Setting Jhamjarhistan Ablaze - Part the Third

 Der Zeppelin Korps

In the Zeppelin base at Cologne, matters seemed to be moving at a very rapid rate, indeed. LZ36 was making ready to take to the air. It was announced as a record-breaking flight to Persia for the general public. In actual fact LZ36 was to undertake a top secret mission to central Asia. The Gräfin von Zeppelin was one of the few people who knew the real purpose of the mission and she was currently engaged in embarking her clandestine corps of soldiers onto LZ36. This corps were known as Der Zeppelin Korps, formed in 1915 in secret by Helene (Hella) Amalie Gräfin von Brandenstein-Zeppelin (Gräfin von Zeppelin), daughter of the Zeppelin inventor, Ferdinand Adolf Heinrich August Graf von Zeppelin.

Gräfin von Zeppelin

Troopers of Der Zeppelin Korps

Originally part of Die Fliegertruppen des Deutschen Kaiserreiches (Imperial German Flying Corps), abbreviated to Die Fliegertruppe. In 1916 the Kaiser gave permission for the Zeppelin Korps to break away from the Fliegertruppe and become a secret autonomous arm of the German military. Only the elite were selected for service in the Korps after a rigorous selection process. Details of their missions during World War I are scarce, as the Allies suppressed details of their raids behind Allied lines to avoid panic. It is thought that the Korps took part in the raid on Britain by LZ 36. This raid was intended to destroy British historical documents, including the copy of Magna Carta held in Balcoven Castle in Scotland. This raid was only defeated at the last minute by a British spy, Lieutenant Geoffrey Richter-Douglas.

Gräfin von Zeppelin and Lieutenant Geoffrey Richter-Douglas

LZ36 flies over Cologne Cathedral

Part of the troops embarking on LZ36 are the Geier Geschwader. Unknown to all outside Der Zeppelin Korps is an elite within the elite of the Korps. Known as the Geier Geschwader (Vulture Squadron), these daredevils are experimenting with parachutes as a means of attack rather than the traditional exit from a burning plane or balloon. Led by Rittmeister Rikard D’Astardly, the Vultures are all volunteers from the Korps. Consequently, they only number three members at present. In addition to the Rittmeister, there is the eccentric inventor, Hauptmann Herman von Klunk, the Squadron’s technical expert and Oberleutnant Albrecht Zilly who is somewhat of an enigma.

Zilly, D'Astardly and Klunk

To be continued...