sent some locally chartered airlines to evacuate our embassy staff and citizens from the UK. There were also around 1,000 British nationals that chose to reside here. Others moved to Australia or to New Zealand. When I turned 18, it was time for me to serve in the military for two years. Part of my training included CRBN, especially to respond to future rage outbreaks. I will never forget those days when we were on edge every time we heard a siren or an alert. Like many, I'm just thankful the rage never spread beyond Europe. Tiny Singapore would have been overrun if it were not contained quickly."
- Alex James Chua (29), from Singapore
"I was only five when the Rage Virus epidemic broke out in May 2002. I only turned 6 in November. I don't recall much of it, being only in kindergarten at that time. My world was mostly Cartoon Network and Nick Jr. I only knew more of the Rage Virus outbreak when I was in high school. Our Biology and History books taught about it. Once I learned the true nature of the infected, I was terrified. I couldn't imagine my friends and family turning into foaming, red-eyed homicidal beings intent on killing or spreading the virus. 20 years later, I'm just glad it never reached the Philippines. I can never imagine seeing my beloved town of Tubigon, much less Bohol, or even the entire Philippines turned into a bloodbath. I guess its fair to say our archipelagic geography would have protected us either way."
- Thea Rose Rizaldo (26), from Tubigon, Bohol, Philippines
"My mum and dad were one of the first people to take the first flight into France when the virus hit Cambridge. I was only six back then. I was scared that the monsters will get to us first. Thankfully, my parents were fast enough to get out of Britain fast. My six year old self thought we were on a long holiday in Calais. We stayed in the refugee camp in the region that also housed several people from Africa and the Middle East that wanted to live in Britain. They sympathized with us, along with the French, but there were also some French who wanted us out because they could not feed us all. Once we learned that the monsters were dying, we were told that the government would allow us to resettle back home. However, my parents knew it was a lost cause since the Rage virus destroyed our town. Even some of my cousins, uncles, and aunts did not make it. My parents applied for refugee status at the U.S. Embassy in Paris. It took around six months for the visa to be approved. This was just before the Rage virus was reported to have reached northern France. We took one of the first flights out of Paris and made it to Miami, where I started a new life. I later learned that my family and I were among the 10,000 British refugees that chose to resettle in the United States. I'm glad our American friends welcomed us, despite being enemies over 300 years ago. I guess Anglo-American friendship, which dates back to World War I, extended even further. I've since become an American citizen in 2006, though I still am proud of my British roots. My mum and dad still fly the Union Jack in our Miami home next to the Stars and Stripes. I've also met a lot of British people that resettled in America. Every May 4, we take part in a ceremony held in the British Embassy in Washington, D.C. or in Central Park in New York. I'm currently dating a Colombian girl named Paulina. She's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. A year younger than I, she finds my story interesting. Paulina's family is just like me, moved to America for greener pastures although she never had to face the horror that I did. Recently, I starred in several American films and TV series. I'm glad I got to get out of Europe before it was destroyed. Others weren't so lucky as I am."
- Maxim Alexander Baldry (26), a British refugee that has settled in the United States since December 2002
"I remember Singapore being on high alert since we are big island city and sitting right in the Straits of Malacca. It was only like a year after 9/11 and the Global War on Terrorism already expanded into Southeast Asia since Islamic terrorists were known to operate in the regions of Malaysia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Singapore would have been no doubt a target of a terrorist attack because it is an economic powerhouse and Western-leaning nation that has ties with Britain and America. The military and the police were frequently patrolling the streets. Being a former British colony and a member of the Commonwealth. Singapore sent some locally chartered airlines to evacuate our embassy staff and citizens from the UK. There were also around 1,000 British nationals that chose to reside here. Others moved to Australia or to New Zealand. When I turned 18, it was time for me to serve in the military for two years. Part of my training included CRBN, especially to respond to future rage outbreaks. I will never forget those days when we were on edge every time we heard a siren or an alert. Like many, I'm just thankful the rage never spread beyond Europe. Tiny Singapore would have been overrun if it were not contained quickly."
- Alex James Chua (29), from Singapore
IITL, it's been 20 years since the majority of Europe has fallen to the Rage virus. While the virus stepped foot in the continent in early December 2002, it would not really take hold until January 2003 onwards.
I managed to dig this AP Archive footage from September 2002 about security at the U.S. Embassy in Manila. I think it's fair to say around the world, there would be increased security in all diplomatic compounds after seeing the Rage Virus breakout in the UK.
I do wonder how Ireland was dealing with the situation as it watched the fall of Europe and the collapse of the European Union.
Speaking of the EU the euro currency had only recently become a thing at the time, with the banknotes and coins being launched in 1 January 2002 so the currency ITTL had barely lasted a year into physical circulation before the EU as a whole collapsed to the Rage virus.
The fall of the UK earlier in the year had already sparked massive panic in the markets and harmed the new currency, however the death blow obviously came soon after the fall of France in January 2003.
Its highly likely that the remnants of the European Union will not keep themselves tied to what is essentially a dead currency, in a quite quite literal sense since the majority of the people who were using the currency is now a skeleton somewhere in mainland Europe and the main building of the European Central Bank that regulates and manages the currency in Frankfurt, Germany has been abandoned and was likely heavily damaged during the chaos of outbreak.
So yeah the EURO is going to become a relic of a bygone era of Europe as it will slowly be phased out as the economies of the remaining survivors of the EU will switch back to their own independent currencies, I could imagine the hundreds of "what if" scenarios involving the currency becoming quite successful if the Rage virus was defeated in Cambridge or was successfully contained in the UK during the second outbreak...
The Euro is still being used in Ireland and the British remnant in Northern Ireland. It is possible to even have expanded into Scotland as an emergency currency.I do wonder how Ireland was dealing with the situation as it watched the fall of Europe and the collapse of the European Union.
Speaking of the EU the euro currency had only recently become a thing at the time, with the banknotes and coins being launched in 1 January 2002 so the currency ITTL had barely lasted a year into physical circulation before the EU as a whole collapsed to the Rage virus.
The fall of the UK earlier in the year had already sparked massive panic in the markets and harmed the new currency, however the death blow obviously came soon after the fall of France in January 2003.
Its highly likely that the remnants of the European Union will not keep themselves tied to what is essentially a dead currency, in a quite quite literal sense since the majority of the people who were using the currency is now a skeleton somewhere in mainland Europe and the main building of the European Central Bank that regulates and manages the currency in Frankfurt, Germany has been abandoned and was likely heavily damaged during the chaos of outbreak.
So yeah the EURO is going to become a relic of a bygone era of Europe as it will slowly be phased out as the economies of the remaining survivors of the EU will switch back to their own independent currencies, I could imagine the hundreds of "what if" scenarios involving the currency becoming quite successful if the Rage virus was defeated in Cambridge or was successfully contained in the UK during the second outbreak...
Yes your are right, the Euro basically did not take off. It was just four months into it when the Rage Virus epidemic broke out. And one year into usage when France collapsed.
Any remaining Euro banknotes would be highly sought after by collectors. No doubt millions of banknotes would have been used as toilet paper or fuel for burning.
I don't believe that Ireland or any surviving countries will continue to use the Euro at all because the value of the currency will be worthless after the fall of Europe.
The biggest issue is that the majority of the Euro banknotes and coins including the central bank that is supposed to manage the currency is now all stuck in the wasteland Europe, this would tank down whatever value is left in the surviving currency still in use, further more the surviving countries that were using the Euro would not want to share the same dead currencies between each other while going through an extremely painful economic depression, the Euro is a dead currency because literally most of the people, the banks and the countries that were using are just straight dead.
The IMF bailout aid package will likely force the surviving nations to adopt a new useable currency that is not tied to the dead parts of Europe.
Well in that scenario the currency will likely be tanked by the near total collapse of the UK economy, tourism will suffer a major decline in a magnitude not seen since the Chernobyl Nuclear meltdown, the British refugee crisis will cause issues, along with the fear of a second outbreak in the mainland will likely lead to an early rise of the right-wing political parties in Europe.
The EU nations themselves would likely go through a economic recession for a few years after the fallout of the outbreak, the fear and paranoia caused by the shocking death of the UK will culturally traumatize the people of the EU for decades, further worsened by the ongoing war on terrorism after the 9/11 attacks that had only just recently happened, things like the 2003 invasion of Iraq will probably still happen for example. Whatever happens its going to be a rough time for the EU and its new currency.
What was Singapore doing during the Rage Virus Outbreak in 2002?
Well, you see, I was born on January 2001, right after the Y2K Scare and the collapse of the Soviet Union. It was the end of the 90s and the beginning of the 21st Century as Singapore along with the world begins in peace. But that all changed with the events that happened right after that: The 9/11 attacks in the US and the Rage Virus outbreak in 2002 in Europe.
One of the biggest impacts on the year that I was born would be the September 11, 2001, attacks in the United States. When the 9/11 attacks occurred, I was still a baby and the attacks occurred right after Singapore celebrated its 36th birthday the month before on August 9th, 2001. It was night-time here in Singapore, when my father changed to Channel NewsAsia*[1] and saw on the TV the Twin Towers in New York City burning, he saw what was happening in his own eyes. It was the next morning my parents realized how serious the attacks were, as there was heightened security throughout the Island-Nation. My family and my household helper were glued to the TV at that time. My mother said she saw the news in the school that evening. It repeated the footage of the planes hitting the World Trade Center, the Pentagon on fire, and another plane crash in a rural area. The following days to come, my parents said that those who were responsible for the 9/11 attacks had connections with a particular group here in Southeast Asia (of which I later found out to be the Jemmah Islamiyah or JI*[2] for short which is based in Indonesia). There, the sense of the relative peace of the 90s era was gone, as it was sure no one was safe from these terrorists. America and its allies then concentrated their forces to bring down the terrorists: from Afghanistan to East Africa, from Central Asia to India, and to Southeast Asia. It was not long after that on December 2001, just 3 months after the 9/11 attacks in the United States, that the local authorities have uncovered a JI Terrorist Cell operating here in Singapore, they were plotting to blow up the diplomatic missions and also attack the military personnel of the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom and Israel based in Singapore along with several other targets. It was immediately foiled within hours after the discovery and Singapore felt a sigh of relief but still on high alert.
When the Rage Virus outbreak began in the United Kingdom in May 2002, I was already a toddler. It happened right before the June Holidays and a month before my sister was born. One day, my parents were watching on TV of the situation unfolding in Cambridge. Apparently, with my young mind that time, I thought it was a group of crazy people fighting over somethings, but my parents always keep me out of the TV. But days later, I remember it was announced on the news that those "crazy people" were indeed infected with a disease. The disease, called the Rage Virus, would turn anyone into a person with homicidal aggression. The infected would then attack anyone near them, regardless of relationship. The main methods of attacking were from using their bare hands, their nails, their teeth, or by vomiting blood on their victims' faces. If lucky enough, those beaten badly would not turn into the infected but those who managed to survive will turn into the infected and hunt for more victims. I remember my parents would always shield me away from the TV. Once I knew, I kept on crying and crying, scared that the infected may soon reach Singapore. When I was still a toddler, I was really scared of zombie movies. These things I saw on TV, they were like zombies but the media refuses to call them such, since they are not technically dead and are comparable to rabid dogs. My mom was pregnant with my sister at that time, and she became worried.
A week into the outbreak, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and Singapore President S.R Nathan mobilized the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF)*[3]. They held exercises on how to respond in case an outbreak occurs in the country. Video footage on the news showed heavily armed troops backed by the Light Strike Attack vehicles, Bionix II Infantry Carrier Vehicles, and V-150 Commandos with AH-64 Apache Helicopters, UH-1 Hueys, and Bronco All Terrain Tracked Carriers in support with the Singapore Police Force (SPF)*[4] "retaking" an infected neighborhood in a simulated exercise. My dad used to say with the strong state of our military and police, in no doubt would Singapore mostly fall. He did mention should an outbreak occur, then the whole island-nation would collapse. Around this time, the Changi International Airport along with the Tanah Merah and Harbourfront Ferry terminals and the Jurong Island Checkpoint along with the Woodlands and Tuas Checkpoints, which is a gateway to neighboring Malaysia, saw an increased presence of policemen and soldiers armed with SAR-21 rifles, MP5 submachine guns, and Pistols. British and European nationals were often quarantined for long hours at Changi Airport under heavy guard. In the hospitals, my dad and mom heard that they had some form of "self-defense" and "evacuation" procedure just in case of a Rage outbreak. At all schools islandwide, students in the uniformed groups were trained to shoot an M1 Garand, an M16A1, or a M1911 should the need arise to form a "volunteer army" as what the British did when the situation became even more dire. I already heard that the military cadet corps youth organization, called the National Cadet Corps (NCC)*[5], are slowly being incorporated to the regular Singapore Army. Meanwhile, there was an order to evacuate Singaporeans still in the United Kingdom, although I'll never know how successful the evacuation went since there are so many of them there.
My dad was also getting concerned now that 14 days into the outbreak, several British had settled as refugees in Europe, with some settling in Ireland, the U.S, Canada, Australia, and even New Zealand which also includes Southeast Asia. There were also many British tourists here in Singapore, usually in Sentosa Island where there are many beach resorts or in the red-light district of Clark Quay where there are many strip bars that attract foreigners and because we are a former British Colony and a member of the Commonwealth. From what I could see, there would always be an armored personnel carrier backed by a truckload of SAF troops, Special Operations Command (SOC)*[6], and regular police officers in areas where there are numerous British or European tourists. As London fell, I remember my dad trying to buy a Glock 17 pistol and a Ruger Mini-14 rifle, even though Singapore has a very tight gun law. He told us that this is necessary for home defense. My dad also laid out an evacuation plan: should the Rage hit Singapore, we would seek shelter in the Malaysian island of Desaru or the Indonesian islands of Tanjung Pinang or Batam. We actually followed the British government's retreat to York, then to Edinburgh, then to Belfast on the news.
When the Europeans finally stopped letting refugees in, I think the whole country gave off a sigh of relief. Of course, we remained vigilant. I would later learn from the news that the infected are starving and dying off. We then followed the news of the repopulation of mainland Britain. However, the world's nightmares would soon be confirmed. A second infection broke out in the repopulated London Zone which was firebombed by the United States Air Force. That would not be the end, as the infection reached France, then slowly made its way to Belgium, Germany, Poland, and several other countries. This occurred around December 2002; I was already one years old, and my sister was already born and still a baby. Never in my life would have I seen the French deploy nuclear weapons in their own soil, a very sign of desperation. My dad told me those kinds of weapons were not used since World War II when the Americans dropped the bomb twice in Japan to make them surrender. This time, the enemy is someone or something that could not be intimidated. The infection then consumed its way through Central Europe and was now on its way to Eastern Europe. I remember my mom and dad going to the grocery store and started packing up on food, water and supplies. He then started to book tickets to Desaru Island in Malaysia as he told our household helper to go home to Indonesia with her family and asking his co-worker for the keys to his house whenever he stays in Desaru Island. My helper, the one who was with us even before my sister was born in 2002, went back to Surabaya, Indonesia. I knew she had the advantage since Surabaya has a big mountain which could be used as a refugee. We then stayed in Desaru Island for a week, my dad refused to work back at the factory for the sake of our safety. We were joined by many others who too were fearful of an outbreak reaching Singapore. We were still in Desaru Island when we heard the infection had encroached Russia, but not far off. Once we heard it was contained and that it would not reach Moscow, we went back home and told our helper it was safe to return.
I learned that despite the damage, many countries in Europe survived by virtue of natural geographic barriers. Spain, Portugal, and Andorra survived, as well as Switzerland and other countries isolated by mountains. The French had relocated to the island of Corsica. Other nations had done the same or had collapsed. Russia has "liberated" some of the Eastern European nations from the infection. Others thought that Vladimir Putin was going to revive the Soviet Union but at this point, I was just glad the infection was contained. My family did take note of the irony that the United Kingdom became one of the safest places in Europe once the infection had hit the continent. I was glad to know Singapore did not report any infection.
In April 2004, two years after my sister was born, I entered Kindergarten but in 2007 because I have mild autism, I was moved to a special-needs school called Pathlight which is both a Primary and Secondary school. I entered Primary School there in 2008, and the Rage outbreak was still the most talked about topic. In April 2009, the school was getting ready to move to a new campus. By that time, an outbreak of H1N1 was reported in Mexico causing another mass hysteria. Thankfully, the Mexican government quickly eradicated the infected pigs and sought quarantine measures, often jointly with the United States. I moved to the new campus that July, and yet the memory of the Rage Epidemic still haunted the miles of the people. In 2012, around the time our school celebrated Singapore's 42nd birthday, word came out from the CDC and WHO that a vaccine for rage has been found. Majority of the world commented the vaccine came too late but was nonetheless grateful just in case the Rage might resurge again in the future even with WHO declaring Rage to be extinct. I graduated primary school on 2013 and in 2014 went to Secondary School in Pathlight - which is the only school I know; with me being in Normal Technical (NT). Many people, including my friends ask me what I'll do if Rage would occur when I am still in Secondary School; I said to them I'll have to make sure I have to be armed even if it would mean searching for any weapons.
In June 2015, Singapore hosted the 28th edition of the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games*[7] in collaboration with the country's 50th year of Independence with heightened measures still in place. I guess 13 years later, the memories of the event still lodges in our mind. In September 2015, after Singapore celebrated its Golden Jubilee on August 9th, 2015, I watched on TV headlines that Andy Harris, a.k.a. the 21st Century Hitler, had been executed by firing squad due to him causing the Fall of Europe to Rage. Personally, I felt that he is not to blame since he was still 9 years old when he escaped the UK with his sister and a rogue U.S. Army pilot. I know for sure that he is not responsible for the infection that brought the United Kingdom and Europe to its knees. We do not even know what kind of experiment the U.S. did to him or where they kept him (CDC or Area 51 is anyone's guess).
Now, it is March 31, 2017. I am now 16 years old and studying in Secondary 4NTa. I will graduate in 2018. I will proceed to ITE College Central afterwards. My life has been well recently. Just last October, I met this girl from Coquitlam, British Columbia. Her name is Millena Chung; she's part Chinese Singaporean. The day I met her was the day after she turned 17. After an exchange of conversation and telling her I am in Sec 4NTa, she did share with me how in Vancouver she saw lots of well-off British refugees that escaped to Canada as the Rage took over the UK. From what I researched, the British mainly settled in Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton, and many isolated towns in Nova Scotia. To be honest, I do have feelings for Millena because she is down-to-earth, honest-to-God gorgeous but I do not know when I will ask her out on a date. I just hope the Rage Virus will never return again when I am about to ask her out. I have so many plans to do in this world.
Since it is now 2017, this will be the 15th Anniversary of Rage Epidemic in the United Kingdom and Europe. I cannot believe even in my lifetime I would see an event that should only exist in science fiction and horror movies. Never I thought would I see a virus with the ability to turn a human into an unstoppable killing machine. Eventually, nature and humanity triumphed but the horrors of this Epidemic will always be lodged in everyone's mind regardless, if one was directly affected by it or not. It too is lodged in forever in mind, of which I would share to my children in the future should I have one. I cannot believe that I have seen the biggest and the worse defining moment of the 21st century at a very young age.
"The fault, dear Brutus, lies not in our stars, but in ourselves." - William Shakespeare
Notes:
[1] Channel NewsAsia (stylized as CNA), is a Singapore multinational news channel owned by the country's national public broadcaster Mediacorp. It broadcasts free-to-air domestically in Singapore and internationally as a pay television channel to 29 territories across the Asia-Pacific.
[2] The Jemaah Islamiyah (Arabic: الجماعة الإسلامية, al-Jamāʿah al-Islāmiyyah, meaning "Islamic Congregation", frequently abbreviated JI) is a Southeast Asian Islamist militant group based in Indonesia, which is dedicated to the establishment of an Islamic state in Southeast Asia.
[3] The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) are the military services of the Republic of Singapore, responsible for protecting and defending the security interests and the sovereignty of the country.
[4] The Singapore Police Force (SPF) is the national and principal law enforcement agency responsible for the prevention of crime and law enforcement in the Republic of Singapore. It is the country's lead agency against organised crime; human and weapons trafficking; cyber-crime; as well as economic crimes that goes across domestic and international borders but can be tasked to investigate any crime under the purview of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and is accountable to the Parliament of Singapore.
[5] The National Cadet Corps (NCC), is a military cadet corps youth organisation supported by the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Education.
[6] The Special Operations Command (SOC) is a specialist police tactical unit of the Singapore Police Force (SPF) specializing in riot control and high-threat incidents.
[7] The Southeast Asian Games, also known as the SEA Games, is a biennial multi-sport event involving participants from the current 11 countries of Southeast Asia.
Well, you see, I was born on January 2001, right after the Y2K Scare and the collapse of the Soviet Union. It was the end of the 90s and the beginning of the 21st Century as Singapore along with the world begins in peace. But that all changed with the events that happened right after that: The 9/11 attacks in the US and the Rage Virus outbreak in 2002 in Europe.
One of the biggest impacts on the year that I was born would be the September 11, 2001, attacks in the United States. When the 9/11 attacks occurred, I was still a baby and the attacks occurred right after Singapore celebrated its 36th birthday the month before on August 9th, 2001. It was night-time here in Singapore, when my father changed to Channel NewsAsia*[1] and saw on the TV the Twin Towers in New York City burning, he saw what was happening in his own eyes. It was the next morning my parents realized how serious the attacks were, as there was heightened security throughout the Island-Nation. My family and my household helper were glued to the TV at that time. My mother said she saw the news in the school that evening. It repeated the footage of the planes hitting the World Trade Center, the Pentagon on fire, and another plane crash in a rural area. The following days to come, my parents said that those who were responsible for the 9/11 attacks had connections with a particular group here in Southeast Asia (of which I later found out to be the Jemmah Islamiyah or JI*[2] for short which is based in Indonesia). There, the sense of the relative peace of the 90s era was gone, as it was sure no one was safe from these terrorists. America and its allies then concentrated their forces to bring down the terrorists: from Afghanistan to East Africa, from Central Asia to India, and to Southeast Asia. It was not long after that on December 2001, just 3 months after the 9/11 attacks in the United States, that the local authorities have uncovered a JI Terrorist Cell operating here in Singapore, they were plotting to blow up the diplomatic missions and also attack the military personnel of the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom and Israel based in Singapore along with several other targets. It was immediately foiled within hours after the discovery and Singapore felt a sigh of relief but still on high alert.
When the Rage Virus outbreak began in the United Kingdom in May 2002, I was already a toddler. It happened right before the June Holidays and a month before my sister was born. One day, my parents were watching on TV of the situation unfolding in Cambridge. Apparently, with my young mind that time, I thought it was a group of crazy people fighting over somethings, but my parents always keep me out of the TV. But days later, I remember it was announced on the news that those "crazy people" were indeed infected with a disease. The disease, called the Rage Virus, would turn anyone into a person with homicidal aggression. The infected would then attack anyone near them, regardless of relationship. The main methods of attacking were from using their bare hands, their nails, their teeth, or by vomiting blood on their victims' faces. If lucky enough, those beaten badly would not turn into the infected but those who managed to survive will turn into the infected and hunt for more victims. I remember my parents would always shield me away from the TV. Once I knew, I kept on crying and crying, scared that the infected may soon reach Singapore. When I was still a toddler, I was really scared of zombie movies. These things I saw on TV, they were like zombies but the media refuses to call them such, since they are not technically dead and are comparable to rabid dogs. My mom was pregnant with my sister at that time, and she became worried.
A week into the outbreak, Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong and Singapore President S.R Nathan mobilized the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF)*[3]. They held exercises on how to respond in case an outbreak occurs in the country. Video footage on the news showed heavily armed troops backed by the Light Strike Attack vehicles, Bionix II Infantry Carrier Vehicles, and V-150 Commandos with AH-64 Apache Helicopters, UH-1 Hueys, and Bronco All Terrain Tracked Carriers in support with the Singapore Police Force (SPF)*[4] "retaking" an infected neighborhood in a simulated exercise. My dad used to say with the strong state of our military and police, in no doubt would Singapore mostly fall. He did mention should an outbreak occur, then the whole island-nation would collapse. Around this time, the Changi International Airport along with the Tanah Merah and Harbourfront Ferry terminals and the Jurong Island Checkpoint along with the Woodlands and Tuas Checkpoints, which is a gateway to neighboring Malaysia, saw an increased presence of policemen and soldiers armed with SAR-21 rifles, MP5 submachine guns, and Pistols. British and European nationals were often quarantined for long hours at Changi Airport under heavy guard. In the hospitals, my dad and mom heard that they had some form of "self-defense" and "evacuation" procedure just in case of a Rage outbreak. At all schools islandwide, students in the uniformed groups were trained to shoot an M1 Garand, an M16A1, or a M1911 should the need arise to form a "volunteer army" as what the British did when the situation became even more dire. I already heard that the military cadet corps youth organization, called the National Cadet Corps (NCC)*[5], are slowly being incorporated to the regular Singapore Army. Meanwhile, there was an order to evacuate Singaporeans still in the United Kingdom, although I'll never know how successful the evacuation went since there are so many of them there.
My dad was also getting concerned now that 14 days into the outbreak, several British had settled as refugees in Europe, with some settling in Ireland, the U.S, Canada, Australia, and even New Zealand which also includes Southeast Asia. There were also many British tourists here in Singapore, usually in Sentosa Island where there are many beach resorts or in the red-light district of Clark Quay where there are many strip bars that attract foreigners and because we are a former British Colony and a member of the Commonwealth. From what I could see, there would always be an armored personnel carrier backed by a truckload of SAF troops, Special Operations Command (SOC)*[6], and regular police officers in areas where there are numerous British or European tourists. As London fell, I remember my dad trying to buy a Glock 17 pistol and a Ruger Mini-14 rifle, even though Singapore has a very tight gun law. He told us that this is necessary for home defense. My dad also laid out an evacuation plan: should the Rage hit Singapore, we would seek shelter in the Malaysian island of Desaru or the Indonesian islands of Tanjung Pinang or Batam. We actually followed the British government's retreat to York, then to Edinburgh, then to Belfast on the news.
When the Europeans finally stopped letting refugees in, I think the whole country gave off a sigh of relief. Of course, we remained vigilant. I would later learn from the news that the infected are starving and dying off. We then followed the news of the repopulation of mainland Britain. However, the world's nightmares would soon be confirmed. A second infection broke out in the repopulated London Zone which was firebombed by the United States Air Force. That would not be the end, as the infection reached France, then slowly made its way to Belgium, Germany, Poland, and several other countries. This occurred around December 2002; I was already one years old, and my sister was already born and still a baby. Never in my life would have I seen the French deploy nuclear weapons in their own soil, a very sign of desperation. My dad told me those kinds of weapons were not used since World War II when the Americans dropped the bomb twice in Japan to make them surrender. This time, the enemy is someone or something that could not be intimidated. The infection then consumed its way through Central Europe and was now on its way to Eastern Europe. I remember my mom and dad going to the grocery store and started packing up on food, water and supplies. He then started to book tickets to Desaru Island in Malaysia as he told our household helper to go home to Indonesia with her family and asking his co-worker for the keys to his house whenever he stays in Desaru Island. My helper, the one who was with us even before my sister was born in 2002, went back to Surabaya, Indonesia. I knew she had the advantage since Surabaya has a big mountain which could be used as a refugee. We then stayed in Desaru Island for a week, my dad refused to work back at the factory for the sake of our safety. We were joined by many others who too were fearful of an outbreak reaching Singapore. We were still in Desaru Island when we heard the infection had encroached Russia, but not far off. Once we heard it was contained and that it would not reach Moscow, we went back home and told our helper it was safe to return.
I learned that despite the damage, many countries in Europe survived by virtue of natural geographic barriers. Spain, Portugal, and Andorra survived, as well as Switzerland and other countries isolated by mountains. The French had relocated to the island of Corsica. Other nations had done the same or had collapsed. Russia has "liberated" some of the Eastern European nations from the infection. Others thought that Vladimir Putin was going to revive the Soviet Union but at this point, I was just glad the infection was contained. My family did take note of the irony that the United Kingdom became one of the safest places in Europe once the infection had hit the continent. I was glad to know Singapore did not report any infection.
In April 2004, two years after my sister was born, I entered Kindergarten but in 2007 because I have mild autism, I was moved to a special-needs school called Pathlight which is both a Primary and Secondary school. I entered Primary School there in 2008, and the Rage outbreak was still the most talked about topic. In April 2009, the school was getting ready to move to a new campus. By that time, an outbreak of H1N1 was reported in Mexico causing another mass hysteria. Thankfully, the Mexican government quickly eradicated the infected pigs and sought quarantine measures, often jointly with the United States. I moved to the new campus that July, and yet the memory of the Rage Epidemic still haunted the miles of the people. In 2012, around the time our school celebrated Singapore's 42nd birthday, word came out from the CDC and WHO that a vaccine for rage has been found. Majority of the world commented the vaccine came too late but was nonetheless grateful just in case the Rage might resurge again in the future even with WHO declaring Rage to be extinct. I graduated primary school on 2013 and in 2014 went to Secondary School in Pathlight - which is the only school I know; with me being in Normal Technical (NT). Many people, including my friends ask me what I'll do if Rage would occur when I am still in Secondary School; I said to them I'll have to make sure I have to be armed even if it would mean searching for any weapons.
In June 2015, Singapore hosted the 28th edition of the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games*[7] in collaboration with the country's 50th year of Independence with heightened measures still in place. I guess 13 years later, the memories of the event still lodges in our mind. In September 2015, after Singapore celebrated its Golden Jubilee on August 9th, 2015, I watched on TV headlines that Andy Harris, a.k.a. the 21st Century Hitler, had been executed by firing squad due to him causing the Fall of Europe to Rage. Personally, I felt that he is not to blame since he was still 9 years old when he escaped the UK with his sister and a rogue U.S. Army pilot. I know for sure that he is not responsible for the infection that brought the United Kingdom and Europe to its knees. We do not even know what kind of experiment the U.S. did to him or where they kept him (CDC or Area 51 is anyone's guess).
Now, it is March 31, 2017. I am now 16 years old and studying in Secondary 4NTa. I will graduate in 2018. I will proceed to ITE College Central afterwards. My life has been well recently. Just last October, I met this girl from Coquitlam, British Columbia. Her name is Millena Chung; she's part Chinese Singaporean. The day I met her was the day after she turned 17. After an exchange of conversation and telling her I am in Sec 4NTa, she did share with me how in Vancouver she saw lots of well-off British refugees that escaped to Canada as the Rage took over the UK. From what I researched, the British mainly settled in Toronto, Ottawa, Calgary, Edmonton, and many isolated towns in Nova Scotia. To be honest, I do have feelings for Millena because she is down-to-earth, honest-to-God gorgeous but I do not know when I will ask her out on a date. I just hope the Rage Virus will never return again when I am about to ask her out. I have so many plans to do in this world.
Since it is now 2017, this will be the 15th Anniversary of Rage Epidemic in the United Kingdom and Europe. I cannot believe even in my lifetime I would see an event that should only exist in science fiction and horror movies. Never I thought would I see a virus with the ability to turn a human into an unstoppable killing machine. Eventually, nature and humanity triumphed but the horrors of this Epidemic will always be lodged in everyone's mind regardless, if one was directly affected by it or not. It too is lodged in forever in mind, of which I would share to my children in the future should I have one. I cannot believe that I have seen the biggest and the worse defining moment of the 21st century at a very young age.
"The fault, dear Brutus, lies not in our stars, but in ourselves." - William Shakespeare
Notes:
[1] Channel NewsAsia (stylized as CNA), is a Singapore multinational news channel owned by the country's national public broadcaster Mediacorp. It broadcasts free-to-air domestically in Singapore and internationally as a pay television channel to 29 territories across the Asia-Pacific.
[2] The Jemaah Islamiyah (Arabic: الجماعة الإسلامية, al-Jamāʿah al-Islāmiyyah, meaning "Islamic Congregation", frequently abbreviated JI) is a Southeast Asian Islamist militant group based in Indonesia, which is dedicated to the establishment of an Islamic state in Southeast Asia.
[3] The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) are the military services of the Republic of Singapore, responsible for protecting and defending the security interests and the sovereignty of the country.
[4] The Singapore Police Force (SPF) is the national and principal law enforcement agency responsible for the prevention of crime and law enforcement in the Republic of Singapore. It is the country's lead agency against organised crime; human and weapons trafficking; cyber-crime; as well as economic crimes that goes across domestic and international borders but can be tasked to investigate any crime under the purview of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and is accountable to the Parliament of Singapore.
[5] The National Cadet Corps (NCC), is a military cadet corps youth organisation supported by the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Education.
[6] The Special Operations Command (SOC) is a specialist police tactical unit of the Singapore Police Force (SPF) specializing in riot control and high-threat incidents.
[7] The Southeast Asian Games, also known as the SEA Games, is a biennial multi-sport event involving participants from the current 11 countries of Southeast Asia.
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The Straits Times
'Rage Virus' affects the entire United Kingdom
MFA in contact with the Singapore High Commission in London
'Rage Virus' affects the entire United Kingdom
MFA in contact with the Singapore High Commission in London
Related Stories:
- Security increased at Changi Airport, Seaports, Ferry Terminals and Checkpoints.
- Thousands of British nationals stranded across Singapore and Southeast Asia.
- Istana and Ministry of Foreign Affairs orders the evacuation of Singaporeans in Britain.
- NCC to be incorporated into the Singapore Army.
- Defence Minister Dr. Tony Tan Keng Yam and MINDEF orders the mobilization of the entire SAF.
- "No need to panic, as government is already aware of the situation" says PM Goh.
London, UK - Thousands are dead and many are still missing after a previously undiscovered strain of virus, in what the British Department of Health and the National Health Service (NHS) dubbed as the "Rage Virus", swooped in Southern England and has overrun Cambridge and the surrounding towns. The area has been described as a "warzone" by the UK Ministry of Defense (MOD), with streets littered with dead bodies, blood, car accidents, fires, and scenes of destruction.
The infected, colloquially called as "Ragers", have been described as "wild and rabid". In addition to that, these so-called "Ragers" exhibit uncanny movement, blood-shot eyes, incoherent growling, and foaming from the mouth. They are known to projectile vomit blood. They are known to attack the nearest victim, when possible, either beating the victim to death or vomiting blood on its face. The victim, if not grievously injured, would return as one of the infected and will search for victims.
The British military has been mobilized to maintain order in Cambridge with a strength of 15,000 soldiers and reservists backed up by armored cars, tanks, and helicopters. NATO and the United States have pledged military support to the United Kingdom should the need arise. Police and other services are currently held down in the evacuation of thousands of terrified citizens. The evacuation has been described as "chaotic" with traffic jams reported throughout highways across southern England.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) has been in contact with the Singapore High Commission in the United Kingdom. The High Commission in the capital city of London and the MFA is monitoring the situation in southern England. So far, there have been no reported Singaporean casualties in Cambridge nor the surrounding towns. "We are closely monitoring the situation here. We will enact measures to protect Singaporeans that are currently in the UK. For now, we strictly ban all Singaporeans from travelling to Cambridge and southern England which is affected by this disease." said Professor S. Jayakumar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs at the MFA in Singapore. "Singaporeans that are currently in the UK should come to our High Commission in Central London to verify their safety so that the staff there could relay this information back to us. Should the need arise, this High Commission will provide support to affected Singaporeans in the area." He added.
Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong has sent his condolences to Prime Minister Tony Blair in a telephone conversation, this was also done by President S.R Nathan who sent his condolences to Prime Minister Blair earlier today from the Istana. "We are saddened to hear of the disaster that unfolded in Cambridge and the towns around it." Prime Minister Goh spoke in a televised address to the Island-nation. "We would like to send our condolences and our prayers to the great nation known as the United Kingdom as Singapore along with the commonwealth stands in solidarity with the international community." He further added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, along with the British High Commission in Singapore, would support many of the stranded British nationals currently in the country and that he has ordered all Part-time and Full-time NS personnel to report to their respective SAF bases for immediate mobilization and deployment. President Nathan is expected to make a live televised address on the situation in the United Kingdom to the Island-nation later tonight at 5:45pm Singapore Standard Time (SST) on Channel NewsAsia, Channel 5, Channel 8, Channel U, Suria and all Mediacorp radio networks.
Do you have a relative or a family member living in the United Kingdom or currently residing there? If yes, you may contact the following numbers (International rates apply):
High Commission of the Republic of Singapore - United Kingdom
9 Wilton Crescent, Belgravia, London SW1X 8SP, United Kingdom
Tel: +44-20-7235-8315
Fax: +44-20-7245-6583
Website: https://www.mfa.gov.sg/London
Email: singhc_lon@mfa.sg
Operational Hours:
Mon – Fri
9.00am to 1.00pm
2.00pm to 5.00pm
British High Commission Singapore
100 Tanglin Road, Singapore 247919
Tel: +65 6424 4200 (Main)/+65 6424 4200 (24hr Consular Contact Centre)
Fax: +65 6424 4264 (Consular)
Email: enquiries.singapore@fcdo.gov.uk
Operational Hours:
Mon - Fri
9.00am - 5.00pm
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I hope I'm not too late to bump this thead with a couple of observations.
1) What would have happened to the patrolling Trident Submarine when the UK fell? I Believe it would depend on what Blair wrote in his 'Letters of Last Resort', but the Royal Navy's boomers by all accounts do not have the same PALs as US and Russian boats, so the Skipper can de facto act of his own accord.
2) Perhaps a more sensible option than fighting the infected head on during the initial outbreak would have been to implement a 'hunker down' strategy.
Once it became clear that the Army was losing major engagements in Cambridge and then Luton, strategy should have changed. I would have instituted a lockdown/shelter in place order, telling everybody to lock their doors, close all curtains and barricade themselves in their homes. The Army meanwhile would fortify its garrisons with layers upon layers of concertina wire, landmines and ditches and simply defend its bases, where soldiers (and their immediate families) live. It would be much easier for a garrison to mount an all-round defence of its base, with the waves of infected falling into ditches and getting caught up in concertina-wire, with infantrymen on catwalks behind fences taking them out with direct fire, all the while supported by Artillery units garrisoned on the same bases (think Catterick and Colchester) - DPICM rounds would be perfect for breaking up large hordes of infected if they can be procured from the US in time.
With everybody barricading themselves in their homes, the infected would have nobody to infect and thus the disease would burn itself out far more rapidly. Then the Army could begin offensive operations, moving out of its garrisons to mop up any surviving infected and re-secure the country.
Also, the British Army at the time had the whole 1st Armoured Division based in Germany. There is no way in hell the whole division would have been able to redeploy to the UK mainland in the alloted time, meaning that when the Army breaks from its garrisons to go on the offensive, there is a whole division (just under 1/2 of the Army's deployable combat formations at the time) that can be used in addition to attrited formations that have been fighting in the UK since the first outbreak.
Casualties from statvation and also from those poor people unable to look after themselves at home would of course be massive, perhaps in the tens of millions, but in the dire circumstances of this TL, it beats watching the whole country sink under the tide of the infection.
1) What would have happened to the patrolling Trident Submarine when the UK fell? I Believe it would depend on what Blair wrote in his 'Letters of Last Resort', but the Royal Navy's boomers by all accounts do not have the same PALs as US and Russian boats, so the Skipper can de facto act of his own accord.
2) Perhaps a more sensible option than fighting the infected head on during the initial outbreak would have been to implement a 'hunker down' strategy.
Once it became clear that the Army was losing major engagements in Cambridge and then Luton, strategy should have changed. I would have instituted a lockdown/shelter in place order, telling everybody to lock their doors, close all curtains and barricade themselves in their homes. The Army meanwhile would fortify its garrisons with layers upon layers of concertina wire, landmines and ditches and simply defend its bases, where soldiers (and their immediate families) live. It would be much easier for a garrison to mount an all-round defence of its base, with the waves of infected falling into ditches and getting caught up in concertina-wire, with infantrymen on catwalks behind fences taking them out with direct fire, all the while supported by Artillery units garrisoned on the same bases (think Catterick and Colchester) - DPICM rounds would be perfect for breaking up large hordes of infected if they can be procured from the US in time.
With everybody barricading themselves in their homes, the infected would have nobody to infect and thus the disease would burn itself out far more rapidly. Then the Army could begin offensive operations, moving out of its garrisons to mop up any surviving infected and re-secure the country.
Also, the British Army at the time had the whole 1st Armoured Division based in Germany. There is no way in hell the whole division would have been able to redeploy to the UK mainland in the alloted time, meaning that when the Army breaks from its garrisons to go on the offensive, there is a whole division (just under 1/2 of the Army's deployable combat formations at the time) that can be used in addition to attrited formations that have been fighting in the UK since the first outbreak.
Casualties from statvation and also from those poor people unable to look after themselves at home would of course be massive, perhaps in the tens of millions, but in the dire circumstances of this TL, it beats watching the whole country sink under the tide of the infection.
Looks like they'll skip "Months" in favor of "Years"
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www.theguardian.com
www.gq-magazine.co.uk
28 Years Later | Horror
28 Years Later: Directed by Danny Boyle. Plot under wraps. The third film in the "28 Days Later" franchise.
www.imdb.com
Can Danny Boyle and Cillian Murphy’s 28 Years Later take zombie films to the next level?
The recently announced followup will be the first of two films that continue the 2002 story – let’s hope it can avoid Hollywood cliches
www.theguardian.com
28 Years Later is officially confirmed, with Cillian Murphy back on board
The Oppenheimer star will be executive producing, although whether he's acting too remains to be seen
Nukes were ruled out by the parliament. The British government were not got use nukes to destroy their cities. With that said, the Prime Minister would have ordered no nukes to all the submarines that were at sea or left Clyde when the infection reached Scotland.
That's because the MOD did not know the nature of the infected until it was too late. By then, hundreds of emergency personnel and soldiers became infected themselves. Even the first responders in Cambridge used the term "defected" when fellow police officers and firefighters joined the "rioters".
The infected can destroy barricades though. Simple 2 x 4s won't do the trick. Because the adrenaline of the Ragers is maxed out. However, reinforcing barricades would be ideal. So would be staying castles around the countryside which can be supported via airdrops from the RAF and NATO forces.
It was also mentioned that British overseas forces from Germany, Afghanistan, and even far as the Falklands were being recalled, but I'm assuming a token force would stay some of the places. The RAF and the RN does in 2002 does not have the airlift and sealift to transfer overseas forces in a span of time. Unless they would hitch with the United States which may activate the CRAF or the Merchant Marine.
Realistically, the virus would have burnt itself out because the infected here aren't undead but alive and humans can only run a short distance before tiring out. Not to mention, the infected are exposed to the elements of nature. It takes a lot of handwaving real life just to make a fast infected zombie apocalypse cause the fall of a nation.
I suppose the hunkering down idea depends on the intelligence of the infected. If everybody is at home, doors locked and barricaded, curtains closed, then the infected have no way of knowing which flats and houses have victims in them. Are they going to break down the doors and barricades of every single room in every single house and flat? If so, that will slow them down a hell of a lot. And if not, well, there's nobody left to infect and rage burns itself out.
What do you think of the Army's odds of holding out in its major garrisons? As long as the troops are supplied and they have a couple of days to dig in I see no reason why an infantry brigade can't hold out nearly indefinitely. How can the infected get through rows of razor wire and climb out of ditches/moats dug for them while under fire?
Some infected (although not yet confirmed) seem to have memory such as Robert Harris in the sequel. His infected self was able to escape from an electronically locked room (he had an access card), was able to sneak himself in an emergency panic room, stalks his children throughout London, and even used an M4 rifle to beat a female U.S. Army major to death. A delete scene featured a kid infected screaming "I HATE YOU!" to Jim and Selena.
Not counting the implied smart infected, most of the Ragers are aware and alive but are driven by anger. They'll continuously pound barricades until it gives out. They have no regard to injury and self-preservation so any cuts, wounds, and injuries will be infected by bacteria and the Ragers are just going to die of sepsis.
While it is possible the British Army and the Territorials could have held out, I am under the assumption that they didn't have time to dig trenches and moats to make their bases become essentially castles. Not to mention, confusion and misinformation was everywhere. The infected will still charge through razor wire, moats, minefields, and even machine gun fire as shown in by the rogue soldiers in the mansion Jim and co. stumbled on. Like I said, the infected have no regards for their self-preservation. The virus hijacks their brain to attack the nearest uninfected person. If they beat their victims to a bloody pulp, the victims would not be infected and simply die from the injuries. Only those coming in contact with the fluids of the infected turn into a Rager.
That's a fair enough take. I just figure with enough Firepower and fortifications it's possible to kill all the infected attacking any given position.
Some of the weapons used in the sequel would also be immensely effective, although they did not exist in the UK's arsenal in 2002; Napal lm and Sarin, and DPICM/cluster munitions would eviscerate an infected horde on open ground. Plus, Warrior/Bulldog/Scimitar or even AMRAPs would be completely invulnerable to the infected, so worst case scenario any mechanised/armoured infantry units could always retreat to their vehicles and hole up there if they were in danger of being overrun.
Yeah, it was the U.S. that used napalm and sarin. I have yet to research on what joint stand-off weapons and chemicals weapons the UK had as of 2002.
The Warrior, Bulldog, Scimitar, and even the Scorpion IFV would take on the infected with ease. The problem was that most of the British Army's armored vehicles either ran out of fuel or ammo to be effective. Or the crew were entombed within their armored vehicles when the Infected starting climbing on it. Such as the case in the Battle of Luton where a police officer witnessed the infected scaling Challenger 2 MBTs.