A Better Rifle at Halloween

Thanks. That makes sense (well as far as the Lords and peerages ever make sense).

Incidentally, Thatcher was given a hereditary title (baronetcy) which meant that her arms dealer son who was convicted for trying to organise a coup inherited the title.
Wrong. Her husband Denis was created baronet Thatcher. Margaret was created Baroness Thatcher, of Kesteven for life.
 
Wrong. Her husband Denis was created baronet Thatcher. Margaret was created Baroness Thatcher, of Kesteven for life.
That's weird - I thought the herditary baronetcy was specifically for her services (which annoyed me as her family - especially future family - shouldn't get recognition for her services, but if it was given to Dennis then that's no better). It shows there's always one more thing to get wrong.
 

Mark1878

Donor
That's weird - I thought the herditary baronetcy was specifically for her services (which annoyed me as her family - especially future family - shouldn't get recognition for her services, but if it was given to Dennis then that's no better). It shows there's always one more thing to get wrong.
Note Baron and Baronets are not the same.

Hereditary Baron s used to sit in the House of Lords, Life Barons as Margaret became still do.
A baronetcy just gets a Sir and is nothing to do with the Lords.
 
Moving up the guns
3rd October 1914, Bullegem.

2nd Lt Sholto Douglas was tired, his battery had been in heavy action for most of the last 3 weeks, the guns were showing wear and he had heard worrying rumours about the supply of shells. They had used shrapnel shells almost exclusively for the 18 pounders, saving a few star shells, but he had been told by the Battery commander that they would be receiving some high explosive rounds soon.
Douglas was scouting a position to relocate the battery, as the BEF continued to press forward against the Germans holding Brussels. The country was generally flat, although the land to south of the river Dender was higher with a slight ridge paralleling the river. It was on this ridge where most of the German defensive positions lay, observing those positions to ensure they would not overlook the battery being the goal of Lt Douglas’s current exertions.
The BEF was on the offensive, but its main gun, the 18 pounder was hindered by its limited elevation and relatively short range, it was best suited to direct fire the shrapnel shells being deadly against troops in the open but more limited in their impact against dug in enemies. Douglas was scouting up to the British front line, occasional bullets whistling past his ears or making that weird whickering noise of ricochets.
He was satisfied by the position, it was relatively well concealed, already the gunners had learnt the value of not positioning the guns in the open, both their own losses and those they had inflicted on poorly sited German guns had reinforced that lesson. The guns would be positioned on a reverse slope so their ability to fire defensively would be reduced but the observing officer would be able to direct fire over the river without too much bother. The signallers would run two separate sets of signal wire to the front line to enable communications with the battery.
Content that the battery would be able to operate effectively from the position selected Douglas returned to the batteries bivouac position, he would confirm the new position with the battery commander and then would commence the unenviable task of moving the guns up, so that the advance could continue.
 
Douglas Hartree
3rd October 1914 Cambridge.

Douglas and his father William Hartree were sat at the breakfast table enjoying bacon, baked beans, eggs with fried bread and discussing the progress of the war. Douglas was home from Bedales School on an exeat, having travelled back from Petersfield the day before. William Hartree was commenting on the large numbers of undergraduates who had been called up with the mobilisation of the territorial regiments. The OTC was also taking on new volunteers who would be deployed to the front as replacements, many of the students and even some of the younger dons had volunteered for service.
William had been invited to travel to Ireland for training on the new Ludgate device, several of them were expected to be supplied to the University for use on war related work. His background in the Engineering Laboratory having rendered him a prime candidate for the training. As part of the selection process, he had attended a demonstration of the machine at Imperial College and had a chance to discuss it with Percy Ludgate. His good friend Archibald Hill was also being seconded from his territorial army post for training on the system. The training was expected to take at least a month and it would be the longest period that William had been away from his family since he had married, he viewed the training and the work it would enable him to do to be vital to the war effort. He had visited Dublin in the past and looked forward to a return, he was also excited to be included in such a select group of people.
Following breakfast, father and son, spent an agreeable morning hand calculating Irish Logarithms and discussing possible uses of the device in the calculation of various problems. Douglas, who at seventeen was already showing signs of being something of a mathematical prodigy, was fascinated by the machine and its capability. He was expecting to go up to Cambridge in the Michaelmas term of 1915, but he had requested that his father attempt to get him access to the device as soon as possible. . Both promised to write frequently and William assured Douglas he would try to organise a visit to Ireland and introduction to Ludgate. For his part Douglas promised he would work hard at school, he also stated he would rejoin the School Cadet Corps and see if he could rejoin the Rifle club as Professor Hill had urged.
 

Ramontxo

Donor
Are you going to bring Henry Moseley in the tale? Not exactly know how you can relate it to the timeline theme but it would be a good thing to save the life of the man whose lossing it Isaac Asimov called the "single worst loss of WW1"
 
Are you going to bring Henry Moseley in the tale? Not exactly know how you can relate it to the timeline theme but it would be a good thing to save the life of the man whose lossing it Isaac Asimov called the "single worst loss of WW1"
I must confess to not having heard of him. Given that the Ottoman Empire isn’t as likely to enter into the war he won’t die as per OTL. His death does look like a tragic waste of potential. He may well get a write in.
 

bobbins

Donor
Just a small point and I’m prepared to be corrected but I’m pretty sure baked beans weren’t a thing in the UK at that point.
 
Fortnam and Mason released a commemorative baked bean chocolate. It was utterly reprehensible and a disturbing deviation from normally delicious chocolates.
 
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