The Official History Continued
An investigation into the defeat at Graz quickly pinpointed several reasons for the defeat. The first was that unlike all other enemies previously by the British Army, the Austrians possessed primitive machine guns. Although these weapons were used in a humane and civilised way by British forces, the Austrians used to mow down thousands of brave Bengali and Chinese native forces in a very unsporting manner.
The Maxim gun ushered in a new age of warfare
It was also true that this time Great Britain was fighting a civilised enemy. It is true that the Austrian government was a cruel despotism governed by a corrupt bureaucracy attempting to suppress al nationalities under their rule by the naked use of force, but it had to be realised that in some areas Austria showed some glimmer of culture. Austrian music, painting, economic theory and machine gun design were renowned throughout the world by cultured people as being second only to the works of Great Britain. Even the Ottoman Turks could be regarded as a civilisation.
It is equally true that the British Commander, Cox, was a disgracefully poor commander who simply didn’t have what was required in the modern British Army. Realising his failure had caused the deaths of thousands of troops under his command, he did the honourable thing.
But equally, who was there to replace him? Since the conquest of China, the British Army had expanded enormously but the Officer Corps had not. This meant that whereas previously there was a relatively large choice in regards to assigning commanders to armies, as time went of this became more difficult. Also as the British army included large numbers of Native forces, it required a certain kind of Officer to lead them effectively. Many officers, particularly those from aristocratic backgrounds, simply did not have the right stuff to be in command.
To take account of the British defeat, British tactics changed considerably. Many more North Chinese divisions were equipped with artillery as well as continuing to be trained as guards units. British tactics would now emphasize massive superiority over the enemy in order to overrun the pesky Austrian machine gunners, whilst using Cavalry Hussars in non-combat role to capture undefended territory.
There remained the problem of adequate leadership. A thorough survey of all possible leadership candidates was made, and from these several conclusions were made. First of all, to no one’s surprise, Aristocrats were found to thoroughly unfit for leadership, being far more concerned with drinking, opium use and petty crime, and were inherently unfit for making any decisions whatsoever even in regards to personal hygiene. Also, despite their bravery and ability to follow orders, the natives who made up the bulk of British Armies were sadly unsuited to leadership, except in exceptional circumstances. Also, it was deemed impolitic to remove large numbers of coal miners, industrial workers and others away from their jobs, partly due to the necessity of these individuals to industrial production and partly due to the enormous political and economic power wielded by these groups. There remained however, two groups which had so far been overlooked in terms of leadership qualities, and found to possess exceptional leadership qualities: British Clergymen and Canadian Lumberjacks.
Men of the cloth proved ideal officers
As did Canadian lumberjacks
It was only natural that these men could command the respect of thousands of native soldiers. The Canadian Lumberjack possessed tall stature and enormous strength combined with the persona of a fearless outdoorsman, and was a natural officer. Likewise, his opposite, the Clergymen showed enormous moral strength and wisdom, and whose insight into the black hearts of sinners allowed him an enormous insight about the dark souls of Britain’s enemies.
And so, with new officers entering British service, the fight against the Austrians continued. Fortunately Austrian officers were by their training rather timid and unimaginative, bullies who could not cope when faced with an equal foe. The Prince of Liechtenstein, the local commander, chose to fortify Graz and keep his forces there, which allowed the British troops under Wolseley’s overall command to move forward and surround the Austrians. After General Hood had cut off the retreat from Graz with his fast moving hussars, General Ward was sent in for the kill, with 6 divisions of guards and 5 divisions of hussars.
Brutal fighting in Southern Austria
Despite the brutal fighting in Graz, Kaspovar and Sopron, the Bengalis and Chinese natives forces eventually succeeded in driving the Austrians into Graz, before in a brilliant assault led by General Wolseley himself, Graz surrendered along with 14 Austrian divisions. The Austrian defence had been penetrated- now British forces stood poised to march upon Vienna itself, the dark heart of the Habsburg empire.
British Music Hall chorus
An investigation into the defeat at Graz quickly pinpointed several reasons for the defeat. The first was that unlike all other enemies previously by the British Army, the Austrians possessed primitive machine guns. Although these weapons were used in a humane and civilised way by British forces, the Austrians used to mow down thousands of brave Bengali and Chinese native forces in a very unsporting manner.
The Maxim gun ushered in a new age of warfare
It was also true that this time Great Britain was fighting a civilised enemy. It is true that the Austrian government was a cruel despotism governed by a corrupt bureaucracy attempting to suppress al nationalities under their rule by the naked use of force, but it had to be realised that in some areas Austria showed some glimmer of culture. Austrian music, painting, economic theory and machine gun design were renowned throughout the world by cultured people as being second only to the works of Great Britain. Even the Ottoman Turks could be regarded as a civilisation.
It is equally true that the British Commander, Cox, was a disgracefully poor commander who simply didn’t have what was required in the modern British Army. Realising his failure had caused the deaths of thousands of troops under his command, he did the honourable thing.
But equally, who was there to replace him? Since the conquest of China, the British Army had expanded enormously but the Officer Corps had not. This meant that whereas previously there was a relatively large choice in regards to assigning commanders to armies, as time went of this became more difficult. Also as the British army included large numbers of Native forces, it required a certain kind of Officer to lead them effectively. Many officers, particularly those from aristocratic backgrounds, simply did not have the right stuff to be in command.
To take account of the British defeat, British tactics changed considerably. Many more North Chinese divisions were equipped with artillery as well as continuing to be trained as guards units. British tactics would now emphasize massive superiority over the enemy in order to overrun the pesky Austrian machine gunners, whilst using Cavalry Hussars in non-combat role to capture undefended territory.
There remained the problem of adequate leadership. A thorough survey of all possible leadership candidates was made, and from these several conclusions were made. First of all, to no one’s surprise, Aristocrats were found to thoroughly unfit for leadership, being far more concerned with drinking, opium use and petty crime, and were inherently unfit for making any decisions whatsoever even in regards to personal hygiene. Also, despite their bravery and ability to follow orders, the natives who made up the bulk of British Armies were sadly unsuited to leadership, except in exceptional circumstances. Also, it was deemed impolitic to remove large numbers of coal miners, industrial workers and others away from their jobs, partly due to the necessity of these individuals to industrial production and partly due to the enormous political and economic power wielded by these groups. There remained however, two groups which had so far been overlooked in terms of leadership qualities, and found to possess exceptional leadership qualities: British Clergymen and Canadian Lumberjacks.
Men of the cloth proved ideal officers
As did Canadian lumberjacks
It was only natural that these men could command the respect of thousands of native soldiers. The Canadian Lumberjack possessed tall stature and enormous strength combined with the persona of a fearless outdoorsman, and was a natural officer. Likewise, his opposite, the Clergymen showed enormous moral strength and wisdom, and whose insight into the black hearts of sinners allowed him an enormous insight about the dark souls of Britain’s enemies.
And so, with new officers entering British service, the fight against the Austrians continued. Fortunately Austrian officers were by their training rather timid and unimaginative, bullies who could not cope when faced with an equal foe. The Prince of Liechtenstein, the local commander, chose to fortify Graz and keep his forces there, which allowed the British troops under Wolseley’s overall command to move forward and surround the Austrians. After General Hood had cut off the retreat from Graz with his fast moving hussars, General Ward was sent in for the kill, with 6 divisions of guards and 5 divisions of hussars.
Brutal fighting in Southern Austria
Despite the brutal fighting in Graz, Kaspovar and Sopron, the Bengalis and Chinese natives forces eventually succeeded in driving the Austrians into Graz, before in a brilliant assault led by General Wolseley himself, Graz surrendered along with 14 Austrian divisions. The Austrian defence had been penetrated- now British forces stood poised to march upon Vienna itself, the dark heart of the Habsburg empire.
