Chapter 357: Military Parade

Berengar gazed upon thousands of his Infantry gathered before him marching in the streets. Most of these soldiers were standard Infantry. However, there were grenadiers mixed within their ranks. These men were dressed in the newest military uniforms and equipped with the most modern weapons that Berengar and his engineers had devised. They were clad in the distinctly victorian style uniform that Berengar had designed from head to toe.

On their head was a black steel pickelhaube helmet, with brass accents in the form of a double-headed eagle and a brass spike. Their tunics were black with gold trimming and had a single line of brass buttons from the neck down. 

However, this tunic was concealed by a thick wool greatcoat in the pattern used by German Soldiers in the Great War of Berengar's past life. The primary difference being it was black. Over this Greatcoat was a cuirass made of quenched and hardened high carbon steel and painted in the same black lacquer applied to their helmets. 

Atop this cuirass was the standard-issue black leather webbing that contained the paper cartridges utilized in the Infantry's needle rifles. As well as a few other forms of essential equipment such as their bayonet sheaths and their field spades. 

The pants were rich black wool, with a gold stripe on the sides, the legs were tucked into their knee-high black leather infantry boots. Overall it was a clean and crisp uniform devised for a more modern military. Since Berengar had begun the process of industrialization, he had introduced new attire for his Kingdom, both in the military and civilian sectors. 

These men marched in parade formation, with their rifles unslung and held within their shoulders. These needle rifles were unloaded. However, their bayonets were affixed. The crowds of Kufstein were gathered to witness the thousands of soldiers march through the streets to show off the pride of Austria, which was her military. 

Today was a special occasion, as it was now January, and with a new year, Berengar decided that it was time to introduce the medals and awards to all of the soldiers who had fought in his wars over the past few years. Without their aid, Berengar would never have been able to achieve everything he had accomplished in such a short time. 

As such, tens of thousands of soldiers marched through the streets of Kufstein in the dead of winter, many of which were veterans of the armed forces who had retired and now served in the reserves. 

Berengar was dressed in a greatcoat. However, it was open to reveal the luxurious general uniform and its awards beneath. Like all of the men present, he wore a pair of black leather gloves to protect his hands from the cold of the Austrian Alps. 

He stood on a stage built above the Parade, where the soldiers who had proved themselves in battle would be called up one by one to receive their rewards. He was surrounded by his newly established Royal Guard, dressed in specialty uniforms. Their uniforms had the colors reversed; they were white with gold trimming and had a single line of brass buttons from the neck down. Atop this tunic was a gilded cuirass, matched by a gilded steel pickelhaube helmet atop their heads. 

The Royal Guard was selected from the most elite, battle-hardened, and loyal of Berengar's armed forces. Many of them had served in either the Jaeger Corps or the Grenadiers. However, others belonged to his cavalry units, such as the Cuirassiers and the Hussars. 

Regardless they were the most suited to protecting Berengar and the Royal Family. As such, they stood by stoically as they guarded their King against any potential violent outburst during the festivities. 

After the Infantry had passed by the location and circled to present themselves before the stage, the Artillery marched through the streets, with their field guns in tow by the horses that belonged to their units. 

Their uniforms were similar to the Infantry, with a slight difference; instead of a spike on the top of their pickelhaube helmets, they had a brass ball affixed to a brass shaft. They also did not wear the steel cuirass as it was simply unnecessary for the Artillery to wear body armor. Though they had no way of knowing it, the new rifled breech-loading cannons were undergoing rigorous military testing before they could be approved for use in the field.

Once these wonder weapons made their way to the field, the Artillery would be so far removed from any form of danger against their medieval foes that it was simply a waste of resources to equip them with body armor. 

After the Artillery marched through the Parade and regrouped behind the Infantry, standing in front of the stage, the Cavalry made their way through. There were various forms of Cavalry present. The Cuirassiers were the heavy Cavalry; they wore black and gold cavalry uniforms in the style of the Prussian Cuirassiers from the Franco-Prussian war of Berengar's past life. They had black steel breastplates and cuirassier style pickelhaube helmets.

As for the Hussars, they were dressed in a uniform similar to the legendary "Death's Head Hussars" utilized by Prussia during Berengar's previous life. However, their uniforms were black and gold instead of black and silver. Like the Cuirassiers, they were outfitted with more modern cavalry sabers instead of the older Heavy Cavalry Swords that Berengar had previously equipped his Cavalry with. 

The Uhlans followed after the Hussars had marched through the streets on horseback; these were modernized versions of Berengar's older lancers. They were also dressed in a military uniform based upon the old Prussian 1870s Uhlan uniform. Of course, it shared the same color scheme as the rest of Berengar's Army. 

After the magnificent display of Berengar's modernized military had proudly marched through the streets. Berengar finally broke his silence and spoke to all of the men gathered before him.

"Over the last few years, all of you present have followed me into battle. Since the beginning, some of you have been with me, and others have joined my Army as I gained more power. We have lost many of our brothers in arms in combat against our enemies, yet we now stand an independent Kingdom, more significant than any force in all of the Western World.

It was due to your sacrifices on the field of battle that we have achieved everything that we have accomplished. As such, today is a day for all of you, and thus I have decided to give out awards to all of those who have proven themselves and their courage on the field of battle!

For every soldier wounded or killed in the conflicts since the battle of mining town so many years ago. I will be awarding them the Austrian Wound Medal, a symbol of the price they have paid for their King and fatherland!

Now, as I call your names, come forward, and I will give you the awards that I have deemed your service history worthy of!"

Berengar started by calling up the highest echelon of Generals and officers present. Those currently embedded in his proxy wars as military advisors would be given their awards later when they returned to Kufstein. 

After getting through the General Officers and those directly below them, Berengar finally made his way to the regular officer class. 

"Captain Arnwald Gerwig, step forward, please!"

Arnwald was surprised to hear his name being called; Despite the fact that he had worked his way up from an enlisted position to that of a full-fledged Grenadier Captain. He had not expected himself to be given any significant form of award. 

When he finally arrived in front of the King, his heart was palpitating. However, the words Berengar spoke next shocked him to the core.

"It has been some time since I last saw your face. I was beside myself when I heard your friend Bardo had passed away; I am ashamed to admit that it was only after I researched my casualty reports for this ceremony that I realized that one of the men who so bravely stood by my side during that first ambush had passed away in a previous war."

Arnwald struggled to find the words to express his thoughts; he could not understand how Berengar managed to remember his face and name after so many years had passed since that fateful day. The man struggled to choke back the tears forming in his eyes as he listened to Berengar's decree to the crowd. 

"For your bravery in protecting your King on the night of the ambush of our forces outside of Schwaz during the war for Tyrol, fighting bravely on the frontlines during the war against Bavarian Occupation, and your acts of gallantry while leading our grenadiers to protect our supply lines during the War for Independence, I at hereby grant you, Captain Arnwald Gerwig, the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross, the Military Merit Order, and the Fourth Class Order of Saint George!"

After saying this, Berengar opened a small container containing the two fabled medals. The first was worth more in prestige than the US Medal of Honor, the second was the most distinguished military honor that Berengar could award, and the third established Arnwald as a Knight of the Austrian Crown. 

Berengar proceeded to hang the black, white, and gold ribbons containing the Iron Cross and the Military Merit Order around Arnwald's neck before pinning the white and black, and gold maltese cross of the Order of Saint George onto his chest.

After doing so, he shook Arnwald's hand before saluting the soldier, just as he had done to all of the officers who had come before him. Arnwald responded with his salute before returning to the crowd of gathered soldiers, who began to cheer for him. All citizens gathered outside the venue roared in applause for Arnwald's award. 

The ceremony continued for several Hours as Berengar handed out awards to all the men he felt had deserved them. These medals and awards varied greatly based upon an individual's performance.

Among these men were soldiers who had proven their bravery on the field of battle, such as Captain Andreas Jaeger, whose actions as a Jaeger Captain led to the swift elimination of Italian Skrimishers during the War for Independence earned him a First Class Iron Cross as well as Captain Willehelm Krieger whose efforts to put down Brigands in Austria following Berengar's brief Regency over Conrad had earned him the Second Class Iron Cross. 

After many hours, the night fell upon Kufstein, and Berengar dismissed the Parade. Among the soldiers of his Army, thousands had been awarded honors, most of which were the Austrian Wound Medal. The event itself was a rousing success, as it increased public interest in the military and was utilized as a propaganda tool in the papers to celebrate Austrian dominance. 

This would be the first of many Military Parades that Berengar would arrange during his tenure as a Monarch. The first Generation of Austrian Soldiers had finally been recognized for their efforts on the field of battle, and thus morale was at an all-time high. In the future foreign countries would begin to adopt similar ideas of military awards to inspire their troops to achieve greater glory. However, for now, it was something unique to Austrian military culture. 

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