French India. Regio Kolkata

[maddox]

November 28,

Tagore Narains estates.  A dust covered courrier arrives, his horse lathered with sweat.

Prince Narain, the French killed your nephew, and wiped out his warriors.

In a thunderous, echoing voice
Gather the forces, now its time. Kali demands her share of that foreign varmints blood. Send out riders to all hindu princes and leaders ,tell them to rise and join Me, or perish in the wave of blood I will unleash.
Erase every foreign building from the Face of India, cleanse it with fire, kill every foreigner and their sychophants.
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Kolkata

Doctor Achard, you are sure it was Tagore Narain Mandeline that attacked the mission and killed all the people there?

Yes gouverneur.

Lieutenant Achiel (head bandaged ), you can confirm that the men attacking the train are allied to Tagore Narain?
Yes Gouverneur. After the battle, we burried the dead in an, unfortunatly shallow, grave. One of the dead, dressed and equipped as expensive as possible carried a series of letters, and those are really an eye opener. It's obvious that Prince Narain is gathering Hindu rebels under 1 banner.

Colonel Galmar, get the korps ready, we're going to stomp out a rebellion.

[maddox]

6 december 1915

Kolkata Harbor.

A fleet of passenger ships and converted merchants flying the Habsburg Flag are anchored out, or tied to the quays.

Governer Duré talking to the commander of that force.
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You have what!!?

20 000 Habsburger troops governer Duré, to assist Glorious France against the heathen violence erupting all over the indian subcontinent.

I think I'll have to take this up with Paris.

[Guinness]

Question: how many troops does France have on the Indian Sub-continent, total? A corps, maybe two?

[maddox]

2 4/2 Korps, 1 in war upkeep ,and 1 active in Kolkata.

1 4/2 active Korps on Ceylon.

[maddox]

6 december, very very early morning Paris- like 5 am.


Premier Galpoux, premier Galpoux, an urgent telegram from Governer Duré.

Yes, tell me.Minister  Marveulle 

urgent urgent urgent
division AFL arrived. No official requests. Diplomatic incident possible.
urgent urgent urgent.

AFL?  

Yes Premier, Habsburg troops.

What are they doing there?  If they want to invade,  we'll have our armies walk to Vienna.

No premier, I think that somewere a diplomatical message was placed wrong, or never send. But the question is, will we allow those troops to disembark at Kolkata, and what to do with them? As far as we know, Kolkata is reasonably stable.

Is there any suitable other place they can disembark and set up camp?

Yes Premier. Haldia has a suitable beach and enough dry land to camp them all.

Ok, get Duré his answer. And get me Minister Lebrun, for a brunch.

[ctwaterman]

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/india/nf-45-07a.jpg

Good map of the Region around Calcutta

[maddox]

Still 6 december.

Bonjour Minister Lebrun,  I hope you're aware of the situation in Kolkata?

Yes I am, Premier Galpoux, probably better than you. If I can be that brutal.
To make it short, based upon the dispatches from Colonel Galmar, the latest came in 3 days ago.
Unknown party or parties are supporting hindu princes into rebellion against France.
The rebellion is getting bigger day by day, as people who lived as good civilians under the French law expect the governement to defend them. The rebels on the other hand, are targetting excatly those lawfull civilians.
Up to now, the rebellion is contained to the north and to the west, the Bharat border to be exactly. But to jump to the conclusion that the Bharat governement is behind it all, would be hasty, and could lead to serious mistakes. For the same amount of trouble, it's the Dutch sponsoring the rebelion there. Everything that weakens France makes them more safe. And it's obvious the Dutch are playing with large amounts of money lately. Monsieur Grange mentioned significant money transfers in the Netherlands and between the colonies. But that is also speculation. The Securité should look into it.
But current en obvious business first.
The sudden appearance of Habsburger troops can mean several things. But the amount of them and the equipment as well the open approach indicate good intentions. Not anti French. I would ask minister Marveuille to travel to Vienna ,and ask an explanation, in a friendly way.
As we speak, I have the Fifth korp Patrie on transport to Marseilles, where they will board Le Magnificent, 2 of the older A class liners, and several hired transports. The Italians have agreed on attaching a few transports of themselfs at East Africa, with an experimental motorised battalion.
Speaking of Le Magnificent. She's been in use for 12 years, she has been torpedo'd, and has more milage as troop transport than as a passenger liner. Shouldn't we take her into the Marine nationale, and give her an overhaul, getting her to spec for the modern day and age?

So, you would accept the Habsburger offer to support france in the struggle for Kolkata?

Yes premier, I would send them to Burnpur, as we can support them there by the railroad. There they are in the middle of the focal point of the rebellion. And at least they should divert the rebels.

Get the orders to army command in Kolkata. And make sure the Habsburg troops get the same support as ours.
On Le Magnificent. get me the plans, pricetag and supposed use of the ship.  And, if we remove our most prestigious liner from the mercantile fleet, make sure there is a suitable replacement.

Yes premier, I'll make it so.

Denise, get me Minister Marveille, I hope he ain't afraid of flying.

[maddox]

Mid december

General Carnot, is it wise to send squads to the villages away from the railroad?

Governer Duré did say we had to root out the rebels, and I do not think we need 24000 men to destroy Prince Narains estate. If I would have released the Lions to that task, it would already be done.
I know that the rebellion will peter out when the head is cut off.
By showing the villagers that the French army is there when needed the unrest caused by the random attacks will be laided down.
Mes oui mon General. I'll get the orders of deployment out.

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December 21. The small village of Panduk.

The squad of Sergeant Poivre is setting up camp, and the sergeant is talking to the village head.

Monsieur, we are here on orders from general Carnot. The orders ,as far as you and yours are concerned, is to stay here, patrol and defend you and yours against the rebels.  If we can help with anything, just ask.

The old man blinks his eyes, and in a very accented, broken French, liberaly laced with Bengali words he replies.

No rebels here, no bad men. Only family, all love France.  Be welcome welcome. We have feast this evening, all soldiers come.

[maddox]

December 21, evening in the small village of Panduk.

From late noon, the most delicious smells arise. The chatter in the village is joyfull.
Sergeant Poivre overlooks the village and then the camp his men are setting up. 
The 9 tents already erected, the latrines dug,  3 are digging a trench, and the earth put in burlap sacks.

He muses
I should buy local made burlap sacks, I guess today won't be the best moment, but tomorrow I'll talk to the headman. With more sacks than allotted to us, we can build a better, larger shelter, one capable to protect the villagers too.  And the discrete funding we have allows for it. And incidentialy, making the villagers even more happy with us here.

In any case, I think we have a good posting. And it's only for a few weeks. We could have been off worse. And resupply only 3 days from now. We'll be fine.

[maddox]

December 31 1915 almost midnight nearby the town of Kulti.

General Carnots headquarter tent is brightly lid, candles everywere, a feast in action, the drunken voices of partying officers mingling with high pitch female squeals of joy.

The camp itself,  campfires are lit, bottles are passed between men, but sergeants keep watch that it doesn't get out of hand.
Here and there, tents show action of the horizontal kind. 

The poor guys on guard duty, walking their rounds. Some of them smuggled a hipflask filled with a beverage of choise.



A pale yellow scarf flashes, a knee deep in the kidney, a windpipe crushed, some silent gurgling.
On several places along the French encampment perimeter this scenario is repeated. Several shadows moving silently towards the more heavely guarded munition wagons. 

à l'arme    'à l'arme'

A fire flashes, gunshots , screaming, confusion galore. A wagon catches fire, some soldiers try to combat the fire, other run like the devil is chasing them.

General Carnot ,face redened, pants partialy unbuttoned, steps out of the HQ tent, and gets a nice reception in the open air by a splendid fireball. The blast of the munition wagons sends a scorching wave over the camp, tents flattened, more chaos, more panick.

Then, silence, the moans of the wounded, the screams of the panicked all dissapear into a void.

The townclock strikes midnight 12 dull tolling bronze rings.

[miketr]

Rayna, French Calcutta
January 10th, 1916

Lt. Pal Singh (patrol leader)
Daffadar Deep Singh Ranjan
Amar headman of Rayna

A cavalry patrol of Sikh's in French service entered the village an hour before dusk.  The patrols leader stood up in the saddle and called out, "Who is in charge here!  Quickly now!"

A man came forward, "I am the head man of this village Sahib.  How may we serve you?"

Lieutenant Pal gave a brief nod, "Lt. Singh 14e Régiment Dragoons.  My men will be setting up camp here for the night headman we need water for our mounts."

Amar gave a deep bow and noticed the red-brown spot on the Lieutenant's uniform, "You are injured Sahib do you need to be tended to?"

Pal gave a queering look for a moment and then glanced down at his jacket and saw the blood stain, "I am fine.  We ambushed some bandits a short distance away; it no doubt comes from one of those we cut down.  Now the water headman."

Amar gave a deep bow again and started shouting orders to the villagers. 

"Daffadar Ranjan have the men make camp we are home for the night."  The patrol leader called out. 
A short time later the dragoons had settled in to the village and the Lieutenant and a few of his men were having dinner with the head mans family.

"Lieutenant-Sahib if I may ask a question?" Amar asked from his side of the low table.

"Of course what do wish to know?" Pal answered with a good natured smile and brushed some of the crumbs from the naan out of his beard.

"You and many of your men are Sikhs but several appear not to be....  I thought that Sikhs served in formed units by themselves has something changed."

The Daffadar at the Lieutenants side said nothing while Pal swirled the liquid in his glass about for a moment, "That is correct several men are replacements for those lost in action since this trouble began.  Most are transfers from the 15e regiment a Bengali unit that hasn't taken the losses we have and the balance new recruits."

"Why do you ask headman?"  Lt. Pal asked in response.

"Lieutenant-Sahib I served as a conscript and then ten years more.  I was a Sergeant before I returned home; I haven't been called up because of my leg." The headman tapped his leg which he had been favoring since they saw him.  "A rusty sword from a bandit; the wound festered but the regimental surgeon was skilled and able to cut out the infection but I lost much of the muscle there and was retired."     

Pal nodded, "This as you might have guessed isn't our normal patrol area so if you have any information on the bandits or rebels it would be most helpful Sergeant."

While pleased to be called a Sergeant once more he gave a sad shake of his head, "Sorry Lieutenant-Sahib while there are always broken men about who look to steal there are no rebels for you to cut the heads off of."


"Thank you for the information none the less and if you come across any of course let us know."

The Lieutenant and Daffadar made their good byes and returned to their tents.  Along the way the Daffadar whispered in a harsh voice to his leader, "He suspects something!"
Looking around quickly, "Keep your voice down fool.  But yes you are correct I had hopped to leave him as a witness but it would be best to kill him too.  Gather you men and deal with him first..."

Soon men were moving about the village in the shadows.  The former Infantry NCO noticed the movements and quickly went into his bed room.  Lifting a floor board and a book beneath he pulled out his old but well oiled service revolver and quickly loaded it.  His wife looked on in alarm.  He turned to her, tossed her a bag of coins and said, "Prita take the children and go quickly.  Look for an army patrol, a patrol of Frenchmen not Hindu's or find a patrol that has at least a Frenchmen in command.  Tell them I believe these troopers are rebels in disguise..."

"Husband..."

"There is no time beloved take our children and go..."

A second later the front door kicked in and the former soldier took cover and fired.

Several minutes later the patrol had control of the village and several dead villagers, including the head mans body, and was laid out by the well.  Also two in the uniform of dragoons were laid out with neat little 11mm holes in their chests.  The villagers were on their knees and under guard to one side of the square.

Pal step forward, "People of Rayna you have sheltered a traitor in your midst, we have learned that rebels have received supplies from here and two of my men are dead.  As such you will all be punished..."

A voice called out, "But Sahib... Amar was loyal to France he would talk for hours to any that would listen about his days in the army, he got my son a place in his old regiment."

A wave of his hand had the speaker dragged before him.  Pal pointed down at the two dead in trooper uniforms, "Then care to explain that?"

The speaker shrank back and said nothing more.

Pal turned and announced, "We will burn the village as punishment and as a lesson..."

The speaker shouted, "No! You ca..." *BANG* and a round form Pal's pistol exited the back of the head of the villager who flopped to the ground like a sack of apples.

"And my men need some relaxation from their hard work fighting the traitors of France.  Some of your wives and daughters will be that relaxation..."

More shouts echoed from the villagers and one attempted to stand.  A trooper shot him dead before he even rose a foot off the ground.   

Pal steppe forward and said in a causal voice, "We can do this all evening.  My men have plenty of bullets..."

Several villagers did pick that moment to attempt to rush Pal and his men but few got more than a few feet before they too we down and bleeding.  The sound of weeping family members was the only sound. 

Pal nodded, "Now that we are done with that nonsense.  Daffadar have your men take their pick."  Soon screams of the village woman echoed through the night...

Before dawn Pal assembled his men, set the village on fire and left.  A short time later Pal turned to his second in command, "Its time to return the French Cavalrymen their uniforms."

Deep nodded and said, "Yes I think we are done with them master I think Lal will be pleased with the work we have done here this night."

Several days later another patrol found a slaughtered patrol of cavalry men.  It was clear from the mutilations done to the bodies that it had taken some of them a great deal of time.  Soon word spread within the army about the murder and torture of the patrol and within the area the burning of Rayna and what the "army" had done to the villagers.

[maddox]

January 24th, the small village of Panduk.


Sahib Sergeant. My nephew, who lives in Kathras has brought  disturbing news to us yesterday. He doesn't dare to come close to you and your men. He tells us that French soldiers rape and plunder as if there is no tomorrow, entire villages pillaged and burned, the women and children raped before being killed horribly.

Chief Garna, me and my men are here now for a month. Is there anything that indicates that your nephew is right?
I'm not going to gloss over any misconduct. After all, there are 100 000 French soldiers stationed in Kolkata, at least 8000 Sikh and 10 000 hindus among them.  And as in all large groups of people ,you get good and bad ones, smart and stupid, corrupt or unbendable.  In other words, there will be rapists among them, thieves, even arsonists. But if they get caught they will recieve harsh punishment, and the victims ,if possible, will be compensated in the extend allowed by the French law.
Do you believe that your nephews stores are entirely true, or can you believe that these are exaggerations?

I want to believe that these are exaggerations, but he has a scrap of newspaper with him, the Le Monde Kolkata edition.  He gave it to me. And that piece of paper supports his stories.

Sergeant Poivre reading the cut out, ragged edged piece of paper.

Merde, Merde and Merde en Vent. Chief. You know we're buying food for 2 weeks now. Before that we could give you some of our rations. This is so because our resupply didn't arrive.  Normaly a resupply convoy would have dropped all we need every 8 days. We're now overdue 3 days on the second one.
I guess the rebels are having a ball, and are raiding our resupply convoys, and abuse the captured uniforms. And worse, the press in Kolkata is believing the stories at face value. I refuse to believe that the French colonial army is going on a wholesale rape and plunder spree.

I wish I could be sure of your words sergeant Poivre.

Garna, if you believe those stories you can ask us to avoid any contact with your people. But we can't abandon our posts. We're ordered to be here to keep you safe.
Now I have 3 options.
1)Send a courrier to kolkata, to get new orders. What would mean I have to buy, or commandeer one of the horses here. And that I lose one of my men for the time being.
Second option is to hire one of your best, and send him off as a courrier.
3) disobey my orders, and march towards Kolkata, to report and get new orders ourself.

Option 3 is the least appealing, and a worst case scenario. But with 1 or 2, I'll need your agreement.

Sahib sergeant, you know we have 2 horses in the village. 2 mares. The youngest one just getting in working and bearing age, the old one a bit tired, but still in bearing age.  We can't spare a horse for courrier duty, we don't even have a saddle for them.
A broad, gaptoothed smile shows.
But we can buy one from you.

Wha? I can't sell one of our horses, those are army property. Needed to get my man, or materials and me to the ordered places.

That solves my problem nicely. I don't have a horse to spare, but I have a fine young man, sturdy and willing, to be a courrier. You can order the horse to do what you need. If you order your horse to carry my son as a courrier to Kolkata, and pay him a fee for the job, we both get what is needed. You keep your much needed men here, and the information you need  flows, just for the normal Kolkatan wage for a courrier. Of course, the services of the horse will be pure army matter.

Actualy headman Garna, are you sure you're just a villagers chief?

[maddox]

January 15 1916  Kolkata.

Gouverneur Duré, the situation is bleak. Raids attributed to French army mutineers and Sikh rebels are springing up all over the country side.  It's almost sure it's a deliberate attempt to undermine French rule, and it's succeeding very well.

What is General Carnots situation?  

He destroyed Prince Narains estates, with great loss of life on both sides. Only when the 155mm artilery pieces arrived the breeching of the walls went like envisioned. Several sallies did hurt the offensive capacity of Carnots division.

How bad is it?

General Carnot is regrouping, having his squads that defend the small villages ordered back, still, with effectively 1200 dead and 3000 wounded, his division is not in any shape to work offensive messures.
The rebels are hindering the return to Kolkata in every means possible. Destroyed railroad bridges, poisoned wells, destroyed villages, leaving no supplies. In most cases they hide themselfs behind the French colors making sure the civilians are fleeing towards the place they see safe, a lot of Hindus are having an excodus towards Bharat. We already have seen large groups of Muslims fleeing towards the coast.

The Habsburger troops in Burnpur on the other hand, seem to be spared of these assaults, only their supplies can't get there, due the destroyed infrastructure. But the supplies there won't run out for a few months. I myself would have them join General Carnots division, and send out the second division of First korps. That means we pull together an army of 55 000 men armed with modern weapons.

We have now the 2nd korps ar war messures, a freighter with the new Italian weapons is included in the Kolkata Defence.  So the second division of first korps is free to do so.  And we expect the French corps with their supplies next week.  Meaning a defensive force of 85 000 men is available in short time. That would give us the means to push out the perimeter, and put a stop on these raids.

You're talking as if we're being invaded?

We should look at the current situation like it is an invasion. It's the only way to get the French military might in the right direction. If all the intelligence is correct, the rebels are 2000-3000 men strong, all over Kolkata, but their ranks are swelling, just because they abuse the French colors. Also, they get weapons from the outside, most likely Bharat, but nothing conclusive there.
Bharat officials blame it all on French sponsored rebels inside their border and are treathening with more extensive messures against French aggression.
Monsieur Grange has send us a memo wherein a yet unknown group is mentioned that is fomenting all these troubles.

Lets get things moving then. Paris should be informed that we're needing more help.
Next part is that al French citizens, and foreing nationals will be pulled back to Kolkata city, untill the unrest is layed down.  The second korp will stay here as defensive force. First korp will get reinforcements from the newly to arrive French korps, and this new formed group will advance to the Bharat Border. Depending on the hot spots.  But Narains estate is one of them.
If there are any rebels found, hanging them is too friendly. Crusifiction a too great honor. No, we'll send them over the water. Most of those extreme hindu's are horrified of that.  Are there any great works where expendable workers are needed?

The port of Bandama and ,of course, the newly started large dam project in France.

Can we finance this from the confiscated wealth of Narain?

No gouverner Duré, non of the wealth known to be accumulated at the estate is found. Unless it was to big to be moved on horse- or muleback, and that was demolished.
It is sure that the rebels didn't leave much, not even surviving dependents. At least 200 females and children died in the shelters, poison used. Not sure the dependents did it themselfs, or that they were forced by the last stand of men.
Also, it's not sure Prince Narain did survive or not. His body isn't recovered, and a trail indicating an orderly, well executed retreat is found, leading to the Bharat border.

Bloody fanatics.  It's going to cost us shiploads of money.
Strip all the wealth of the lands know to be rebel haunted. Give the people the choise, follow the materials, and keep in the French fold, or leave ,and start over again with the new overlords who wallow in the misery and blood of the lower castes. Anything that can be moved, will be moved, anything that isn't , just make sure it won't be used against us, or to enrich the rebels.
Lets see who wins. The barbarians, or the civilized methodes of France. And civilisation doesn't mean shirking the duties. If that duty is working an abbatoir, then it shall be so.

[maddox]

26 February  1916.

Gouverner Duré.   
Our troops, with the first reinforcement from France, are able to hold rebel attracts at bay, on the perimeter of Great Kolkata. The amount of attrocities are dimishing outside this perimeter, as it's clear the shock efect is waning. Also, spies along the Bharat Border inform us that Bharat irregulars are establishing "police" forces on French soil. Some village heads did question their legitimacy, and got a firm, but non lethal answer. 'We can defend you from the wrath of Kali, the French maggots can't, and they abandoned you in the hour of need"

We're getting reports from Burnpur too, that the insurgents are regrouping and adapting new tactics.  The Habsburger troops there report more and more probes, and request more conclusive orders.
To quote their commanders.

"our troops are bored" and "we're here to defend the people, not to grow fat and decadent"

Colonel Galmar, we'll ask Paris what to do with our Habsburger guests.
And how's the work on the airship hangars progressing?

[maddox]

March 3 1916.

Colonel Galmar, are you sure these are the numbers Paris send us?  And are they for real?

Yes governer Duré.
If all goes wel, our strength will be 6 modern corps, mainly the elites from France.
Combined with our 2 colonial corps.
And we're recruiting mainly muslims from the coastal area's to rase several local corps again, but we have the money, but not the materials yet to equip those. We're putting the recrutes at work to build the 7 resupply bases. Paris wishes to call these fortified baraks "Colonial Fortresses". I'd call them Roman army bases. But it's all in the name.

So, we'll be able to regain the territory from the rebels when the monsoon ends?

It depends, we got news from independent sources in Bharat that they are mobilising all their troops.
And that they have acces to armored cars, visualy different from our Italian supplied cars, but having the same abilities.

What? You mean those primitives have acces to the more modern arms of western civilisation?

Governer Duré. I'm sorry to inform you that the Bharat army is one of the most modern armies in the world. And the largest on the Indian sub continent. 21 corps strong, non as obsolete as you would think, rather the opposite. Their baseline corps are the technological equals to ours.
If they wish to invade, we'll be forced to retreat. And probably lose Kolkata.  But we have 1 advantage.  We're already rigging all the bridges to be demolished in case of invasion. That should slow them down.
France is sending one of the gunned airships. But that will be for the moment the airship base is finished.  That airship would give us excelent scouting possibilities.
We should also prepare an airstrip. My nephew has mailed me, and the training at the Italian airbase in La Spezia is progressing well. I suspect that we could be send a scouting force of areal spotters.

And , Vienna did send in orders for their troops in Burnpur. "Follow French orders" is the main issue, with the caveat, "don't do suicide missions".  I would propose to entrench them around Burnpur and reinforce them as heavely as possible. With special orders to protect the non hindi population, and the untouchables. Hindi that wish to have our protection will be send to the secured refugee camps.  We have asked the Green Cross to set up refugee camps, and we're detailing the safety precautions now.  Lieutentant Achiel is coordinating this effort, due his relation with Doctor Achard, who was named head of the crisis commitee of the Kolkattan chapter of the Green Cross.

You make it sound bleak Colonel. Why wasn't I told about the military power of Bharat?

Sorry governer, but it was all in the military reports of the last 2 decades. 

It doesn't change the situation. I wouldn't have gotten more funding for the army under Palpaté nor Paixhans. They had other priorities. I thank you for the briefing and outline of plans.
But, how much artillery munition did we got from abroad?

2 loads from France already delivered, and at least 1 merchant from the NUS is moving in.