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.Nulli Secundus -
'Second to None'
by Terence Cardwell
Chapter
Twenty One - Clouds of war
Jack was drinking with his mates, resting after a long
marching session. The first drink always went down
without touching the sides, and the second pint quickly
followed.
George was reading the paper out loud whilst the others
lay back and listened to the more interesting parts.
Some of them were illiterate, whilst others, like Jack,
would rather sit back, drink their beer and listen.
‘Hey, look at this,’ Bob announced as he read the paper
over George’s shoulder. ‘It says here that Archduke
Ferdinand of Austria was shot dead last week and Austria
is blaming Serbia for his death.’
‘Well, it’s got bugger all to do with us, thank God,’
Jim replied. ‘They’re bloody miles away.’
‘Yes, but it says here that Austria is demanding all
sorts of things from Serbia, or they’ll declare war,’
George answered.
‘Well if they do, Serbia’s pretty big, they’ll give ’em
more than two bobs’ worth. They’ll end up with a real
bloody nose,’ Jack added.
Bob, the thinker of the group, said. ‘What if Russia
joined in? I heard somewhere that they would back Serbia
if they are attacked because they’re part of the Russian
empire. They reckon they’re entitled to protection.’
‘And,’ Jack interrupted, realising where the
conversation was leading, ‘If Russia joins in, then
Germany might get involved because Austria is their
ally.’
‘Correct,’ Bob agreed.
‘That still won’t involve us— after all, one of Queen
Victoria’s children is married to German royalty, so
they’re related. That alone should keep us out of it,’
Jim replied.
‘And, as a matter of fact, Kaiser Wilhelm is Queen
Victoria’s nephew,’ Bob added. ‘So I reckon you’re
right, we won’t get involved.’
‘I don’t trust those bloody Germans. They haven’t
created one of the biggest armies in the world for no
reason,’ Jack said. ‘Why would they create such a vast
army if they don’t intend to use it? I think they’re
after France. After all, they gave France a thumping
last time round, in 1870 or whenever it was.’
‘Didn’t they bloody ever,’ Jim laughed. ‘And the French
have been pissed about it ever since. Especially as the
Germans got all that French land at Lorraine and
Alsace.’
‘Well, there’s no reason for France to get into it.
She’d be mad if she did. I don’t think she will,’ Bob
said.
‘There’s one thing for sure, we bloody well won’t. Not
if our politicians have got any brains— but sometimes
that can be doubtful,’ Jack said, taking a long drink.
‘Well, you’d better read it all out, George, this could
be serious,’ Jim said.
George looked around and they all nodded in agreement.
Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria and his wife
Archduchess Sophia were assassinated by a lone gunman as
they paraded through the streets of Sarajevo in their
open car. The young assassin, Gavrilo Princip, aged 19
years, jumped on the running board of the car and shot
them both at point-blank range. He was a member of
Narodna Odbrana, the Black Hand gang, who objected to
Austrian control of their country.
‘Well, as long as they keep their fighting over there we
won’t get involved. We are better off well out of it.’
George added.
‘I’ll drink to that,’ Bob joined him.
‘Hear, hear,’ agreed the others, raising their glasses.
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