WesWorld

General Kazim Orbay jumped down from the Turkish Air Force transport aircraft and paused to straighten his tunic. A polite cough from his chief-of-staff warned him that he should look up. General Orbay realized why - when he saw a group of Lithuanian officers, several of them generals approaching. Orbay quickly picked out the general officer he was here to met amid the array of Lithuanian army, security, national police officers, and even a few Lithuanian naval officers.

Field Marshal Tamassaulo swung his marshal's baton up in a crisp salute. Which General Orbay and his staff returned with a polished military crispness all their own. Both Orbay and Tamassaulo walked towards each other to shake hands, and not incidently get themselves out of immediate earshot of both their entourages.

"Welcome to Lithuania, General Orbay, and to Vilnius --" He paused following Orbay's interested gaze around himself, before continuing. "-- what's left of it." Tamassaulo finished wryly, as he noticed Orbay's quick survey of the airfield.

"I was told that fighting had been intense, I had't quite expected anything this bad." Orbay commented quietly as he looked over the much contested city.

Tamassaulo snorted, at Orbay's remark, then nodded in agreement.
"You wouldn't be the first, I don't think anyone expected things to go the way they did or for the fighting to be as severe as it turned out to be. It's been a rough 35 days, from the first uprisings to this extended cease-fire - when we actually have a cease-fire."

"The temporary truce is holding?" Orbay asked carefully, a look of concern in his eyes. Field Marshal Tamassaulo nodded, understanding the question that Orbay was really asking.

"For the moment. The Wilno Insurrectionists' two principal armies have retired behind the Amantas and Adomas Lines, and they don't seem disposed to come out again, at least not for the present. Our and their truce line pickets are just staring at each other across an informal, unoffical neutral zone. Fortunately the only thing they've exchanging at the moment is insults." Tamassaulo remarked. "So far there has been no serious fighting or skirmishing, not even a bored sentry taking the odd potshot to relieve the monotony."

"Good." General Orbay said with quiet relief, he'd been prepared for the worst. "It will be the better part of a week possibly two, perhaps even three, before all the League of Nations contingents are assembled here in Vilnius and ready to move out for Wilno territory."
Orbay cautioned the Lithuanian marshal. Tamassaulo glanced for a moment at page torn from a note book.

"The German contingent shall be here shortly, I've been notified that they will be ready to cross the German-Lithuanian border late on July 22nd, I have been told to expect them in Vilnius on the 23rd or 24th, depending on how soon the Lithuanian National Railway can speed their transfer. At the very least you and your staff, will have something available soon if it's required. The Germans are sending the 39th Infantry Regiment, drawn from their 5th Korps in East Prussia, with a reconnaissance battalion, and a field artillery battalion attached for support." Tamassaulo continued after another glance at the piece of paper. "The other contingents are expected to arrive sometime around the 27th or 28th of July, if all goes well."

General Orbay, nodded, and considered that information for a few moments.
"Good. What can you tell me about the general situation both here and in the Wilno territories?."

"If you'll come this way, General Orbay, the Lithuanian General Staff has prepared a full briefing for you, and the troop detachments assigned to you." Field Marshal Tamassaulo remarked as he waved towards a group of staff cars and escort vehicles at the edge of the airfield. "We've also prepared some refreshment for you and your staff, so we can make it a working lunch." Tamassulo commented as they began walking.

"Good. And my Thanks. Field Marshal." General Orbay said, motioning for his own staff to follow him and Field Marshal Tamassaulo as he lead them towards the cars, waiting to take them off the airfield.

Looking good, as usual...

July 23rd, 1935:

The Lithuanian Ministries of National Defense and Interior Affairs issued a joint statement today, announcing the reorganization of Lithuanian Governmental forces in the field against the Insurrection in the wake of the League of Nations sponsored truce/cease-fire.

Following the study of a recent staff memorandum by Field Marshal Pranas Tamassaulo concerning the subject, the ministries have decided to enact many of the field marshal's proposals. The Tamassaulo Memorandum calls for, amoung other things - not all the documents proposals have been made public, the following points to be met as soon as practical:

I) The Security Auxiliary Corps to be reduced to 8 battalions, from is current establishment of 22 battalions.

II) The Security Troops to be reorganized into 10 city battalions, and twenty field battalions and ten mounted battalions (to be assigned 2 and 1 per county respectively), and five security shock battalions as a mobile reserve.

III) The National Guard to be maintained at it's current establishment of 52 battalions, with a possible expansion to 62 battalions, but the currently serving personel to be demobilized as soon as practical, except for selected battalions.

IV) The Field Corps to be returned to their home counties, and their staffs and support units returned to former duties: save for the V, VIII, X, XI Field Corps which will be responsible along with the Frontier Guards for the Lithuanian-Wilno Cease-Fire Line, code-named the "Antanas" Line.

V) The Southwestern and Northeastern Fronts to be abolished, the Central Front to be redesignated the Cease-Fire "Antanas" Line Command, under the direction of General Klemes Papieliushko.

VI) The Vilnius Corps to be disbanded, and it's personel returned to other duties. The Life Guards to continue their re-establishment into 3 regiments.

VII) The I, II Army Corps to withdraw to Kaunas. The I, II Cavalry Corps to remain on station to provide mounted and patrol support to the 3 field corps assigned to the cease-fire line. The I, II Rifle Corps to be assigned to help man the cease-fire line, to continue working up to full corps and divisional readiness in the field. The III, IV Army Corps to continue working up at Kaunas.

VIII) All Lipka Tartar cavalry, infantry and artillery units to be formed into a cavalry group, to be attached to the Lithuanian Army Tank Corps.

Colonel Rafail Zhechev of the Royal Bulgarian Army stood with his back to the gorgeously furbished room, gazing out of a large multi-paned window. A column of Lithuanian security troops moved down the street as he looked out, marching past the front of the Lithuanian Presidential Palace in impeccable parade order. After a moment Zhechev realized they were not just any security troops but the elite of that force, the Special Tactical Units. Having heard a great deal about them - stories and reports of their exploits had been common in the Lithuanian newspapers he'd seen and read - Zhechev watched them carefully with professional interest as they made their approach.

Well over a hundred men garbed in dark grey leather great coats moved in well drilled synchronism. Although they were far from any battlefield here in Kaunas, the Republic of Lithuania's capital, they seemed ready for anything. They wore dark metalled steel helmets modeled on German ones, save for the fact that they had a shallow, protective comb running across the top of the helmet, moving from front to back, almost imitating some classic helmet. It lent these modern security men the air of some ancient guard, while the gas-masks they wore lent them a rather more sinister, futuristic and impersonal air.

Zhechev continued to watch, struck by how much they moved as a single body, directed towards a common purpose, and they were only marching down a street! God alone knew what they must seem like to an enemy confronting them in battle! Zhechev thought. The majority of the men in the marching security company carried submachineguns, not just the officers or the non-commissioned officers. Only a few in each section carried rifles, and each of those was equiped with a powerful sniper scope. A good many light machineguns were also in evidence throughout the unit. The other thing that struck him, was that every man in the unit carried grenades - plenty of grenades, both offensive and defensive types - the tactical fire-power such a unit could generate was frightening, it may have been relatively short ranged but it would also be very, very deadly used correctly.

"The shock troops of the Interior Affairs Ministry are quite eye-catching aren't they." someone remarked from beside him. Zhechev jerked suddenly in surprise, he'd been so mesmerized by his study of the security troops, he'd no idea that someone had entered the room. He turned and then abruptly snapped to attention as he caught sight of the Lithuanian generals insignia. Brigados Generalas Vicas Apanivicus, President Antanas Smetona's senior military aide saluted back crisply. The Lithuanian brigadier-general's expression was mild enough, but Zhechev thought he caught a fleeting twinkle of mirth in the man's eyes.

"Welcome to Lithuania, Colonel Zhechev." Apanivicus said politely, his face a picture of studied calm, then gestured with a white gloved hand at a door other then the one, Zhechev had entered through. "If you will come with me, you're expected."

[Keep in mind, telescopic sights are relatively rare, expensive, and fragile during this period. They certainly exist, but are primarily a civillian item during this time period.]

Unertl made some pretty nice scopes during this point in time, and the Russians made some cheap ones to mount on Mosin-Nagants and the SVT-series rifles. Not for the average soldier, but these folks aren't average, and would probably take care of their equipment... at least that's my humble opinion.

Oh, agreed, Unertl, along with Zeiss, etc were making good scopes for the day. My point was that the scopes themselves were not the scopes of today, nor were the mountings as solid. There were good reasons why scopes remained rare on military weapons up until the AUG and the SA-80 (both of which are 5.56 x 45mm weapons, so kick a LOT less than any military rifle the Lithuanians would be using). They're accessories for specialists, and rare specialists at that.

Quoted

were not just any security troops but the elite of that force, the Special Tactical Units

True, but thats the nature of this particular unit. As for scopes, they were using them as far back as the US Civil War and...thats about what I know

General Orbay perused the wall map of the self-proclaimed Republic of Wilno one more time, surpressed an intense desire to sigh aloud once again: he was not at all looking forward to the complications of this occupation assignment, much less the considerable difficulty of trying to disarm and police well over 50,000 armed insurrectionists, not all of whom would be too happy with the idea. The considerable civilian population, not to mention the civil government, within the area was another head-ache all by itself. Orbay turned to his staff and contingent commanders. It had taken to the 29th of July for his task force to finally assemble it's various contingents together in the newly constructed troop camps and central League of Nations depot outside Vilnius.

General Orbay, glanced at the reports that he held in one hand, the Lithuanian government had passed on to his headquarters about the lastest Wilno Army dispositions. The Lithuanian Air Force had continued to fly surreptious reconnaissance flights over Wilno territory despite the cease-fire. From the Lithuanian point of view, the tentative cease-fire line was a truce line that had put an end to active ground operations, no one had said anything about them not continuing their observation of Wilno units by any means at their disposal. The Lithuanians had agreed to stop the flights, once his troops had disarmed the Wilno Army. However Orbay was still glad to have access to the information those flights provided him, while they were still ongoing.

"Gentlemen, our troops will cross the Lithuanian-Wilno border today on the 31st of July, and begin disarming the units of the Wilno Army, Letowska and Civil Guards as they are encountered. The Wilno Government has stood down it's armed forces and promised to hand over all existing arsenals and munitions depots into our keeping, as well." Orbay looked pointedly at the wall map, again.
"I want this operation to be completed as smoothly as possible, within four to five days."

Nods were exchanged amoung his staff, and his Belgian, Bulgarian, German, Turkish battalion and regimental commanders, as well as the lone Canadian - the commander of the RCMP detachment. They had all gone over the plan a dozen times now, and figured they had managed to account for all the details they could envision and prepare against.

"Once, the disarmament is complete and all armament and ammunition stockpiles are under lock and key, I think our most difficult problems will begin to emerge." Orbay announced looking at his subordinates. Again nods greeted his comments the details of the occupation of the Wilno Republic had absorbed much of their previous discussions.

"We will divide our contingents up into a series of fortified posts, or fire-bases each to be based around a few guns detached from the II Battalion/17th German Field Artillery Regiment. The fire-bases will be places so as to dominate the lines of communications, Wilno army camps and military stockpiles, and significant urban areas within the Wilno territory. The garrisons, are of course, to be provided by the majority of our infantry battalions. The German 5th Reconnaissance Battalion however will act as our mobile reserve in the event of trouble, and will take station at our field headquarters in Vaskes, along with the III Battalion/39th German Infantry Regiment." He pointed locations out on the wall map as he spoke.

"Colonel Krstev, your 97th and 99th Bulgarian Infantry Battalions will handle the garrisoning of the eastern part of the Wilno Republic. The 18th Bulgarian Support Battalion, will act as our main field supply headquarters in the Wilno Republic, and will be based in Vaskes, as will the Task Force Field HQ and our secondary field Hospital, which the Romanian Red Cross people will partially man, the rest of them will be stationed here in Vilnius to be at the disposal of the central depot. They will process all our logistics and medical supplies, as well as help distribute any emergency aid needed by the Wilno civilian populace."

"The Belgian cavalry regiment, the 2nd Jagers te paard, supported by the 4th and 6th Turkish Armoured Car companies, will be our roving enforcement element, establishing small patrol groups throughout the territory and along the cease-fire line, Général de Brigade Yvanne Louis Gérard, I am leaving their conduct of operations to your discretion. The RCMP detachment will be disposed as a semi-mobile law enforcement organization, seeing to the maintance of civil law and order. The disarmed Wilno Civil Guards are being placed under your control." Orbay looked at the Canadian RCMP major, Robert Mackenzie.

"Mackenzie, if you need extra help, and don't trust the Wilno Civil Guards to do it, don't fail to contact the nearest fire-base or the Field HQ for the necessary assistance."

"Not a problem, General. We'll get it done." Mackenzie responded cheerfully. Orbay saw similiar looks of support in the eyes of his other contingent commanders, and felt some small sence of accomplishment at having welded them into a working team in so short a time. Orbay put that thought aside and continued.

"Lieutenant-général Raoul Daufresne de la Chevalerie, your 1st and 2nd Battalions of the 5th Ardeense jagers Regiment, along with your three military police companies will handle things in southern the Wilno Republic. I want your three transport companies placed at the 18th Supply Battalion's disposal. They will form our motorized logistical pipeline from Vilnius to Vaskes."

"In the meantime, the Turkish battalions will handle the northern part of the Wilno Republic, while the I and II Battalions of the 39th German Infantry Regiment under General Hansen, handle the western and central parts." Orbay recieved a nod of understanding by the commander of the German 39th Infantry Regiment.

"I've been informed that the delegations are making their finally preparations to journey to Stockholm for the cease-fire conference. I have no idea how long that process will take, and I for one will not be surprised if it doesn't turn out to be a long drawn out affair." Orbay noted the sour, cynical or understanding expressions that met that last remark. Politicans were not in general on most military mens' list of favourite or trustworthy people whatever their country of origin. "We will have to keep things stable between the Wilno and the Lithuanians till, some sort of agreement is hammered out. I trust that we and our respective troops can manage that mission."

"Alright then, gentlemen, you are dismissed. You know your assignments, I ask that they are now carried out with all dispatch." Orbay finished, saluting his assembled officers. They snapped to attention, returning the salute, and quickly filed out of the room, chatting amoung themselves.


OOC: Oh, if the relevent people (Belgium/Bulgaria/Germany/Turkey) would provide me with the various contingent unit numbers/titles and names for battalion/regimental commander's I'll add them in, if they have no suggestions for CO names I'll make soming up.

Lithuanian Expeditionary Force.
Raoul Daufresne de la Chevalerie(1), Lieutenant-général , Commanding.

2nd Jagers te paard, Yvanne Louis Gérard, Général de Brigade, Commanding.
The Belgian Cavalry Regiment is the 2nd "Jagers te paard" of the 1st Cavalry Division. Organic to the Regiment platoons of regimental artillery (4x75mm L24 How), AT (4x 47mm ATG) and a dedicated Scout platoon.

1/5th "Ardeense jagers", André Bogaerts, Colonel
2/5th "Ardeense jagers", Baron Alfred Van Caubergh, Lieutenant-colonel
The Belgian Infantry Battalions are the 1/5th and 2/5th "Ardeense jagers" of the 1st Ardennes Division.

A Headquarters platoon, 2 Companies of Military Police, 1 Company of Mounted Military Police and 3 motorized transport companies are included.

The Belgians will have quietly and privately expressed to General Orbay, that their regimental guns will suffice for their firebases and they will not be needing German artillery support. Should further guns be needed to enact this plan, further Artillery platoons can be shipped from Belgium.

(1) A 1920 Bronze medalist in field hockey.

Rifles are Fusil 1889 & FN 1934
Light/Autos are Fusil-Mitrailleur 1930 (Basically a BAR)
Grenade Launcher/Mortars are Lance Grenades De 50mm DBT
MMGs are Milrailleuse & Hotchkiss
Guns are 75mm L24 Bofors M34 Mountain guns,

Colonel Rafail Zhechev took a deep breath and expelled it quietly as he and Brig.General Apanivicus approached the door leading into the offical office of Lithuania's first and sixth president, Antanas Smetona. Apanivicus nodded to the two Life Guards standing at attention on either side of the door. The sounds of a muffled conversation carried out into the hall, actually to Zhechev is sounded like an argument rather then a discussion, if the tone was anything to go by. He exchanged a slightly worried glance with Apanvicius, who simply shook his head.

"It's nothing to do with you Colonel Zhechev, more a rather heated policy discussion. Maj.General Liatukas has taken of late to expressing his opinions... loudly ." Apanivicus, then grasped the door handles and opened the door.

"I don't agree--!!" Liatukas was cut off in mid-sentence when Apanivicus suddenly entered the office, one of the guards annouced him and his charge to the occupants of the room.
"General Apanivicus, Mr. President, reporting as ordered with Colonel Rafail Zhechev of the Royal Bulgarian Army."

"Thank you, Serzantas." Smetona remarked from behind his desk. "Vicas, Colonel Zhechev, do come in we've been expecting you. Ambassador Todor Koulin was kind enough to informed us you were coming."
Smetona then rose from his seat and walked around the desk to met Zhechev, a hand extending in friendly greeting.

Zhechev had a moment to look around before he took, Smetona's hand and realize that the entire Lithuanian government was present. He took Smetona's hand in a firm grip, Smetona gave him a friendly but searching look.

"A pleasure to make your aquaintance, your excellency." Zhechev spoke carefully. "I am here at the request of His Majesty, Tsar Boris III. My mission here is appraise the Bulgarian government and his majesty of the situation within Lithuania."

"I see, Colonel Zhechev." Smetona paused for a moment looking thoughtful. "His Majesty, does have an ambassador for that duty... it seems a bit unusal for him to send his senior aide-de-camp all this way."

"Yes, Sir. It could be said to be something of an irregular approach. The Government holds the highest confidence in Ambassador Koulin, and while sharing that confidence, the Tsar feels he needs a more first hand, a more personal view of things."

"In the form of a person whom, Tsar Boris, trusts implicidly to tell him the truth, and not be tempted to dress up his reports in diplomatic verbiage, I take it." Smetona finished wryly and smiled.
"Very well, Colonel Zhechev, I believe I understand your position. I will see what we can do to accomodate you."

Smetona walked back to his desk, waved Zhechev into a comfortable chair in front of it, and pointed out several of the assembled ministers in the room.

"I believe ministers Urbsys, Liatukas, Cepas-Capaukas, Skucas and Field Marshal Tamassaulo and General Papieiliushko can give answers to any questions you or Tsar Boris may have concerning our current circumstances, although feel free to address any questions you may have to the rest of the Council of Ministers or myself, Colonel Zhechev." Smetona said, settling himself more comfortably in his chair, for what he expected to be a long interview.

Very interesting...

Interesting is indeed the idea... Bulgaria, IMHO, will have a bit of a "shared identity" with Lithuania: both are small powers surrounded by giants, with some uncertainty about their neighbor's aspirations...

July 31st, 1935:

Lithuanian National News Service

The Lithuanian Government has announced that Prime Minister Juozas Tubelis, will be taking off late July 31st for a flight to Koenigsberg, Germany and then to Stockholm, Nordmark to take part in the Wilno-Lithuanian Cease-fire conference, to be held at the Royal Palace. He is expected to reach Stockholm, sometime on August 1st.

The Lithuanian Armed Forces continues to busy themselves with solidifying the cease-fire line, while standing down the troops and headquarters mandated by Field Marshal Pranas Tamassaulo's recent memorandum. The Seimas has openly discussed the growing possiblity of having the Field Marshal replace, Major-General Pranas Liatukas, as the current Minister of National Defense. The Council of Ministers and the President have refused to publically comment on this matter.

Wilno National News Service

In a surprise move, the Lithuanian Government has concented to allow an aircraft carrying Leon Diachuk, the General-secretary for Foreign Affairs to cross Lithuanian air space, to reach Koenigsberg, Germany where it will refuel and make the final leg of it's trip to Stockholm, to allow General-secretary Diachuk to attend the Cease-fire Conference.

League of Nation contingents are entering Wilno territory and enforcing the agreed provisions of the League of Nations Cease-fire proposal. To date they have encounted no interference from Wilno armed forces, who have per cease-fire instructions stacked arms and equipment in designated camps and depots. Wilno Letowska and Civil Guards have also followed suit with their own disarmament.

Hopes are high in Vaskes, that this necessary occupation will be only a temporary thing and that the cease-fire conference will lead to a more permanent political settlement between the Wilno Republic and the Lithuanian Republic.

We'll have the Bulgarian contingent commanded by Colonel Todor Lazov Krstev, with the 97th and 99th Infantry Battalions (from the 24th Regiment), and the 18th Support Battalion.

My medics are coming too, with one of the Bulgarian contingents.

Not to worry, Canadian, I have the 70 Romanian Red Cross people earmarked for a LoN field hospital, either in Vilnius or in Vaskes, which ever I decide is better.

Works for me wherever you put them, just please don't have some crazy chap kill them or something. Im trying to mend relations, and this is the best way I lnow how. Oh and to everyone, you can call me Jay if you want, rather than typing TheCanadian.

July 31st, 1935:

The League of Nations Task Force under General Kazim Orbay, enters Wilno Republican territory and proceed to disarm all Wilno Army, Letowska Guards, and Civil Guards units. Wilno Army units at the order of their own general staff, retire to special army camps to wait out the cease-fire negiotations. Letowska Guards are ordered to be demobilized by General Orbay, while the Civil Guards, following their disarmament are allowed to continue on routine police duties under the direction of the Task Force's Royal Canadian Mounted Police detachment.

The Belgian, Turkish, Bulgarian and German contingents beng their occupation and administration duties without much Wilno public reaction, the disarmament process is still ongoing as not all units were immediately accounted for on the first day of operations.

August 1st, 1935:

Roving LoN Task Force cavalry and armoured car patrols begin to make themselves felt throughout the Wilno Republic and along the cease-fire line. Reports submitted to General Orbay's Field HQ in Vaskes, indicate that the disarmament process is approximately 50% complete, the majority of Wilno Armed Forces units have complied faithfully with the terms of the Cease-fire agreement, and all Wilno arms and munitions will soon be catalogued and placed in specially guarded Task Force depots in Vaskes.

The Turkish contingent encounters some resistence to the disarmament and demobilization of the Letowska Guards units in the area, discussions between Turkish officers and Letowska Guards do become very heated, however an exchange of armed blows is largely avoided.

Circumstances in sectors alotted to the Belgians, Germans and Bulgarians are similar, compliance by Wilno Army and Civil Guards units, with a measure of resistance to League of Nations authority. Marshal Aleksy Letowska personally intervenes to settle this disputes before the get out of hand. He makes it clear to his subordinates, that for the time being the Task Force, and General Orbay, have primacy in all matters within the Wilno Republic while the cease-fire talks are ongoing.

August 2nd, 1935:

The tempo of LoN Task Force operations intensifies, as General Orbay, moves to lock everything down. The construction of fire-bases begun on the first day of occupation, are declared completed. Each has a detachment of artillery and infantry, well sited for defense and observation, will an adequate supply of ammo, fuel and food to maintain themselves without direct supply from the forward Task Force depot in Vaskes.

The Belgian motor transport companies and the personel of the 18th Bulgarian Supply Battalion have settled into a steady rythem, motor convoys roll back and forth from Vilnius to Vaskes, and then out to the fire-bases or wherever they are required.

General Orbay, in an order of the day, commends his contingents for their hard-work and considerable accomplishments in just a few days. The Task Force staff, estimates that the Wilno disarmament is now 75% complete.

August 3rd, 1935:

Général de Brigade Yvanne Louis Gérard, reports the first sign of trouble to the Task Force Field HQ. Units of the 2nd Jagers te paard, have skirmished repeatedly with small bands of armed men, seemingly wandering about within Wilno territory. Gerard estimates that these men, a number of whom his patrols have rounded up and captured, are Wilno Armed Forces deserters, judging by their ragged appearance and limited weaponry.

General Orbay authorizes the set-up of a special detention camp to hold these men until, it can be decided what to do about them. General Gerard, opts that since the men in question are little more then brigands preying - reports of drunkeness, rape and murder follow these deserters wherever they are encountered - upon the local populace, that shooting or hanging them is a reasonable alternative.

August 4th, 1935:

General Orbay's staff informs him, that the disarmament of the Wilno Armed Forces is 100% complete. All known arsenals, depots and equipment establishments of the Wilno Republic have been taken under LoN supervision and accounted for.

An infantry patrol of the 39th German Infantry Regiment makes a grisly discovery near the tiny village of Edykes, a lieutenant and his men find a mass grave under the cover of a local forest containing some two hundred bodies. Perliminary reports by the patrol on who may have been in the grave are immediately classified by Orbay's staff.

General Orbay is quickly appraised of the discovery, the commander of the 39th Regiment on his own authority, clamps a security cordon around the mass grave, blocking all access to it and a team of RCMP is requested to examine the area for evidence.

Quoted

Originally posted by Agent148
An infantry patrol of the 39th German Infantry Regiment makes a grisly discovery near the tiny village of Edykes, a lieutenant and his men find a mass grave under the cover of a local forest containing some two hundred bodies. Perliminary reports by the patrol on who many have been in the grave are immediately classified by Orbay's staff.

A discovery that will make any reconciliation more difficult. After 1914, it's an issue the Belgians certainly take an especially sour view towards.