Hey all Writer of olde here, with the third chapter of the Military man. Quick shout out to my reviewers.
wolf970: challenge accepted.
Starboy454: thanks hope you like this one.
Ok on with the story.
Military man chapter 3
15 August 1990 0540 hours
Thetford Junior Royal Military Academy dorms.
Harry awoke with a flash as the first call sounded, he looked around the dorm and saw very few others had awoken as he had, 'Bugger' he thought as he dashed to get dressed and to wake his sleeping comrades. In the three days he had been here the bugle calls had been drilled into his head, and he knew he had less than twenty minutes to get his arse into formation in time for roll call. "Kenrick, Cromwell, Abbott, Gore! Get off your duffs and get ready for assembly" Harry bellowed out to his three man squad. For some reason in the first few days he'd been there Harry had been elected the leader of their small group. Due to this being the first year the program was running, the administrators had separated the 54 trainees into squads of six totaling in nine squads. He was the unofficial squad leader of Lightning squad, the admins were to pick leaders at the end of two weeks. His squad consisted of Alistair Kenrick, Felix Cromwell, Balthazar Gore, Arron Mitchell, and Hannah Abbott. Harry eyed his squad, Alistair was a wiry thin chap, with little muscles but lots of energy, Felix was a rather heavy set boy who looked like he could throw a lorry, Balthazar was a shy kid who had very little distinguishing marks or traits, Arron was very quiet and spoke very little, and Hannah was the only girl in the academy and as such she got her own room, she had long blonde hair, and big blue eyes. Harry, Balthazar and Hannah had become great friends in the two days that Harry had been there.
"Keep your knickers on Potter" Hannah shouted from the room she had that adjoined the rest of the squads.
"Reveille blows in ten Abbott" of course while friends Harry and Hannah loved to argue.
"Yah we know mate calm it down" Balthazar said from his bed where he was shrugging his trousers on.
"Sorry guys, just a bit of nerves" Harry said, scratching the back of his head sheepishly.
"Its fine Harry, just don't do it again" Hannah said in a gentle voice, emerging from her room.
"Ok we all ready?" Harry asked his squad, while looking over to their bunks making sure they were clean for the after breakfast inspection he knew the higher ups would surprise them with. The squad nodded affirmatives "Ok let's move out then" Harry said leading them out of the room and down to the courtyard where some members of other squads were slowly walking. Revile blew moments later and there was an uninhibited scramble for the courtyard from the trainees that weren't awake yet. Nigh on five minutes passed until the entire batch of trainees were assembled in the courtyard, some more disheveled than others, some not in the right squads. However Harry's squad managed to look dignified among the chaos, well as dignified as ten year olds can at six in the morning on a Wednesday can be.
"Fall in troops" Major Daniel Johnson yelled over the pandemonium of children trying to remember their squads and get into formation. After the dust had settled and the 9 squads had filed into their spaces. "I find myself impressed." the Major said, and many squad members exchanged grins. "By only one squad!" the Major finished in a disapproving yell. "Only one squad was here promptly, only one squad left no man in their bunks, and only one squad was actually in formation before assembly sounded. I find myself not only impressed by them, but disappointed with the rest of you." The other squads looked around, and then looked at us with minor contempt, and more than a little envy. "By the glaring looks you're all giving Lightning Squad, you have all come to the correct conclusion, however you would be better off glaring at your own reflection, as only you are at fault. Now today's schedule, class schedules will be handed out at mess, and there will be a half mile run after lunch" the man smiled somewhat sadistically at the children's horrified looks. "Now off to breakfast." All other squads began to wander off.
"Squad about face" Harry said softly, in one movement his squad actually managed a coordinated 180 degree turn. "March, one, two, three, four." Harry's squad orderly managed to enter the mess hall as one unit. They gained one table to themselves and began to talk quietly.
"G'day chaps, here are your schedules for the next four months, your schedules will rotate every four months." A private said slapping a small pile of paper on the center of the metal table.
"Here guys" Balthazar said passing out the schedules to his squad.
"Thanks Balthazar" Harry said looking down his schedule.
Cadet Harry James Potter. Age: 10 Quarter: 1
0730-0830 History of warfare Instructor: Colonel Alice Walker
0840-0940 Tactics of the battlefield Instructor: Gunnery Sargent James Wood
0950-1050 Philosophy of warfare Instructor: Captain Aurora Miller
1100-1130 Lunch
1130-1200 Rec time*
1210-1310 Physical education Instructor: Major Iris Edwards
1320-1420 Urban tactics Instructor: First Lieutenant James Edwards
1430-1530 Military basics Instructor: Major Gavin Ward
*Rec time is superseded by any scheduled activity by supervisor, Major Johnson.
Harry re read his schedule a few more times before swapping with his squad mates. As he had suspected they all had the same classes. Harry glanced at the clock in the corner of the mess hall. It read 6:45, he spent little time converting that to the military standard. His squad had to be in their seats in class in 45 minutes. He noticed his squad mates also glance at the clock and he grinned at them as they settled into eat, while the other squads sat nervously, some still unused to the military time wording.
"And here's the Major with the inspection results" Alastair said with a smirk about three quarters of the way through the meal.
"While you cadets were stuffing your bellies, a few of us decided to do a spot inspection, only three squads have passed. Lightning Squad, Snake Squad, and Bulldog Squad, though Snake missed a few points for unmade beds, they otherwise passed. The aforementioned squads may make their way to their first class. The rest of you are gonna get to have a talk with me." He said with a grim smile.
"Let's move squad" Harry said as the other squads filed out, his squad sans Felix managed to rise gracefully from their seats in sync. However Felix of course managed to stumble over nothing. They made their way to the history of warfare class located across the field from the mess hall in the history and tactics building. The building was one of the largest on the academy grounds, beaten only by the rec and physical building, which contained the indoor pool, a basketball court, and a weightlifting center, along with some games, teles and computers. The squad entered classroom and saw it deserted, the chose a block of seats towards the middle of the classroom and sat, withdrawing their notebooks and pens.
Another squad rushed in as a bell sounded over the campus, indicating students had a little under five minutes until classes began. The instructor entered and began introducing herself to the class before outlining some class policies and beginning a small oral quiz.
"Can anyone name a battle that Britain has lost?" she asked the class. Harry raised a hand. "Yes Cadet Potter?" she asked expectantly.
"Singapore 1942. On the 15th of February 1942, about 100,000 British and Australian troops surrendered to Japanese forces on the island fortress of Singapore." Harry explained.
"Ah yes Singapore, a good example." The Colonel said. "Next, name a loss the Americans have suffered." She told the class.
"The Battle of Bladensburg, the American forces were routed in 1814 by a smaller force of raiding British regulars and Marines under General Robert Ross, which led to the British Burning of Washington." Hannah said from the seat to Harry's left. Hannah was a history buff, her squad had learned during the first day of her stay, when they found the only books she brought were large history tomes.
"Very good Cadet Abbott." the instructor said "Now can anyone tell me the point I am trying to make?" she asked.
"Ma'am the point I think is that no matter what you believe there is someone better than you on the battlefield" Felix said, somewhat uncertainly.
"Yes that is my exact point, the first quarter in my class will consist generally of analyzing the losses taken in battles due to either: pride, fear, bad tactics, and in some cases more advanced warfare." She finished speaking as the bell rung.
They hurried to the next class and discussed their previous one. All in all Lightning Squad enjoyed the history class and were excited for the next one.
"Sit down and be quiet" the Sargent said, as the other squad filed in, chatting loudly. "T'day we will discuss the tactics of a famous battle and the weakness of the tactics on each side, we will do this every class and with hope you will all learn something by the end of the quarter. Now any suggestions of battles?" the man asked in a soft tone.
"How about…" a cadet from the other squad began but was cut off by the Sargent.
"Sorry you don't get a choice. We will analyze the Trojan War or more specifically, the endgame tactic employed by the Greeks, the Trojan horse. Now whether or not the battle happened is not up for discussion. Now a brief summary. The Trojans were dug in, in their fortressed city, the tale goes that the Greeks sieged Troy to 'rescue' Helen the bride of one of the military chiefs. The Greeks were losing many of their engagements and decided to commence a pseudo retreat, leaving a large wooden horse for a raiding party to wait in while leaving a man to declare that the Greeks had retreated. In the dead of night the party, led by one of their leaders Odysseus opened the gate and led the Greeks into Troy for a massacre. Now what were the strengths of this tactic?" the man asked the class.
"The Greeks managed to concoct a reasonable tale of retreat, so the men were not discovered." Alistair piped up from behind Harry.
"True" the Sargent said "Next."
"The Greeks managed to build a structure large enough to hold enough men to open the gate." A member of Snake Squad said.
"Fair point." The instructor said. "Now for the weakness."
"If the Greeks had been discovered they would have killed the men in the horse and the Greeks would have never had a similar chance." Felix said.
"Good, and why would they have not had another chance?" the instructor asked.
"Because the Trojans would have never trusted another attempt to subtly breach the walls." Felix replied.
"Next" he said nodding approvingly.
"Had they been discovered they would have lost their lead strategist." Hannah said.
"Yes and then they would have been at a great loss without Odysseus." The instructor finished as the bell rang. "I want a two page paper on whether or not this tactic could be used in modern days by next week." He yelled after us.
"Loved the discussion, the Sargent is a little rough around the edges though" Alistair said, with the rest of the squad chiming in similar opinions.
The next class was uninteresting in the aspect of the fact that the instructor did not show up. After a few minutes the other squad left. Harry managed to convince his squad to stay, motioning briefly with his offhand to the security camera watching their activity. His squad noticed and stilled, awaiting the instructor's arrival. It did not come until the last minutes of class, Harry's squad was in the middle of a discussion about their assigned text, the Art of War.
"Well done Lightning, you understood the test, I will see you tomorrow. Remember, all arefare is based on deception" She said and left for lunch.
"That was the oddest class I have ever attended, I mean what was the point of that?" Balthazar asked confusedly as he stabbed at a piece of baked chicken.
"Haven't the foggiest." Felix said.
"I think it was to test our resolve and work ethic, had we left we would have failed the test, had we stayed but not studied we would have only half passed, but we passed fully." Hannah said.
"That makes no sense." Alistair said "But oh well." He finished with a sigh.
At the end of lunch Major Johnson came to the front of the hall and addressed us "Now you cadets will be going on a run, anyone who falls behind fails, and anyone who lets a squad mate fall behind fails. Let's get going." He said leading them on a jog out of the mess hall and down a small trail. Ten minutes later most of the squads were collapsed out on the field sucking down air as fast as they could. A few cadets weren't dying but that was only four or five out of 54. "At the end of the quarter I expect all of you to be able to run that and more without stop, or the after period of rest." He blared out.
The squads PE instructor gave them a brake before introducing them to a light calisthenics that took up the entirety of the class time for the cadets to perform in their exhausted state. The Urban tactics class had the cadets examining historic and modern military's and militia groups that used guerilla warfare, such as the IRA and the tactics used to found the Maratha Empire in 17th century. The military basics class enveloped everything from courtesy, to rules, and even some military slang, though Major Ward promised more in the future, it was looking to be the dullest class at the academy.
Lightning Squad convened in their dorm to study and finish homework after supper was finished, although most of the squad fell asleep shortly after entering the room, Harry and Hannah managed to get a start on the essay before falling asleep on top of their books.
TBC
End Note. Well that's the most I've written for a fanfiction. I do apologize for the rushed ending but I was rather out of ideas for the last three classes. I swear the classes won't be as long in later chapter but I wanted to give a grounding in what will be the favorite classes of Lightning Squad. Also as I stated previously squad leaders are not chosen yet, therefore Lightning squad is not because of Harry. Review with questions and good criticism please.
