Military reform passed by Parliament
An Act of Parliament was passed yesterday implementing radical changes to the Austenasian Armed Forces (AAF), dissolving the existing units and making provisions for new ones to be formed. The majority of soldiers in the AAF had enlisted for the Austenasian Civil War over a decade ago, with most having since fallen out of contact with the central government and some even assumed to have forgotten that they were considered Austenasian soldiers. The Austenasian Army and Imperial Air Force have therefore been dissolved, with their members receiving honourable discharges. These reforms reflect that fact that Austenasia has little need of a standing army, having last been in an official state of war in December 2010. In the words of Emperor Jonathan I in Parliament, “the days of teenage gangs marauding around Carshalton in support of various claimants to local thrones is long past”. Yesterday’s legislation has created three new branches for the AAF. Local claims may recruit regiments of Limitanei, which will serve as reserve militia to be mobilised for local defence or emergency purposes. During wartime, the Ministry of Defence will recruit units of Comitatenses, which will not be bound to a specific area but serve as active field troops. Finally, the Imperial Guard will be a bodyguard unit recruited specifically by the Monarch for their personal protection, and will be the only ordinarily active unit.
Midget titles abolished
In an Imperial Decree passed on Thursday 16th, His Imperial Majesty the Emperor has decreed the abolition of all Austenasian titles derived from the Midget Nation-in-Exile. The Midget Nation-in-Exile was an entity which existed between 2009 and 2011. It was the government-in-exile of the Midget Empire, a playground-based micronation that functioned between 2002 and 2007, and was comprised of several former members of said micronation. The Midget Empire and Nation-in-Exile were both run by a “Midget Master,” a title which has been held by the Austenasian Monarch since 2010. The Nation-in-Exile was annexed by Austenasia in April 2011, with its remaining members becoming a unit in the Austenasian Army. The word “Midget” was chosen by the founders of the Midget Empire for no real reason; it is important to note that said founders were between eight and nine years old at the time. The micronation had no relation to dwarfism or little people, for whom the word “midget” is a pejorative term now regarded as politically incorrect. It is in an attempt to avoid offence and confusion that Emperor Jonathan I has therefore decreed that the instances of “Midget” in Austenasian titulature which remain from the annexation of the Nation-in-Exile in 2011 are to be abolished or revised. Most notably, the office of Midget Master is to be dissolved and subsumed into the throne of Rushymia, an entity which represents the heritage of an earlier micronation which was based at the same school as the Midgets. Furthermore, Centuria II Midgetae – the military unit comprised of former members of the Midgets – will be renamed to Centuria II Ruscimiae. The changes to titulature mandated by the Emperor will come into force on 1 January 2020.
Military reform act passed
Emperor Jonathan I yesterday gave Imperial Consent to the Armed Forces Act 2015. The Prime Minister, Lord Admiral Joseph Kennedy – the author of the legislation – released a statement briefly describing the main points of the Act: “The Armed Forces Act 2015 has codified the rank structure of the Armed Forces in a code similar to that used by the United States Armed Forces, has completely reformed the ranks of the Imperial Air Force, and has established the Joint Administrative Chiefs for the overall administration of the Armed Forces during peacetime.” The Austenasian Armed Forces (AAF) are comprised of the Austenasian Army, the Imperial Navy, and the Imperial Air Force (IAF). The new legislation also adopted flags for the three branches of the AAF. The Austenasian Army currently has 27 personnel, the Imperial Navy has 18, and the Imperial Air Force has 6.
Imperial Ascension Day celebrated
A year since the ascension to the Throne of Emperor Jonathan I was yesterday celebrated throughout the Empire of Austenasia. Yesterday marked one year since Jonathan I became Emperor after the abdication of his predecessor – his “Cotton Jubilee”. The Emperor marked the occasion with lunch out at a restaurant with the Prime Minister, Countess Eritoshi. The day was celebrated across the Empire. The two units of Legio I Virginia in the Austenasian Army held parades in New Richmond and in Terentia, and a public holiday was announced in New South Scotland.
Monovish military joins the Austenasian Army
The army of the Principality of Monovia has joined the Austenasian Armed Forces after a new Monovian constitution was adopted earlier today. Said constitution has entrenched in law the position of Monovia – founded in May 2011 and based near Sheffield – as a protected state of the Empire, a status it has held since October 2012 which means that Austenasia is obliged to defend Monovia if requested. Monovia’s army of six has been given the name of Centuria III Monoviae, and joined Legio I Britannica. This new century of the Austenasian Army has been given standing orders by an Imperial Edict to protect Monovia and its government. Monovia has been a close friend of the Empire since a few months after its founding, and is a fellow member of the GUM.
Sir J. Goldie resigns from military command
Legate Sir Joseph Goldie KCP, commanding officer of Legio I Britannica, has resigned after more than three years of military service to the Empire. Sir Joseph was recruited into the Austenasian Army on 8 March 2010, the second day of the Austenasian Civil War. A close friend of the then Emperor Esmond III, who was Monarch at the time, Sir Joseph was immediately appointed General of the 1st Inner Austenasia Division. Given the informal designation of “High General”, Sir Joseph was a leading Esmondian figure during the civil war, second only to the Emperor and Prime Minister. Instrumental in recruiting new soldiers, he retained much influence in the unofficial imperial court which grew out of the Esmondian military HQ at Esmond III’s school after the civil war ended. General Sir Joseph became known as Legate Sir Joseph when the 1st Inner Austenasian Division was renamed to Legio I Britannica in January 2011. This was part of extensive military reforms which were widely welcomed by most soldiers, one aspect of which was to remodel the Austenasian Army on Roman rather than British influences. By an Imperial Decree issued earlier this afternoon, the Emperor has appointed Countess Eritoshi of Memphis the new Legate of Legio I Britannica. He also granted the legion the battle honour of “London 2011” in recognition of the part which it played in protecting Austenasia during the riots in England in August 2011 – although the legion did not see combat, soldiers were mobilised and played a vital role in assuaging the fears of Austenasian residents away on holiday who had left their properties defenceless. Sir Joseph has been given another knighthood by the Emperor in recognition of his three years of service, being made a Knight Commander in the Austenasian Order. He will from now on be known as Sir Joseph Goldie, KCA, KCP.
Observation balloon successfully launched
Britons living in the United Kingdom around the Austenasian capital of Wrythe had a strange sight early this afternoon as a large bunch of balloons went floating over their gardens with a camera phone attached. His Imperial Majesty’s Observation Balloon (HIMOB) Ascension was launched by the Emperor and Crown Princess Caroline from the back patio of the Imperial Residence. Constructed by attaching helium balloons to a camera phone, the Ascension had fishing line tied to the balloons with which to guide the craft and pull it back to the ground. The launch, codenamed Operation Roy in honour of the late Prince of Sealand who passed away last year, is the first time that the Empire of Austenasia has constructed and launched any form of aircraft. Developed by the Austenasian Army (with the Emperor overseeing the launch in his capacity as Dux Britanniarum), the designs of the Ascension and a report on Operation Roy will be given to the Imperial Air Force later this week, with an intention for more sophisticated craft to be built in the future. The Ascension rose far into the air before drifting north due to wind, recording an aerial view of not only Wrythe but several nearby British residences. The fishing line used to guide it got caught around a chimney for some minutes, but the craft floated back around it and was able to be reeled in and the recorded footage uploaded. A film of the launch of the Ascension can be seen here. Readers who suffer from vertigo or related conditions are warned that the footage is jerky and the camera rotates several times due to the way in which it was attached to the balloons.
