Chapter 884 – The Peak Era

The regional airliner hadn’t been successfully test-flown yet, and Alan Wilson had left after a quick turn around to inform his wife by telegraph about what was going on here, so he could wait for Edward Bridges’ retirement.

The meeting with his father-in-law was a must, and for a long time Mountbatten would be the central figure in the British military.

Although the Queen did not care, in the final analysis the nature of the British state was monarchical.

Admiral Mountbatten was still busy with the process of the nuclear-free Enterprise, for what could be the main battleship of the Royal Navy in the coming decades, he, the First Sea Lord, was more attached to it than anyone else.

“If things go well with the nuclear submarine, I’ll be able to afford my childhood dream.” Admiral Mountbatten sighed quite a bit, catching up with the time when Britain’s national power was declining, and there was only so much he could fight for at this level.

Ultimately it was just a matter of seeing if he could build up to the point where he could eventually turn Britain around even if it was just to maintain Britain’s international standing.

Alan Wilson empathized, if he was a Soviet, even the French, facing the current situation than now have a way, Britain and the United States of the same language and race, to some extent, is not good for Britain.

Of course he could choose to be the signpost of the Anglo-American special relationship, but if that’s the choice, why not just do one thing or the other and consider eliminating the rival camps altogether and leaving the world free of any non-capitalist countries after the nineties? He’s all but disloyal to the UK anyway.

Minor repairs were still done, Alan Wilson mentioned the test flights of the helicopter gunships and said he was very pleased with them and hoped that his father-in-law could think of something to do when it came to securing another government order.

“Oh, Alan, you know, I’m an admiral.” Admiral Mountbatten said with a pretense of modesty, “I may not be in a position to intervene in the affairs of other branches of the military, it’s beyond the scope of my authority.”

“If it were anyone else, it would certainly be beyond the scope of authority. But you, father, are not different.” Alan Wilson spoke in a breezy manner, “You have an extremely important position in the military, this is an undeniable fact. As a matter of fact I personally believe that the joint combat command organization of the three armies that you want will become a reality sooner or later.”

“Oh, is that so, then I’ll take your word for it.” Mountbatten pretended to look positive, but how could he hide his smile, then said, “When the time comes, I’ll speak to the Defense Minister, Count Alexander, but the final result will still depend on the performance of the helicopter gunships, and whether the positioning can impress the military.”

“I believe that there is absolutely no problem, Pamela is also very much looking forward to being able to leave its own mark in the British military construction.” Alan Wilson was delighted, the product is excellent plus General Mountbatten personally, he believes that there is not much problem.

“I also miss Pamela, then again, the situation in Malaya must you always sit on it, when you transfer back. When you get older, you always want your family to be together.”

Mountbatten was still quite sentimental, fifty-six wasn’t a great age, and Mountbatten himself didn’t look old. It’s just that mental age doesn’t lie, and he’s focusing more and more on his family.

“In my second term, I’ll be focusing on solving a few hidden problems, so I’ll be able to return then. Sir Edward has asked a similar question, and has indicated that Sir Ismay is retiring as well, and asked me to try to make a difference in the Foreign Office.”

“Hastings is retiring?” Mountbatten’s expression was queer when he heard about it, then he lowered his voice and said, “Is that what Edward said? People in Whitehall don’t know each other’s details, and he’s not retiring, but he’s quitting Whitehall to go to Paris to be NATO’s chief of staff.”

“Civilian Number One?” The corners of Alan Wilson’s mouth twitched, these people play the retirement routine.

“Just so you know.” General Mountbatten shrugged his shoulders, “the armed helicopter thing, I and Viscount Allanbrook communicate first, as a Field Marshal, he is still very loved in the Army, there is a consensus, in and the Secretary of State for Defense to talk about it is much easier.”

Viscount Alan Brooke is Alan Francis Brooke, British Field Marshal, Chief of the British Imperial General Staff. But now retired, Montgomery was then a division commander under him.

Retirement has been dull and boring, with directorships in such companies as British Petroleum, Midland Bank, National Discount Bank, Belfast Banking Corporation, Hudson’s Bay Company, and as Chief of the Crown’s Household.

Already knighted and still holding a royal office, this former Chief of the Imperial General Staff was just within range of Mountbatten.

Explaining the connection, Alan Wilson’s admiration for his father-in-law rose so much higher, “If you don’t mind, I’ll tell Pamela the good news in a telegram.”

“Can’t say it’s completely fine, there are no certainties in the world.” Mountbatten muttered in a Versailles tone.

There was no need to find another venue for Edward Bridges’ retirement send-off; Whitehall Palace was big enough to find a hall to gather in by the way, and Burke Trench, Frank, Armstrong and Makins, as well as a large number of senior Whitehall civil servants, were in attendance for this retirement ceremony for the Permanent Secretary of the Treasury, who had left behind his own era in Whitehall.

Frank was not as dismayed as might have been expected and clearly should have received some promises from Norman Brooke.

Alan Wilson and Frank stayed with Makins in the middle of a small circle, while Frank was teasing Makins about his recent quest for a lifetime, “In fact, you’re much more selective, a lady from Oxford, with both gravitas and substance, would be best as a good match.”

“You’re getting married?” Alan Wilson was rather surprised to hear it, “You that? Well ……”

When he had once entrapped Foltseva’s Soviet delegation, Makins had slipped an actress into the mix, now it seemed not? Makins shook his head slightly in denial, “I’m getting married here? She’s not suitable.”

Alan Wilson looked at Makins’ thinning hair and thought to himself, “You’re thirty-five and you’re just thinking about getting married.

If there was a choice, it was natural that someone like Makins, who had a knighthood and connections and was now a member of the senior civil service, would not be in such a hurry to get married, but there was an unwritten rule in Whitehall that men with marriages were evaluated more reliably.

Makins could choose not to marry, but it might not go so well later on.

Frank was still harping on the criteria for finding a spouse, while Makins said nothing, and Alan Wilson finally couldn’t help himself, “What’s the use of any substance, any temperament? There are only two things for a man, youth and beauty, and preferably both.”

Makins could not wait to grab Allen Wilson’s hand and shouted a knowing voice, he listened to this infrequent return of his friend to speak, than Frank much smoother to the ear, he needs what temperament connotation? There is no such thing as the same? Being young and pretty was the visible advantage, and he wasn’t looking for a housekeeper.

“Or does Alan recognize more deeply in this regard?” Makins unabashedly expressed his approval, “Some women’s self-perceived merits are simply worthless in our eyes. It’s funny they can’t recognize that yet.”

“Yes, across religions and ethnicities, that’s the general consensus among men.” Alan Wilson chimed in to help out, how many times had he been to a banquet where a big buyer took a concubine.

“Do the men over in Malaya think so too?” Makins inquired curiously, “By the way, the colony you administer inhabits many people of different nationalities.”

“Less than seven million.” Alan Wilson counted with his fingers, “Fortunately, there’s not much chaos.”

“Isn’t it over twelve million people?” Frank was puzzled, he had been to Kuala Lumpur and had some local knowledge.

“When I say people, I mean people of value, limited to males.” Alan Wilson explained unhurriedly, “We can use men as livestock, women don’t have the physical strength, not to mention that they can’t do intense labor to give birth to a child, and usually have a few days a month when they don’t feel well, so it’s a big discount in terms of the value of their labor.”

It may be a bit politically incorrect to say, but Allen Wilson a colonizer’s point of view, this statement is not wrong at all.

“Let the leaders of the women’s movement at home know and you’ll be in trouble.” Frank said with a wicked grin.

“The conditions are different, the Malayan colonies still had the crime of adultery, England does not now. We have to respect the traditional culture of different civilizations.” Alan Wilson yawned, “Never mind that, for Whitehall, marriage is really an important consideration, and I’m sure that for His Lordship, as long as he’s serious about it, the matter is still fairly simple.”

With Makins’ title and connections, it was too easy to want a young and beautiful spouse.

In the midst of the reception, the Whitehall coterie also loomed large, engaging in conversation with each other, culminating in an address by Edward Bridges, who recalled his own career in Whitehall, as well as expressing his approval of the civil servants in attendance, and finally expressing his deep affection for Whitehall.

On this occasion, Norman Brooke also arrived to express his felicitations to his former boss.

The Whitehall era of Edward Bridges came to an end at this moment, and the next day, after the Cabinet’s endorsement, Norman Brooke became the Permanent Secretary to the Treasury, and Norman Brooke, who was both the Cabinet Secretary and the Chief of the Civil Service and the Permanent Secretary to the Treasury, appointed Frank as the Second Permanent Secretary to the Treasury at the same time.

From then on, Whitehall under Norman Brooke came to its peak era, with more power than the Cabinet Secretary before him.

“Norman’s authority surpassed that of my time with Sir Hankie, and there has never been a Cabinet Secretary who was both Chief Civilian Secretary and Permanent Under-Secretary to the Treasury, but he did it.”

Edward Bridges couldn’t help but sigh, admitting that this colleague with his complicated relationship had done what no previous Cabinet Secretary had done, leading Whitehall to the top.

“It seems that maintaining a good relationship with politicians is indeed useful.” Alan Wilson spoke up after hearing this.

Edward Bridges had just accepted, the employment of the director of the Mountbatten Group, not the Mountbatten Oil Company, nor the mining company, but the director of the head office.