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Great writing Draco, and a jolly good update :D
No I just wonder how long it will take until Prince Albert puts a permanent end to Chamberlain and his constant troublemaking ;)
 
Draco Rexus said:
With the recent land fall and devestation of Hurricane Katrina, and the fact that I'm a claims adjuster for a very large insurance company, I might be a tad bit busy the next several MONTHS unless I get lucky and get tapped to stay back and hold down the fort. Sooo, if you see me posting in the next couple of days, you'll know that I'm still on-line and still working on this AAR. If you don't see me posting, you'll know that I'm down in the swamps of New Orleans and Mississippi trying to help people get their lives back together.

Interesting my good sir and a very good read, I also worked in your role for a large insurance company in the UK, apparently the US subsiduary has been hit very hard, good luck to you and the people of the area.
 
A multiple update, folks.

In case you are wondering, I am not being sent down to the Gulf Coast to help out with the recovery effort, but am rather staying in my current office picking up the slack being left by the others who are being sent down to the Gulf.

That means that I am able to continue with this little AAR, hopefully to the enjoyment of all who read.

With that being said, kick yer feet up, I've got a big 'un coming right quick! :D
 
CHAPTER FOUR​


While the ominous silence from the Court of St. James did not prevent Hitler from bringing the Rhineland fully back into Germany, the backdrop of that silence, namely Britain’s increasing in military expenditures and research did create a cause of concern. Likewise, Europe and the rest of the world were quietly shocked at the stance taken by the British Empire. Gone were the grandiose speeches of British diplomats about peace, replaced by calmly silent diplomats saying nothing and in so doing speaking volumes. As a result of the Rhineland Crisis the world found out that Germany had changed, but they also learned that the British Empire had changed as well.

Excerpt from History of the Foreign Office, 1650-1999
By Ian Blackertt, Prof. Of History, Oxford University.



Government Brings Back the Past

Prime Minister Churchill introduced a new bill to Parliament this morning to bring back a modified Articles of War for the governing of military justice. The New Articles of War, are basically the Royal Navy’s Articles of War from the age of Nelson, retaining the harsh penalties of the era and updating the Articles to govern the British Army and the RAF.

While there was no questioning in the Commons of the reason for the introduction of the New Articles of War, sources close to the Government and to the Royal Family have hinted at further reorganization of the Armed Services with greater accountability for the officers, soldier, marines and airmen serving the Crown. Sources within the War Office were unable to confirm nor deny any such program, nor would said sources entertain any thoughts of what sort of reaction would be had by the members of the Armed Services.

With a few moments of heated debate hosted by the few far left MPs, the motion was passed with a clear majority and the New Articles of War were voted to become effective April 1, 1936.


Excerpt of article by James Grey
Of the London Times
March 14, 1936​


To: All Commands
From: War Office
RE: New Articles of War


In accordance with act of Parliament, effective April 1, 1936, all military law shall be henceforth governed by the New Articles of War. Any inquiries shall be forwarded to the General Courts Martial Board at the War Office. Included herein are the New Articles of War:

1. All commanding officers of His Majesty's Armed Services, shall cause the public worship of Almighty God, according to the liturgy of the Church of England established by law, to be solemnly, orderly and reverently performed in their respective commands; and shall take care that prayers and preaching, by the chaplains in holy orders of the respective ships, be performed diligently; and that the Lord's day be observed according to law.

2. All flag officers, and all persons in or belonging to His Majesty's Armed Services, being guilty of profane oaths, cursings, execrations, drunkenness, uncleanness, or other scandalous actions, in derogation of God's honour, and corruption of good manners, shall incur such punishment as a court martial shall think fit to impose, and as the nature and degree of their offence shall deserve.

3. If any officer, mariner, soldier, airman, or other person of the Services, shall give, hold, or entertain intelligence to or with any enemy or rebel, without leave from the king's majesty, or the Imperial General Staff, or the commissioners for executing the office of the Imperial General Staff, commander in chief, or his commanding officer, every such person so offending, and being thereof convicted by the sentence of a court martial, shall be punished with death.

4. If any letter of message from any enemy or rebel, be conveyed to any officer, mariner, or soldier, or airman or other in the Services, and the said officer, mariner, or soldier, or other as aforesaid, shall not, within twelve hours, having opportunity so to do, acquaint his superior or a commanding officer, or if any superior officer being acquainted therewith, shall not in convenient time reveal the same to the commander in chief of the command, every such person so offending, and being convicted thereof by the sentence of the court martial, shall be punished with death, or such other punishment as the nature and degree of the offense shall deserve, and the court martial shall impose.

5. All spies, and all persons whatsoever, who shall come, or be found, in the nature of spies, to bring or deliver any seducing letters or messages from any enemy or rebel, or endeavor to corrupt any officer, mariner, soldier, airman or other in the Services, to betray his trust, being convicted of any such offense by the sentence of the court martial, shall be punished with death, or such other punishment, as the nature and degree of the offence shall deserve, and the court martial shall impose.

6. No person in the Services shall receive an enemy or rebel with money, victuals, arms, ammunition, or any other supplies whatsoever, directly or indirectly, upon pain of death, or such other punishment as the court martial shall think fit to impose, and as the nature and degree of the crime shall deserve.

7. If any enemy combatant be surrendered to the a member of the Services, said enemy combatant, shall be stripped of their clothes, or in any sort pillaged, beaten, or evil-intreated, unless such treatment shall safeguard the lives of members of the Armed Services or citizens of the Empire, upon the pain that the person or persons so offending, shall be liable to such punishment as a court martial shall think fit to inflict.

8. Every officer, who, upon signal or order of fight, or in sight of any target which it may be his duty to engage, or who, upon likelihood of engagement, shall not make the necessary preparations for fight, and shall not in his own person, and according to his place, encourage the inferior officers and men to fight courageously, shall suffer death, or such other punishment, as from the nature and degree of the offence a court martial shall deem him to deserve; and if any person in the Services shall treacherously or cowardly yield or cry for quarter, every person so offending, and being convicted thereof by the sentence of a court martial, shall suffer death.

9. Every person in the Services, who shall not duly observe the orders of the Imperial General Staff, flag officer, commander of any squadron, flotilla or regiment, or other his superior officer, for assailing, joining battle with, or making defense against any enemy, or shall not obey the orders of his superior officer as aforesaid in the time of action, to the best of his power, or shall not use all possible endeavours to put the same effectually into execution, every person so offending, and being convicted thereof by the sentence of the court martial, shall suffer death, or such other punishment, as from the nature and degree of the offence a court martial shall deem him to deserve.

10. Every person in the Services, who through cowardice, negligence, or disaffection, shall in time of action withdraw or keep back, or not come into the fight or engagement, or shall not do his utmost to take or destroy every target which it shall be his duty to engage, and to assist and relieve all and every of His Majesty Services, or those of his allies, which it shall be his duty to assist and relieve, every such person so offending, and being convicted thereof by the sentence of a court martial, shall suffer death.

11. Every person in the Services, who though cowardice, negligence, or disaffection, shall forbear to pursue the chase of any enemy, pirate or rebel, beaten or flying; or shall not relieve or assist a known ally in view to the utmost of his power; being convicted of any such offense by the sentence of a court martial, shall suffer death.

12. If when action, or any service shall be commanded, any person in the Services shall presume or to delay or discourage the said action or service, upon pretence of arrears of wages, or upon any pretence whatsoever, every person so offending, being convicted thereof by the sentence of the court martial, shall suffer death, or such other punishment, as from the nature and degree of the offense a court martial shall deem him to deserve.

13. Every person in or belonging to the Services, who shall desert to the enemy, pirate, or rebel, or run away with any of His Majesty's ships, squadrons, commands or regiments, or vessels of war, or any ordnance, ammunition, stores, or provision belonging thereto, to the weakening of the service, or yield up the same cowardly or treacherously to the enemy, pirate, or rebel, being convicted of any such offence by the sentence of the court martial, shall suffer death.

14. Every person in or belonging to the Service, who shall desert or entice others so to do, shall suffer death, or such other punishment as the circumstances of the offense shall deserve, and a court martial shall judge fit: and if any commanding officer of any of His Majesty's commands shall receive or entertain a deserter from any other of His Majesty's commands, after discovering him to be such deserter, and shall not with all convenient speed give notice to the commanding officer of the command to which such deserter belongs; or if the said commands are at any considerable distance from each other, to the Imperial General Staff, or to the commander in chief; every person so offending, and being convicted thereof by the sentence of the court martial, shall be cashiered.

15. The officers, marines, soldiers, seamen, and airmen of all commands appointed for convoy and guard of merchant endeavours, or of any other, shall diligently attend upon that charge, without delay, according to their instructions in that behalf; and whosoever shall be faulty therein, and shall not faithfully perform their duty, and defend the members and goods in their convoy, without either diverting to other parts or occasions, or refusing or neglecting to fight in their defense, if they be assailed, or running away cowardly, and submitting the members in their convoy to peril and hazard; or shall demand or exact any money or other reward from any merchant or master for convoying any ships or vessels entrusted to their care, or shall misuse the masters, mariners or aircrews thereof; shall be condemned to make reparation of the damage to the merchants, owners, and others, as the court of admiralty or air staff shall adjudge, and also be punished criminally according to the quality of their offences, be it by pains of death, or other punishment, according as shall be adjudged fit by the court martial.

16. If any captain, commander, or other officer of any of His Majesty's Services, shall receive, or permit to be received, any goods or merchandizes whatsoever, other than for the sole use of the command, except gold, silver, or jewels, and except the goods and merchandizes belonging to any merchant, or other, which may be wrecked, or in imminent danger of being wrecked, either on the high seas, or in any port, creek, or harbour, or air, in order to the preserving them for their proper owners, and except such goods or merchandizes as he shall at any time be ordered to take or receive on board by order of the Imperial General Staff, or the commissioners for executing the office of the Imperial General Staff for the time being; every person so offending, being convicted thereof by the sentence of the court martial shall be cashiered, and be for ever afterwards rendered incapable to serve in any place or office in the service of His Majesty, his heirs and successors.

17. If any person in or belonging to the Services shall make or endeavor to make any mutinous assembly upon any pretence whatsoever, every person offending herein, and being convicted thereof by the sentence of the court martial, shall suffer death: and if any person in or belonging to the Services shall utter any words of sedition or mutiny, he shall suffer death, or such other punishment as a court martial shall deem him to deserve: and if any officer, mariner, soldier or airman on or belonging to the Service, shall behave himself with contempt to his superior officer, being in the execution of his office, he shall be punished according to the nature of his offence by the judgment of a court martial.

18. If any person in the Services shall conceal any traitorous or mutinous practice or design, being convicted thereof by the sentence of a court martial, he shall suffer death, or any other punishment as a court martial shall think fit; and if any person, in or belonging to the Services, shall conceal any traitorous or mutinous words spoken by any, to the prejudice of His Majesty or government, or any words, practice, or design, tending to the hindrance of the Services, and shall not forthwith reveal the same to the commanding officer, or being present at any mutiny or sedition, shall not use his utmost endeavours to suppress the same, he shall be punished as a court martial shall think he deserves.

19. If any person in the Services shall find cause of complaint of the unwholesomeness of the victual, or upon other just ground, he shall quietly make the same known to his superior, or captain, or commander in chief, as the occasion may deserve, that such present remedy may be had as the matter may require; and the said superior, captain, or commander in chief, shall, as far as he is able, cause the same to be presently remedied; and no person in the Services, upon any such or other pretence, shall attempt to stir up any disturbance, upon pain of such punishment, as a court martial shall think fit to inflict, according to the degree of the offence.

20. If any officer, mariner, soldier, airman or other person in the Services, shall strike any of his superior officers, or draw, or offer to draw, or lift up any weapon against him, being in the execution of his office, on any pretence whatsoever, every such person being convicted of any such offense, by the sentence of a court martial, shall suffer death; and if any officer, mariner, soldier, airman or other person in the Services, shall presume to quarrel with any of his superior officers, being in the execution of his office, or shall disobey any lawful command of any of his superior officers; every such person being convicted of any such offence, by the sentence of a court martial, shall suffer death, or such other punishment, as shall, according to the nature and degree of his offence, be inflicted upon him by the sentence of a court martial.

21. If any person in the Services shall quarrel or fight with any other person in the Services, or use reproachful or provoking speeches or gestures, tending to make any quarrel or disturbance, he shall, upon being convicted thereof, suffer such punishment as the offence shall deserve, and a court martial shall impose.

22. There shall be no wasteful expense of any ammunition, or other stores in the Services, nor any embezzlement thereof, but the stores and provisions shall be careful preserved, upon pain of such punishment to be inflicted upon the offenders, abettors, buyers and receivers (being persons subject to military discipline) as shall be by a court martial found just in that behalf.

23. Every person in the Services, who shall unlawfully burn or set fire to any magazine, ship, aircraft, or vehicles, or furniture thereunto belonging, not then appertaining to an enemy, pirate, or rebel, being convicted of any such offence, by the sentence of a court martial, shall suffer death.

24. Care shall be taken in the conducting and handling of any of His Majesty's ships, aircraft, or vehicles that through willfulness, negligence, or other defaults, no ship aircraft, or vehicle be stranded, damaged or hazarded, upon pain, that such as shall be found guilty therein, be punished by death, or such other punishment, as the offence by a court martial shall be judged to deserve.

25. No person in or belonging to the Services shall sleep upon his watch, or negligently perform the duty imposed on him, or forsake his station, upon pain of death, or such other punishment as a court martial shall think fit to impose, and as the circumstances of the case shall require.

26. All murders committed by any person in the Services, shall be punished with death by the sentence of a court martial.

27. If any person in the Services shall commit the unnatural and detestable sin of buggery and sodomy with man or beast, he shall be punished with death by the sentence of a court martial.

28. All robbery committed by any person in the Services, shall be punished with death, or otherwise, as a court martial, upon consideration of the circumstances, shall find meet.

29. Every officer or other person in the Services, who shall knowingly make or sign a false muster or muster book, or who shall command, counsel, or procure the making or signing thereof, or who shall aid or abet any other person in the making or signing thereof, shall, upon proof of any such offence being made before a court martial, be cashiered, and rendered incapable of further employment in His Majesty's service.

30. No provost martial belonging to the Services shall refuse to apprehend any criminal, whom he shall be authorized by legal warrant to apprehend, or to receive or keep any prisoner committed to his charge, or willfully suffer him to escape, being once in his custody, or dismiss him without lawful order, upon pain of such punishment as a court martial shall deem him fit to deserve; and all officers in the Services, shall do their endeavour to detect, apprehend, and bring to punishment all offenders, and shall assist the officers appointed for that purpose therein, upon pain of being proceeded against, and punished by a court martial, according to the nature and degree of the offence.

31. If any officer belonging to the Services, shall be convicted before a court martial of behaving in a scandalous, infamous, cruel, oppressive, or fraudulent manner, unbecoming the character of an officer, he shall be dismissed from His Majesty's service.

32. Every person being in actual service and full pay, and part of or belonging to any of His Majesty's commands, who shall be guilty of mutiny, desertion, or disobedience to any lawful command, in any part of His Majesty's dominions, when in actual service relative to the Services, shall be liable to be tried by a court martial, and suffer the like punishment for every such offence, as if the same had been committed at while within any of His Majesty's commands.

33. If any person who shall be in the actual service and full pay of His Majesty' commands, shall commit upon the shore, in any place or places out of His Majesty's dominions, any of the crimes punishable by these articles and orders, the person so offending shall be liable to be tried and punished for the same, in like manner, to all intents and purposes, as if the same crimes had been committed while within any of His Majesty's commands.

34. All other crimes not capital committed by any person or persons in the Services, which are not mentioned in this act, or for which no punishment is hereby directed to be inflicted, shall be punished by the laws and customs in such cases used in the location of said crime.


Military Communique
March 20, 1936



**********************************************************
More to come soon!
 
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Wow!! bit draconian is it not? Keep up the good work :D
 
Brillaitn stuff. Really good stuff. :)
 
Draco Rexus said:
...As a result of the Rhineland Crisis the world found out that Germany had changed, but they also learned that the British Empire had changed as well.

ahhh. those are important changes!... :cool:
 
Excellent work! Considering the articles of war as they now stand there is not that much difference - One of the major differences will be the solemn Church of England Liturgy. Lots of Irish in the forces - this will be pretty offensive to their red hot irish catholic blood! Who knows.... rebellion in the air once more?

Under the draconian AoW set for the army in WWI spitting was an offence - so maybe this is an improvement?
 
Hmmmm, religion at the forfront for officers. Could this be the beginging of something grand?
 
Possible... quite possible.
 
CHAPTER FIVE​


As Aide-de-Camp to HRH Prince Albert my duties included providing reports to His Highness on military affairs around the Empire and conducting probability studies of threats to the Empire. In this I was quite usually duplicating work down by other young officers working for the Imperial General Staff, and we often found ourselves competing against each other in order to provide the most polished report as possible to our respective superiors. Shortly after the Rhineland Crisis, His Highness directed that I prepare a study of the continued Italian offensive against Emperor Haile Selassie I of Abyssinia, as Ethiopia was then known to the world, and any possible threats the Italians might become to British interests in the Horn of Africa.

Shortly after I started my study I found out that an old roommate of mine from the Royal Military College at Sandhurst, Miles Agnew, was working on a similar project for the Imperial General Staff. Rather than play the normal game of one-up-manship, Miles and I worked together to find the answers our masters for which they were searching.
The results of that study were quite sobering. We had determined that with an Italian victory and the joining of Eritrea and Italian Somaliland with Abyssinia, a grave threat would exist to the Crown’s interests in East Africa. An Italian East Africa would be an easy springboard for attacks into Egypt, the Sudan, and Kenya.

Little did we know at the time that our report would serve as the catalyst for a major reorganization of the War Office and the Imperial General Staff, the likes of which had not been seen in the Empire since the Crimean War debacle.


From the memoirs of General The Right Honourable Malcolm R. Drake,
4th Earl of Guernsey, KCB, MC, DSO



April 18, 1936
St. James’s Palace
London


St_James_Palace.jpg

The young officer walked in to the office at the brisk yet relaxed gait that can only be produced by the Royal Military College at Sandhurst. His shoulder epaulettes showed him to be a captain, the shoulder patch on the British Army’s new uniforms identified him as being a member of the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry and the gold braid hanging from his right shoulder showed that he was an Aide-de-Camp for someone of authority. Approaching the clerk’s desk in the anteroom, the officer smiled in greeting.

“Good afternoon, Cecilia. Is His Highness ready for me?”

“Good afternoon, Malcolm,” she replied with a smile that the young officer thought was equal parts shy, alluring, challenging and today a bit mischievous. Standing from her desk and turning toward the door that led into the main office, she continued, “I hope you are ready, this seems to be a bit important.”

“Aye, lass, it’s important,” Malcolm replied a bit teasingly as he walked through the door she had just opened. Keeping his eyes on the pretty clerk, he continued, “How about after this we run out for a bit of dinner and some dancing?”

Hiding a smile, Cecilia looked purposefully over the officer’s shoulder and replied, “We shall see, Captain.”

Turning to away from her, Malcolm felt himself start to hesitate in his walk as he realized the reason behind Cecilia’s mischievous grin. Instead of finding the Prince alone in his briefing room, Malcolm found His Majesty the King, Prime Minister Churchill, Foreign Secretary Eden, War Secretary Cooper, General Mongtomery-Massingbeard, and two army officers, a Brigadier and a Colonel, and his friend Captain Miles Agnew.

Stopping just inside the doorway, Malcolm allowed his instincts and training to take over while thinking to himself, Cecilia my lass, you and I are going to go round and round after this, but dear God I think I’ve fallen in love! Coming to attention, he gave the King and the Prince a bow and announced, “Your Majesty, Your Highness, Captain Drake reporting as ordered, sir!”

“At your ease, Malcolm,” answered His Highness. “This is an informal meeting. I believe you know my brother, the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary, War Secretary Cooper, Sir Archibald and Captain Agnew. This is Brigadier Hughmes, Sir Archibald’s Director of Planning and this is Colonel Sanderson, the Brigadier’s assistant director. Your Majesty, m’lords, sirs, I present Captain Malcolm Drake, late of the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry, currently my ADC.”

“I’ve heard quite a bit about you from my little brother, Captain Drake,” the King said with a charming smile. “I understand that you graduated top in your class at Sandhurst.”

Before Malcolm could even remind himself that it was very bad manners to correct one’s King, he replied, “Actually, sir, I was fourth. My mathematics were not up to standard.”

As the blood drained from his face when he realized what he had done, the King smiled a little broader, “I like honesty, Captain, and the truth. So, are you a polo player?”

“No, Your Majesty,” came the calm but quick answer, tinged with a bit of bravado. “I feel rugby more suited to a infantry officer.”

“Indeed.”

“If you are quite done interrogating him, Your Majesty,” His Highness said with a grin, “Malcolm has a report I want you all to hear. Malcolm, go ahead.”

Stepping to the podium that was to his right as Cecilia lowered a map from the ceiling that showed East Africa, the Arabian Peninsula and the whole Indian sub-continent, the young officer pulled a series of folders from his from his brief case. Handing a folder to each person in the room he began. “Your Majesty, Your Highness, m’lords, gentleman. As of today, the Italians are winning across all fronts against the Abyssinians, who are at an extreme disadvantage due to their reliance on primitive weaponry. At this rate an Italian victory and subsequent annexation of Abyssinia has been projected to occur no later than the middle of May. Such an action could have a significant impact on the interests of the Empire. The Italians have close to 100,000 men and close to twice that amount of native Askari under the command of Generals Rodolfo Graziani and Pietro Badoglio, and come the annexation of Abyssinia, complete control of the Horn of Africa within striking distance of Egypt, the Sudan and Kenya, if not further south. If it came to a fight, the Empire does not have much to contest the field. To the west is the Sudanese Colonial Brigade, under General Wille, made up of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Sudanese Colonials, mostly made up of our own Askari but with a good complement of settlers. In Marsabit is the British Army of North Kenya, under General Newth, made up of the 1st Kenyan Volunteers, the Kenyan Rifles, and the Ugandan Royal Volunteers. Finally, in Mombasa, under General Pownall is the British Army of South Kenya made up of the Uganda Rifles, the Tanganyikan Volunteers and the Tanganyikan Colonial Rifles. The make up of both Kenyan armies is an even mix of Askari and settlers, with the Tanganyikan Colonial Rifles being made up mostly of settlers with military experience. All that being said, these three armies are little more than militia armies and stand very little chance of stopping the Italians if they decide to move south or west.
If the Italians move north toward Egypt, there is only the British Army of North Africa under General Alanbrooke, made up of the Welsh Guards and the Irish Foot Guards, currently stationed in Jerusalem. While both Guards units are at full strength and are regular army, the Italians would vastly outnumber them in the event of a battle.”


“This is most disturbing, Captain,” Churchill pronounced heavily. Turning slightly to eye the sitting military officers, the Prime Minister continued, “What is more disturbing is the fact that briefing provided by Col. Sanderson to the Privy Council yesterday failed to mention this amount of threat from the Italians.”

“With all due respect to His Highness’s young ADC,” replied the Brigadier in a smooth voice the belied the sudden anxiety in his stomach and look in his eye that gave away his brain’s work at damage control, “I fear that his report is based upon erroneous data and a slightly over inflated drive to look good in front of the Royals. Col. Sanderson’s report was drawn on the full resources of the Imperial General Staff, and was endorsed by myself.”

“He is correct, Winston,” said General Mongtomery-Massingbeard. “The Colonel delivered the same report to the Imperial General Staff, and I had my aide, Major James go through the Colonel’s support data.”

A hesitant voice spoke up, “I have to correct you on the particulars of that, m’lord.”

As all eyes in the room swiveled toward him with emotions ranging from surprise to shock to wonder to anger, Captain Agnew stood slowly to attention and continued. “The report Col. Sanderson provided to you, Sir Archibald, was not the report that was prepared by my section. The report you have just heard from Captain Drake is what was presented to the Colonel by me as a result of the investigation of my team, Captain Drake and myself, gathering information from both Military Intelligence as well as Foreign Office sources. When it was presented to the Colonel, he advised me that I should stop playing Don Quixote because the Italians lacked the intestinal fortitude to attack the Empire. When I attempted to point out to the Colonel the naivety of his position I was advised in no uncertain terms that in the future, the Colonel, and the Colonel alone would determine what went into the reports prepared by our office, and arranged the supporting data accordingly.”

For the moment the silence that followed Captain Agnew’s remark lasted, the tension was near unbearable as Colonel Sanderson and Brigadier Hughmes glared holes into the young officer’s head, Sir Archibald turned red faced and stared hard at all three of his officers, Churchill looked aghast at the thought of an officer of the British Army willfully altering a threat report on the British Empire, and the Royals grinning as if something had just gone according to some secret plan.

“You step out of line, Captain,” barked Colonel Sanderson, his eyes sparkling and his face red with heat.

“I believe these two officers are attempting to elevate themselves at the Colonel’s expense, Your Majesty, Your Highness,” said Brigadier Hughmes. “This is clearly some sort of pre-arranged plan on their part to discredit the Colonel and myself, and I take offense at that!”

“Brigadier, Colonel,” barked General Mongtomery-Massingbeard, “you forget yourselves and in whose presence you are. I remind you to conduct yourselves accordingly, sirrahs!”

Turning on Malcolm and Agnew, the General said coldly, “ I trust you gentleman can counter this accusation?”

Before either young officer could respond to defend themselves, Prince Albert replied smoothly, “I can attest for both officers, Your Majesty, gentlemen. Captain Agnew’s family has a long history of service to the Crown, his great, great, great grandfather being Sir Andrew Agnew, Lt. Col. Of the Royal Scots Fusiliers, during the battle of Dettingen in which the King and I’s ancestor, George II became the last battle in which a British Monarch personally lead troops into battle, additionally, the Captain’s father served with distinction during the Great War, being wounding at the Somme. Captain Drake is of the same line that provided England Sir Francis Drake, and his own grandfather served with Lord Kitchener in the Sudan, the Boer War, and died with Lord Kitchener when HMS Hampshire went down in 1916. Surely this alone would attest to the fact that neither would have any need to even contemplate such an action as what they are being accused of?”

“That is sufficient proof for myself,” spoke Churchill first.

“Myself as well, Your Highness,” seconded Eden.

“Sir Archibald,” inquired the King.

“Your Majesty, as His Highness will vouch for the Captains,” replied the General, “I will find that sufficient for myself.”

“Good. Now, Captain Drake,” said the King turning his eyes back upon the young officer, “let us consider the possible threat to the Empire’s assets in the Horn. Based upon the information that you have just reported, what would be your response?”

Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves, Malcolm realized for the first time that if he and Miles were wrong and he pushed forward his proposal and it was acted upon, his career was over. However, on the other hand, if they were correct, well then, he could consider his career almost guaranteed. Squaring his shoulders, he made his decision and replied evenly, “Your Majesty, there is only really one option available to the Empire. That is the transfer of units of the British Empire of India to the Horn area to counter act the Italians and in sufficient numbers to contain them if hostilities commence.”

“Which units would you transfer, Captain,” asked General Mongtomery-Massingbeard asked with an appraising eye cast in my direction and now completely disregarding Brigadier Hughmes and Colonel Sanderson sitting next to him.

“The South Wales Borders, the Warwickshire Yeomanry, the Kashmir Rifles, the Royal Indian Fusiliers, the Somerset Light Infantry, the Royal Berkshire Rifles, the Royal Canadian Fusiliers, and the Royal Madras Infantry, Sir Archibald.”

“Why that would leave all of India undefended,” cried Brigadier Hughmes. “That is madness to leave the jewel of the Empire defenseless to defend some worthless tracts of land in East Africa!”

“The Second and Sixth Indian Infantries would still be available, as well as the Rangoon Rifles,” replied Secretary of War Cooper, “and if truly needed, we could call up Dominion troops, specifically the Australians and the New Zealanders to reinforce India.”

His Highness, Prince Albert added softly, “And Brigadier, if the Italians march into Egypt and seize the Suez Canal or even fortify the Bab-el-Mandeb straits at Djibouti, the resources of India would be forced to divert around the whole of Africa, thereby severally damaging the industries and economies of the British Isles.”

“And that is something that the Empire cannot afford,” said the King heavily, “nor is it something I would tolerate. Winston, I believe we need to reconvene the Privy Council for another briefing about the situation in the Horn.”

“Aye, Your Majesty.”

Glancing back and forth between the two youngest members of the meeting the King continued. “Well, Captains, it appears that the Crown and the Empire owe the two of you a bit of thanks.”

“If I may be as so bold as to interrupt, Your Majesty,” spoke Malcolm, “no thanks are needed. We serve for King and Country.”

“Aye, Your Majesty,” echoed Captain Agnew. “’Tis our service.”

Looking at the rest of the room the King grinned. “Bold ones, we have here, eh? I dare hope there are more like them in the rest of the Regiments, Sir Archibald.”

“Of that, Your Majesty, I can assure you that there are,” replied the General with a smile. “His Highness’ reforms have struck a cord with the younger officers and have given them a boldness I’ve not seen since the days before the Great War.”

“Outstanding. Now, gentlemen,” the King said looking back at the two young captains, “I’m going to reward you two with a trifle.” Reaching into his jacket, the King pulled out a small silver case and extracted two small business cards. Handing one to each officer, he continued, “Captain Drake, go and take my brother’s secretary Cecilia and Captain Agnew, you go and get your favorite lady, and the four of you go have an evening at the Savoy, giving these to the manager. He will arrange something special for the four of you at the Hotel and the Theatre. And before you say that you cannot except, take this as a Royal Command.”

“When you put it that way, Your Majesty,” replied a grinning Malcolm, “then we have no choice but to accept, eh Miles?”

“Aye, Malcolm,” chuckled Captain Agnew, “I quite agree. Thank you, Your Majesty.”

“Yes, thank you, Your Majesty.”

“You are both welcome,” answered the King with a smile, “but enough, be off with you both.”

As the two young officers came to attention and gave bows to their sovereign and his heir and then turned to depart quickly, Prince Albert picked up a phone from within the table next to his chair. Speaking into it softly and quickly, he then hung the phone up and turned to his brother the King. “I have Colonel Fergusson and two of his lads coming up for the Brigadier and the Colonel here, Your Majesty.”

“Thank you, Albert.” Glancing disdainfully at the aforementioned officers, the King continued, “Duff, Sir Archibald, I suggest you have the War Office and the Imperial General Staff re-evaluate certain situations around the world and also…. do a bit of house cleaning while you are at it.”

“Both will be done, Your Majesty,” Secretary Cooper replied all the while casting a disgusted look at the same pair, “and done with all haste.”

A knock at the door announced the arrival of Colonel Fergusson. “Your Majesty, Your Highness,” inquired the Colonel in his soft Scottish brogue.

“Ah, Colonel Fergusson,” answered Prince Albert. “Yes, take into custody Brigadier Hughmes and Colonel Sanderson here and convey them to Wandsworth Prison.”

Looking over at the two officers with cold eyes before quickly brining his eyes back to the Prince, Fergusson asked, “And the charges to be logged, Your Highness?”

“Sir Archibald,” Prince Albert asked General Mongtomery-Massingbeard.

“Your Highness?”

“Your opinion on the charges?”

Looking at the two now disgraced officers, the Chief of the Imperial General Staff replied icily, “Articles 3, 9, 10 and 31 of the New Articles of War are the charges, Colonel.”

A quick blink his only sign of shock, Fergusson replied, “Yes sir! If that will be all, Your Majesty, Your Highness, m’lord, sirs, I will take the prisoners from your presence.”

“Aye, Colonel,” answered the King slowly, “that will be all.”

After the door closed behind the former officers and their jailers, the Prime Minister glanced about the remaining occupants and announced wryly, “Well, that will surely get the attention of the dust gathers over at the War Office, eh?”

“That it will, Prime Minister,” General Mongtomery-Massingbeard replied slowly and thoughtfully as he eyed the closed door.

“Back to the matter at hand, gentleman,” the King said gathering the attention of the room. “What shall we do with the information provided by young Captain Drake?”

“Seeing as accurate as it is,” spoke Secretary Cooper, “I believe we really have no choice but to follow thorough with his recommendations. Archie?”

“For a young officer, Captain Drake has a firm understanding of the strategic capabilities of the Empire, his plan of action is quite good. The only thing I would add would be to have the RAF’s India Command send their squadron of HP.52 Hampdens to Mombassa to assist in any actions that would occur.”

Looking over at his Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary, the King asked, “Winston, Anthony? What sort of reaction will Parliament and the Italians have with this move?”

Speaking first, Eden replied with a sly grin, “Your Majesty, what can the Italians do? You are merely moving units of the British Army from one outpost of the Empire to another. At the same time, it will send the unwritten message to Mussolini that unless he wishes Italy to go to war with Britain, any further expansion in Africa is over.”

“I agree, Your Majesty,” Churchill followed up. “And the Commons will have no problems once they have been provided with Captain Drake’s report.”

“Good. Very good. Sir Archibald?”

“Yes, Your Majesty?”

“Have the order issued transferring the units mentioned by Captain Drake to the Horn, put a good trustworthy officer in command and make it a named army group.”

“I’ll have the orders cut this evening, Your Majesty. The British Army of Sub-Sahara should be in the Horn within the month.”

“Outstanding,” replied the King.

“Gentlemen,” spoke the Prince, “unless we have anything else left to discuss, I say we call it an evening, I for one would like to head for my apartments and see my wife and daughter.”
 
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Its so good, its brilliant.
 
Superb update Draco :) It really seems like these new articles of war will do the army good, and make the army stronger and better prepared for war. I also think it is cool to see the Royals so powerful and so in charge of everything, great work :D
 
Quite good updates. But I wonder what the Japanese are doing at the moment. Any fear that leaving India slightly open would embolden them to strike? And what have they done so far in-game?
 
Humps - Thank you, sir. From you that is a superb compliment.

Lord E - Thank you, also. I've always wondered what it would be like to have a stong monarchy in the British Empire, and now I'm getting to find out. :D

VJ - back at thee, sir! :)

coz - Thanks. As for the Japanese, at the current moment, they are just beginning to start beating up on the Chinese. The Imperial General Staff have no fears of any Japanese attempt to strike toward India based upon their performance thus far against the Chinese (read that their offensive hasn't moved much.... yet) and assurances from the Foreign Office that all of the nations sitting between the Japanese and India are quite friendly to the British Empire.


Since I had this in my mind, I figured I had better get it in before I lose it ( :rolleyes: ), so here's the next installment:
 
CHAPTER SIX​


In the days and weeks that followed the implementation of the New Articles of War, the Armed Services of the British Empire underwent a severe and rapid change in both personnel and operational outlook.

The first change was actually a revision of the Articles, specifically Article One, to allow for the holding of religious services for the Empire’s Roman Catholics, in particular His Majesty’s Irish subjects, but no allowance was made for any other religion, allowing for the Anglican Church to send out many missionaries thoroughout the Empire to convert the masses.

The most significant change of the Armed Services was the series of high profile Courts Martial held within the British Army and the Royal Navy. The Army had three dozen different such cases while the Royal Navy had fifteen. The officers under investigated were all field grade or higher, Lieutenant Colonels up to Brigadiers and two Major Generals in the Army, and Captains up to Commodores and One Rear Admiral in the Royal Navy. All the officers were considered the most conservative of the military’s “Old Guard” and all had been found to either in some way to have taken action in opposition to the Crown’s attempt to modernize the military or to had falsified reports regarding Imperial interests around the globe.

Taking several weeks in the late spring of 1936, the Court Martial Boards investigated the charges against each officer, calling in dozens of witnesses for each case. It was quite clear from the outset that these cases were to be as thorough as possible with no hint of impropriety. At the end of the Courts Martial a jury of his brother officers found each officer guilty of all the charges filed. Under the New Articles, the guilty officers were able to be cashiered from the military and stripped of all benefits of their service, at the minimum, jailed and then cashiered, or to executed by hanging or firing squad. Many in the public had taken it for granted that if the officers were found guilty they would be lightly punished, so when the verdicts were delivered and announced, there was dismay to find that juries had imposed harsh penalties upon all of the now guilty officers, with several receiving the death penalty. In stark contrast with the civilian judicial system, the guilty officers were allowed to make one appeal on the verdict of the trials and one appeal on the punishment. The appeals were all forwarded to the Imperial General Staff for the Army officers and the Admiralty for the Royal Navy officers, with all of the verdicts being upheld. Despite an outcry from certain segments of the public for mercy from the Crown, the sentences went scheduled for being carried out on the first day of May for the officers of the Army and the second day of May for the officers of the Royal Navy.

Starting at dawn on the first of May, detachments of each Regiment in the British Army marched in full dress uniforms in solemn pride down The Mall from their temporary barracks on the grounds of Buckingham Palace up to the Tower of London where the condemned officers were being held. Arriving at the Tower, the detachments formed a square on the green facing the center of the green where the condemned stood waiting, also in full dress uniform, guarded by the Tower Wardens. Once the last soldier came to rest in his position, the Imperial General Staff marched from the White Tower led by General Sir Archibald Mongtomery-Massingbeard, coming to a halt in front of the condemned. The College Sergeant Major of the Royal Military College at Sandhurst, the highest-ranking enlisted man in the British Army, then stepped forward and read verdict for each officer. At the completion of the verdict for each, the officer was marched in front of General Mongtomery-Massingbeard who then stripped off all the officer’s rank insignia, Regiment badge, and awarded medals. The General then took the officer’s sword and handed it to the lowest ranking enlisted man on the green who would proceed to snap the sword out of it’s scabbard and break it across his knee. The now disgraced officer, if he was luckily enough to be simply cashiered, was then slowly marched in past the ranks of soldiers to the main gate of the Tower and forced outside. If the officer was to serve prison time, he was marched past the watching soldiers and led to the Bloody Tower where he was to serve out his sentence before being cashiered.

This scene was played out until there were five officers left standing. These five officers, Captain Norman Baillie-Stewart, Colonels William Freeman, Richard Sanderson, Brigadier Walter Hughmes, and Major General Steven Andrews, underwent the same humiliation as the other disgraced officers, and then were marched across the green to the gallows that had been erected for their hanging. Upon the arrival of General Andrews upon the gallows and the tying of his noose about his neck, the Imperial General Staff and the waiting troops turned as one to face the gallows. General Mongtomery-Massingbeard cried out in a loud voice, “May God have mercy upon your souls, and may God save the King!”

As the Imperial General Staff and the watching troops echoed him, the hangmen dropped the levers and all five officers were hung.

The next morning, in Plymouth harbor, the condemned officers of the Royal Navy stood on the quarterdeck of Nelson’s H.M.S. Victory, the full weight of the traditions of the navy resting upon their shoulders. As with the army officers, the navy officers were watched by detachments of sailors from each ship in the Home, Channel and Western Approaches Fleets and stood facing the Lords of the Admiralty, Admiral Sir Alfred E.M. Chatfield as First Sea Lord standig next to Victory's Admiral, Sir John Kelly. Each officer had his verdict read by the senior boatswain in the Royal Navy, each officer had uniform dismantled by the Sea Lords and had his sword broken by the lowest rating in attendance. In tune with the harsher traditions of the Royal Navy, the cashiered officers were marched to the side of Victory with a side party facing away from the officer. The officer was forced to into a launch to be shown to each ship in the harbor as a cashiered officer, and ordeal that lasted some hours due to the number of ships anchored at Plymouth. The last three officers, Commodores Richard Stokes, Alan Smythe, and Rear-Admiral Michael Shelby, were marched to the after deck of the Victory and placed in front a firing squad of Royal Marines. At the sounding of hour, Admiral E.M. Chatfield called out, “May God have mercy upon your souls and may God save the King and the Royal Navy!”

At the completion of the echo made by the rest of the Sea Lords and the attending sailors, the Royal Marine firing squad squeezed the triggers of their Lee-Enfield rifles as one and the three officers became the first flag officers to be executed in the Royal Navy since Admiral John Byng was executed on March 14, 1757 for failure to do his utmost against the enemy during the Minorca relief expedition of 1755.

Following the carrying out of the Courts Martial verdicts, numerous officers in both the army and navy decided that it was time to retire from the service of the Crown, an action that was not frowned upon by the Crown, Imperial General Staff, or the Admiralty. Most of the retiring officers were the remaining members of the “Old Guard” and allowed for younger officers with new ideas to be promoted and allowed to plan for any future wars that the British Empire might find itself involved. The benefits of this “changing of the guard”, as it became known, were soon apparent with the development of the Royal Marines as a full-fledged arm of the military, the advent of fully independent armoured units, and the beginning of a radical change in operational planning. No longer would the British Army be used defensively, rather plans soon began to be formulated to turn the army in to a truly offensive force geared toward rapid movement and destruction of the enemy through superior firepower.
 
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Great one Draco, nice to see that you are changing the army in such a good and disciplined way ;)
As we all know you had to act against these traitorous officers, and I am sure the ones that resigned did so for the best of the British armed force, if they hadn’t resigned I am sure you would have had to shot them as well. Really cool update and I love the way you describe the changes in the armed force. I am sure this will make the British army into a nice fighting force that will show the Germans the real strength and power of the Empire :D
 
Wow! Those are a couple of great updates! Did you download the articles and alter them, or type them out from an original (mine are in a WWI Book of Common Prayer)



At the completion of the echo made by the rest of the Sea Lords and the attending sailors, the Royal Marine firing squad squeezed the triggers of their Lee-Enfield rifles as one and the three officers became the first flag officers to be executed in the Royal Navy since before the time of the Stuart Dynasty.


Ummm, unless history has changed too, Admiral Byng was the last man executed under these articles in 1757 (sometime after the last Stuarts) for the fall of Minorca.
Referenced by Voltaire in Candide: "in this country it is found requisite, now and then, to put an admiral to death, in order to encourage the others to fight."

Great updates! DW ( In teaching mode)