Iberian News Summary, July – December 1936
July
1st - Basilica de San Francisco el Grande, Madrid.
A huge crowd gathered outside the Basilica, hoping to get a look at the new King as he left after his coronation.
The armed forces were represented in strength: the Army resplendent in all their finery,
the Marines were a splendid sight in their dress uniforms:
the Navy, a little out of place this far from the sea, were a solid wall of brilliant Navy blue;
and the Air Force were eye-catching in their Sky-Blue dress uniforms.
Inside the Basilica the newly crowned King was preparing to step out on the balcony to speak to the people of Iberia.
The National Radio Service had set up a series of microphones for the King’s address,
which would be broadcast to all of the Federation.
He hesitated.
He wasn’t ready.
How could he be King? His Brother was still alive, his Father was still alive.
A hand rested upon his shoulder.
He turned to look into the eyes of his Father, whose eyes were twinkling with tears of joy.
“I am not ready for this Father” he said, a heavy heart taking the usual lilt from his voice.
“Fernando, you are as ready as you will ever be. No man is ever ready to become King, I wasn’t, and I did not have the advantage of having my Father around to help.” he chuckled.
Fernando smiled at his Father’s quip, “I know Father, but.....”
“But nothing, Your Majesty. You are the King of Iberia.
The Head of the Iberian Federation. The people await you.
Yours is now a life of Duty and Service.
Guide the people as you see fit.
Listen carefully and attentively to your advisors, they are very wise and will guide you along the right path.
Now go create the future!” replied his Father.
From beside the curtain that covered the entrance onto the balcony, an aide spoke.
“Your Majesty, your people await” he said softly, sensing the new King’s nervousness.
Fernando turned to him. “They are not MY people, I do not own them” he said.
“But I am their King, and I will serve them to the best of my ability!”
He snapped to a perfect parade ground attention, and took a deep breath.
He nodded to the 2 men holding the curtain, who pulled back the drapes, and the King stepped out into the bright sunlight.
Holding back for a moment so as to let his son...no; he corrected himself, his King, have his moment in the sun, Enrique felt the hand of his wife alight on his arm.
He turned to her, seeing the face of the woman he loved more than life itself.
“You old softy!” she whispered quietly into his ear, kissing him gently on the cheek. “You keep reminding me why I married you!”
“Well, I know some of what he feels. He wasn’t supposed to be King, nor was I, for that matter” said Enrique.
The aide beside the curtain coughed to gain the former King’s attention.
“Your Majesty.....” he hesitated, knowing he had just committed a serious faux pas!
“Now there is a point!” said Isabella, holding her husband’s arm closer. “We are going to come up with an appropriate title for you, my dear!”
She thought about it for a moment, and with a smile on her face, exclaimed “I have it, how about ‘Your Highness, the King Father’!”
Enrique started out onto the balcony, his wife on his arm; while she nodded, smiling at the aide; who looked as if he wanted the earth to open up and swallow him whole
“I think that we will have to discuss it, my dear” he said with mock gravity.
August
22nd – Coldmere
His Highness, Enrique of Iberia, stood on the bridge of the battleship La Luna, as it lead the column consisting of its 2 sisters and escorts into their assigned positions in the review.
He was happy to be at sea again, it seemed so long since his days in the Navy, and how much it had changed.
He chuckled to himself, thinking of how his Admirals had struggled to talk him out of some of his crazier ideas for the Navy,
he was glad that they had as he cast his eyes over the assembled.
“Your Highness?”
“Yes?” he replied, coming back aboard in mind, to be with his body again.
“They are ready for you on the Boat Deck, Sir”
“Thank you Captain. My thanks to you and your crew for a splendid voyage” he enthused.
He turned, saluted the assembled bridge crew, who swiftly responded with salutes that their old drill sergeants would have been proud of, and made his way off the bridge.
September
1st- The final preparations are being to the Iberian Air Force’s entries in the “Talons over Cordoba” competition.
This is the first year that the Air Force has thought it prudent to enter the contest,
the political tensions in the area being a little less directed at the Iberian Federation,
as a result of the recent conflicts on the continent.
It is hoped that the entry will help to foster better relations with the South American governments.
October
1st – Samples from several small arms manufacturers have been received for testing for the current competition.
1 -Infantry Rifle, preferably self-loading.
A - Bulgarian Army Ordnance / Swiss SIG - STPR-36
B - Fabrique Nationale of Belgium - FN Self Loading Rifle
C – Japanese Arms Exports - Type 38 Rifle
D - Japanese Arms Exports - Type 95 rifle
E – Breda of Italy – P.G.2
F - Brno of Czechoslovakia – ZH-29
2 - Infantry Rifle, Match grade, as Sniper Rifles.
A - Fabrique Nationale of Belgium – FN Mauser Sniper variant
B - Japanese Arms Exports – Type 88 Sniper Rifle
3 - Sub-Machine Gun or Machine Pistol.
A – Izarra of Eibar – Star SMG
B - Peiper of Belgium - Mitrailette Model 1931
C – Beretta of Italy – MAB
D - Brno of Czechoslovakia – FP-31K
4 - Light Machine Gun, man portable, as embedded platoon support.
A – Madsen of Denmark – Madsen/Brno Model 1935 (modified ZB-30)
B – Japanese Arms Exports – Type 11 Light Machine Gun
C – Japanese Arms Exports – Type 95 Light Machine Gun
D – Breda of Italy - Fucile Automatico
E - Fabrique Nationale of Belgium - FN-BAR Fusil-mitrailleur 1930
5 - Medium Machine Gun, man portable, as dedicated infantry support.
A - Brno of Czechoslovakia – ZB-53 MMG
6 - Heavy Machine Gun, vehicle mounted / dis-mountable.
A - Japanese Arms Exports - Type 90 Heavy Machine Gun 7.7mm
B - Japanese Arms Exports - Type 90 Heavy Machine Gun 13.2mm
C - Fabrique Nationale of Belgium - FN-Browning 13.2mm / L 75 HMG
7 - Pistol, Semi-automatic or Revolver, as Officer’s sidearm.
A - Fabrique Nationale of Belgium - P-35 Grand puissance (Browning hi-power)
B - Japanese Arms Exports - Type 14 Pistol
C - Japanese Arms Exports - Type 94 Pistol
D – Beretta of Italy – M.34
8 - Infantry Rifle, light weight, as second line personal weapon.
A - Fabrique Nationale of Belgium - FN-Mauser Model 1889 carabine
B - Fabrique Nationale of Belgium – FN Browning Auto-5 shotgun
C – Carcano of Italy – M35 Corto
D – Gaztanaga y Compania of Eibar – Destroyer Carbine
9 – Infantry Anti-Vehicle weapon, man portable, all ranged types considered
A - Japanese Arms Exports - Type 95 AT Rifle
B – Breda of Italy – Breda/Solothun S1000i
C – Brno of Czechoslovakia – ZVV Model 1938
10 – Mortars, man portable.…
A - Japanese Arms Exports - Type 89 Grenade Discharger
B - Fabrique Nationale of Belgium - Lance Grenade de 50mm DBT
Testing will commence immediately, and involve testing in all conditions and environments.
Officers and men from Denmark’s R.A.M.S.E.S. are taking part in the testing,
due to their nations desire to update some of their weapons.
November
15th – Ministry of Defence, Copenhagen
Tomas Gravesen sat behind the desk in his office. He smiled to himself, he was still getting used to the idea that he was now the Minister for Defence.
It was 6 weeks since his predecessor announced his retirement from political life for health reasons,
and the portfolio had been handed over to him.
He was perusing the monthly reports on his desk from the various branches of the armed forces, when his phone rang.
“Hej”
“Sir, the Greve Kronborg is here and wonders if he may have a moment of your time?”
“Certainly Hilda, escort him in please!” he replied, and hung up.
He rose from his seat and was just rounding the end of the desk when the door opened.
Hilda stepped in, “His Lordship, The Greve Kronborg, and Major Diego Lozano of the Iberian Embassy” she announced,
and after the 2 men had entered, she stepped out, closing the door behind her.
Tomas crossed to the men, holding his hand out to greet them
“Your Lordship; Major Lozano; welcome to the Ministry. How can we be of service to you today?”
he asked, curious about the unscheduled visit from the head of the Diplomatic Corps of the Foreign Ministry and the Iberian Military attaché.
“I am afraid, Tomas, that the good Major has brought you some bad news.” replied Kronborg, turning towards the Major,
“But as the matter is an inter-government issue, he approached the Ministry of Foreign Affairs first.”
“Oh?” questioned Tomas, his interest piqued. “And what, dare I ask, is the nature of this bad news?”
“I am sorry to have to be the bearer of this news, but due to the needs of the Armada,
we will have to suspend the infrastructural development we have been conducting in Danish ports.” answered the Major.
“Oh” replied Tomas, slightly taken aback by the gravity of the statement.
“We will complete all current projects to a working standard, Sir,” said the Major, noticing the slightly stunned look on the politician’s face.
“And all that work should be completed before the New Year.”
”Well, thank God for small mercies!” thought Tomas to himself, trying to recover his composure.
“Well, this is unfortunate news, Major, but we can only be thankful for the extremely generous help of the Iberian people over the last number of years.” He replied, using his best polito-speak.
“Well put, Minister!” enthused Kronborg, “Indeed, we are most grateful to your people, Major”.
Kronborg looked at the Minister with a new appreciation.
”Yes, I think that this one will work out very well indeed” he thought as the Minister
and the Major started to go over the finer points of the Iberian plan to finish up the current projects.
December
19th – Punta Gordo, Belize
The four sergeants sat around a table of the bar at the end of the pier.
It had been a long 2 weeks in the swamps; but they and the men under their command had got the job done.
The various weapons had been tested almost to destruction under the worst conditions yet in the testing process.
The four of them, Diego and Jesus from the Iberian Quartermaster Corps,
and Sven and Tomas from R.A.M.S.E.S., were enjoying their drinks.
“My god, do you guys really expect to have to fight in that filth?” chuckled Sven,
setting his glass down on the table. “It was like wading through a sewer at times!”
“That’s right, you don’t have any swamps in that pancake of a country of yours!” laughed Diego, waving to get the barista’s attention.
“Hey, don’t get too cocky Diego. We have you in our backyard next month” quipped Tomas.
“What do you mean, Tomas? We’re in Ecuador next month, no?” queried Jesus, sitting forward to get involved in the conversation, afraid that he had missed something.
“Indeed we are, but up in the ICE and SNOW! It’s going to feel just like home at this time of year!” chuckled Tomas.
“Yeah, if you can breathe at anything over 180 metres!” howled Jesus.
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3 - Sub-Machine Gun or Machine Pistol.
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