Long live Joachim

Chapter 191: The Ace Killer Cardwell (Next) Good times are always fleeting. Seven days passed by in a flash, and Sergeant Cardwell bid farewell to his newlywed wife with reluctance, returning to the base before the set deadline. In the following two weeks, the junior officers and ordinary soldiers in the regiment gradually completed their special leave. With batches of brand new "Irish Leopards" arriving at the base, the main combat equipment of the entire regiment has been restored to full capacity, and reserve personnel to supplement casualties have also been promptly put in place. As the scorching heat approached, the fully equipped 1st Armored Regiment of the New United Kingdom left its temporary base and headed to Monmouth in eastern Wales for combat training - surprisingly, the hypothetical enemy for this training was actually a "friendly guest appearance" from the 1st Guards Brigade of the Royal English Army. Since the disintegration of the Kingdom of Britain, Ireland and England have been like close neighbors who have reconciled their past grievances. Their relationship has rapidly improved and was elevated during the "territorial sovereignty dispute" in 1946, which almost led to a war between England and Scotland. Afterwards, the New United Kingdom and the Kingdom of England reached a series of strategic cooperation agreements, with the latter mainly responsible for national defense construction, military restructuring, and weapon replacement, thus establishing a mutually dependent relationship in the field of national defense and military affairs Faced with the elite troops that the English had high hopes for, the Irish boys of the 1st Armored Regiment showed no mercy. They used their best skills in assault, flanking, and dynamic defense to the fullest extent. Despite excluding the influence of the air force, the new United Kingdom army still achieved a big victory in this "friendly match". After the exercise, the 1st Armored Regiment did not return to its original base, but instead conducted a march and training that spanned five counties and covered a total distance of nearly 300 kilometers. This training was mostly conducted in the wilderness, crossing roads through forests and bridges over water. The conditions were extremely harsh, far exceeding their previous treatment on the Italian battlefield. Nevertheless, by the end of the four-day training, the non combat attrition rate of the entire regiment's combat equipment remained below 20%, which means that most of the "Irish Panther" tanks and "Mule" armored personnel carriers have withstood the test. After arriving at their new base in northern Wales, the 1st Armored Regiment received new instructions to meticulously inspect and maintain their weapons and equipment. Soon after, news came that the 3rd, 4th, and 6th Armored Regiments had all arrived in Wales, and the famous 1st Marine Division and Parachute Assault Unit had also appeared in Wales. Across the border, the English were actively mobilizing troops. In this way, the rumors of the New United Kingdom and the Kingdom of England joining forces to go to war against Scotland have increased in credibility! That morning, as soon as Cardwell and his companions woke up, they received a special order: to wash the tank clean from top to bottom and tidy themselves up from head to toe, because a big shot would come to inspect the troops that day. So, while cleaning the chariot, the young men speculated who this big shot was. More than two hours later, a team of military police entered the station and carefully inspected the barracks, warehouses, and checkpoints. Their appearance undoubtedly pushed the speculation of the officers and soldiers to a new height. Is it possible that he is a high-ranking figure, or even that His Majesty the King is personally present? What does it mean if Joachim I were to personally inspect? Cardwell smelled the scent of war. Soon, the entire regiment received orders to list the tanks in front of the barracks, and everyone was on standby next to the tanks. When several black sedans appeared at the end of the road, escorted by a convoy of military vehicles, the curiosity of the officers and soldiers reached its peak: was it the Minister of Defense, Chief of the General Staff, Commander in Chief of the Army, or the legendary monarch who was revered by everyone present? Cardwell is at least a person who has seen the world before - not long ago, he received the Gold Clover Medal, representing the highest military honor, from the current Defense Secretary of the New United Kingdom and Marshal Bayncke, who had made two World War II contributions. Although he was so nervous at the time that he could hardly speak, after experiencing it, he would find that being received by and talking to bigwigs was actually just that. Attention everyone... stand at attention With the resounding slogan of Colonel Andrews, the commander, more than two thousand officers and soldiers straightened their chests and followed closely behind the convoy entering the base. Everyone... salute Under the gaze of a group of officers and soldiers, a very familiar figure emerged from a black sedan in the convoy. Although this person is not a native Irish and does not have even one percent Irish ancestry, his contribution to Ireland is unparalleled in nearly a thousand years. Under his efforts, Ireland was liberated and became an independent sovereign kingdom, transforming from a poor and backward agricultural country to a prosperous and powerful industrial and military power in just two to three decades. The famous titles of 'Saint Patrick of the New Era', 'Caesar of the Irish', 'Founder of the Golden Clover Dynasty', 'Creator of the Miracle of a Small Country'... some were bestowed upon him by the Irish, while others are internationally recognized. Regardless of the perspective from which they are evaluated, this is a legendary figure worthy of being recorded in history forever. Including the early arrival of the military police and over two thousand New United Kingdom officers and soldiers present, the vast majority of whom were Irish, they accepted the inspection of His Majesty King Joachim I with utmost respect. No one moves or speaks without permission, the entire team is like a carefully planted poplar forest. In addition to the neat military appearance and rugged posture, the pair of bright and lively eyes and the hopeful and proud faces made the inspector feel even more proud. As he approached, His Majesty the King noticed Cadeville, an armored sergeant wearing the Order of the Golden Clover and the Military Order of the Knight Maria Theresa. He stopped in his tracks, reached out his hand, and shook hands with him, saying, "Very good! Very good! These two medals are usually only awarded to the best warriors! What's your name Cardwell couldn't suppress the surging emotions in his heart at this moment and answered with an excited vibrato, "Your Majesty, Sergeant Gareth Cardwell of the New United Kingdom Army Armored Corps pays tribute to you Oh, Sergeant Caldwell, our ace tank commander on the Italian battlefield is indeed young and talented! Sergeant, as a frontline operator, what do you think of our Panther tank? I want to hear your sincere words If it were any other question, Caldwell might get stuck, but when it comes to professional questions like this, he answers almost without hesitation: "It's easy to control, and its acceleration and steering capabilities are superb. The two-way stabilizer provides strong support for precise shooting at medium and long distances. I think compared to the current equipment of Germany and the United States, our 'Irish Leopard' is undoubtedly in a leading position in technology. On the Italian battlefield, its firepower is so strong that it's even a bit redundant. It can easily penetrate Italian military vehicles from two kilometers away, and can also help infantry sweep through the strong fortifications of Italians. If 100 points mean absolute perfection, then I think our 'Irish Leopard' can score 98 points His Majesty the King smiled faintly and said, "So, what two points are we missing from the perfect standard Cardwell's answer still didn't hesitate for a moment: "In my personal opinion, if our 'Irish Leopard' can be equipped with radar equipment, achieve all-weather precision combat capability, and reduce the noise during engine operation by half, it would be truly perfect His Majesty the King patted Caldwell's right arm with satisfaction and said, "Your answer is very good, Sergeant. If all of this is your personal opinion, it shows that you are a young person who is good at thinking and has a smart mind. As long as you work hard, you will definitely become a pillar of the army in the future Being recognized by the monarch not only brings honor, but also signifies a bright future for military career. Cardwell was certainly aware of the meaning behind these words, but luck came too suddenly. He didn't know how to express his excitement for a moment, just staring blankly as His Majesty the King continued to walk towards the end of the line. Although this monarch is still agile and energetic, with a speed of thinking that most young people cannot compare to, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, the white hair on his temples, and the vicissitudes in his eyes still give people the feeling of "heroes are old". This rather sudden inspection lasted only half an hour. For the 1st Armored Regiment, which has a "long" history of 33 years, it is commonplace to receive a review from His Majesty the King. However, for most of the active duty officers and soldiers of this unit, such a scene is the first time they have encountered it. Therefore, after the review, the topic of discussion among the young men was not the true purpose of His Majesty the King's visit to review the troops, but to exchange their thoughts on such close contact with His Majesty Joachim I. This heated discussion continued until lunch, when our Caldwell was enthusiastically dealing with the food on his plate when the regiment's messenger suddenly notified him to report to Colonel Andrews' office immediately. Cardwell dropped his cutlery, hastily wiped his mouth, put on his military cap, and hurriedly walked towards the commander's office under the envious gaze of his colleagues. After entering the door, Colonel Andrews, who had made great contributions during the war, spoke loudly: Hey, Sergeant, you're in great luck today! Because Your Majesty values your abilities, they have decided to promote you as a reserve officer and exempt you from the entrance examination to the Kingdom Armored Corps Academy for further studies. Moreover, they recommended you to report to the Armored Corps Command major, which is the 'hall' that I worked hard for more than ten years to enter Happiness came one after another, and once again Cardwell froze in place at a loss. What, unwilling? Do you have any other ideas? "Colonel Andrews lowered his head and looked at the file on the table." Oh, I was supposed to retire in five months. Do you want to retire and go home? Just got married This reminded Cardwell that his newlywed wife was eagerly waiting for him to finish his last few months of service and return to be with her day and night, no longer parting ways. Yes, sir, I... have been married for less than half a year, but... "Caldwell said somewhat hesitantly," sir, entering a military academy for further studies is my long cherished wish, and receiving the admiration of His Majesty Joachim I is an honor that I never dreamed of Colonel Andrews raised his eyebrows and said, 'So what?' In just a few seconds, Sergeant Caldwell made a decision that changed the trajectory of his life: "So, sir, I accept the recommendation to go to the Kingdom Armored Corps Academy for further studies