Reborn South Africa as a police officer

Chapter 2419 The Princess

In the last world war, Britain did not start material control until the third year, and then French fries and fried fish became British national dishes.

This time the British learned to be smart. Before Germany attacked Poland, the United Kingdom had already begun to prepare secretly, and then began to implement the material rationing system as soon as the United Kingdom declared war.

Facts have proved that the rationing system is very important. During the North African campaign, the Mediterranean waterway was cut off, and the materials raised by the United Kingdom in Asia had to bypass Cape Town to reach the British mainland. This had a huge impact on the supply of materials in the British mainland. Thanks to the southern With the help of Africa and the United States, Britain survived the most difficult stage.

The help from southern Africa and the United States is not free. The British government has racked its brains and can only guarantee the supply of supplies to the extent that it will not be cut off. The cafeterias in London have been closed for two years. , I can't care about face.

So Gavin's inadvertent sentence directly broke the defense of the British army officer. He glared at Gavin fiercely, and the obscene language rolled out as soon as he saw it.

"Hello, Your Excellency Gavin Locke, what are you doing here?" A girl in lieutenant uniform suddenly jumped between Gavin and the officer, exaggerating the British military salute.

That's right, Gavin is a colonel, and the lieutenant does have to salute.

"Nice to meet you, Your Royal Highness, you look great in uniform!" Gavin responded casually, this girl is amazing, she will become the reigning ruler of the United Kingdom in the future, and also the longest reigning ruler in the world. long queen.

Her Majesty is still very young, she is not yet 20 years old and just became a soldier last year.

This can also explain why Gavin met Her Royal Highness the Eldest Princess here.

The King of England can let his daughter join the army, but he will never let his daughter fight in the trenches with the front-line soldiers.

"It's a pity that it can only be worn. If I can, I really want to go to North Africa to see what a real war looks like." The eldest princess was instantly depressed, and the teenage girl was still a little emotional.

Gavin looked at the stunned British officer next to him, wondering if he should continue with the registration process.

"Come in quickly. General Mountbatten asked about you just now. If you don't come again, the general will send a car to pick you up." The eldest princess stood on the steps and greeted Gavin with her hands clasped, with a bright smile on her face. Blooming roses.

Before Gavin could respond, the officer in charge of the registration was immediately dumbfounded.

It's a pity that the eldest princess only has Gavin in her eyes at the moment, and doesn't care about other people at all. Admiral Cunningham, who arrived at the same time, has become a background wall.

"Colonel Gavin, didn't Marshal Smother come with you?" Cunningham's words made the British officers who were busy saluting feel ashamed.

Why did he ask just now?

Which general did you come with.

This role is a bit of a contrast.

"The marshal is a little unwell, he will visit you tomorrow—" Gavin took the initiative to salute, the reason is very appropriate, they are a bunch of old guys, it's not normal if there is nothing wrong with their health.

"I should visit him. We haven't seen each other for many years." Cunningham has served in the Mediterranean for a long time, and Smolts has been in southern Africa all year round. It is really not easy for the two to meet.

Cunningham is also in his 60s now. Gai Wen respects the old and loves the young, and actively reaches out to help him, but he doesn't really touch Cunningham's body.

Cunningham doesn't need it either. The Admiral of the Navy needs a tough image, and he needs someone to support him to the next level.

Gavin didn't talk to the red-faced officer anymore, not deliberately ignoring it, but really not paying attention.

Venus shines in the banquet hall, either generals or marshals, the colonel Gavin is not the most special, the most special is the eldest princess, she only has the rank of lieutenant, and anyone who serves the plate here is at least a captain.

Among a large number of marshals and generals, Louis Mountbatten, who was just promoted to admiral last year, is particularly conspicuous. He just turned 44 this year. He was only a colonel when the World War broke out, but now he has become an admiral. Can't go up so fast.

It doesn't matter if you rise fast, the key position is still very important. The British version of "Overlord" operation was originally created by Louis Mountbatten.

This person's resume is even more miraculous than that of Petain. Mountbatten was appointed as the captain of the destroyer "Kelly" in 39. In 41 years of combat in the Mediterranean, the "Kelly" was sunk. Glorious" aircraft carrier captain.

In October 41, Mountbatten was personally appointed by Winston as the head of the "Joint Operations Command" to be responsible for formulating plans for amphibious joint landing operations, and Mountbatten was promoted to Commodore.

During his tenure as the head of the "Joint Operations Command", Mountbatten planned several unsuccessful landing operations. Although the operations failed, Mountbatten's official career was prosperous and he was promoted to lieutenant general in the second year.

And he is also a lieutenant general of the sea, land and air forces.

In October last year, Mountbatten was appointed commander of the British Southeast Asia theater, and his rank was promoted to admiral.

So in theory Mountbatten should now be in India, not London.

"Be careful, the general is very dissatisfied with the situation in the Southeast Asian battlefield." The eldest princess is not yet an adult, and her elbows have already started to turn outward.

Don't think about it, the eldest princess already has someone in mind.

In 1939, the eldest princess met Prince Philip, who was studying there, at the Naval Academy. The two fell in love at first sight. At that time, the eldest princess was 13 years old and Philip was 18 years old.

Gavin had a headache, and now he understood why Yang Smother didn't come to the banquet.

The Federal Government of Southern Africa has indeed offended a lot of people in the past two years.

"Our rule in the Far East is getting out of control. India was once hailed as the most dazzling jewel in the king's crown, but now it has become a disgrace to the empire. The Indians are conducting a non-violent non-cooperation movement. During the training of Indian soldiers, the most standard action is Surrender with your hands up high, the Malay Peninsula is also in a mess, you can never imagine that the officials sent by our British Empire to the Malay Peninsula dare not leave the Lion City-oh, the Lion City is also becoming out of control now." Mountbatten said eloquently Absolutely, it is better to say that it is a blame than a complaint.

Mountbatten is now the supreme commander of the British army in Asia.

If the situation is really as he said, then Mountbatten is the first person responsible.

"Haven't we already invaded the Japanese mainland?" A Czech marshal was surprised, this man was so old that he didn't need makeup to play Santa Claus.

"It was the southern African army and the American soldiers who invaded the Japanese mainland. Our mission is to play hide-and-seek with the Japanese in the jungle. We have no advantage in this aspect. The Japanese are too short. The fabric we need to make shorts, the Japanese Can make a pair of trousers." Mountbatten was still in the mood to joke, it seemed that the Japanese hadn't taught him enough lessons.

The joke wasn't funny either.

The surrounding generals and marshals laughed like they heard the funniest joke ever.

This scene made Gavin shake his head slightly.

It's also normal, there are too many generals and marshals in exile in London, and they all count on the British army to help them regain power.

"Gavin, Colonel Gavin Locke, can you remind Marshal Angie to install an extra telephone line in his office? I have to say, Marshal Angie's phone is really difficult to get through." Mountbatten finally found Gavin.

"Good evening, Your Excellency, General. Although I really want to help, I'm sorry, but it's also difficult for me to get through to An Shuai." Gavin still took care of Mountbatten's face properly. Angie didn't answer Mountbatten's call, not necessarily because The line is busy.

Mountbatten is one of the most controversial figures in modern British history. Many things he did were considered grandstanding and too vanity.

During his tenure as the captain of the "Kelly", Mountbatten participated in the North Sea escort with the "Kelly". During this period, Mountbatten invented a naval camouflage color called "Mountbatten Pink".

This incident is a bit miraculous. During another escort operation, Mountbatten suddenly found a pink merchant ship disappearing in the sunset sea, so he was inspired to paint the "Kelly" pink.

Yes, "Mountbatten Pink" is a camouflage color with only one color, and it is a slutty pink. This is probably because the Axis pilots can't see clearly in the sky, so they did this.

The principle is very simple. In the afterglow of the setting sun, the sea is illuminated by the setting sun and sunset glow. The water and the sky are the same color, and the sight range is all pink.

Therefore, the "Kelly" painted with "Mountbatten pink" can only be dispatched in the evening, and it must also appear in the west of the German warship in order to perfectly integrate with the environment.

Now understand why the "Kelly" sank in the Mediterranean.

Because the home port of the Mediterranean Fleet is east of Italy.

"I believe you can. You are the first heir to the Marquess of Nyasaland." Mountbatten spoke without restraint. He must know that the title system has been abolished in southern Africa.

It doesn't matter how you discuss in private.

It would certainly not be appropriate to say that in public at a War Office dinner.

And it's meant to be provocative.

When it comes to mixing, Mountbatten has won the true heritage of the British Empire, and he created the famous "Mountbatten Plan".

"Come with me, Colonel Gavin, I have some problems that need your coordination." Cunningham wanted to take Gavin away, not to be Mountbatten's accomplice.

As the Lord of the Navy, Cunningham had to undertake a lot of work, a considerable part of which required the cooperation of the southern African army.

Such as escort.

The current escort is definitely not enough to rely on battleships alone, and more importantly, air escort.

The strongest British air force is not the United Kingdom or the United States, but the Southern African Air Force, which sent an expeditionary force early.

The Southern African Air Force is to be mobilized.

In other words, if he wants to get help from the Southern African Air Force, Gavin must speak better than Cunningham.

"Marshal, I also have some tasks that require the cooperation of Colonel Gavin." Mountbatten looked sincere, but Gavin had already seen his true colors clearly.

You are not begging for help.

"Your office is in the Far East, what does it have to do with Colonel Gavin?" Cunningham didn't give Mountbatten any face.

Although they are both naval personnel, Cunningham is not used to Mountbatten's problems. When Mountbatten served in the Mediterranean, Cunningham was already the commander of the Mediterranean Fleet.

"Marshal, as the British Secretary of the Navy, I need to remind you that we should pay more attention to the Far East." Mountbatten is not afraid of Cunningham, he is no longer the destroyer captain three years ago.

"That's the prime minister's job. My job is the navy." Cunningham turned away after throwing down a sentence.

Gavin happily gave Mountbatten a helpless smile, and followed Cunningham to leave.

The eldest princess had already slipped away.

In this kind of big scene, no one cares about her as a little lieutenant.

No matter how beautiful and cute it is!

In the large conference room on the second floor of the Ministry of War, there is a huge carefully crafted sand table in the center, and there is a ladder next to the sand table. To see the whole picture of the sand table clearly, you have to climb the ladder.

Cunningham was old and it was too dangerous to climb up and down, so he took a stick more than two meters long and pointed the country on the sand table.

"A landing operation of 100 million people, according to our experience in Dunkirk, even if we mobilize all the ships that can be mobilized, it will take at least six to eight weeks to complete." Cunningham is under great pressure. Although the ability has been greatly improved compared with the Dunkirk retreat, the number of soldiers and supplies that need to be transported has also doubled, and it is too late to calculate the time.

During the Dunkirk retreat, in order to run faster than the Germans, the British and French allied forces simply threw away the individual weapons they carried with them. Many officers and soldiers boarded the ship empty-handed, occupying limited space, and released the capacity to the greatest extent.

Now the Allied Forces are equipped with many heavy weapons and equipment. A division has more than 1000 vehicles, plus more than 1000 artillery pieces and light and heavy machine guns, hundreds of tanks, and other materials of weapons and ammunition are calculated in terms of tons. 100 million people If all of China's troops are of southern African standards, there will be nearly 25 vehicles of various types.

An ordinary 5000-ton merchant ship can pull up to 200 cars.

25 cars require a 1250-ton merchant ship to go back and forth [-] times.

This is just a car. If it is replaced by a tank weighing dozens of tons, it would be good to be able to pull 20 at a time.

"Southern Africa will do its best to send all the transport ships that can be mobilized." Gavin did not write empty promises, and he did what he said.

"How much?" Cunningham asked.

Gavin smiled and said nothing.

The British government must be very clear about how many transport ships there are in southern Africa. Transport ships are not submarines, and they are so big that anyone can see them floating on the sea.

But how much can be mobilized depends on the mobilization ability of the Southern African Federal Government.

The British retreated from Dunkirk, but even fishing boats were used, and they really came out in full force.

Southern Africa will definitely not send fishing boats, as long as they can come, at least they must be ocean-going freighters, or simply warships.

When Cunningham was the commander of the Mediterranean Fleet, the Mediterranean Fleet held joint exercises with the Cyprus Squadron every year.

Cunningham was impressed by the landing craft equipped by the Cyprus Squadron.

(End of this chapter)