Winters1001
Dockworker
I was born in early December of the later 1600s, in Nova Scotia, Canada to my mother Rochel Grace Burke and father Howard Fruechan. My father was of a military origin, having served in the Royal Army grenadiers for some twenty-five years, retiring as a Colonel. My mother had been along him all that time, and was deeply interested in poetry and music. After leaving the service, my father became restless, and elected to go to a wild and new frontier; Canada. He and my mother would spend the rest of their lives there, though they were buried in Stockholm. My mother was of Swedish descent, and would spend a great deal of my adolescence teaching me to survive on my own in civil society, how to cook and clean. She also taught me of great poets and authors, as well as giving me an introduction to the violin, which I would later transfer to my preferred instruments, the viola and contrabass.
My father was far more rugged, being born an Irishman, and often took me on hunting and travelling expeditions, teaching me navigation by sea and land, marksmanship, bladework, and woodscraft. I loved my parents dearly, and relished the fact I was an only child. They agreed though that I must be sent out into the world soon, to reach maturity and manhood early. We have not long for this Earth, and I must experience it as they had. At age ten, I was chartered as a steward aboard the whaling vessel the S.S. Polar Star. I would spend two years on this vessel, before bouncing around on several more whaling vessels. At age thirteen I would serve as fourth mate and quartermaster aboard the S.S. Cornelius. I would be raised to third mate at age fourteen, but received a letter from home when we docked in Greenland that I should return home a year later, just a month before my sixteenth birthday. I spent the month with my parents and the town that had built up in my absence, telling what stories I had, and demonstrating all that I had learned. On my birthday, I was informed that I had been enrolled in university. It was brilliant that I had learned to live, but I must still know how to live amoungst civilised men, and also need a means to earn funding for my family.
I was sent to the University of Birmingham to study towards my Magister Juris (MJur), a four year study. I did well for my first semester of studies, but quickly grew bored of school. My teachers and peers quickly became the first victims on my primal skill, as I spent a great deal of time performing pranks, as well as joining the team wrestling and boxing teams. My grades dropped during my second semester, and I elected during the summer after to spend a stint in the military to ease my natural warrior instinct. I enlisted in the Royal Army Grenadiers being sorted into a platoon of the 51st Light Regiment of Foot. I would serve with this unit for four years, primarily in Egypt and India. While in india, I earned an oak leaf on my campaign ribbon for being “mentioned in dispatches”, my first military honour. I also received a promotion to Corporal, and a severe case of malaria. The case could have proven fatal, but I spent four days and nights starving out the condition, not eating and drinking only the absolutely required amount of water. When I recovered, I was discharged from service at the age of twenty-one.
It was then I returned to university for three more years, being more calm in my demeanor and behaviour. I joined the boxing and wrestling teams again, rising to be a heavyweight champion. I also fenced, being a regional semifinalist. Some of my favourite activities surprised me, those being as a contrabass player in the orchestra, as well as a principal speaker on the debate team. These action seemed far too ordinary and mundane at first thought, but in time I found them to be quite rousing. I was also elected to the student body council in my final year, serving as the Sergeant at Arms of the university. I earned my degree, finishing 17 in my class of 100 at the age of twenty-four. I then went into private practice with a fellow student and trusted friend Jonathan Benjamin Hayes. This would last for two years until I became exceedingly bored of city life. I left my role at the firm, maintaining a cofounder status to continue earning royalties.
At this point, I tried to enlist again in the Royal Army, but was refused because of my past condition of malaria. I did receive an offer to be appointed into the Royal Marines as a Lieutenant in the First Marine Cavalry. I had, to this point, rode very very little, but decided to accept this offer. My first duty station was again in India, where I would lead a charge against an overwhelming force of tribals in New Delhi. For this display of courage, I was awarded my first Distinguished Service Cross. I was then transferred to Burma, and promoted to Senior Lieutenant, in the billet of Quartermaster. I became quickly bored of this role, and was also just bad at the paperwork. My administrative skills were always my lowest rated field to this point, and so I was quickly moved back into the field. The man who replaced me somehow managed to perform even worse, and I was then moved back. Realising that this job was crucial to the men in the field, I spent time studying logistics and troop movement, becoming invaluable to the regiment. In the end, I spent very little time in the field in Burma, but received oak leaves on my Burma Star for “Valuable Service”, which I hold very proudly. At this point, I had been in service again for five years, and was now thirty-one years old. I then received a very brief transfer to a Ceremonial Guard unit in London, where I met my first wife Elizabeth Hansen. I loved her dearly, and had her accompany me to my next assignment, Australia. I was promoted to Captain when I reached Sydney, and was put into the field. I spent a year travelling far out of civilased areas to reign in tribes of aboriginals. For one particular action in which we seized three towns in two days, I was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross a second time, earning me me a clasp for the award. When I returned to my personal home in Australia, I found it had been raided and burnt to the ground by aboriginals. What they did to my Elizabeth will be forever burned into my memory, and was so terrible I will not tell of it here.
In a fit of rage, I mustered as many of my men as possible, and marched them three days in the awful, dry, near unlivable climate where I knew this tribe lived. We assaulted with unmatched ferocity and vigor, and decimated the tribe, leaving no warrior, young or old, alive. I personally saw the execution of the tribal leader. As I was working my way through the upper defenses, he charged at me on his horse, but only managed a glancing blow to my shoulder with his swing, which only served to infuriate me more. I must now interject a physical description of my size. I stood at this time at nearly six feet five inches, and weighed some two-hundred and twenty pound. When the bastard missed, I reached out to grab the reigns of his horse, and drug it to the ground, him along with it. As he jumped up to charge for me, I brought my broadsword down in a mighty strike, cleaving him from shoulder to groin, nearly splitting him in two, and then severed the head of his prized mount, before turning back to eliminate what was now a small cluster of demoralized barbarians. I took his head as a trophy, and as a warning to all other tribes. Any woman or child who resisted as we marched them back to our headquarters was immediately executed. After three days, we returned home, and told of our exploits. For this act in eliminating a great threat to civilized society, I was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, just short of the Victoria Cross. I then requested a transfer to an administrative position in a more peaceful area, which was awarded to me. At the age of thirty-three, I was promoted to Major and relocated to China. I enjoyed my time here, and used it as a chance to clear my mind and spirit. Two years later at age thirty-five I was discharged. I had served for nine years, and left as a Major.
In all of my service I had earned the DSO, the DSC with one clasp, the India Star with a clasp for “Mentioned in Dispatches”, the Egypt Star, the Australia Star, the Burma Star with a clasp for “Valuable Service”, and the China Star. I now sought something different from adventure. Knowledge, and wisdom. After returning home for one year, during which both of my parents would pass, I left at age thirty-six to attend two universities at the same time, the Royal Academy of Music to study for a Doctorate of Music (DMus) with an emphasis in Contrabass and Conducting, and the Imperial College of London to study for a Masters in Medicine (MMed). I finished after eight years of schooling at age forty-four, and spent two years stagnant, travelling short distances every now and then. I then got a breath of adventure again when I met my second wife, Elsaysha Farhat, a native Canadian. We travelled Canada together for four years, until eventually she fell ill with fever and passed. Her passing made me lose my faith in my medical studies and ability at medicine, stopping my studies before I would return for a Doctorate. Again now, I was lost, but with no personal war to wage this time. I was now forty-eight, and twice widowed.
I was now no longer in any direct role in the law firm I had founded, though I still received a fair royalty every month. I elected to spend another year in Asia, exploring and mapping. I found that studying native peoples was far more interesting and easy if you weren’t actively trying to slay them in battle. I spent two years in Australia, again exploring and mapping, as well as helping to forge relations with the remaining aboriginal tribes in the area. Further, I spent a year in Egypt, and three more years split between Canada and Greenland. I returned briefly to London to turn in my maps and findings and found a Publishing company, and lecture at several universities. I then returned to Denmark for one year, chartering my own whaling vessel. I was mildly successful at this harpooning around fifteen or twenty whales, mostly white whales, and returned home to Nova Scotia at the age of fifty-six.
It is here that I put this autobiography on a temporary hold. I have elected that I shall charter an expedition to the Caribbean, towards an island fortification known as “Kingshead”, which I hope to use as a home for an explorer’s club. I’ve also heard tales of what the scourge of those islands, the native inhabitants and pirates do to men. It has brought my blood to a light boil, having not seen it myself. If possible, I shall write to whatever Royal Regiments are to be found in the islands, and seek a commission I think.
My father was far more rugged, being born an Irishman, and often took me on hunting and travelling expeditions, teaching me navigation by sea and land, marksmanship, bladework, and woodscraft. I loved my parents dearly, and relished the fact I was an only child. They agreed though that I must be sent out into the world soon, to reach maturity and manhood early. We have not long for this Earth, and I must experience it as they had. At age ten, I was chartered as a steward aboard the whaling vessel the S.S. Polar Star. I would spend two years on this vessel, before bouncing around on several more whaling vessels. At age thirteen I would serve as fourth mate and quartermaster aboard the S.S. Cornelius. I would be raised to third mate at age fourteen, but received a letter from home when we docked in Greenland that I should return home a year later, just a month before my sixteenth birthday. I spent the month with my parents and the town that had built up in my absence, telling what stories I had, and demonstrating all that I had learned. On my birthday, I was informed that I had been enrolled in university. It was brilliant that I had learned to live, but I must still know how to live amoungst civilised men, and also need a means to earn funding for my family.
I was sent to the University of Birmingham to study towards my Magister Juris (MJur), a four year study. I did well for my first semester of studies, but quickly grew bored of school. My teachers and peers quickly became the first victims on my primal skill, as I spent a great deal of time performing pranks, as well as joining the team wrestling and boxing teams. My grades dropped during my second semester, and I elected during the summer after to spend a stint in the military to ease my natural warrior instinct. I enlisted in the Royal Army Grenadiers being sorted into a platoon of the 51st Light Regiment of Foot. I would serve with this unit for four years, primarily in Egypt and India. While in india, I earned an oak leaf on my campaign ribbon for being “mentioned in dispatches”, my first military honour. I also received a promotion to Corporal, and a severe case of malaria. The case could have proven fatal, but I spent four days and nights starving out the condition, not eating and drinking only the absolutely required amount of water. When I recovered, I was discharged from service at the age of twenty-one.
It was then I returned to university for three more years, being more calm in my demeanor and behaviour. I joined the boxing and wrestling teams again, rising to be a heavyweight champion. I also fenced, being a regional semifinalist. Some of my favourite activities surprised me, those being as a contrabass player in the orchestra, as well as a principal speaker on the debate team. These action seemed far too ordinary and mundane at first thought, but in time I found them to be quite rousing. I was also elected to the student body council in my final year, serving as the Sergeant at Arms of the university. I earned my degree, finishing 17 in my class of 100 at the age of twenty-four. I then went into private practice with a fellow student and trusted friend Jonathan Benjamin Hayes. This would last for two years until I became exceedingly bored of city life. I left my role at the firm, maintaining a cofounder status to continue earning royalties.
At this point, I tried to enlist again in the Royal Army, but was refused because of my past condition of malaria. I did receive an offer to be appointed into the Royal Marines as a Lieutenant in the First Marine Cavalry. I had, to this point, rode very very little, but decided to accept this offer. My first duty station was again in India, where I would lead a charge against an overwhelming force of tribals in New Delhi. For this display of courage, I was awarded my first Distinguished Service Cross. I was then transferred to Burma, and promoted to Senior Lieutenant, in the billet of Quartermaster. I became quickly bored of this role, and was also just bad at the paperwork. My administrative skills were always my lowest rated field to this point, and so I was quickly moved back into the field. The man who replaced me somehow managed to perform even worse, and I was then moved back. Realising that this job was crucial to the men in the field, I spent time studying logistics and troop movement, becoming invaluable to the regiment. In the end, I spent very little time in the field in Burma, but received oak leaves on my Burma Star for “Valuable Service”, which I hold very proudly. At this point, I had been in service again for five years, and was now thirty-one years old. I then received a very brief transfer to a Ceremonial Guard unit in London, where I met my first wife Elizabeth Hansen. I loved her dearly, and had her accompany me to my next assignment, Australia. I was promoted to Captain when I reached Sydney, and was put into the field. I spent a year travelling far out of civilased areas to reign in tribes of aboriginals. For one particular action in which we seized three towns in two days, I was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross a second time, earning me me a clasp for the award. When I returned to my personal home in Australia, I found it had been raided and burnt to the ground by aboriginals. What they did to my Elizabeth will be forever burned into my memory, and was so terrible I will not tell of it here.
In a fit of rage, I mustered as many of my men as possible, and marched them three days in the awful, dry, near unlivable climate where I knew this tribe lived. We assaulted with unmatched ferocity and vigor, and decimated the tribe, leaving no warrior, young or old, alive. I personally saw the execution of the tribal leader. As I was working my way through the upper defenses, he charged at me on his horse, but only managed a glancing blow to my shoulder with his swing, which only served to infuriate me more. I must now interject a physical description of my size. I stood at this time at nearly six feet five inches, and weighed some two-hundred and twenty pound. When the bastard missed, I reached out to grab the reigns of his horse, and drug it to the ground, him along with it. As he jumped up to charge for me, I brought my broadsword down in a mighty strike, cleaving him from shoulder to groin, nearly splitting him in two, and then severed the head of his prized mount, before turning back to eliminate what was now a small cluster of demoralized barbarians. I took his head as a trophy, and as a warning to all other tribes. Any woman or child who resisted as we marched them back to our headquarters was immediately executed. After three days, we returned home, and told of our exploits. For this act in eliminating a great threat to civilized society, I was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, just short of the Victoria Cross. I then requested a transfer to an administrative position in a more peaceful area, which was awarded to me. At the age of thirty-three, I was promoted to Major and relocated to China. I enjoyed my time here, and used it as a chance to clear my mind and spirit. Two years later at age thirty-five I was discharged. I had served for nine years, and left as a Major.
In all of my service I had earned the DSO, the DSC with one clasp, the India Star with a clasp for “Mentioned in Dispatches”, the Egypt Star, the Australia Star, the Burma Star with a clasp for “Valuable Service”, and the China Star. I now sought something different from adventure. Knowledge, and wisdom. After returning home for one year, during which both of my parents would pass, I left at age thirty-six to attend two universities at the same time, the Royal Academy of Music to study for a Doctorate of Music (DMus) with an emphasis in Contrabass and Conducting, and the Imperial College of London to study for a Masters in Medicine (MMed). I finished after eight years of schooling at age forty-four, and spent two years stagnant, travelling short distances every now and then. I then got a breath of adventure again when I met my second wife, Elsaysha Farhat, a native Canadian. We travelled Canada together for four years, until eventually she fell ill with fever and passed. Her passing made me lose my faith in my medical studies and ability at medicine, stopping my studies before I would return for a Doctorate. Again now, I was lost, but with no personal war to wage this time. I was now forty-eight, and twice widowed.
I was now no longer in any direct role in the law firm I had founded, though I still received a fair royalty every month. I elected to spend another year in Asia, exploring and mapping. I found that studying native peoples was far more interesting and easy if you weren’t actively trying to slay them in battle. I spent two years in Australia, again exploring and mapping, as well as helping to forge relations with the remaining aboriginal tribes in the area. Further, I spent a year in Egypt, and three more years split between Canada and Greenland. I returned briefly to London to turn in my maps and findings and found a Publishing company, and lecture at several universities. I then returned to Denmark for one year, chartering my own whaling vessel. I was mildly successful at this harpooning around fifteen or twenty whales, mostly white whales, and returned home to Nova Scotia at the age of fifty-six.
It is here that I put this autobiography on a temporary hold. I have elected that I shall charter an expedition to the Caribbean, towards an island fortification known as “Kingshead”, which I hope to use as a home for an explorer’s club. I’ve also heard tales of what the scourge of those islands, the native inhabitants and pirates do to men. It has brought my blood to a light boil, having not seen it myself. If possible, I shall write to whatever Royal Regiments are to be found in the islands, and seek a commission I think.