Maybe the good captain should order some 17-pounders, just in case something dangerous comes out of the desert, like desert-wolfs.
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Chapter Seventeen : Things To Come - 1.9.1936 To 7.9.1936
A Gentleman’s War : The Middle-East Command
(HoI3 TFH - UK AAR)
Chapter Seventeen : Things To Come - 1.9.1936 To 7.9.1936
(HoI3 TFH - UK AAR)
Chapter Seventeen : Things To Come - 1.9.1936 To 7.9.1936
On the first of September it was noticed the Italian militia on the border between Italian North Africa and British North Africa was withdrawing towards the Port of Tobruch.
It was unknown why they were moving deeper into their territory. Maybe they didn’t wish to be noticed? Or were needed elsewhere?
The Field Marshall didn’t care. He was too upset when the cooks ran out of fresh tomatoes and had also tried to replace his regular mushrooms with dried mushrooms.
“How much I endure for King and Country,” he whined as he finished his breakfast. “First I am taunted at by the Italians. And now I can’t get fresh vegetables.”
“Well, sir,” replied the Captain, “I may have something to cheer you up. In the latest shipments was a couple of reels. Mostly news reels but there was one whole movie.”
“Oh? Which one?”
“Things To Come,” stated Captains Malek with a smile. “Based on the works of H.G. Wells. We can watch it before dinner.”
Turned out a movie about the ‘Old World’ destroying itself and being replaced with a ‘Utopia’ wasn’t something the Field Marshall enjoyed.
To be honest even the Captain found its message of socialism overcoming imperialism a tad obvious. But then what did one expect from Wells? The man saw himself as a socialist intellectual and even his fictional works were about burning the old world down to be replaced by a better one.
At least he wasn’t as bad as that author Eric Blair. His works were so extreme that even some of his fellow English Socialists were upset with him!
On the 7th of September the Captain was bringing the Field Marshall his afternoon tea and glass of water and asked, “Sir, the 23rd ‘Northumbrian’ Division will be ready tomorrow. Do you have a idea on who you wish to command it?”
“Oh,” replied the Field Marshall as he held the cold glass of water against his throbbing forehead, “I have already sent Liddell the officer I had in mind. In fact a friend of the family. So don’t you worry about that. Oh, and three lumps today please.”
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Well if the Italians never bother sending an army to Libya, we shall have a short and uneventful war indeed. Unless the germans try to navally land once we've already taken all the ports! Might be interesting...
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Having played Germany before it can be tricky getting transports to the Med without the British Battle Fleet getting in the way.
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Nice quiet war then. Honestly though, it would probably be better for the british war effort for the germans to try anyway, either waste the men and resources being sunk at sea or be locked and stuck in Africa where you can Whittle them down.
Still, if the axis don't show up at all, what is the game plan? Take over Libya and Italian east Africa...then what?
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Then be a good little Theater and protect my front. I'm not in charge.
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You seem to have misspelled "invade Sicily" for some reason.
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Chapter Eighteen : George Goes Forth - 8.9.1936
A Gentleman’s War : The Middle-East Command
(HoI3 TFH - UK AAR)
Chapter Eighteen : George Goes Forth - 8.9.1936
(HoI3 TFH - UK AAR)
Chapter Eighteen : George Goes Forth - 8.9.1936
The Honorable George Colthurst St. Barleigh, MC, was waiting in the outer office of Lt. General Liddell. He had been there only a few minutes, hat in his hands, waiting to be given his commission and become ‘active’ again.
A few days ago, on hearing the news that he would be a Major General in the Middle East Command, there was a lot of crying. But his wife put an end to it. She wiped away his tears, demanding he pull himself together, and made sure his uniform was ready.
He sighed and glanced around the room. Once he had been a young man, eager to fight and die for King, God, and Glory, and yet the ‘Great War’ had changed him.
He had come to know fear. And as a prisoner of the Huns he had come to know guilt at the RELIEF he had felt at not dying.
The door to the inner office opened and there stood Lt. General Lidell of the South-Western Area. “Major General St. Barleigh. I’m ready for you. Please come in.”
As they sat down at Lidell’s desk the man slid a folder across to George. “There is your commission. You are now the proud commander of the newly formed 23rd ‘Northumbrian’ Division. You are its first commander and, in your hands, will it grow and make history. Congratulations!”
“Thank you sir,” replied the blushing George. He opened the folder and glanced at the contents. “When will the transports be ready?”
“They already are,” responded Lidell with a smile. “In fact your men and equipment are being put aboard as we speak. I figure we’ll pass the bar on the way to the docks so we can have a drink before you go. Oh…and the Field Marshall sent a letter for you. Its in the paperwork.”
“I’ll read it later,” said George as he looked forward to having one last proper drink before leaving Britain.
At the Officer’s Mess they both had a cocktail called The Last Word before continuing to the docks where George met with his division.
He also met Commander Evans, who was in charge of the 1st Middle East Flotilla. The man was cheerful and greeted him with a smile after the official welcome. He even gave George a little tour of the ship before showing him to his private quarters.
His cabin was small but neat and all his. After unpacking he sat down at the small desk, turned on the desk lamp, and opened the envelope from the Field Marshall.
As he put down the letter in awe he felt the ship vibrate as the engines started up. It was 7 AM, the sun was up, and the Flotilla was starting its journey to El Iskandariya.
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We are starting to meet all the real leaders of the theatre command. The field marshal shall be put in a nice box/office when the war starts and his aide and 'friends' will be in charge.
Not that there seems to be much to do at the moment. Pretty sure at some point Melchett will become tired of being competent at defending the middle east and order them to invade sicily or something...
Not that there seems to be much to do at the moment. Pretty sure at some point Melchett will become tired of being competent at defending the middle east and order them to invade sicily or something...
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Chapter Nineteen : People Person - 9.9.1936 To 30.9.1936
A Gentleman’s War : The Middle-East Command
(HoI3 TFH - UK AAR)
Chapter Nineteen : People Person - 9.9.1936 To 30.9.1936
(HoI3 TFH - UK AAR)
Chapter Nineteen : People Person - 9.9.1936 To 30.9.1936
By the time the 1st Middle East Flotilla was passing Gibraltar it was clear to most of the men in the 23rd Division that The Honorable George Colthurst St. Barleigh, their commanding officer, was desperately trying to show them what kind of a ‘People Person’ he was. And they wished he would stop.
He tried to get them to join him in sing-a-longs or checkers or Go Fish. He even tried to organize a talent show.
By the time the transports were passing the Italian Port of Tripoli he was a tad depressed about the whole thing.
“I am really trying,” he complained to Commander Evans as they were on deck on the morning of the 13th.
“Yes, I heard,” as the Commander stared through a pair of binoculars at the shore. “Maybe your trying too hard?”
“I don’t know,” said George with a confused look. “How can you try too hard to get to know you men. I say…what are you looking at?”
“Lights mostly,” admitted the Commander. “But I am pretty sure what I am looking at is a series of military camps of Italian militia. I’ve been asked to record any enemy sightings on the coast.”
“Oh, spy stuff, eh?” said George suddenly looking somewhat cheerful.
“Something like that,” replied Evans with a smile. “Look. My advice is just do your best to keep your men fed, alive, and in high spirits.”
“Oh, I guess,” remarked the George with a sigh.
On the morning of the 13th of September the transports were off the coast of Benghazi when they spotted more signs of Italian militia.
Later that day the transport, passing the Port of Tobruch, noticed there was some kind of military encampments. But what type of unit it was was unclear. It was assumed to be the militia. But there was no direct evidence.
The 1st Middle East Flotilla arrived at the docks of Alexandria, or El Iskandariya, on the morning of the 14th.
Major General St. Barleigh was overseeing the unloading of his men, and their equipment, when he heard a familiar voice behind him say, “Welcome to Egypt George.”
He turned around to find Blackadder standing behind him. “Oh..Sir…I mean…Major General Blackadder. Been a long time. Permission to cheer in a overly loud and very annoying manner?”
“I am no longer your superior officer George,” pointed out Blackadder. “But the answer is still no.”
“Oh, always the joker,” remarked George with a smile. “I’m so happy to be with the gang. Well, most of the gang. How is the Field Marshall?”
“I assume the same as always as I have not had the…pleasure…of meeting him yet.”
“Oh, right, that reminds me,” said George as he snapped the fingers of his right hand. “The Minister of Armaments sent the Field Marshall a few crates. I was told to make sure they reached him.”
Blackadder frowned. “Really? Did Sir John send that brandy he asked for? From what I understand his cooks have been using fuel mixed with sugar and calling it brandy.”
“Brandy? No, not quite…” George unfolded a piece of paper. “Let me see. No, no brandy. Bacon, tinned. Eggs, powdered. Sausages, fish. Pork, extra salty. Hmmm…mostly rations. Which expired, if these dates are correct, around the time of the Napoleonic Wars.”
Blackadder smiled for a second. “Oh my. Seems our Field Marshall made a lot of friends back home.”
“Sir John Simon doesn’t sound like a friend,” remarked George.
“Don’t worry about it,” continued Blackadder. “I’ve been sent by the Lt. General Gowrie to bring you to the Command HQ to meet the others. And I hear, after dinner, we have a film we get to watch.”
“Which one?” asked George as he followed his friend towards a old looking green car.
“Things To Come,” replied Blackadder as they both entered the Lt. General’s car.
“Sounds delightful,” said George with a smile.
Dinner was excellent as Lt. General Gowrie had the best cooks AND a good relationship with the Quartermaster. He was also known to pay both the native farmers and the local fishermen well for fresh produce and fish.
The movie was disliked by everybody but Blackadder. Seems he found the idea of pilots taking over the world due to their intelligence and superior ethics to be the funniest thing he had ever heard.
The only other person not to be upset was George who didn't perceive the underlining message of socialism overthrowing the old capitalist elite.
Luckily there were after dinner refreshments available and they helped heal all the wounded egos of most of the upper class officers.
George met Maj. General Neame of the 7th Infantry Division, who was known for his knowledge of logistics, and Maj. General Pakenham-Walsh of the 8th Infantry Division. Seems the man had been a engineer before joining up.
“A lot of brain power here, eh Blackadder?” observed George as he nursed an old fashion gin and tonic. "The biggest and brightest eggheads. The best army in the world and the best minds to run it. Eh?"
“Most of them, yes,” responded Blackadder. “The reason, of course, is simple. The Suez Canal. The link between Europe and the riches of Asia. It brings the Empire wealth. And allows us to send men, equipment, and supplies to the men guarding the colonies.”
“So THAT's why we’re here,” nodded George.
“I suspect, George, the real reason we’re here is to keep our Field Marshall, Sir Anthony Cecil Hogmanay Melchett, from stealing it.”
“Really,” said George with a chuckle, “you have such an imagination! How do you steal a canal?”
“George,” said Blackadder looking the young man in the eyes. “Do you remember where he stayed during the Great War?”
“Oh yes,” replied George seeming to look upwards as if accessing some old memories, “a very nice Manoir. Full of artwork and paintings and lovely furniture.”
“And where were the people who once owned it?”
“Oh, I assumed the Huns got them,” commented George.
“No,” said Blackadder. “The lines never reached the house. Otherwise it would have been a ruin. Remember the full wine cellar?”
“That was some good wine…why would they leave it…oh…” George looked confused for a second. Then looked depressed when enlightenment hit him. “He helped himself to the Manoir, didn’t he? He used his military authority to take it as a HQ, didn’t he?”
“Yes,” said Blackadder as he picked up a glass of gin and tonic from the bar. “Welcome to the British Empire.”
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"Our Spitfires, Comrade."
I must vociferously protest this utter besmirching of the classic Old Fashioned by diluting this excellent whisk(e)y cocktail with the utter travesty that is gin and tonic. Either one would be bad enough, admittedly not as bad as Pepsi (true story...), but both together entirely defeats the refined Old Fashioned taste.
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The Cast Of Characters….so far
The Cast Of Characters….so far
I figured to put a break in-between the chapters to take a little look at all the special cast we have in this game. First, of course, the English of the Middle East Command Theatre.
At the top is Field Marshall Anthony C.H. Melchett. A man willing to win no matter how many of his own troops die trying. He is in charge of a Corps and a Garrison Division.
The Garrison Division is stationed on Malta.
The Corps, named the Middle East Command, is commanded by Lt. General Gowrie and is stationed in Alexandria (El Iskandariya).
Under Lt. General Gowrie was four infantry divisions and a small one-brigade garrison unit. Maj. General Edmund Blackadder is in charge of the 6th Infantry Division and Maj. General St. Barleigh is in charge of the 23rd ‘Northumbrian’ Division.
Also under the direct control of the Middle East Commander Theatre is the 1st Submarine Squadron in Malta, the 1st Middle Easy Flotilla and the Mediterranean Fleet based in Alexandria.
Also in the airbases of Alexandria is the Middle East Air Command. Which is just a wing tactical bombers.
If course those are not the only special members of the cast. Oh no.
There is Lt. General Kevin Darling in India. And Lord Flasheart (pronounced Flashheart because the second ‘h’ is invisible) who is still on the Reserve list.
Then there is Lt. General ‘Baron’ S. Baldrick who is with the French and why they put him in charge of a Corps I have NO idea. I think they just ran out of officers and he was the last one.
Then there is Eurasia! I put him in the game during the Japanese AAR and, like last time, the USSR put him in charge of a Corps. But this time it isn’t basic infantry divisions. He has ONE Motorized Division.
In Germany the AI is pissing me off. First, in the Japanese AAR, I noticed that one of the most interesting characters from the German side, if not a interesting historical character in 20th Century, Otto Skorzeny, was missing. So I put him in. And they made him a Infantry Commander. Really?!?
My original character, Kael Weber, and the fiction character I pulled out from ‘Hellsing’, Montana Max, are still cooling their heels on the ‘Reserve List’. This is because of a lack of ‘von’ in their name?
And your favorite character in Japan is also cooling his heels waiting for a command.
We will revisit this in 1940 when three new Japanese officers will be activated from retirement. If the game lasts that long.
I figured to put a break in-between the chapters to take a little look at all the special cast we have in this game. First, of course, the English of the Middle East Command Theatre.
At the top is Field Marshall Anthony C.H. Melchett. A man willing to win no matter how many of his own troops die trying. He is in charge of a Corps and a Garrison Division.
The Garrison Division is stationed on Malta.
The Corps, named the Middle East Command, is commanded by Lt. General Gowrie and is stationed in Alexandria (El Iskandariya).
Under Lt. General Gowrie was four infantry divisions and a small one-brigade garrison unit. Maj. General Edmund Blackadder is in charge of the 6th Infantry Division and Maj. General St. Barleigh is in charge of the 23rd ‘Northumbrian’ Division.
Also under the direct control of the Middle East Commander Theatre is the 1st Submarine Squadron in Malta, the 1st Middle Easy Flotilla and the Mediterranean Fleet based in Alexandria.
Also in the airbases of Alexandria is the Middle East Air Command. Which is just a wing tactical bombers.
If course those are not the only special members of the cast. Oh no.
There is Lt. General Kevin Darling in India. And Lord Flasheart (pronounced Flashheart because the second ‘h’ is invisible) who is still on the Reserve list.
Then there is Lt. General ‘Baron’ S. Baldrick who is with the French and why they put him in charge of a Corps I have NO idea. I think they just ran out of officers and he was the last one.
Then there is Eurasia! I put him in the game during the Japanese AAR and, like last time, the USSR put him in charge of a Corps. But this time it isn’t basic infantry divisions. He has ONE Motorized Division.
In Germany the AI is pissing me off. First, in the Japanese AAR, I noticed that one of the most interesting characters from the German side, if not a interesting historical character in 20th Century, Otto Skorzeny, was missing. So I put him in. And they made him a Infantry Commander. Really?!?
My original character, Kael Weber, and the fiction character I pulled out from ‘Hellsing’, Montana Max, are still cooling their heels on the ‘Reserve List’. This is because of a lack of ‘von’ in their name?
And your favorite character in Japan is also cooling his heels waiting for a command.
We will revisit this in 1940 when three new Japanese officers will be activated from retirement. If the game lasts that long.
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Chapter Twenty : Autumn In The Middle East - 1.10.1936 To 31.10.1936
A Gentleman’s War : The Middle-East Command
(HoI3 TFH - UK AAR)
Chapter Twenty : Autumn In The Middle East - 1.10.1936 To 31.10.1936
(HoI3 TFH - UK AAR)
Chapter Twenty : Autumn In The Middle East - 1.10.1936 To 31.10.1936
October In Egypt was a mixture of storms at the start of the month and sunshine by the end of it.
Sir Anthony Cecil Hogmanay Melchett seemed to take the weather, no matter what it was, as a insult to his very person.
“At least in France we have good food, good wine, and could hunt down the peasants for sport whenever we liked!” he would say to anyone who would listen. No matter how many times Captain Malek would politely ask him not too.
Blackadder and St. Barleigh, and most of the other veteran officers, were use to living in harsh conditions and were supreme examples to their men on how to handle living in poor conditions.
To help pass the time St. Barleigh even taught painting, how to properly prepare tea, and upper class slang to his men. Blackadder spent his free time teaching sewing classes, how to keep vermin out of one’s bedroll, and explaining to his troops NOT to use upper class slang because it made you sound like a ‘git’. (1)
The common British soldier, called the ‘Tommy’, was a survivor. He learned to boil all his water, sleep anytime and anywhere, and sometimes would even pick up some of the local languages. The men were lucky as the Middle East Theatre was very well supplied. In fact Malta seemed to have more than it needed - which was not a bad idea if it became the center of attention when the war started.
This was all likely the result of being right on the shipping lanes for the Far East. It was so easy for ships to drop by the ports, unload food and fuel and military equipment, then move on.
In the end the British soldier was happy with a sheltered spot to sleep, a good cuppa, dry cigarettes, and a clean brothel.
On the 3rd it was noticed that the Italian militia were back on the border. Likely they would run out of food and supplies, go back to the port to stock up, and then return to the border. At least that was the theory.
On the 13th, during breakfast, the Captain suggested an idea to the Field Marshall.
“Sir,” said the Captain as he refilled the Field Marshall's orange juice, “Once we get the fighters we should assign them to the airbases in Malta. So they can beat back Italian aircraft who may try to bomb the islands.”
“Fine idea,” said the man as he chewed on a very tough grilled tomato. “The pilots will enjoy the sun, the sea, the tanned girls.”
The cooks had stopped using real tomatoes weeks ago and were now using dehydrated chicken gizzards as tomatoes for the Field Marshall's breakfast. All they had to do was soak the hearts in beet juice, flatten them, and burn lines into them. They figured if dehydrated chicken gizzards were good enough for the K9 units it was good enough for the Field Marshall. The man barely noticed the difference.
Funny enough when asked it turned out the cooks had plenty of tomatoes available. They had just come to hate the Field Marshall.
“Eh…yes sir,” replied the Captain. “I was also thinking of radar stations for both Malta and Alexandria. To act as eyes for our pilots. So they can better plan their defenses.”
“Sounds sensible,” said the Field Marshall. “Anything for our good fly boys, ehs?” So he signed off the orders to build radar stations in both regions.
“Oh,” continued the Captain. “As your in such a good mood sir, I was wondering if I could have next Sunday off. Its my birthday.”
“Your superior would have to be mad NOT to give you your birthday off.”
“Well,” said the Captain, “eh…you ARE my superior.”
“Well?” encourage the Field Marshall with a cheerful voice and a smile on his face.
“So I can have my birthday off, sir?”
“No,” replied the man with the smile still on his cheerful face.
“Thank you sir.”
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Author’s Notes:
1. When sleeping in the desert it is very important to totally seal up your sleeping bag or bedroll. Otherwise the next morning you may find you face being chewed on by a camel spider. I knew some vets and that was one of their stories.
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On
Yes, I am sure the cleanliness of the brothels is the primary concern of all the good British soldiers in-theatre.
And there we have it.
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"Our Spitfires, Comrade."
I must vociferously protest this utter besmirching of the classic Old Fashioned by diluting this excellent whisk(e)y cocktail with the utter travesty that is gin and tonic. Either one would be bad enough, admittedly not as bad as Pepsi (true story...), but both together entirely defeats the refined Old Fashioned taste.
A little late in my reply but Blackadder was not picking up a Old Fashioned with gin and tonic in it. He was picking up a old fashion gin and tonic. Didn't mean to cause you so much distress.
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Yes. But I think it may have been something in my older game that was causing issues. As all the saves would be blank when the American and Japanese games had issues. So I am hoping the Steam version may hold up better.
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I think Skorzeny becomes a general in 1945 when he historically was. I don't mind him being a general early though, it's the power of alternate history!
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And St Barleigh is in the middle east too. The cast is getting back together ever so slowly. Nice to see Utsunimiya, and the other classic characters also making a return, it also kinda balances out any advantage the UK gains by having those extra commanders.
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