Secret weapons of the Kaiser - Part 2

Bismarck’s plan for a successful invasion of Britain had one major stumbling block: the Royal Navy. 

The Chancellor had no doubt that the German army would prevail on land but the likelihood of the Kriegsmarine overmatching its opponent, even in a localised way, were slim at best. 

Spies had reported that the British were close to unlocking the secrets of the captured Martian machines, secrets which if applied militarily would see the Fatherland forever denied its rightful place in the world. Subjugation of the British and the seizure of their Martian relics was a clear priority…and yet the problem of Britain’s naval shield remained.

In the winter of ’83 a demonstration of troop carrying balloons by a young Uhlan officer named Frederick Von Zeppelin went tragically wrong and the Chancellor, who had been pinning all his hopes on the project, began to wonder if the task might not be feasible. 

As it transpired the answer to his prayers came unexpectedly, on a visit to a Silesian coal field which was employing a new invention that had increased their lignite production ten fold. When the invention was revealed to be an enormous tracked drilling machine, Bismarck removed his monocle and stared, open mouthed. He had his solution! If he could not go over the Royal Navy in balloons, he would go under them instead!

Within the hour troops were summoned and the site closed down. The machines inventor was sought and escorted to Berlin to oversee the production of more of them and Project Mole as it became known was officially stamped “STRENG GEHEIM”.

Within a year 12 further Maulwurfe were completed and shipped to a remote location on the Belgian coast that was owned by a German front company. By the summer of 1885 seven had tunnelled beneath the channel without detection and were considered to be broadly in position. 

With the Summer fading into Autumn Germany began a series of lengthy military manoeuvres on the Belgian border and while the world wondered what was going on, in seven locations deep beneath Kent the moles awaited the order to ascend.

Der Maulwerf

Mole 2 breaks the surface

Mole 2 from the other side.

Each individual Mole is 60ft long and powered by a large above ground steam engine driving the machines massive drill bit by means of an ever extending flexible belt. The belt design powers the mole and also drags the huge volume of spoil from its tunnel, the earth being loaded into barges at night and dumped out at sea. A single onboard pilot is tasked with keeping the machine on course and despite the machines size the cockpit area where he must reside for seven days before relief is cramped and uncomfortable. Supplied with basic rations and breathable air via an India rubber umbilicus each mole pilot is a convicted military prisoner promised a full pardon and release on completion of their mission.*

TTFN

*Yeah, like that’s going to happen?!