As a senior military officer, Sikorski's personal financial situation is still good. During his stay in London, Sikorski lived near King's Road in Chelsea, less than 500 meters away from the Southern African Embassy in the UK.
After the outbreak of the European War, King's Road became increasingly lively. Countless European politicians in exile in the United Kingdom gathered here. The residence of Haile Selassie I was also nearby. They all wanted to obtain assistance from southern Africa.
No one knows how big the government-in-exile is in London.
Even the Ottoman Empire's office in London has not closed, which shows its long history.
Diplomats from various countries often gather in the cafe opposite the Southern African Embassy in the UK, and staff from the Southern African Embassy in the UK sometimes appear in the cafe.
Although it is well known that the coffee served by the Southern African Embassy in the UK is excellent.
It's definitely better than the coffee offered in cafes.
"Gentlemen, if you have wine today, you will get drunk now. Cherish the good times now and let's have a drink!" Mars, from Eastern Europe, raised his glass and proposed, which received enthusiastic responses from the customers.
The war has come, and there will be fewer and fewer cafes that can serve coffee. During the last World War, Britain implemented a rationing system on many supplies, including food, and it is expected to be the same this time.
The owner of this cafe is very knowledgeable and not only provides high-quality coffee from Southeast Asia, but also champagne from France, wine from Cape Town, and vodka from Johannesburg.
There are various types of food, including freshly baked biscuits that are steaming and fragrant, a variety of snacks originating from the ancient oriental empire, as well as "chips" and "fried fish" known as the British national dishes.
Can be found.
What's even more exciting is that there are often interesting gossips in cafes. The source of the news is unknown, but the authenticity is very high.
"Henry, has Downing Street agreed to give you an interest-free loan?" Skrtel from Czechoslovakia asked Kainz from Austria. Their countries have been annexed by Germany and they share the same fate.
"No, but we are no longer seeking interest-free loans. What we hope to get is assistance." Kainz has a big appetite. Interest-free loans must be repaid, but assistance does not need to be repaid.
"We don't need money, what we need are weapons and equipment, even if they are obsolete from the Royal Army," Glarski from Poland asked lowly.
"Ha, Britain doesn't have a Royal Army, but it does have a Royal Navy." Mars let go completely, and what he drank was vodka.
The cafe not only provides vodka, but also salted duck eggs.
This is the true combination of East and West.
At this time, the doorbell rang suddenly, and it was Willie Patrick, the second secretary of the Southern African Embassy in the UK, who walked in.
This doorbell is either an electric doorbell or a bell hung on the door. As long as a guest pushes the door, the doorbell will ring.
"Hello Willy"
"Good evening Willy"
"I miss you so much Willie"
The diplomats warmly welcomed Willy's arrival, as if they were long-lost relatives.
"Good evening gentlemen, David, bring me a glass of Nyasaland." Willy looked tired, like a middle-aged man who worked overtime until one o'clock in the morning.
"Willy, is there any good news?" Skrtel squeezed between Willy and Kainz with a cup. Although Kainz was dissatisfied, he did not get angry and did not give up his stool. Skrtel simply leaned on
On the bar.
"There is no good news you want. The British and French forces are still in the strong fortifications of the Maginot Line and have not launched an attack on the German army. The navy's battleships are still parked in the military port. Southern Africa still has not declared war on Germany. The above is what happened today.
Everything." Wei Li seemed to reveal a lot of information, but also seemed to say nothing. In short, nothing happened.
Nothing really happened.
The sit-down war on the Western Front continued, with the British, French and German forces waiting to attack, so that the defenders could rely on strong fortifications to wait for work.
The Royal Navy dispatched some cruisers and destroyers to escort, but the German High Seas Fleet made no move.
The High Seas Fleet did not dare to move.
The Royal Navy in 1939 was still one of the most powerful fleets in the world, with 15 battleships and battlecruisers, four aircraft carriers, 64 cruisers, 119 destroyers, and a large number of frigates, submarines, minesweepers and other auxiliary ships.
The ship has a gross tonnage of 1.3 million tons.
At the same time, there are still four aircraft carriers, five battleships, 23 cruisers, 52 destroyers and a large number of ships under construction in British shipyards.
Compared with the Royal Navy, the German Navy only had two pitiful light battlecruisers, three pocket battleships, two 10,000-ton heavy cruisers equipped with 203mm guns, 6 light cruisers, and 60 destroyers and frigates.
Small ships included.
The strength gap is so huge that the German navy did not dare to leave the military port. Instead, a German submarine attacked a Polish merchant ship in the waters north of England the day before yesterday.
"Strange war, strange people" Skrtel did not dare to complain about the British and French forces, this could only be regarded as a complaint.
"When is the Highland Brigade going to leave?" Willy noticed that Gralski's glass was almost empty and motioned to the waiter to give Gralski another glass.
The Polish Highland Brigade is a unit composed entirely of Sikorski passengers. Less than a week after its establishment, this unit received an order to go to France to cooperate with the British and French coalition forces.
"I don't know, our soldiers don't even have enough weapons and equipment. What can they do even if they get to France?" Gralski was filled with resentment. The British and French were too stingy towards Poland.
"If it's just weapons, then I can help." Willy's words made Glaski overjoyed, and he finally saw hope.
"Don't be too happy. The weapons I mentioned have nothing to do with the Southern African federal government. To be precise, they are French weapons, but they have never been delivered to the French." Willy was not trying to sell things. He first
To clear away responsibility.
London is known as the "Spy Capital of the World". There are countless intelligence agents from various countries lurking in London. There may be German agents in the cafe in front of you.
The federal government of Southern Africa has not yet joined the war, so it is naturally impossible for it to provide aid to the Poles in an open and honest manner.
At this time, some previous "historical issues" came into use.
This batch of weapons also starts with France’s order for southern Africa.
After France placed the order, Nyasaland Military Industry organized a batch of weapons and equipment to be sent to France as quickly as possible.
As a result, before this batch of weapons and equipment arrived in France, the French tore up the arms purchase agreement with southern Africa.
The French have paid for this batch of weapons and equipment, and in theory they already belong to the French.
However, the French had not paid the freight, so the Walvis Bay Ocean Shipping Company, which was responsible for the transportation business, refused to hand over this batch of weapons and ammunition to the French.
This batch of weapons and ammunition is now stored in Saint Roch's warehouse.
"According to the requirements of the French, these weapons all use French standards, including rifles, general-purpose machine guns, mortars, high-level dual-purpose machine guns, etc. The requirements of Walvis Bay Ocean Shipping Company are very simple, as long as someone is willing to pay
If you pay shipping and storage fees, then you can transport all the weapons away." Willy's words made Gralski slightly uneasy, as it turned out that money was still required.
Compared with the actual value of weapons and equipment, shipping and storage fees are definitely not worth mentioning.
But the current Polish government-in-exile cannot even come up with this little money.
The opportunity is rare after all.
The quality of the weapons and equipment produced by Nyasaland Military Industry is obvious to all. The rifles produced in France have a barrel life of only about 3,000 rounds, while the barrels of Nyasaland Military Industry have a lifespan twice as long.
The Polish Highland Brigade went to France to fight. Britain and France should be responsible for the equipment of the Highland Brigade. Therefore, Sikorski went to Neville, hoping that the British government would come forward to pay for the shipping and storage fees.
The British government was indeed negligent towards Sikorski. Sikorski did not even meet anyone from Neville. The person who came to receive Sikorski was a secretary in the Prime Minister's Office, and even Neville's personal secretary.
no.
"I'm sorry, General, there is a dispute between this piece of weapons and equipment and the French government. The French government has asked for this batch of equipment many times, but Walvis Bay Ocean Shipping Company insists on refusing to deliver it. The two companies are about to take the lawsuit to the International Court of Justice.
It is inconvenient for the British government to intervene”
Sikorski never expected to receive such a reply.
"Wait a minute, the Polish Highland Brigade went to France to assist the British and French coalition forces in the battle!" Sikorski couldn't believe it. How long would it take for a lawsuit to be filed? Germany has annexed Poland. Can the International Court of Justice handle it?
This is it
The full name of the International Court of Justice is the "Permanent Tribunal for International Adjudication". It was formally established in The Hague, Netherlands, in December 1920. It is one of the main institutions of the League of Nations.
Sikorski still doesn't know that the Germans have formulated an "Industrial Plan" to attack France, and the Netherlands, where the International Court of Justice in The Hague is located, is also part of the "Industrial Plan".
The secretary's smile was both awkward and polite, which meant that I knew this was inappropriate, but there was nothing I could do to help.
Sikorski's body was shaking when he walked out of No. 10 Downing Street.
He simply cannot understand the thinking of the British and French.
"General, please wait a moment." A staff member of the Prime Minister's Office called to Sikorski.
Sikorski looked back with despair on his face.
"General, this is the phone number of Mr. Brewster Rhodes of the Rhodes Foundation. Maybe he can help you." The staff handed Sikorski a business card with only a name and a phone number on it.
He doesn't even have a title, he looks like a street hustler.
"Thank you, thank you very much" Sikorski said with mixed emotions.
The Highland Brigade went to France to fight to help the British and French forces.
Not only did the British government not help, but they asked Sikorski to thank the British.
What are you grateful for?
Thanks to the British for allowing Poles to go to France to fight for the British?
Thank you for almost eight generations of ancestors.
