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| The late BUF Group Leader Giles |
"Thanks to our excellent communications network, news of Sir Gilbert Hill's assault across the Wye in the general area of Winforton reached Hereford very quickly," stated Staff Commander Mann. "It was imperative that re-inforcements be rushed to this new front as soon as possible. Upon enquiries being made, however, it was discovered that our senior commander, Group Leader Giles, was lolling about in his private quarters, quite disinterested in battle, instead perusing a Colefax & Fowler catalogue and gorging himself upon strawberry ice-cream. There was only one possible sentence for such a gross dereliction of duty. Captain Queeg of Wyrd Force organised a drumhead court martial and the subsequent firing party."
Giles (38) originally rose to prominence in the VBCW as the loyal BUF henchman of toady to subordinate of Captain Arrowsmith at The Battle of Bredwardine Fords, there being some suggestion that he transferred to the BUF Three Counties Legion from the Malvern Hills Conservators shortly after the earlier Battle of Bredwardine Bridge. Arrowsmith's initial patronage assisted Giles' rise within the Government command structure, as did the notoriety associated with his name featuring on the Anglican "Most Wanted List" after his spiteful massacre of the Ludlow Expeditionary Force's RNVR Rocket Crews at Bredwardine Bridge (note 1).
Storm Leader Giles (as he then was) thereafter served with distinction at the Battle of Whitney on Wye, before assuming overall command of Government forces following the still unexplained disappearance of his former military mentor, Captain Arrowsmith. It was thought at this time that Giles' influence would wane within the Government command structure; instead, following his stubborn defence at the Battle of Berrington Approaches and battlefield promotion to BUF Storm Commander, Giles' future prospects brightened considerably. Joint leadership (together with the allegedly late Major Straitt-Jackett) of the Government assault columns that successfully invaded came to the assistance of Sir Barrington Patchpole KC at Wigmore burnished his burgeoning reputation and lead to his rapid further promotion, on this occasion to BUF Group Leader.
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| A publicity still of Giles released by HM Govt. upon his promotion to BUF Group Leader |
Against this background of sterling service to the Government cause, how can the BUF Group Leader's sudden "dereliction of duty" be explained?.Some say that Giles never quite recovered from being severely wounded in the course of his epic "woody battle" at the Battle of Berrington Approaches. His illness at the subsequent battle of Wigmore was evident to all military observers, and caused his early - on this occasion, honourable - retirement from the field of battle. Others suggest that the administrative strain of organising the relocation of BUF Barracks within Herefordshire - a very long term project - brought on a severe case of "PTSD" and exacerbated a pre-existing complaint of "OCD" (evidenced by Giles' obsession with the BUF interior design being carried out by the fashionable new firm of Colefax & Fowler). Nobody can quite explain, let alone understand, the late Group Leader's obsession with strawberry ice-cream, which seems to have originated from some kind of "cinematic in-joke" unknown to all but the Group Leader himself. Be that as it may, a few point to the notorious ambitions of Captain Queeg, the newly appointed commander of the Government's "Wyrd Force", and darkly suggest that the drumhead court-martial may have reached its conclusions obscenely swiftly. (note 2).
Group Leader Giles was unmarried, and had no issue. He is buried in an unmarked grave. Donations to the BUF Benevolent Fund (Three Counties Legion). No flowers, please (by order, Staff Commander A.D. Mann).
Notes
(1). see Note 4 to the account of the Battle of Bredwardine Bridge.
(2). in an alternative time-line, Hollywood apparently filmed this version of the Group Leader's final moments.
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