Trench Bolts and Magic

Chapter 83 Second-Class Iron Cross

Crown Prince George smiled and returned the salute to Major Thomas, then walked toward the neatly arranged honor guard, accompanied by Lieutenant General Mackensen and others.

He walked slowly past the first row of the formation, his gentle yet sharp eyes sweeping over the face of every soldier.

Morin slung the back of his command sword over his shoulder and stood at the front of the 1st Company's formation, bearing the greatest pressure. He could clearly feel the Crown Prince's gaze linger on him for a moment.

"You're Lieutenant Friedrich Morin?"

The Crown Prince stopped in front of Morin and asked.

His voice, like his face, was very gentle. Morin didn't know if the other person had been specially trained, but in any case, it gave people a sense of friendliness.

"Yes, Your Highness!" Morin answered loudly, without looking to the side.

"Ah, very good."

The crown prince nodded, said nothing more, and continued walking forward.

He walked slowly, stopping every now and then to exchange a few words with the soldiers in front of him.

We walked and asked questions along the way.

The issues mostly revolve around the most basic things like military service, food, and family.

The soldiers who were asked all stood tall and answered each question with somewhat excited voices.

Their faces radiated a sense of pride and glory at being noticed by the Crown Prince of the Empire.

These seemingly casual questions serve both as a way to boost morale and as a form of informal field investigation.

As Morin stood at the front of the company, he noticed the Crown Prince gradually moving to the back of the column, and the tension in his heart eased slightly.

Thankfully, no one made any mistakes.

The atmosphere in the group gradually changed from extreme tension to solemnity and enthusiasm as the Crown Prince spoke amiably with him.

As the inspection concluded, Crown Prince George walked to the front of the formation and ascended a small, pre-prepared platform, facing all the officers and soldiers of the 1st Battalion.

At Major Thomas's command, the soldiers quickly lowered their rifles to their sides.

"Soldiers of Saxony!"

Crown Prince George's voice carried through the cool morning air, echoing throughout the entire reviewing stand.

"I, Georg, on behalf of my father, thank you for your service and sacrifice for the Empire!"

His gaze swept over every young or weathered face in the queue, his tone full of sincerity.

"Your bravery has defended the honor of the Empire! Your sacrifice has turned the tide of the war! The Empire will forever remember your achievements!"

"This military operation is crucial to the future development of the Empire! We must not only strive for peace for our allies, but also win the rightful place and respect for the Empire on the continent of Europe!"

"I believe that in future battles, you will continue to display your courage and fearlessness, and achieve even greater victories for the Empire! His Majesty will be waiting for your triumphant return in Dresden!"

The speech was short and lacked flowery language, but in an imperial country like this, the act of the ruling class personally going to the front lines and speaking could greatly boost morale.

"For the Emperor and the Empire!"

Major Thomas and Morin, following the pre-rehearsed procedure, simultaneously raised their swords and shouted.

Immediately afterwards, the entire 1st Battalion erupted in a thunderous roar.

"For the Emperor and the Empire!"

"For the Emperor and the Empire!"

The soldiers' enthusiasm was completely ignited; they roared with all their might, venting their excitement.

The crown prince smiled as he looked at the group of spirited soldiers before him, nodded in satisfaction, and then stepped down from the platform.

Soon, silence returned to the reviewing stand.

Immediately afterwards, an officer standing next to the Crown Prince stepped forward, pulled a list from a folder in his hand, cleared his throat, and began to read it aloud.

He read out several names in succession, including Major Thomas, all of whom were officers who had fought in the Battle of Seville. "Lieutenant Friedrich Morin, 1st Company, 1st Battalion, 32nd Tswickau Infantry Regiment!"

Morin felt a chill run down his spine, and almost instinctively, he stepped forward from the queue.

"Sergeant Major Schultz Krauss, 1st Company!"

"Sergeant Sebastian Bowman, 1st Platoon, 1st Company!"

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The names of officers and soldiers who distinguished themselves in the defense of Seville were read out one after another. Most of them were veterans and non-commissioned officers who survived the street fighting in Seville, and there were also a few wounded soldiers who insisted on participating in the review despite being injured.

All those whose names were called quickly and neatly lined up in front of the Crown Prince.

They stood tall and proud, their faces filled with excitement and anticipation.

The crown prince and an officer carrying a tray walked to the front of the line and began to award medals to everyone one by one.

When he stood before Morin, he picked up a Second Class Iron Cross medal, a black cast iron medal with silver trim that looked particularly solemn in the morning light.

"Lieutenant Morin."

The Crown Prince's voice wasn't loud, but it was clear enough for Morin to hear.

"I've read the battle reports about your performance in Seville; it was outstanding. I hope you will contribute even more to the Imperial Army."

As he spoke, he pinned the medal to Morin's chest.

"Yes, Your Highness!" Morin naturally wouldn't say anything out of line at this moment, but simply replied in a deep voice.

The crown prince nodded to him and then moved on to the next person.

Sergeant Klaus straightened his back, his very typical 'German' face flushed with excitement.

When the crown prince pinned the medal on him, this tough guy, who was decisive and ruthless on the battlefield, actually had tears in his eyes.

Although he had served for 16 years, Klaus had never had the opportunity to distinguish himself in battle because the 8th Infantry Division had never been deployed to overseas colonies for combat.

The Iron Cross, Second Class, is essentially the highest honor a rank-and-file soldier can receive in peacetime.

The awarding ceremony was conducted in a solemn atmosphere. Several soldiers who were wounded in battle received an additional black Third Class Wound Medal in addition to their Iron Cross.

When the Crown Prince conferred medals on them, he specifically inquired about their injuries and instructed the accompanying military doctors to take good care of them.

These subtle actions were captured one by one by the war correspondents around them with their cameras.

It is foreseeable that in the near future, these heartwarming photos will be circulated throughout the empire via newspapers, shaping the Crown Prince into a shining image of loving his soldiers like his own children.

After the medal-awarding ceremony concluded and the Crown Prince offered a few words of encouragement, the brief battlefield review came to an end.

Under the command of their officers, the soldiers were led back to camp in an orderly manner.

Morin and several other decorated officers were left behind.

"Lieutenant Morin, please wait a moment." The Crown Prince's adjutant called out to Morin, who was preparing to return to his unit. "His Highness would like to have a talk with you all."

General Mackensen had previously mentioned to him that the Crown Prince was very interested in the new tactics he had proposed and would definitely ask about them during this meeting, so he had asked Mackensen to prepare in advance.

He followed his adjutant to a makeshift tent set up next to the reviewing stand. The tent was simply furnished with only a field table and a few folding chairs.

Besides Crown Prince George, General Mackensen and several other high-ranking officers were also in the tent.

"Please sit down, don't be shy," the Crown Prince said with a smile, gesturing to the chairs.

Morin and several other officers sat down carefully, their backs ramrod straight.

The Crown Prince first spoke with several other officers, asking about their troops' situation and the difficulties they had encountered in battle.

Although it's unclear whether it's a publicity stunt or a performance, this person's attitude seemed quite sincere to Morin, at least like conducting a genuine survey.

Finally, his gaze fell on Morin.

(End of this chapter)