Stupid Luck and Happenstance.
- Thread starter Peabody-Martini
- Start date
TIL the Richthofen brothers had a cousin who flew in the Condor Legion OTL.
Part 29, Chapter 334
Chapter Three Hundred Thirty-Four
15th August 1943
Gomel, Belorussia
Emil Holz saw that the latest operation had been cancelled much to his frustration. The landing zone had been overrun by the Heer, again. His men had been routed from place to place wherever they were needed but eventually they got shoved not quite into the reserves but to hold this quiet sector in the center of the front. For reasons that he’d not been briefed on the British and French had gone elsewhere. Leaving them with the Poles and a small contingent of soldiers from the Belarusian independence movement. There were rumors that Generaloberst von Manstein wasn’t planning on sitting out whatever was planned in the months ahead but Emil would believe it when he saw it.
Emil eventually called it a day, if something happened everyone knew where could be found. He walked from the headquarters of the Fallschirmjäger Corps and headed towards the hall that had become the defacto officers club here in Gomel. The special was probably the usual roadkill du jour but Emil had grown accustomed to that decades earlier. It was when he arrived in the hall that he discovered that it was already occupied by an American General and his staff. Emil had been warned that the Americans were in the area. They had been here originally as part of the humanitarian effort. As that had eased over the Summer they had stuck around, to observe, the situation could best be compared to getting the crabs. Field Marshal von Wolvogle had eventually shunted them here.
“About time you showed your face around here General Holz” The American General said.
Emil had a feeling that he knew this man from somewhere but couldn’t remember where.
The American seemed amused by the look of incomprehension on Emil’s face. “You don’t remember, do you?”
“Excuse me” Emil said.
“At the end of the Great War, the first one anyway you were this kid who could hardly speak English leading the German Company opposite of mine” The American said, “Shared a drink with you, locally produced moonshine, you joked about using it to clean your guns.”
“In fairness, I don’t remember a whole lot about that day” Emil said, “Once the shooting stopped everyone got pretty trashed.”
That resulted in laughter around the hall.
“No shit, I was there” The American said.
His mannerisms were familiar as well as his accent. His name was on the tip of Emil’s tongue but he couldn’t quite remember it.
“Omar Bradly” The American said and he offered shake Emil’s hand, “Happy to introduce myself again.”
“In my defense, that was a long time ago” Emil replied, “Three wars, a revolution and a marriage ago to be exact.”
“You’ve had a busy life from the sound of it” Bradley said.
West of Voronezh, Russia
Horst had already heard about the shuffling that had gone on at the top. It was like anything else in every army since the dawn of time. The last meeting of the Regimental commanders had been nauseating. It seemed as if nearly every one of the other Obersts in the 4th Division had lined up to kiss General Hoth’s ass. They all wanted the collar patch and shoulder straps of a Generalmajor and were so close that they could taste it.
Horst had found the new General to be likable enough but not particularly imaginative or independent. Instead of speaking with Generallieutenant Hoth Horst had spent his time with the other Obersts whose careers stretched back to the Marne. He considered that to be a much better use of his time.
Now Horst watched as one of the staff officers, a Lieutenant wandered around the 140th Regiment’s bivouac. He clearly was out of his element and looked lost.
“Can I help you?” Horst asked.
The Lieutenant looked up, relieved for the help. “Are you Oberst Horst?” He asked.
“It depends on who’s asking” Horst said.
“The General asked for you, Sir” The Lieutenant as he watch nervously as a group of Panzer Grenadiers walked past him with their faces blank. Horst knew that those would probably be sneers if Horst wasn’t around.
“They can smell fear” Horst said as he started walking towards his car, “You’ve a lot to learn before you earn their respect.”
“Seriously, Sir?” The Lieutenant asked as he fell into step with Horst. This boy looked like they had plucked him from a secondary school somewhere.
“What do you think?” Horst asked.
The Lieutenant gulped but didn’t answer that.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Later as Horst stepped into the trailer that was used as a mobile command post by the Division he saw the current situation on a map that had been tacked to the wall. General Hoth was looking at that intently.
“Good afternoon, Sir” Horst said, “You asked for me.”
“Do you know what this is about?” Hoth asked.
“I was hoping that it had to do with the artillery support and couple hundred feet of bridging that I asked for” Horst answered.
“That is not why I asked you here” Hoth said “But von Wolvogle did say that you were direct, cared only for the job and had absolutely no use for politics. Nice to know he was right about that.”
“Then why am I here?” Horst asked.
“Generalfeldmarschall von Wolvogle recommended you to be the new Division XO” Hoth said.
The Generalmajor slot that the others had been sucking up for and it was something that one couldn’t turn down. All the times that Walter Horst had wanted to give Wolvogle a severe beating yet had refrained from doing it. Now Wolvogle’s actions would remove him from his home Regiment, forever.
“Thank you, Sir” Horst said through gritted teeth.
15th August 1943
Gomel, Belorussia
Emil Holz saw that the latest operation had been cancelled much to his frustration. The landing zone had been overrun by the Heer, again. His men had been routed from place to place wherever they were needed but eventually they got shoved not quite into the reserves but to hold this quiet sector in the center of the front. For reasons that he’d not been briefed on the British and French had gone elsewhere. Leaving them with the Poles and a small contingent of soldiers from the Belarusian independence movement. There were rumors that Generaloberst von Manstein wasn’t planning on sitting out whatever was planned in the months ahead but Emil would believe it when he saw it.
Emil eventually called it a day, if something happened everyone knew where could be found. He walked from the headquarters of the Fallschirmjäger Corps and headed towards the hall that had become the defacto officers club here in Gomel. The special was probably the usual roadkill du jour but Emil had grown accustomed to that decades earlier. It was when he arrived in the hall that he discovered that it was already occupied by an American General and his staff. Emil had been warned that the Americans were in the area. They had been here originally as part of the humanitarian effort. As that had eased over the Summer they had stuck around, to observe, the situation could best be compared to getting the crabs. Field Marshal von Wolvogle had eventually shunted them here.
“About time you showed your face around here General Holz” The American General said.
Emil had a feeling that he knew this man from somewhere but couldn’t remember where.
The American seemed amused by the look of incomprehension on Emil’s face. “You don’t remember, do you?”
“Excuse me” Emil said.
“At the end of the Great War, the first one anyway you were this kid who could hardly speak English leading the German Company opposite of mine” The American said, “Shared a drink with you, locally produced moonshine, you joked about using it to clean your guns.”
“In fairness, I don’t remember a whole lot about that day” Emil said, “Once the shooting stopped everyone got pretty trashed.”
That resulted in laughter around the hall.
“No shit, I was there” The American said.
His mannerisms were familiar as well as his accent. His name was on the tip of Emil’s tongue but he couldn’t quite remember it.
“Omar Bradly” The American said and he offered shake Emil’s hand, “Happy to introduce myself again.”
“In my defense, that was a long time ago” Emil replied, “Three wars, a revolution and a marriage ago to be exact.”
“You’ve had a busy life from the sound of it” Bradley said.
West of Voronezh, Russia
Horst had already heard about the shuffling that had gone on at the top. It was like anything else in every army since the dawn of time. The last meeting of the Regimental commanders had been nauseating. It seemed as if nearly every one of the other Obersts in the 4th Division had lined up to kiss General Hoth’s ass. They all wanted the collar patch and shoulder straps of a Generalmajor and were so close that they could taste it.
Horst had found the new General to be likable enough but not particularly imaginative or independent. Instead of speaking with Generallieutenant Hoth Horst had spent his time with the other Obersts whose careers stretched back to the Marne. He considered that to be a much better use of his time.
Now Horst watched as one of the staff officers, a Lieutenant wandered around the 140th Regiment’s bivouac. He clearly was out of his element and looked lost.
“Can I help you?” Horst asked.
The Lieutenant looked up, relieved for the help. “Are you Oberst Horst?” He asked.
“It depends on who’s asking” Horst said.
“The General asked for you, Sir” The Lieutenant as he watch nervously as a group of Panzer Grenadiers walked past him with their faces blank. Horst knew that those would probably be sneers if Horst wasn’t around.
“They can smell fear” Horst said as he started walking towards his car, “You’ve a lot to learn before you earn their respect.”
“Seriously, Sir?” The Lieutenant asked as he fell into step with Horst. This boy looked like they had plucked him from a secondary school somewhere.
“What do you think?” Horst asked.
The Lieutenant gulped but didn’t answer that.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Later as Horst stepped into the trailer that was used as a mobile command post by the Division he saw the current situation on a map that had been tacked to the wall. General Hoth was looking at that intently.
“Good afternoon, Sir” Horst said, “You asked for me.”
“Do you know what this is about?” Hoth asked.
“I was hoping that it had to do with the artillery support and couple hundred feet of bridging that I asked for” Horst answered.
“That is not why I asked you here” Hoth said “But von Wolvogle did say that you were direct, cared only for the job and had absolutely no use for politics. Nice to know he was right about that.”
“Then why am I here?” Horst asked.
“Generalfeldmarschall von Wolvogle recommended you to be the new Division XO” Hoth said.
The Generalmajor slot that the others had been sucking up for and it was something that one couldn’t turn down. All the times that Walter Horst had wanted to give Wolvogle a severe beating yet had refrained from doing it. Now Wolvogle’s actions would remove him from his home Regiment, forever.
“Thank you, Sir” Horst said through gritted teeth.
Now that's the painting that Alphonse Mucha should do for Kira: the Patron Saint of the SKA and Paras in her native dress showing the smile that she doesn't exhibit much..
Of course, Doug could probably sell a copy of that photo to every member of the SKA and Fallschirmjäger. And most newspapers. And a lot of the public. Of course, if JFK or Ian Fleming saw it they'd have nightmares.
Great stuff! Kido Butai has a significant carrier advantage, and is in th same situation the USA was after OTL's Pearl Harbor--forced to use their carriers. Add in the loss of German escorts, and the loss of one carrier, and, even with the British coming in, Japan may have the carrier advantage, but can't replace them quickly. How many fleet carriers does Japan have in this timeline?
If that photo appears in newspapers, Kat may well be more than a little upset...
If that photo appears in newspapers, Kat may well be more than a little upset...
Part 29, Chapter 335
Chapter Three Hundred Thirty-Five
3rd September 1943
Kiev, Ukraine
“You’ve got some great pictures on the rolls of film that you submitted” Clark said.
Sam Clark worked for the New York based agency that Doug sold his photographs through. They were going through a stack of pictures that had just been developed.
“The subject of this one asked if we could send a print of it to his wife” Doug said, it was the photograph of Walter Horst.
“The value of that one has gone up” Clark said “Walter Horst got himself promoted to Division staff, he’s now the XO. I would have thought he would have gotten the 8th Motorized Infantry Brigade in the 4th Division.”
“Try talking to the soldiers in the 140th sometime” Doug said, “Horst practically invented armored warfare with Field Marshal von Wolvogle, his reputation is that of a real hard ass.”
“So, you’re saying he’s a rising star in the Heer?” Clark asked.
“I’d say so” Doug answered.
“Then there is this” Clark pointed to the photograph of Katherine von Mischner in Judenbach “I have no idea how you got that picture but it’s worth a mint. Do you have any idea how camera shy that girl is?”
Doug had forgotten that photograph was in with the roll of street scenes in Berlin.
“I’m also aware of her reputation, she doesn’t take publicity well” Doug said, “I’m not sure that it should be published?”
“The German Army is full of killers” Clark said, “This photograph could be one of the more important of your career.”
“What else do you like?” Doug asked, changing the subject.
“There’s this one of the soldier in the trench” Clark said, “What’s the story on that?”
Grafenwöhr, Bavaria
Kat couldn’t remember ever being this bored at any time in her life. The material wasn’t just dry, the instructor just droning on and on sucked any of the remaining life out of it. He was currently the proper from of address when meeting a foreign diplomat. Ironically, he had been tongue tied when Kat had walked into his lecture hall a few days earlier on Monday. Apparently addressing women in his class was something outside his experience.
At least Kat was no longer having troubles with the others in this class. On Tuesday one of them sitting in the back had thrown a paperclip at the back of her head only to find a dagger quivering in the wall an inch from his ear. “Next time it pins you to the wall” Kat had whispered as she collected the dagger as she took her seat she couldn’t help but notice that that the instructor had continued like if nothing had happened. She had heard the whispers in response to that “Are you insane, don’t you know who she is?” one of them had said. After that Kat had been left completely alone, something that suited her just fine.
After a small eternity, they were dismissed for the day. Kat looked at her notes, she had managed to stay awake for all of it. A miracle. One of the others in the class walked up to Kat and asked, “The way you act, is it a Berlin thing?”
Kat stared at him. “What are you talking about?” She asked in return.
“There’s this girl on a television show who acts just like you” He said, “And it's set in Berlin so I was wondering.”
“I’ve never had time to bother with that” Kat said, “So I don’t know what to tell you.”
“Oh” He said, sounding disappointed. Kat watched as he walked off and joined his friends.
With that Kat made her way to the women’s barracks, she got more than a few curious looks. The PLM and ribbon bar told a story that many were simply not expecting. The barracks themselves were a series of buildings surrounded by concertina wire. Every time Kat saw it she wondered if it was to keep others out or to keep those living here in. The other women were like Kat herself, volunteers and driven. They all had various jobs to do and most were grateful for the opportunity that they had been given. That wasn’t to say that that there weren’t incidents, accidents and a surprising amount of resentment to contend with. There were men around who had carved out a nice little fiefdom in a place like this and when the Auxiliaries had arrived many of them had found themselves shortlisted to be transferred to combat and support units on the front. The other thing was that Kat was acutely aware that she was the highest ranking and only one with combat medals.
“Hauptmann von Mischner” The matronly woman who was in charge of the barracks said in greeting as soon as she walked in. It seemed like the powers that be had a particular type in mind when they recruited them. Nurses, Hospital Administrators and Nuns seemed to be what the powers that be preferred. Kat frequently wondered if that was a not so subtle message that was being sent to the likes of her. Feldwebel Brose had been all three at one point or another but that was belied by the large number of trashy romance novels that she was constantly reading.
“Frau Brose” Kat replied, she didn’t like it when Kat called her by her rank.
“I got a couple messages here for you” Brose said, “A Herr Blackwood called, he asked if he had your permission to publish the photograph and a Frau Acker asked if you will be available for a social function in a few weeks.”
Kat remembered that Maria had been trying to talk her into being a speaker at an event that she was involved with. That was when Kat noticed that Frau Brose was looking at her with a frown on her face.
“Are you engaged in morally compromising activities with that Englishman?” Frau Brose asked sternly.
“God, no” Kat said, that turn of phrase deepened Frau Brose’s frown. She was also a practicing Catholic, “Doug Blackwood is my brother’s friend and he took a photograph of me at Judenbach that even you might approve of and he’s Canadian not English.”
“Your brother is a part of a very rough crowd” Frau Brose said.
“And I’m worse” Kat replied. That got Kat another deep frown.
So, Doug Blackwood had asked her permission before he published that photograph. Kat had no idea if she wanted him to do that or not. At least he had asked first.
3rd September 1943
Kiev, Ukraine
“You’ve got some great pictures on the rolls of film that you submitted” Clark said.
Sam Clark worked for the New York based agency that Doug sold his photographs through. They were going through a stack of pictures that had just been developed.
“The subject of this one asked if we could send a print of it to his wife” Doug said, it was the photograph of Walter Horst.
“The value of that one has gone up” Clark said “Walter Horst got himself promoted to Division staff, he’s now the XO. I would have thought he would have gotten the 8th Motorized Infantry Brigade in the 4th Division.”
“Try talking to the soldiers in the 140th sometime” Doug said, “Horst practically invented armored warfare with Field Marshal von Wolvogle, his reputation is that of a real hard ass.”
“So, you’re saying he’s a rising star in the Heer?” Clark asked.
“I’d say so” Doug answered.
“Then there is this” Clark pointed to the photograph of Katherine von Mischner in Judenbach “I have no idea how you got that picture but it’s worth a mint. Do you have any idea how camera shy that girl is?”
Doug had forgotten that photograph was in with the roll of street scenes in Berlin.
“I’m also aware of her reputation, she doesn’t take publicity well” Doug said, “I’m not sure that it should be published?”
“The German Army is full of killers” Clark said, “This photograph could be one of the more important of your career.”
“What else do you like?” Doug asked, changing the subject.
“There’s this one of the soldier in the trench” Clark said, “What’s the story on that?”
Grafenwöhr, Bavaria
Kat couldn’t remember ever being this bored at any time in her life. The material wasn’t just dry, the instructor just droning on and on sucked any of the remaining life out of it. He was currently the proper from of address when meeting a foreign diplomat. Ironically, he had been tongue tied when Kat had walked into his lecture hall a few days earlier on Monday. Apparently addressing women in his class was something outside his experience.
At least Kat was no longer having troubles with the others in this class. On Tuesday one of them sitting in the back had thrown a paperclip at the back of her head only to find a dagger quivering in the wall an inch from his ear. “Next time it pins you to the wall” Kat had whispered as she collected the dagger as she took her seat she couldn’t help but notice that that the instructor had continued like if nothing had happened. She had heard the whispers in response to that “Are you insane, don’t you know who she is?” one of them had said. After that Kat had been left completely alone, something that suited her just fine.
After a small eternity, they were dismissed for the day. Kat looked at her notes, she had managed to stay awake for all of it. A miracle. One of the others in the class walked up to Kat and asked, “The way you act, is it a Berlin thing?”
Kat stared at him. “What are you talking about?” She asked in return.
“There’s this girl on a television show who acts just like you” He said, “And it's set in Berlin so I was wondering.”
“I’ve never had time to bother with that” Kat said, “So I don’t know what to tell you.”
“Oh” He said, sounding disappointed. Kat watched as he walked off and joined his friends.
With that Kat made her way to the women’s barracks, she got more than a few curious looks. The PLM and ribbon bar told a story that many were simply not expecting. The barracks themselves were a series of buildings surrounded by concertina wire. Every time Kat saw it she wondered if it was to keep others out or to keep those living here in. The other women were like Kat herself, volunteers and driven. They all had various jobs to do and most were grateful for the opportunity that they had been given. That wasn’t to say that that there weren’t incidents, accidents and a surprising amount of resentment to contend with. There were men around who had carved out a nice little fiefdom in a place like this and when the Auxiliaries had arrived many of them had found themselves shortlisted to be transferred to combat and support units on the front. The other thing was that Kat was acutely aware that she was the highest ranking and only one with combat medals.
“Hauptmann von Mischner” The matronly woman who was in charge of the barracks said in greeting as soon as she walked in. It seemed like the powers that be had a particular type in mind when they recruited them. Nurses, Hospital Administrators and Nuns seemed to be what the powers that be preferred. Kat frequently wondered if that was a not so subtle message that was being sent to the likes of her. Feldwebel Brose had been all three at one point or another but that was belied by the large number of trashy romance novels that she was constantly reading.
“Frau Brose” Kat replied, she didn’t like it when Kat called her by her rank.
“I got a couple messages here for you” Brose said, “A Herr Blackwood called, he asked if he had your permission to publish the photograph and a Frau Acker asked if you will be available for a social function in a few weeks.”
Kat remembered that Maria had been trying to talk her into being a speaker at an event that she was involved with. That was when Kat noticed that Frau Brose was looking at her with a frown on her face.
“Are you engaged in morally compromising activities with that Englishman?” Frau Brose asked sternly.
“God, no” Kat said, that turn of phrase deepened Frau Brose’s frown. She was also a practicing Catholic, “Doug Blackwood is my brother’s friend and he took a photograph of me at Judenbach that even you might approve of and he’s Canadian not English.”
“Your brother is a part of a very rough crowd” Frau Brose said.
“And I’m worse” Kat replied. That got Kat another deep frown.
So, Doug Blackwood had asked her permission before he published that photograph. Kat had no idea if she wanted him to do that or not. At least he had asked first.
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He has to be what, very late sixties, to mid seventies now?
About damn time you had that meet-up
The Ship is sailing.
It'll be exceedingly interesting when she finally watches an episode.
Remember how she was dressed and the circumstances of the photo?
If that photograph gets published how many young women will want to dye their hair red, wear coveralls and a flak vest, and carry weapons? And pester the Paras to let them join. You know there'll be at least one courageous businessman who'll want to produce authorized 'Authentic Kat' merchandise.
Dagger in the wall might have been a bit excessive, although it sure got the point across 
I like that line. Very truthful, and perfect for reminding Frau Brose that Kat has claws. There's always the people that frown more than they smile, and expect others to live up to their arbitrary standards.
I like that line. Very truthful, and perfect for reminding Frau Brose that Kat has claws. There's always the people that frown more than they smile, and expect others to live up to their arbitrary standards.
Well, of course. He's a soldier, fighting in a war. It's basically in the prerequisites. I don't really get what Feldwebel Brose is getting at. Was she expecting him surrounded by priests or monks?
I had the impression that the "innovative Lieutenant Colonel Manfred Wolvogle" was in his 40s in 1917. It's now 26 years later so that would make him in his late 60s to somewhere in his 70s.
He was also looking down the barrel of mandatory retirement in 1936 and I think that was around age 64, so seven years later he's probably in his early 70s.
All of the dietary and lifestyle restrictions his daughter and staff tried to impose made perfect sense between the wars but not now. If Death comes for Wolvogle he'll chase him off at the point of his sabre.
I don't think Feldwebel Brose really understands what that PLM around Kat's neck and the other ribbons on her ribbon bar really mean. Brose thinks she's the protector of a herd of herbivorous young women venturing out into a world of not-very-polite men. Kat's an apex predator and totally outside her experience.
Well, that part I got. What I don't understand is what does she expect from her brother. She has a military rank, so presumably she had to interact, occasionally at least, with military men, which tend to be more... say, rough and impolite than the civilians (I know that I was during my term). So who the hell does she expect Hans Mischner surrounds himself with, Jehova's Witnesses? the Knights of the Round Table? A war correspondent should actually be a step up. (Well, one of them is Jost Schultz, so a Dobermann with temper problems the would be a step up.)
I'm still shipping Kurt Knispel.
FBKampfer
Banned
I think Doug is a better fit. Kurt might be a good man, but Kat's already seen more violence and bloodshed than anyone should have to.
And deep down, she's still that little girl hopping trains. Doug will be a good influence on her.
And PM, again, you are an excellent writer. I'd rank you right up there with Turtledove.
And deep down, she's still that little girl hopping trains. Doug will be a good influence on her.
And PM, again, you are an excellent writer. I'd rank you right up there with Turtledove.
Forever, I hope. Every time I see part of that show I keep asking myself, "Why do people think this is funny?"
Ah, ignore me; enjoy it if you like it.
