The Sun Rises Yet Again
- Thread starter Lord_Vespasian
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Lord_Vespasian
Banned
Not anytime soon unfortunately. But it will definitely come, I won't let it die
Lord_Vespasian
Banned
Yes. I've begun work on the next chapter. No set date for posting unfortunately
Power Is Truth
Lord_Vespasian
Banned
The Sun Rises Yet Again
Chapter 20: Power Is Truth
February 15, 1926
Blair stands at his post watching over the trenches. He hates being here, these lines were built for Spaniards and his 6' stature meant he was very exposed compared to them, especially when walking. He had been shot at several times, but Lady Luck seemed to favor him. He makes several glances across the land between the trenches, staring at the Republican line, he wonders what they were thinking. He often found himself bored out of his right mind, something he certainly did not expect when he enlisted last year. Fighting had mostly halted over the Winter months and he enjoyed the peace, despite its drollness.
He couldn't wait to return home, to tell people the things he had seen and maybe write something about it. He had fought in the Battle of Madrid and saw the ruined city after the battle had ended months ago. He saw Yagüe and his men hurting and killing innocents and raping women. He had tried to stop them whenever he came across it but his commanding officer put a stop to that as Montgomery had said, "It is not the duty not of Britons to govern Spaniards". This deeply concerned him and made him feel uneasy about the state of the war.
He remembered how he first joined the party. In the early 20s', things were rough. He had no job as his idea of serving as a colonial police officer in Burma near Moulmein, where his grandmother lived, was dashed when India broke away from the Empire. He had been unable to find employment as the Great Depression rocked the British economy and he feared for his future and the future of Jacintha. He then received news his grandmother was killed by Indian soldiers in an act of revenge against Burmese partisans raiding their camp. He grew a deep-seated hatred for both Burmese and Indians as well as non-Whites as a whole. Then he took notice of the rising star in British politics, Oswald Mosley. He was greatly attracted to Mosley, his strong and authoritative ideas, his impassioned and hard-hitting speeches, and paternal aura all helped to bring comfort to Blair in these hard times. He had thought long and hard over how he felt about Mosley and what started as interest in just another politician grew into a downright infatuated devotion, respect, and fealty to Mosley on the level of a father-son relationship. As the economy rose following Mosley's victory in 1924, Blair managed to find work and keep him and his wife fed and housed, something he would thank Mosley for at dinner every night until Jacintha told him to stop as even as Vicky herself she found it annoying; Blair would continue to thank Mosley for his luck mentally. He would join the army sometime in mid 1925 in order to partake in the Spanish Civil War. Since then he has fought in his fair share of battles, killed his fair share of Germans and Communists and was hoping the Republicans would lose the will to fight soon, ensuring total victory and peace.
As he sits there, he feels a pain develop in his back, most likely from being hunched over all the time. He decides he should stand up and stretch out, if only for a little bit. As he does, a Spanish man, not a common sight in this section of the trench at this time of day, approaches him and asks him what he is doing and if he wants to get his head blown off. Blair reassures the man that he is fine and that he should calm down. The two talk about whatever comes to their mind while Blair stretches. He asks him why he was in the British section of the trench and he tells him there is no official rule saying that travel between the different sections was forbidden or even discouraged during relatively peaceful times like this. Both seem happy as this may be the first interesting conversation either has had for some time. Each one has an array of questions for the other, so close yet so distant in trenches, something that was not lost on either of them. As they continue talking Blair finally finishes and goes to stand against the trench parapet to see if anything is amiss. Just before he does an officer calls out his name several feet away. He answers immediately and runs to him.
British Officer
"Are you Eric Arthur Blair?"
Eric Blair
"Yes Sir."
British Officer
"Well I've good news for you Eric, seems like you're going home early."
Eric Blair
"Really? Why?"
British Officer
"Have you never heard of the phrase, 'Don't look a gift horse in the mouth'? Fine, I'll indulge you. Apparently, someone big back home wants to see you and they pulled out all the stops to get you back as quick a possible, even Marshall Fuller personally overseeing your return. I have no idea who in Britain who knows you and is important enough to get the personal attention of Fuller, but you'll find out soon enough."
Eric Blair
"When do I leave?"
British Officer
"Tomorrow morning. Get packing lad. God speed."
The officer walks away, attending his other duties. Blair is ecstatic and wonders who it could be that wants to meet him, puzzled by his lack of finding a logical answer. He returns to his post, with the man he was talking to a moment ago awaiting his return. He asked him what the officer had to say and Blair told him he was going to leave tomorrow and head back to Britain. The man laughed and remarked at his luck. Blair moves to collect his belongings so that he can leave in the morning. The man moves to stand against the parapet to look across the divide. That is when a bullet strikes him in the head, killing him instantly. Blair curses out loud in shock and sees the mans bloody face, his body still shaking with the final spasms that death allows before limpness overtakes it. He rushes to the man to try and save him but quickly realizes that he is shot in the head and that there is nothing he can do. This man, he had never even knew existed before this hour, and him vice versa, that he found some pleasure in talking to for those short moments, dead. He saved his life, he surely would've looked right there and would've been shot and killed. He never asked him for his name, and he didn't know Blair's. He quickly moved to check his body for anything that could tell him name, all the while snipers from both sides fired at each other. He finds a wallet and opens it and finds that the man's name is, or rather was, Gomez Vela. In the wallet were pictures of his wife and their daughter, he takes the picture out and looks on the back and finds the names Cecilia and Isabel, not sure which is the wive's and which is the daughter's, and a name of what must be where he lived, Bembibre. He closes the mans eyes and prays over his body. He then continues to look over his body, finding a pendant made out of gold with a picture of his daughter in it, no name unfortunately. He knows that if he leaves it with him, it will most likely never reach the family, lifted by someone to pawn for money. He swears to the man's bloody and lifeless face that he will return the pendant to his family. A soldier and a medic come to see the body and carry him away to where the dead lie.
He continues to pack his things and once done he returns to his post, careful not to let the fate of Gomez become his.
In the morning, he wakes up and waits until a messenger arrives and leads him to the car. He enters into it and the driver begins the journey to Porto. Blair sits in the car, still fixing over who called him back and why. Still no satisfactory answer was given. He did not talk to his driver, he was not in the mood. After 9 hours or so they reach the city and the driver leads him to the port and he boards the ship. As he heads to his quarters to rest as he is told that once they reach Plymouth they will fly to London and that once they're in the city the man who requested Blair's return wanted to speak to him immediately. Blair asked who was he but the men told him they were not informed, everything is on a need-to-know basis. Blair showers, changes clothing, and sleeps through the rest voyage. He is awakened just before they pull into port. He departs the ship and enters a new car and is driven to a nearby airfield where a two-seater plane and a pilot are waiting. He enters the back seat and the plane takes off. Blair has never been in a plane before and stared in awe as he grew further apart from the ground. he looks at the clouds and at the horizon. It was one of the most beautiful things he has ever seen. The journey ends sooner than Blair would like and he enters London by car less than an hour after boarding the plane. He is driven into the city while his possessions are handled and brought to his house. This is it. The anticipation was driving him mad. He speaks to the driver.
Eric Blair
"Sir, can you please tell me where we are heading?"
Driver
"They haven't told you yet? We're heading to Number 10."
Eric Blair
"Pardon?"
Driver
"You're going to speak with PM Mosley. They didn't tell you?"
Blair felt a rush of adrenaline surge through his body. His breathing quickened, his heart speeds up. The driver, visibly concerned at this sudden reaction asks him if he was all right. Blair responds.
Eric Blair
"Yes, yes I'm fine. Just a bit, surprised."
Driver
"I'd probably feel the same way in your shoes. Not everyday us regular people get to meet the PM face-to-face in private. I don't know what you did to get his attention, but he seemed eager to meet to you."
Soon they reach 10 Downing Street.
Driver
"Well that it is lad. He's in there. Best to not keep him waiting."
Eric Blair
"Yes, thank you."
Blair exits the car and walks to the door. He takes one last breath to calm himself and it works somewhat, and enters in, stiff upper lip and all. The servants inform him that he is in his office and that he is ready for him. He thanks them and walks there. He looks at the door, steels himself one last time and enters.
Oswald Mosley
"Hello Mr. Blair."
Eric Blair
"Hello Your Excellency. May I sit down?"
Oswald Mosley
"Of course, please."
Blair sits down opposite of Mosley.
Oswald Mosley
"Do you know why I've requested to see you?"
Eric Blair
"No Your Excellency."
Oswald Mosley
"I'm surprised you don't, Burton."
Eric Blair
"You read my book?"
Oswald Mosley
"Yes I have. A gift from a friend. I've read the whole thing, cover to cover. It is fascinating."
Eric Blair
"Thank you Your Excellenc-"
Oswald Mosley
"But you and I know, I did not bring you here to praise your literary skills. You are here because I believe that you have a purpose other than being a soldier, something far greater. And please Mr. Blair, simply call me Mosley."
Eric Blair
"Of course, Mosley. And what purpose is that?"
Oswald Mosley
"To spread the glorious ideology of Victorianism across the world, to our friends and foes and, most importantly, our people."
Eric Blair
"How could I do that?"
Oswald Mosley
"It's quite simple really, I want you to join my propagandists. You have an innate ability by to visualize events and ideas through words, I have a sense of these things. See, when people hear propaganda, they think lies, deception, falsehoods, and half-truths. This is generally true for other ideologies, but not for Victorianism. Victorianism is truth, it is justice, it is liberty, it is the truest vanquisher of the decadence of the Old World and the greatest vanguard against the evil of Marxism. What better person to spread an ideology of truth than one who illustrates the world as is? There is no greater power than truth."
Eric Blair
"Do you truly think I can help advance Victorianism in Britain and the world?"
Oswald Mosley
"Yes."
The simplicity of his answer fills Blair with confidence and reassurance."
Eric Blair
"I would be honored to serve a man as great you Your Excellency."
Mosley's face lights up with reserved joy.
Oswald Mosley
"Excellent, it is wondrous to hear you say such."
Eric Blair
"Where do I go? When should I start?"
Oswald Mosley
"Eager to begin as all young men are I see. Do not fret, I shall discuss with others where you can be of most use. For now, head home and relax. Are you married Mr. Blair?"
Eric Blair
"Yes Your Excellency, her name is Jacintha. We married very recently, 3 years ago."
Oswald Mosley
"That is great to hear. Go to her, she has probably been expecting you ever since your things were delivered earlier."
Eric Blair
"Of course, to be home again will be a welcome thing. Thank you Your Excellency."
Blair exits the office and Mosley continues his work, anticipating the results Blair will produce at the Ministry of Information. Another valuable asset has been secured, one steadfastly loyal to Mosley. Slowly but surely, he is working to erode financial democracy and international influence. He knows it is coming soon, he just needs a boost in popularity to ensure compliance with his plans to make Britain the greatest nation once more. He hopes the conclusion of the South Africa Scheme and a short, successful war against the Ottomans would achieve this. Once he is the Autocrat Britain needs and deserves he will be able to act with speed and decisiveness impossible for a pluto-democratic Parliament to have.
The meeting with the French Exiles will come soon and he must prepare for it. With the combined strength of France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Greece, Britain would be ready to strike Germany. Edward is preparing for his tour to Gibraltar, West and South Africa, Ceylon, Australia, and Hong Kong in order to reassert Britain's overseas position. It however must be postponed until the birth of Albert's first child who is due sometime in April.
Blair arrives at his home and enters his apartment to see Jacintha waiting for him. He goes to hug her after months of being apart and they spend the rest of the day in leisure, content with the path life is taking. Blair finds it hard to comprehend how perfectly everything has aligned in his favour. Although what transpired after the fall of Madrid and his promise to Gomez still weigh heavy on his mind, these burdens feel somewhat lighter. At least for now, it seems he has yet more blessings to count.
Eric Blair In Spain With Nationalist Troops, He Is the Tallest Figure In the Photo, 1925
British Troops Man A Machine Gun Position In Southern Spain, 1926
Nationalist and Italian Troops In the Trenches Outside of Jaén, Spanish and Italian Troops Were More Integrated Than They Were With the British, 1925
Chapter 20: Power Is Truth
February 15, 1926
Blair stands at his post watching over the trenches. He hates being here, these lines were built for Spaniards and his 6' stature meant he was very exposed compared to them, especially when walking. He had been shot at several times, but Lady Luck seemed to favor him. He makes several glances across the land between the trenches, staring at the Republican line, he wonders what they were thinking. He often found himself bored out of his right mind, something he certainly did not expect when he enlisted last year. Fighting had mostly halted over the Winter months and he enjoyed the peace, despite its drollness.
He couldn't wait to return home, to tell people the things he had seen and maybe write something about it. He had fought in the Battle of Madrid and saw the ruined city after the battle had ended months ago. He saw Yagüe and his men hurting and killing innocents and raping women. He had tried to stop them whenever he came across it but his commanding officer put a stop to that as Montgomery had said, "It is not the duty not of Britons to govern Spaniards". This deeply concerned him and made him feel uneasy about the state of the war.
He remembered how he first joined the party. In the early 20s', things were rough. He had no job as his idea of serving as a colonial police officer in Burma near Moulmein, where his grandmother lived, was dashed when India broke away from the Empire. He had been unable to find employment as the Great Depression rocked the British economy and he feared for his future and the future of Jacintha. He then received news his grandmother was killed by Indian soldiers in an act of revenge against Burmese partisans raiding their camp. He grew a deep-seated hatred for both Burmese and Indians as well as non-Whites as a whole. Then he took notice of the rising star in British politics, Oswald Mosley. He was greatly attracted to Mosley, his strong and authoritative ideas, his impassioned and hard-hitting speeches, and paternal aura all helped to bring comfort to Blair in these hard times. He had thought long and hard over how he felt about Mosley and what started as interest in just another politician grew into a downright infatuated devotion, respect, and fealty to Mosley on the level of a father-son relationship. As the economy rose following Mosley's victory in 1924, Blair managed to find work and keep him and his wife fed and housed, something he would thank Mosley for at dinner every night until Jacintha told him to stop as even as Vicky herself she found it annoying; Blair would continue to thank Mosley for his luck mentally. He would join the army sometime in mid 1925 in order to partake in the Spanish Civil War. Since then he has fought in his fair share of battles, killed his fair share of Germans and Communists and was hoping the Republicans would lose the will to fight soon, ensuring total victory and peace.
As he sits there, he feels a pain develop in his back, most likely from being hunched over all the time. He decides he should stand up and stretch out, if only for a little bit. As he does, a Spanish man, not a common sight in this section of the trench at this time of day, approaches him and asks him what he is doing and if he wants to get his head blown off. Blair reassures the man that he is fine and that he should calm down. The two talk about whatever comes to their mind while Blair stretches. He asks him why he was in the British section of the trench and he tells him there is no official rule saying that travel between the different sections was forbidden or even discouraged during relatively peaceful times like this. Both seem happy as this may be the first interesting conversation either has had for some time. Each one has an array of questions for the other, so close yet so distant in trenches, something that was not lost on either of them. As they continue talking Blair finally finishes and goes to stand against the trench parapet to see if anything is amiss. Just before he does an officer calls out his name several feet away. He answers immediately and runs to him.
British Officer
"Are you Eric Arthur Blair?"
Eric Blair
"Yes Sir."
British Officer
"Well I've good news for you Eric, seems like you're going home early."
Eric Blair
"Really? Why?"
British Officer
"Have you never heard of the phrase, 'Don't look a gift horse in the mouth'? Fine, I'll indulge you. Apparently, someone big back home wants to see you and they pulled out all the stops to get you back as quick a possible, even Marshall Fuller personally overseeing your return. I have no idea who in Britain who knows you and is important enough to get the personal attention of Fuller, but you'll find out soon enough."
Eric Blair
"When do I leave?"
British Officer
"Tomorrow morning. Get packing lad. God speed."
The officer walks away, attending his other duties. Blair is ecstatic and wonders who it could be that wants to meet him, puzzled by his lack of finding a logical answer. He returns to his post, with the man he was talking to a moment ago awaiting his return. He asked him what the officer had to say and Blair told him he was going to leave tomorrow and head back to Britain. The man laughed and remarked at his luck. Blair moves to collect his belongings so that he can leave in the morning. The man moves to stand against the parapet to look across the divide. That is when a bullet strikes him in the head, killing him instantly. Blair curses out loud in shock and sees the mans bloody face, his body still shaking with the final spasms that death allows before limpness overtakes it. He rushes to the man to try and save him but quickly realizes that he is shot in the head and that there is nothing he can do. This man, he had never even knew existed before this hour, and him vice versa, that he found some pleasure in talking to for those short moments, dead. He saved his life, he surely would've looked right there and would've been shot and killed. He never asked him for his name, and he didn't know Blair's. He quickly moved to check his body for anything that could tell him name, all the while snipers from both sides fired at each other. He finds a wallet and opens it and finds that the man's name is, or rather was, Gomez Vela. In the wallet were pictures of his wife and their daughter, he takes the picture out and looks on the back and finds the names Cecilia and Isabel, not sure which is the wive's and which is the daughter's, and a name of what must be where he lived, Bembibre. He closes the mans eyes and prays over his body. He then continues to look over his body, finding a pendant made out of gold with a picture of his daughter in it, no name unfortunately. He knows that if he leaves it with him, it will most likely never reach the family, lifted by someone to pawn for money. He swears to the man's bloody and lifeless face that he will return the pendant to his family. A soldier and a medic come to see the body and carry him away to where the dead lie.
He continues to pack his things and once done he returns to his post, careful not to let the fate of Gomez become his.
In the morning, he wakes up and waits until a messenger arrives and leads him to the car. He enters into it and the driver begins the journey to Porto. Blair sits in the car, still fixing over who called him back and why. Still no satisfactory answer was given. He did not talk to his driver, he was not in the mood. After 9 hours or so they reach the city and the driver leads him to the port and he boards the ship. As he heads to his quarters to rest as he is told that once they reach Plymouth they will fly to London and that once they're in the city the man who requested Blair's return wanted to speak to him immediately. Blair asked who was he but the men told him they were not informed, everything is on a need-to-know basis. Blair showers, changes clothing, and sleeps through the rest voyage. He is awakened just before they pull into port. He departs the ship and enters a new car and is driven to a nearby airfield where a two-seater plane and a pilot are waiting. He enters the back seat and the plane takes off. Blair has never been in a plane before and stared in awe as he grew further apart from the ground. he looks at the clouds and at the horizon. It was one of the most beautiful things he has ever seen. The journey ends sooner than Blair would like and he enters London by car less than an hour after boarding the plane. He is driven into the city while his possessions are handled and brought to his house. This is it. The anticipation was driving him mad. He speaks to the driver.
Eric Blair
"Sir, can you please tell me where we are heading?"
Driver
"They haven't told you yet? We're heading to Number 10."
Eric Blair
"Pardon?"
Driver
"You're going to speak with PM Mosley. They didn't tell you?"
Blair felt a rush of adrenaline surge through his body. His breathing quickened, his heart speeds up. The driver, visibly concerned at this sudden reaction asks him if he was all right. Blair responds.
Eric Blair
"Yes, yes I'm fine. Just a bit, surprised."
Driver
"I'd probably feel the same way in your shoes. Not everyday us regular people get to meet the PM face-to-face in private. I don't know what you did to get his attention, but he seemed eager to meet to you."
Soon they reach 10 Downing Street.
Driver
"Well that it is lad. He's in there. Best to not keep him waiting."
Eric Blair
"Yes, thank you."
Blair exits the car and walks to the door. He takes one last breath to calm himself and it works somewhat, and enters in, stiff upper lip and all. The servants inform him that he is in his office and that he is ready for him. He thanks them and walks there. He looks at the door, steels himself one last time and enters.
Oswald Mosley
"Hello Mr. Blair."
Eric Blair
"Hello Your Excellency. May I sit down?"
Oswald Mosley
"Of course, please."
Blair sits down opposite of Mosley.
Oswald Mosley
"Do you know why I've requested to see you?"
Eric Blair
"No Your Excellency."
Oswald Mosley
"I'm surprised you don't, Burton."
Eric Blair
"You read my book?"
Oswald Mosley
"Yes I have. A gift from a friend. I've read the whole thing, cover to cover. It is fascinating."
Eric Blair
"Thank you Your Excellenc-"
Oswald Mosley
"But you and I know, I did not bring you here to praise your literary skills. You are here because I believe that you have a purpose other than being a soldier, something far greater. And please Mr. Blair, simply call me Mosley."
Eric Blair
"Of course, Mosley. And what purpose is that?"
Oswald Mosley
"To spread the glorious ideology of Victorianism across the world, to our friends and foes and, most importantly, our people."
Eric Blair
"How could I do that?"
Oswald Mosley
"It's quite simple really, I want you to join my propagandists. You have an innate ability by to visualize events and ideas through words, I have a sense of these things. See, when people hear propaganda, they think lies, deception, falsehoods, and half-truths. This is generally true for other ideologies, but not for Victorianism. Victorianism is truth, it is justice, it is liberty, it is the truest vanquisher of the decadence of the Old World and the greatest vanguard against the evil of Marxism. What better person to spread an ideology of truth than one who illustrates the world as is? There is no greater power than truth."
Eric Blair
"Do you truly think I can help advance Victorianism in Britain and the world?"
Oswald Mosley
"Yes."
The simplicity of his answer fills Blair with confidence and reassurance."
Eric Blair
"I would be honored to serve a man as great you Your Excellency."
Mosley's face lights up with reserved joy.
Oswald Mosley
"Excellent, it is wondrous to hear you say such."
Eric Blair
"Where do I go? When should I start?"
Oswald Mosley
"Eager to begin as all young men are I see. Do not fret, I shall discuss with others where you can be of most use. For now, head home and relax. Are you married Mr. Blair?"
Eric Blair
"Yes Your Excellency, her name is Jacintha. We married very recently, 3 years ago."
Oswald Mosley
"That is great to hear. Go to her, she has probably been expecting you ever since your things were delivered earlier."
Eric Blair
"Of course, to be home again will be a welcome thing. Thank you Your Excellency."
Blair exits the office and Mosley continues his work, anticipating the results Blair will produce at the Ministry of Information. Another valuable asset has been secured, one steadfastly loyal to Mosley. Slowly but surely, he is working to erode financial democracy and international influence. He knows it is coming soon, he just needs a boost in popularity to ensure compliance with his plans to make Britain the greatest nation once more. He hopes the conclusion of the South Africa Scheme and a short, successful war against the Ottomans would achieve this. Once he is the Autocrat Britain needs and deserves he will be able to act with speed and decisiveness impossible for a pluto-democratic Parliament to have.
The meeting with the French Exiles will come soon and he must prepare for it. With the combined strength of France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, and Greece, Britain would be ready to strike Germany. Edward is preparing for his tour to Gibraltar, West and South Africa, Ceylon, Australia, and Hong Kong in order to reassert Britain's overseas position. It however must be postponed until the birth of Albert's first child who is due sometime in April.
Blair arrives at his home and enters his apartment to see Jacintha waiting for him. He goes to hug her after months of being apart and they spend the rest of the day in leisure, content with the path life is taking. Blair finds it hard to comprehend how perfectly everything has aligned in his favour. Although what transpired after the fall of Madrid and his promise to Gomez still weigh heavy on his mind, these burdens feel somewhat lighter. At least for now, it seems he has yet more blessings to count.
Eric Blair In Spain With Nationalist Troops, He Is the Tallest Figure In the Photo, 1925
British Troops Man A Machine Gun Position In Southern Spain, 1926
Nationalist and Italian Troops In the Trenches Outside of Jaén, Spanish and Italian Troops Were More Integrated Than They Were With the British, 1925
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The Lion and L'Aigle
Lord_Vespasian
Banned
The Sun Rises Yet Again
Chapter 21: The Lion and L'Aigle
March 20, 1926
The day has come, Mosley prepares to formally meet with the French Exiles. He brings with him Fuller, Joyce, Beatty, and several others of relevance to the status of France. Also included is a liaison from Italy to voice Mussolini's interests.
At the head of the French Exiles is none other than Grand Maréchal Philippe Pétain, his right-hand man is Maréchal Ferdinand Foch, a competent leader who introduced many new and bold strategies that kept the Germans on their feet until 1918. Also included is François Darlan, high ranking member of La Royale as the French admiralty suffered great losses during and shortly after the war to old age and imprisonment by or defection to the Commune, Henri Giraud, a POW twice, to both the Germans and the Commune, escaping both times, François de La Rocque, head of maintaining morale which he does quite successfully with his fiery speeches and demeanor, Maxime Weygand, a member of the Supreme Entente War Council established during the war, Paul Baudouin, a successful banker who was forced to leave France and soon took charge of the financial maintenance of the Armée de Terre in exile, Charles de Gaulle, pen officer and a protege of Pétain, and several other politicians, businessman, and military officials. They are set to meet in 10 Downing, this matter is of the utmost importance.
As the British and French file into the room, Mosley walks up to Petain and shakes his hand as he greets him. They sit and prepare themselves for the long discussion to come. Mosley moves to speak first, reaffirming who was dependent on who in this situation.
Oswald Mosley
"Bonjour fine gentlemen! I am not here to waste your time and I know you are not here to do so with mine, so let us not mince our words and be completely candid; we are here to discuss how we can best return you to France and establish a legitimate government."
Phillipe Pétain
"I see you Britannique can both be ceremonious as they come and as pragmatic as a machine."
Oswald Mosley
"As the great ancients have often said, 'Make haste, not speed'."
Phillipe Pétain
"Fair enough. I must say Monsieur Mosley, I am greatly impressed with what you have done for Britain, I believe my fellow Exiles and I are warming up to this Restitutionism of yours."
Oswald Mosley
"That is news that we are all glad to hear. I sincerely hope France, once liberated from the shackles of Marxism, will assist us in the struggle against Germany."
Phillipe Pétain
"Of course, those disgusting Allemands must pay for the humiliation of the War of 1870 and the Great War. When we stand in Paris, rest assured we shall stand with you to crush the Kaiserreich. But we must regain control over France first."
Oswald Mosley
"We understand completely. That is why I have brought Mr. Fuller and Joyce here along with others to discuss how we believe the best course of action to achieve this. Fuller?"
J. F. C. Fuller
"Thank you Your Excellency. My colleagues and I have designed an outline for the coming decade to prepare for the liberation of France and the installation of your government. The first is to end the Spanish Civil War as soon as possible so that Spain can rebuild and prepare for the war of liberation. Second is to invade Algeria and restore the French government in Algiers. With those two things accomplished main preparations for the liberation will be completed. With Italy, Portugal, Spain, Britain, and your army we can take down the Commune. We have specifics on how to accomplish both of these and we will begin cooperating for these endeavors. Joyce?"
William Joyce
"I have talked with my Prime Minister and we agreed that is due time to return the territories our previous governments wrongfully seized and kept. Effective immediately, the French Caribbean and French Africa will be returned to your jurisdiction."
Phillipe Pétain
"It is good to see we are being given the respect we are due."
Charles de Gaulle
"After how much humiliation?"
Phillipe Pétain
"Silencieux Joseph! Do not mind him, he sometimes speaks without thinking, not one for diplomacy. We are most grateful for your deference in this matter."
Oswald Mosley
"It is nothing, I assure you. Britain is committed to establishing peace in Europe, once the mistakes of the Lost Decade have been corrected. Will France join the Righteous League and help us spread the glorious cause of Restitutionism?"
Phillipe Pétain
"I have seen the results that you and Mussolini have achieved and I believe that this is the ideology of the future. France will join the Righteous League, not the France of old, of the weak 3rd République, but of a new France, inspired by Victorianism, Fascism, of our faith, our nation, our history, our loss, and our eventual rebirth, a France of Restaurationnisme!"
Mosley grabs his glass and stands, the others follow suit.
Oswald Mosley
"A toast then. A toast to a new France, a new Britain, a new Europe, a brave new world waiting for us to usher it in, in all its grandiose beauty. To Britannia and to France!"
The room erupts into a hearty cheer and all down their drinks. The talks continue. Mosley assures the Italian envoy that Italy's right to Corsica, Savoie, and Nice would be held by Italy until the Commune was defeated, following that further discussion would take place to see if a result could be reached that pleased both. Also in discussion was the ceding of claims on Tunis and the Algerian provinces of Annabe, El Tarf, Skikda, Guelma, Souk Ahras, Tebessa, Khenchela, and Oum el-Bouaghi to Italy. Several other discussions take place on the organizing of French assistance in the Spanish Civil War. Also in discussion is the allocation of French fleets to Italian bases to assist in the Mediterranean as need be. The current capital of the new French state would be at Dakar, the largest city in French controlled Africa and close to Europe. Access to thr burgeoning Righteous economic sphere as well as British, Italian, and Portuguese specialists and investment would allow the French Exiles to finally achieve a balanced budget and a permanent base of operations.
With the French, British, Italian, and Portuguese navies combined, the Righteous League is now a significant naval player and is a threat that Germany will be hard-pressed to contain. Mosley has successfully ingratiated himself to the future French government while also asserting his superiority over them. A network of vital and ideologically united European allies has been established and built upon. He is confident in future British military strength, the Claudius II performance was even better than he had hoped for.
His next short term moves are to help Kitson centralise and nationalise the economy, continue preparations for the South Africa Scheme, establish the Loyalist support network to provide arms and finances to Britain's overseas servants, form the Imperial Legion, finalise the creation of I3, help Edward prepare for his visit to various nations, and prepare for the Naval Conference. Japan had sent notice, saying it would attend the Conference, with Prime Minister Hara Takashi as well as admirals Inoue Yoshika, Tōgō Heihachirō, Fushimi Hiroyasu, Osami Nagano, Dewa Shigetō, Uryū Sotokichi, Katō Sadakichi, Yamashita Gentarō, Takarabe Takeshi, and the Navy Minister Katō Tomosaburō all planned to be in attendance. America also sent a message saying they would be in attendance, being the largest navy in the world, only the Kaiserliche Marine being close due both to disrepair and scrapping of many of the USN's ships and massive planned fleet construction programs in Germany. It seems Mosley would have to interact with Coolidge one last time before the 1928 election. But those will be done in all due time, today is a day for celebration, for today, the Lion and L'aigle have united against common foes.
Maréchal Ferdinand Jean Marie Foch, Right-Hand Man to Phillipe Pétain and Second Highest Ranking Member of the French Exiles. He Is Greatly Respected by the French, British, and Germans For Phenomenal Skill Displayed During the Great War, 1914
Maxime Weygand, Former Member of Supreme Entente War Council Formed by Prime Minister Lloyd George, and High Ranking General in the Armée de Terre in Exile, 1923
Henri Honoré Giraud, POW to Both Germany and the Commune like de Gaulle, and High Ranking General of the Armée de Terre in Exile, 1925
François de La Rocque, Head of the Cabinet Noir, the Primary Military and Secret Police of the French Exiles, He Is Also the Head of the Far-Right Movement Called Croix de Feu, Whose Purpose Is to Keep Civilian and Military Morale High, 1924
Paul Baudouin, Financial Minister for the French Exiles and a Member of Action Française, Another Far-Right Movement Similar to Croix de Feu With Similar Goals, With Devout Roman Catholic Nationalism and Militarism Being At its Core. Both of These Movements Inspired and Drew Inspiration From Fascism and Victorianism, 1922
Chapter 21: The Lion and L'Aigle
March 20, 1926
The day has come, Mosley prepares to formally meet with the French Exiles. He brings with him Fuller, Joyce, Beatty, and several others of relevance to the status of France. Also included is a liaison from Italy to voice Mussolini's interests.
At the head of the French Exiles is none other than Grand Maréchal Philippe Pétain, his right-hand man is Maréchal Ferdinand Foch, a competent leader who introduced many new and bold strategies that kept the Germans on their feet until 1918. Also included is François Darlan, high ranking member of La Royale as the French admiralty suffered great losses during and shortly after the war to old age and imprisonment by or defection to the Commune, Henri Giraud, a POW twice, to both the Germans and the Commune, escaping both times, François de La Rocque, head of maintaining morale which he does quite successfully with his fiery speeches and demeanor, Maxime Weygand, a member of the Supreme Entente War Council established during the war, Paul Baudouin, a successful banker who was forced to leave France and soon took charge of the financial maintenance of the Armée de Terre in exile, Charles de Gaulle, pen officer and a protege of Pétain, and several other politicians, businessman, and military officials. They are set to meet in 10 Downing, this matter is of the utmost importance.
As the British and French file into the room, Mosley walks up to Petain and shakes his hand as he greets him. They sit and prepare themselves for the long discussion to come. Mosley moves to speak first, reaffirming who was dependent on who in this situation.
Oswald Mosley
"Bonjour fine gentlemen! I am not here to waste your time and I know you are not here to do so with mine, so let us not mince our words and be completely candid; we are here to discuss how we can best return you to France and establish a legitimate government."
Phillipe Pétain
"I see you Britannique can both be ceremonious as they come and as pragmatic as a machine."
Oswald Mosley
"As the great ancients have often said, 'Make haste, not speed'."
Phillipe Pétain
"Fair enough. I must say Monsieur Mosley, I am greatly impressed with what you have done for Britain, I believe my fellow Exiles and I are warming up to this Restitutionism of yours."
Oswald Mosley
"That is news that we are all glad to hear. I sincerely hope France, once liberated from the shackles of Marxism, will assist us in the struggle against Germany."
Phillipe Pétain
"Of course, those disgusting Allemands must pay for the humiliation of the War of 1870 and the Great War. When we stand in Paris, rest assured we shall stand with you to crush the Kaiserreich. But we must regain control over France first."
Oswald Mosley
"We understand completely. That is why I have brought Mr. Fuller and Joyce here along with others to discuss how we believe the best course of action to achieve this. Fuller?"
J. F. C. Fuller
"Thank you Your Excellency. My colleagues and I have designed an outline for the coming decade to prepare for the liberation of France and the installation of your government. The first is to end the Spanish Civil War as soon as possible so that Spain can rebuild and prepare for the war of liberation. Second is to invade Algeria and restore the French government in Algiers. With those two things accomplished main preparations for the liberation will be completed. With Italy, Portugal, Spain, Britain, and your army we can take down the Commune. We have specifics on how to accomplish both of these and we will begin cooperating for these endeavors. Joyce?"
William Joyce
"I have talked with my Prime Minister and we agreed that is due time to return the territories our previous governments wrongfully seized and kept. Effective immediately, the French Caribbean and French Africa will be returned to your jurisdiction."
Phillipe Pétain
"It is good to see we are being given the respect we are due."
Charles de Gaulle
"After how much humiliation?"
Phillipe Pétain
"Silencieux Joseph! Do not mind him, he sometimes speaks without thinking, not one for diplomacy. We are most grateful for your deference in this matter."
Oswald Mosley
"It is nothing, I assure you. Britain is committed to establishing peace in Europe, once the mistakes of the Lost Decade have been corrected. Will France join the Righteous League and help us spread the glorious cause of Restitutionism?"
Phillipe Pétain
"I have seen the results that you and Mussolini have achieved and I believe that this is the ideology of the future. France will join the Righteous League, not the France of old, of the weak 3rd République, but of a new France, inspired by Victorianism, Fascism, of our faith, our nation, our history, our loss, and our eventual rebirth, a France of Restaurationnisme!"
Mosley grabs his glass and stands, the others follow suit.
Oswald Mosley
"A toast then. A toast to a new France, a new Britain, a new Europe, a brave new world waiting for us to usher it in, in all its grandiose beauty. To Britannia and to France!"
The room erupts into a hearty cheer and all down their drinks. The talks continue. Mosley assures the Italian envoy that Italy's right to Corsica, Savoie, and Nice would be held by Italy until the Commune was defeated, following that further discussion would take place to see if a result could be reached that pleased both. Also in discussion was the ceding of claims on Tunis and the Algerian provinces of Annabe, El Tarf, Skikda, Guelma, Souk Ahras, Tebessa, Khenchela, and Oum el-Bouaghi to Italy. Several other discussions take place on the organizing of French assistance in the Spanish Civil War. Also in discussion is the allocation of French fleets to Italian bases to assist in the Mediterranean as need be. The current capital of the new French state would be at Dakar, the largest city in French controlled Africa and close to Europe. Access to thr burgeoning Righteous economic sphere as well as British, Italian, and Portuguese specialists and investment would allow the French Exiles to finally achieve a balanced budget and a permanent base of operations.
With the French, British, Italian, and Portuguese navies combined, the Righteous League is now a significant naval player and is a threat that Germany will be hard-pressed to contain. Mosley has successfully ingratiated himself to the future French government while also asserting his superiority over them. A network of vital and ideologically united European allies has been established and built upon. He is confident in future British military strength, the Claudius II performance was even better than he had hoped for.
His next short term moves are to help Kitson centralise and nationalise the economy, continue preparations for the South Africa Scheme, establish the Loyalist support network to provide arms and finances to Britain's overseas servants, form the Imperial Legion, finalise the creation of I3, help Edward prepare for his visit to various nations, and prepare for the Naval Conference. Japan had sent notice, saying it would attend the Conference, with Prime Minister Hara Takashi as well as admirals Inoue Yoshika, Tōgō Heihachirō, Fushimi Hiroyasu, Osami Nagano, Dewa Shigetō, Uryū Sotokichi, Katō Sadakichi, Yamashita Gentarō, Takarabe Takeshi, and the Navy Minister Katō Tomosaburō all planned to be in attendance. America also sent a message saying they would be in attendance, being the largest navy in the world, only the Kaiserliche Marine being close due both to disrepair and scrapping of many of the USN's ships and massive planned fleet construction programs in Germany. It seems Mosley would have to interact with Coolidge one last time before the 1928 election. But those will be done in all due time, today is a day for celebration, for today, the Lion and L'aigle have united against common foes.
Maréchal Ferdinand Jean Marie Foch, Right-Hand Man to Phillipe Pétain and Second Highest Ranking Member of the French Exiles. He Is Greatly Respected by the French, British, and Germans For Phenomenal Skill Displayed During the Great War, 1914
Maxime Weygand, Former Member of Supreme Entente War Council Formed by Prime Minister Lloyd George, and High Ranking General in the Armée de Terre in Exile, 1923
Henri Honoré Giraud, POW to Both Germany and the Commune like de Gaulle, and High Ranking General of the Armée de Terre in Exile, 1925
François de La Rocque, Head of the Cabinet Noir, the Primary Military and Secret Police of the French Exiles, He Is Also the Head of the Far-Right Movement Called Croix de Feu, Whose Purpose Is to Keep Civilian and Military Morale High, 1924
Paul Baudouin, Financial Minister for the French Exiles and a Member of Action Française, Another Far-Right Movement Similar to Croix de Feu With Similar Goals, With Devout Roman Catholic Nationalism and Militarism Being At its Core. Both of These Movements Inspired and Drew Inspiration From Fascism and Victorianism, 1922
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Lord_Vespasian
Banned
With 21 chapters and over a years time having passed in the timeline, how is it turning out? Do you think the story is going good or is it getting worse? Is the pacing too slow or quick, and do you feel it has been worth your time reading? Please let me know
You have a good story going here I'm enjoying reading it. I'd like to see some order of battles
Lord_Vespasian
Banned
I must admit writing combat is probably my weakest point as I am no military expert, however more should be coming up as the Winter has passed and that has caused most combat in Spain to slow. The Civil War will come to an end soon. I am excited for when I get to write the Ottoman invasion and World War II. As for OOB, I must admit, I genuinely wouldn't know how to write one. I'd rather just not do it than try and make something completely nonsensical. Thank you for reading
A New Age Dawns
Lord_Vespasian
Banned
The Sun Rises Yet Again
Chapter 22: A New Age Dawns
April 1, 1926
Albert's first child had been born, jubilation is abound throughout Britain as a new member of the Royal Family has arrived, easing the loss of recently deceased King George. Albert and Elizabeth decided upon the name Elizabeth for their daughter. Edward was in attendance of the birth and took great interest in the child, much to the surprise of Albert and Elizabeth. A welcome surprise it was however as Albert and Edward's relationship had become strained in the years prior to George's death due to several factors, chief among them being George's clear preference for Albert over Edward, this however seemed to be the rekindling of their relationship. Edward remarked to them that she would make an excellent queen, with Elizabeth retorting "God forbid it".
Having been there for the birth of his niece, Edward felt the time for his tour to the East was fast approaching. He had talked with Mosley, Joyce and several others on the best strategies to appeal to the peoples he was embarking to see. His route would see him depart from London to Gibraltar where he would stay for a day before heading to British West Africa to maintain colonial loyalties, then proceeding to South Africa for several days to drum up support for Smuts and his party as well as Britain in general, with that finished he would proceed to Ceylon, making a stop at the Maldives to refuel, where he would ensure continued support for Britain, afterwards he would depart to Perth Australia, upon arrival he would travel throughout the city and then to the other major cities of Australia; Victoria, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, New Castle, and Canberra to name some. This portion of the tour would be the lengthiest, spending almost two weeks in Australia. Once done, he will depart from Darwin to head to Hong Kong to keep British popularity high. Once done, he will return home, only stopping at Ceylon, South Africa, and Ghana to refuel and restock. Deliberately avoiding the Suez Canal was planned from the beginning in order to spite the Germans. Mosley has asked Blair if he was willing to travel with Edward and he accepted. Edward is planned to leave mid-May so that knowledge of the tour will have circulated throughout the destinations. Mosley heads to Buckingham to another weekly audience with the King, these audiences however are far more enjoyable and productive for both Mosley and the King. He enters the Palace and waits until he is called in. As he enters he greets Edward and bows to him.
Oswald Mosley
"Good day Your Majesty."
King Edward VIII
"A good day to you Prime Minister."
Edward sits down and Mosley, as always, stands.
King Edward VIII
"Mosley, my dear friend, I beseech you to have a seat, there is no reason you should stand like that."
Oswald Mosley
"No Your Majesty, it is customary I stand, it is a sign of respect."
King Edward VIII
"I know that, I simply believe it is gratuitous and unnecessary. Our relationship is not just one of professionalism, we have known each other for almost six years now. I was on of your earliest supporters and you're the one who managed to knock sense into me. I have not a doubt of your respect for me and mine for you."
Oswald Mosley
"Very well, but only because of your insistence, Your Majesty."
King Edward VIII
"Thank you Mosley. Now what is there to discuss today?"
Oswald Mosley
"Several things. First is the matter of your proposal to Helen."
King Edward VIII
"Already done. She was somewhat surprised by the suddenness of it, but I managed to sway her. Our wedding is to take place on April 18th as that day will be of a new moon, symbolising a new era and a future that will be brighter than the present."
Oswald Mosley
"Very eccentric, I hope Cynthia and I will be invited?"
King Edward VIII
"Of course, I wouldn't dream of it."
Oswald Mosley
"You wont have a very good honeymoon unfortunately."
King Edward VIII
"It is not so, I have decided to incorporate my tour and honeymoon into one. I'm certain she will enjoy a long vacation to a variety of exotic and cultured places."
Oswald Mosley
"A lucky man you are Your Majesty, our honeymoon was in Bath where she was angered by seemingly greater interest in the Roman buildings than her. Moving on, your tour and the actions you shall take on it."
King Edward VIII
"Yes, I have done much preparation for it, although I wish you could come with me."
Oswald Mosley
"I understand your reservations but you shall be gone for months, I cannot afford to be away from Britain, especially at this time."
King Edward VIII
"I know, it's just that this tour is extremely important to how they view Britain and how they view me, this will either make or break my reign as a beloved King."
Oswald Mosley
"Your Majesty, I am going to be blunt. If I believed that you going on this tour by yourself might harm Britain's reputation in anyway, I would do everything in my power to prevent you from going, and if I could not, I would certainly send someone to supervise you. I have done neither. You are a great orator and an inspiring leader. I believe in you, now it's time for you to believe in yourself. Do you remember the London Conference?"
King Edward VIII
"Yes I do. Thank you Mosley."
Oswald Mosley
"During your tour, I would like for you to make overtures to the creation of an Imperial Legion."
King Edward VIII
"An Imperial Legion?"
Oswald Mosley
"It will be a multinational organisation where those who wish to fight for Britain can do so, like the Czechoslovak Legion of the Great War. It would be an effective diplomatic tool for us to those other countries."
King Edward VIII
"I see, I will mention in some speeches about the need for people all over the world to help Britain fight her foes."
Oswald Mosley
"One last overview of the goals of this tour. They are to keep the territories we have with us and bring territories we have lost back into their good graces. Gibraltar will be an easy one, tell the people how Britain has successfully brought them back into the fold and protected them from bloodshed. West Africa will be straightforward, compare them to Mittleafrika and that lunatic Goering. South Africa will be the most evidently important, you must work closely with Smuts and his Union Party to help gain support for himself and for us. With them in power South Africa will reenter the Empire and with it a great many advantages. The first will be securing the Cape of Good Hope for ourselves and against our enemies, we will also gain control of the diamond and gold mines, access to their resources such as coal, chromium, nickel, iron, tin, and platinum. It will also be the first domino in our return to the the Empire."
King Edward VIII
"Yes, I've prepared greatly for this. I will ensure that our image is greatly respected and admired across the world."
Oswald Mosley
"Excellent. This shall be your first major action as King, this is what historians will be looking back at 1,000 years from now and say that this was the beginning of the great Edwardian Era. You will be the first Victorian King."
King Edward VIII
"There is one more matter I wished to talk to you about."
Oswald Mosley
"What is it?"
King Edward VIII
"I had some personal artists of mine draw up some drafts for a campaign to help British industries. I have them right here."
He pulls up several black and white posters with slogans on them.
King Edward VIII
"These are of course rough drafts. I thought the name they had come up with, 'Buy British', was a great and novel idea."
Oswald Mosley
"These look most promising Your Majesty. I will have Risdon to look it over. If you give us your signature I think the Buy British campaign will be a smashing success. Thank you Your Majesty, and with that I think we are done for today."
King Edward VIII
"Good day to you Prime Minister."
Mosley exits the Palace with the sketches Edward provided. Later, Mosley meets with Basil Thomson over lunch to discuss his role as the head of I3.
Basil Thomson
"Hello Your Excellency. What have you called me for on this fine day?"
Oswald Mosley
"I have called you here today as Sir George Makgill recommended you to head a new bureau I plan to create."
Basil Thomson
"What bureau would that be?"
Oswald Mosley
"It would be an bureau whose purpose would be to promote internal stability within the nation. To crack down on dissidents and rebels, unruly journalists and politicians. I assume you have done some of this at MI5 recently?"
Basil Thomson
"Yes indeed. Those extra-judicial powers you granted us have helped us do much."
Oswald Mosley
"Yes, as you know those powers are temporary, set to expire later this year in fact. However, the role fulfilled in this time must not go unfulfilled, thus I am creating a new bureau that would have these powers permanently. It will be a civilian organisation, the only way to justify the reach it will have, but it will be funded, trained, supplied, and used as a military one. This bureau will fight for the body of the nation, protect it from internal attacks. This bureau will be named the Institute for Internal Integrity, I3 for short. Makgill recommended you and I trust his judgement, God rest his soul. So will you do it? Will you do this service for your nation?"
Basil Thomson
"I will, eagerly so. If this bureau of yours is what you say it will be, then I will gladly contribute my services as head of it."
Oswald Mosley
"Excellent news. For now you shall remain at MI5 until the bureau is created, I would suggest preparing your possessions for a move however."
Basil Thomson
"I will do so with great haste. Thank you for this opportunity Your Excellency!"
Oswald Mosley
"And thank you for your service, Sir Thomson. Oh by the way, Makgill gave me this list of others who would be well suited to work at I3, I want you to have it, check with the people and see if there aren't others who fit it."
Mosley hands Thomson the list.
Basil Thomson
"I will do so Your Excellency."
The two finish their lunches and bid each other farewell. The next meeting of the Righteous League was scheduled to start during the final week of April while the Naval Conference was set to begin on July 28th, the 12 year anniversary of the beginning of the Great War, in London. A daring move that Mosley plans to make is to have Franco and several officials from Nationalist Spain arrive at the Conference, something most unexpected. This move would state that by accepting the results of the Conference, Germany was accepting Franco's legitimacy as ruler of Spain, something that would greatly strengthen his regime once the war was over, which it would soon be. Franco had to join the Righteous League so as to be able to have a legitimate reason to be there. Mosley would also have to speak with the other members on how to best use their resources for their respective militaries. He phones Risdon from his office.
Wilfred Risdon
"Risdon speaking."
Oswald Mosley
"Risdon, it's Mosley, I need you to meet me. I have something you'll like."
Wilfred Risdon
"I'll be right over."
Risdon heads to 10 Downing and enters Mosley's office.
Wilfred Risdon
"What is it?"
Mosley pulls out some of the posters and shows them to Risdon.
Oswald Mosley
"The King had some of his personal servants draft up some posters for economic protectionism, what do you think?"
Wilfred Risdon
"I love it. Even the slogan, 'Buy British', rolls right of the tongue. Just fantastic. I will get to work on this right away. I can get you some colour posters in a week."
Oswald Mosley
"Very good. I shall let you get going."
Wilfred Risdon
"Good day Your Excellency."
Risdon exits the room and heads home. Once Edward returns from his tour he will undergo his coronation. It will be filled with grandiose splendor, a coronation for the modern age. Edward has decided he wanted limited video broadcasting of the event, saying that those that could not attend at Westminster should be able to view an important historical event. He also has commissioned a painter to capture the moment the crown would be laid upon his head. A new age dawns for the nation.
Albert and Elizabeth At Their Wedding, 1923
Edward and Albert Together Shortly Before Elizabeth's Birth, 1926
Former Major-General Sir Vernon George Kell, Founder of the British Security Service, Or MI5, and Soon to Be Head Once More, 1923
Hara Takashi, 10th Prime Minister of Japan and the Primary Proponent of Continued Liberal Democracy, He Survived a Dangerous Stabbing In 1921 By Right-Wing Railroad Worker Nakaoka Kon'ichi. He Is the Largest Obstacle To the Military's Growing Power In Japan, 1923
Chapter 22: A New Age Dawns
April 1, 1926
Albert's first child had been born, jubilation is abound throughout Britain as a new member of the Royal Family has arrived, easing the loss of recently deceased King George. Albert and Elizabeth decided upon the name Elizabeth for their daughter. Edward was in attendance of the birth and took great interest in the child, much to the surprise of Albert and Elizabeth. A welcome surprise it was however as Albert and Edward's relationship had become strained in the years prior to George's death due to several factors, chief among them being George's clear preference for Albert over Edward, this however seemed to be the rekindling of their relationship. Edward remarked to them that she would make an excellent queen, with Elizabeth retorting "God forbid it".
Having been there for the birth of his niece, Edward felt the time for his tour to the East was fast approaching. He had talked with Mosley, Joyce and several others on the best strategies to appeal to the peoples he was embarking to see. His route would see him depart from London to Gibraltar where he would stay for a day before heading to British West Africa to maintain colonial loyalties, then proceeding to South Africa for several days to drum up support for Smuts and his party as well as Britain in general, with that finished he would proceed to Ceylon, making a stop at the Maldives to refuel, where he would ensure continued support for Britain, afterwards he would depart to Perth Australia, upon arrival he would travel throughout the city and then to the other major cities of Australia; Victoria, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, New Castle, and Canberra to name some. This portion of the tour would be the lengthiest, spending almost two weeks in Australia. Once done, he will depart from Darwin to head to Hong Kong to keep British popularity high. Once done, he will return home, only stopping at Ceylon, South Africa, and Ghana to refuel and restock. Deliberately avoiding the Suez Canal was planned from the beginning in order to spite the Germans. Mosley has asked Blair if he was willing to travel with Edward and he accepted. Edward is planned to leave mid-May so that knowledge of the tour will have circulated throughout the destinations. Mosley heads to Buckingham to another weekly audience with the King, these audiences however are far more enjoyable and productive for both Mosley and the King. He enters the Palace and waits until he is called in. As he enters he greets Edward and bows to him.
Oswald Mosley
"Good day Your Majesty."
King Edward VIII
"A good day to you Prime Minister."
Edward sits down and Mosley, as always, stands.
King Edward VIII
"Mosley, my dear friend, I beseech you to have a seat, there is no reason you should stand like that."
Oswald Mosley
"No Your Majesty, it is customary I stand, it is a sign of respect."
King Edward VIII
"I know that, I simply believe it is gratuitous and unnecessary. Our relationship is not just one of professionalism, we have known each other for almost six years now. I was on of your earliest supporters and you're the one who managed to knock sense into me. I have not a doubt of your respect for me and mine for you."
Oswald Mosley
"Very well, but only because of your insistence, Your Majesty."
King Edward VIII
"Thank you Mosley. Now what is there to discuss today?"
Oswald Mosley
"Several things. First is the matter of your proposal to Helen."
King Edward VIII
"Already done. She was somewhat surprised by the suddenness of it, but I managed to sway her. Our wedding is to take place on April 18th as that day will be of a new moon, symbolising a new era and a future that will be brighter than the present."
Oswald Mosley
"Very eccentric, I hope Cynthia and I will be invited?"
King Edward VIII
"Of course, I wouldn't dream of it."
Oswald Mosley
"You wont have a very good honeymoon unfortunately."
King Edward VIII
"It is not so, I have decided to incorporate my tour and honeymoon into one. I'm certain she will enjoy a long vacation to a variety of exotic and cultured places."
Oswald Mosley
"A lucky man you are Your Majesty, our honeymoon was in Bath where she was angered by seemingly greater interest in the Roman buildings than her. Moving on, your tour and the actions you shall take on it."
King Edward VIII
"Yes, I have done much preparation for it, although I wish you could come with me."
Oswald Mosley
"I understand your reservations but you shall be gone for months, I cannot afford to be away from Britain, especially at this time."
King Edward VIII
"I know, it's just that this tour is extremely important to how they view Britain and how they view me, this will either make or break my reign as a beloved King."
Oswald Mosley
"Your Majesty, I am going to be blunt. If I believed that you going on this tour by yourself might harm Britain's reputation in anyway, I would do everything in my power to prevent you from going, and if I could not, I would certainly send someone to supervise you. I have done neither. You are a great orator and an inspiring leader. I believe in you, now it's time for you to believe in yourself. Do you remember the London Conference?"
King Edward VIII
"Yes I do. Thank you Mosley."
Oswald Mosley
"During your tour, I would like for you to make overtures to the creation of an Imperial Legion."
King Edward VIII
"An Imperial Legion?"
Oswald Mosley
"It will be a multinational organisation where those who wish to fight for Britain can do so, like the Czechoslovak Legion of the Great War. It would be an effective diplomatic tool for us to those other countries."
King Edward VIII
"I see, I will mention in some speeches about the need for people all over the world to help Britain fight her foes."
Oswald Mosley
"One last overview of the goals of this tour. They are to keep the territories we have with us and bring territories we have lost back into their good graces. Gibraltar will be an easy one, tell the people how Britain has successfully brought them back into the fold and protected them from bloodshed. West Africa will be straightforward, compare them to Mittleafrika and that lunatic Goering. South Africa will be the most evidently important, you must work closely with Smuts and his Union Party to help gain support for himself and for us. With them in power South Africa will reenter the Empire and with it a great many advantages. The first will be securing the Cape of Good Hope for ourselves and against our enemies, we will also gain control of the diamond and gold mines, access to their resources such as coal, chromium, nickel, iron, tin, and platinum. It will also be the first domino in our return to the the Empire."
King Edward VIII
"Yes, I've prepared greatly for this. I will ensure that our image is greatly respected and admired across the world."
Oswald Mosley
"Excellent. This shall be your first major action as King, this is what historians will be looking back at 1,000 years from now and say that this was the beginning of the great Edwardian Era. You will be the first Victorian King."
King Edward VIII
"There is one more matter I wished to talk to you about."
Oswald Mosley
"What is it?"
King Edward VIII
"I had some personal artists of mine draw up some drafts for a campaign to help British industries. I have them right here."
He pulls up several black and white posters with slogans on them.
King Edward VIII
"These are of course rough drafts. I thought the name they had come up with, 'Buy British', was a great and novel idea."
Oswald Mosley
"These look most promising Your Majesty. I will have Risdon to look it over. If you give us your signature I think the Buy British campaign will be a smashing success. Thank you Your Majesty, and with that I think we are done for today."
King Edward VIII
"Good day to you Prime Minister."
Mosley exits the Palace with the sketches Edward provided. Later, Mosley meets with Basil Thomson over lunch to discuss his role as the head of I3.
Basil Thomson
"Hello Your Excellency. What have you called me for on this fine day?"
Oswald Mosley
"I have called you here today as Sir George Makgill recommended you to head a new bureau I plan to create."
Basil Thomson
"What bureau would that be?"
Oswald Mosley
"It would be an bureau whose purpose would be to promote internal stability within the nation. To crack down on dissidents and rebels, unruly journalists and politicians. I assume you have done some of this at MI5 recently?"
Basil Thomson
"Yes indeed. Those extra-judicial powers you granted us have helped us do much."
Oswald Mosley
"Yes, as you know those powers are temporary, set to expire later this year in fact. However, the role fulfilled in this time must not go unfulfilled, thus I am creating a new bureau that would have these powers permanently. It will be a civilian organisation, the only way to justify the reach it will have, but it will be funded, trained, supplied, and used as a military one. This bureau will fight for the body of the nation, protect it from internal attacks. This bureau will be named the Institute for Internal Integrity, I3 for short. Makgill recommended you and I trust his judgement, God rest his soul. So will you do it? Will you do this service for your nation?"
Basil Thomson
"I will, eagerly so. If this bureau of yours is what you say it will be, then I will gladly contribute my services as head of it."
Oswald Mosley
"Excellent news. For now you shall remain at MI5 until the bureau is created, I would suggest preparing your possessions for a move however."
Basil Thomson
"I will do so with great haste. Thank you for this opportunity Your Excellency!"
Oswald Mosley
"And thank you for your service, Sir Thomson. Oh by the way, Makgill gave me this list of others who would be well suited to work at I3, I want you to have it, check with the people and see if there aren't others who fit it."
Mosley hands Thomson the list.
Basil Thomson
"I will do so Your Excellency."
The two finish their lunches and bid each other farewell. The next meeting of the Righteous League was scheduled to start during the final week of April while the Naval Conference was set to begin on July 28th, the 12 year anniversary of the beginning of the Great War, in London. A daring move that Mosley plans to make is to have Franco and several officials from Nationalist Spain arrive at the Conference, something most unexpected. This move would state that by accepting the results of the Conference, Germany was accepting Franco's legitimacy as ruler of Spain, something that would greatly strengthen his regime once the war was over, which it would soon be. Franco had to join the Righteous League so as to be able to have a legitimate reason to be there. Mosley would also have to speak with the other members on how to best use their resources for their respective militaries. He phones Risdon from his office.
Wilfred Risdon
"Risdon speaking."
Oswald Mosley
"Risdon, it's Mosley, I need you to meet me. I have something you'll like."
Wilfred Risdon
"I'll be right over."
Risdon heads to 10 Downing and enters Mosley's office.
Wilfred Risdon
"What is it?"
Mosley pulls out some of the posters and shows them to Risdon.
Oswald Mosley
"The King had some of his personal servants draft up some posters for economic protectionism, what do you think?"
Wilfred Risdon
"I love it. Even the slogan, 'Buy British', rolls right of the tongue. Just fantastic. I will get to work on this right away. I can get you some colour posters in a week."
Oswald Mosley
"Very good. I shall let you get going."
Wilfred Risdon
"Good day Your Excellency."
Risdon exits the room and heads home. Once Edward returns from his tour he will undergo his coronation. It will be filled with grandiose splendor, a coronation for the modern age. Edward has decided he wanted limited video broadcasting of the event, saying that those that could not attend at Westminster should be able to view an important historical event. He also has commissioned a painter to capture the moment the crown would be laid upon his head. A new age dawns for the nation.
Albert and Elizabeth At Their Wedding, 1923
Edward and Albert Together Shortly Before Elizabeth's Birth, 1926
Former Major-General Sir Vernon George Kell, Founder of the British Security Service, Or MI5, and Soon to Be Head Once More, 1923
Hara Takashi, 10th Prime Minister of Japan and the Primary Proponent of Continued Liberal Democracy, He Survived a Dangerous Stabbing In 1921 By Right-Wing Railroad Worker Nakaoka Kon'ichi. He Is the Largest Obstacle To the Military's Growing Power In Japan, 1923
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The New British Grenadiers
Lord_Vespasian
Banned
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
Several "Buy British" Posters Which Encourage Britons to Engage In Protectionism For the Nation and Each Other, 1926
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
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
Several "Buy British" Posters Which Encourage Britons to Engage In Protectionism For the Nation and Each Other, 1926
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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A pity, he's a good acquaintance of mine... a pity that this tl will be killed prematurely on this site.