Something's In The Air

King Phillip I, his uncle Grand Duke Colin and General Von Zillmann were bent over the desk, studying a diagram.
"So this thing will, erm; fly"? asked the young king.
The Grand Duke folded his arms and straightened up:
"Apparently so. All to do with "hot air rising" and such, so Dr Tross assures me".
King Phillip looked up:
"And Dr Tross will be able to construct this, what did he call it,..."
"A Balloon Phillip". The Grand Duke was quite informal with the King, his nephew.
"Ah yes; Balloon".
The King directed the next question to the General:
"So Colonel Ann will escort Dr Tross, and the engineers to Wodongatown, build a stockade, and then from within develop all the where-with-all to have this balloon launched so as to provide a "birds eye view" into Alburburg".
General Von Zillmann snapped his heels together:
"That is the plan Sire. We believe that is where the Raiders from the RNS concentrate and launch their raids from. We believe the Raiders are actualy the 4th Dragoons"
The King moved away from the desk and diagram and plans of the strange flying machine. The others followed.
They listened as he began again:
"These cross border raids must stop. I trust this contraption will give us the early warning we need to enable us to intercept any future raids before too much harm can be done. I'm confident the Yarra Militia and a troop from Bree's Battery should be a sufficient force to defend the works"
General Von Zillmann added:
"Ja Sire, and the 4th Foot and the Royal Dragoons can intercept any raids nearby".
The King stopped and turned to face his Uncle and the General.
"Well done Gentlemen! When did Colonel Ann's column depart"?
The Grand Duke answered:
"Last week. They should almost be at Wodongatown now".
King Phillip I smiled:
"And Lady Hugankiss should soon be arriving in the RNS Capital..."

TO BE CONTINUED!

Wagons Roll

The Column trudged its way along the dirt road, (if you could call it a road), leaving a substantial dust cloud behind it.
Wagons, civilians on foot and horseback, natives trackers and a few Iracow Indian auxiliary, and the only elements that added a military appearance to it, three Company's of soldiers from the 4th Regiment of Foot's 1st Battalion and a Troop of 4Pdr Guns from Bree's Battery. Except for the lack of any children, the column had all the apperance of a settler's train.
Ahead of the column road two Troops from the 1st "Royal" Dragoons, and following up marched the two "Flank" Company's of the 4th with the Regiments Colours. Scattered along the line of march were the Yarra Militia in Platoon "lots"; their "march discipline" not as strong as the 4th's or the Gunners.
In the Militia ranks marched Gary White. He'd been with the "colours" for only about a year. This was his first time away from his home town on Craigieburn.
"Sarge, can ya explain to me's again what we're do'in ere"?
"Aw for Gawd's sake lad, I's is already told ya twice now", Sergeant Grubbs exasperation was not well hidden.
SGT Grubbs had been with the Yarra Militia for just over 10 years, he was a veteran of Vinegar Hill, and he had the scares to prove it.
"I'll tell's ya all I know for the last time. We's are going up to Wodongatow help the Ginger Beers build a bloody stockade to bloody look across a bloody river at them bloody Sudlanders".
Pte White pleaded with the old NCO;
"But I don't know how to build a stockade!"
The Sergeant snapped:
"You Bloody Twit, we won't build it, the Bloody Engineers will"!

"Oh"!

At the head of the Column rode Colonel Ann.
"You know Corporal Blunt, this "road" makes a rather poor track".
"Indeed Sir" agreed the Corporal.
Colonel Ann wasn't to happy about the mission he was given.
"So here I am, covered in dust and sweat from head to toe, just so the King has a fort built on the border and Doctor Alba Tross can buid a large furnace, for what reason I know not"
The Corporal took his que:
"Tough job Sir, tough job indeed"
The Colonel continued:
"And WHY did I get this Job? All because of a slight indiscretion with an officer of the Maiden Guard! Anyone would think I shagged the entire Regiment!"
"Tough Job Sir, tough job".
Colonel Ann agreed; and the column truged on through the dust and the heat,...

TO BE CONTINUED!

4th Regiment Of Foot "Grand Duke Michael's Regiment"

The next regiment we look at is 4th Regiment Of Foot "Grand Duke Michael's Regiment":
NAME: 4th Regiment Of Foot "Grand Duke Michael's Regiment"
Date Raised: 1 September 1701
MOTTO: "Faugh a Ballagh" (Irish: "Clear The Way")
Unofficial Motto: "Don't Run; You'll Just Die Tired".
Nicknames:"Old King Mick's Men", "Friends of the 3rd" and "Punchies"
Battle Honours: "The Hostile Wars", "Port Philip 1728", "Cadbury Hill 1733", "Relief of Fort Clairmont", "Launceston 1734", "Van Demon's Land Campaign" and "Vinegar Hill1738".
Brief History: Most recruits for the 4th came from the Irish and Welsh colonists. It was the Grenadiers of the 4th that provided the "Escort" for Michael Clements when he strode into Parliament on 1 April 1725 and declared "In the name of God Almighty, the Army and the People of the Mormoan Republic, I here and now dissolve this Parliament, and claim the position of 1st Consul of a new Peoples Directorate"!
Only a handful of the Old Parliamentarians resisted, but these were quickly subdued by the Grenadiers of the 4th. The Coup is often referred to as "The Grenadier's Revolution".
The 4th played a major role in the relief of Fort Clairmont, for it was them that routed the "Guard Francis". The Colonel of the Regiment at the time was Trevor Clements, (Michael's nephew), and son of the Grand Duke Colin. Col Clements was invited by the Colonel of the Guard Francis to "Have first fire". The Colonel of the 4th replied, "No mon amis, you are our guests, we insists that you fire first". The Guard Francis' volley inflicted few casualties. The 4th then advanced another 50 paces, and as they prepared to fire Colonel Trevor Clements called out to the Guard Francis, "Please don't run, you'll only die tired"! He then gave the order to fire. The 4th's volley was devastating, dropping every fourth Guardsman in the French regiment! Crying "Faugh a Ballagh" or "Clear The Way", the 4th then charged and routed their enemies.
Regimental anecdotes and traditions:
The RSM of the 4th (Sergeant Major Russell Crows) introduced boxing, (Michael Clements' favorite sport) as part of the Regiment's training program. Consequently they have the nickname "Punchies". The Regiment has a fearsome reputation as "Brawlers" throughout the army, and are rarely garrisoned with other regiments other than the 3rd, whom they have had a close affinity with ever since the relief of Fort Clairmont, (for obvious reasons).
Unlike other regiments, the 4th Regiment of Foot is never used for guard duty at the King's Parliament.