Chapter 33: Reuniting With Some Old Friends

Chapter 33: Reuniting With Some Old Friends



It had been years since the Boxer Rebellion came to an end, three to be exact. And during this time, Bruno had gone his separate ways from the friends he made at the Royal Prussian Main Cadet Institute. Though he had kept in contact with the men the best he could, via letters which were still the primary form of communication in the world.

Bruno had quickly risen through the ranks of the Imperial German Army, becoming the youngest Generalmajor in history. Meanwhile, Heinrich and Erich had been promoted to the rank which Bruno previously held. Captain, also known as Hauptmann, in the German language.

Surprisingly, when Bruno arrived at the Prussian naval base in Danzig, he found the two young captains standing there, boasting their newly obtained collar and shoulder insignia while smoking a couple of cigarettes and catching up on what had happened over the past few years.

Erich was boasting about his older brother, who was several years older than him, and already a prominent member of the Kaiserliche Marine, also known as the Imperial German Navy.

"Yeah, I just received word from the family, my brother Hermann has been promoted to the rank of Captain within the navy. He's recently been assigned to a cruiser in the East Asia Squadron as its commanding officer. I wouldn't be surprised if we see him while in Manchuria!"

Heinrich blew a puff of smoke in Erich's face, responding with relative disinterest to his old friend whose boastful nature when it came to the topic of his family continued even now that he was in his mid twenties.

"I suppose that would be a treat, now wouldn't it... Oh shit! General, we were just waiting for your arrival!"

Heinrich immediately snapped to attention when he saw Bruno step forward. The man was dressed in the uniform of a Generalmajor. The only thing Bruno was really missing to appear like the old men who were sending him to Manchuria were several more medals, and a Sash belonging to one of the major orders of Merit.

Even so, his uniform commanded immediate respect from anyone who saw it. Heinrich and Erich were no exception. Who put out their cigarettes and snapped to attention when they saw their old friend approach them.

Bruno simply smiled and shook his head, before demanding the two of them not be so formal with him.

"At ease, you two... I must admit I'm surprised they sent both of you to assist me in this mission. Heinrich was to be expected. The man performed admirably as an observer in South Africa from what I have heard. But, Erich? I have not heard much of your exploits these past three years?"

"Thank you, Captain, we will be in your care these next two months..."

With this said, the Naval Captain whistled towards his sailors to grab the belongings that Bruno and his attaché had brought with them. All while escorting the three officers onto the deck of his cruiser.

"She may be a bit old, but I promise you, the Hansa will carry you safely to your destination. If there's nothing important that you have forgotten, then let's get this show on the road shall We?"

Naturally, Bruno would not reject the Captain's courtesy and instead joined him onboard the Protected Cruiser. It was known as the SMS Hansa, named after the Medieval Hanseatic league. It was an old vessel, of the Victoria Louise class of protected cruisers.

The vessel had been laid down and entered service in the 1890s. And because of this, it now saw service in the East Asia Squadron, deemed unfit to serve in the High Seas Fleet, which only obtained the most modern additions during the ongoing Naval Arms race between the German Reich and the British Empire.

It was still a year away before the HMS Dreadnought would begin its construction, which would only add fuel to the fire that was the Anglo-German Naval Arms race. After all, the Dreadnought would forever change the course of how battleships were developed. Not that they would see much service when the Great War finally surfaced.

After all, Dreadnought Battleships were considered too expensive, and time consuming to produce by the Admiralty of all nations who possessed them. And because of this, they were largely kept out of service, when they could have been employed to great affect in a multitude of naval battles.

In the end, such massive machines of destruction would only be used in a single Naval Battle during the Great War, and never again afterward. Something that Bruno couldn't help but think was a waste when he saw his first warship up close.

Perhaps this captain, who Bruno did not recognize from his past life, would go on to become a powerful admiral in his own right. Especially if Bruno formed a close friendship with him over the course of the next few months and altered his destiny as a result.

Maybe then, the Imperial German Navy could be effectively convinced to alter their course of naval warfare, one that, if kept in line with its current trajectory, would inevitably provoke the Americans from joining the war effort.

But that was a matter that would need to be considered over the course of many years. For the

time being, Bruno supposed he would spend the next two months at sea, building a proper friendship with Erich's older brother. Even if Hermann did not become an Admiral of significant renown, it never hurt to make friends in high places.