Minister DeCreme

[maddox]

Minister André DeCreme.Born 12 august 1835.

The firstborn of Clement DeCreme, a dairy farmer and Rebequa Paixhans has seen the horror of war close up.  

His parents told him a lot of stories about the Swiss insurection-Normandy upheaval, and the subsequent damages done to the not so small family resources.
This fueled his hunger for knowledge and a wish to do do something about war, and the horrors brought forth by it.
After a surprisingly gentle childhood he asked his parents to join the French army,and  protect France from evildoers.
With the resources from his family he got on the fast track to officer.

This gave him also the perspective to travel with the French navy, and in his first year as Lieutenant he was the second in command of a detachment of zouaves stationed on the armoured barkantine Fleur as marines. This gave him the taste of the life as a seaman, and even if he was a groundpounder, the sailors of Fleur appreciated his commendable effords to learn what a seaman had to learn. The sailors bapthised him as only of his regiment when they crossed the equator - again-

With the first Prussian war he was one of the great hero's who broke the Prussian siege on Paris with relentless assaults of his Zouaves.  
An on field meeting with general Goeben negotiating a partial cease fire he learned 1 important thing. Wars are gruesome, but fought by people believing their leaders.

In the second Prussian/ French war he returned just to late from Indochia to be active.
Unfortunatly, his fantastique militairy carrier was cut sort by a simple calltrop. When his Zouaves returned to Indochina DeCreme stepped on a left behind calltrop- courtesy of the Swiss/Norman insurection of 1803, and the subsequent infection left him crippled. That gave him an honorable dismission and a generous pension. (his cane is rumored a saber/one shot gun)

Not content with his achivements he went into politics, welcomed by the liberal party.
After 15 years in the top ranks of politics he achieved his lifegoal, minister of Defence.

His current view is simple, now Europe is battlefree.
Thanks to the current rulers the military enemies are outside Europe. And the enemies have to travel by sea. So,giving France the strongest fleet imaginable, France will be safe.
He didn't forget his roots in the army, and under his supervision the French armies are the best equipped, and seemingly the  best motivated troops on the world. Especialy the south Indochina troops recieve the best material.  And it was also DeCreme who pushed Rimauld to convince parliament to "donate" North Indochina to the Dutch.

His only  real weak point is his hatred to the Swiss, who harmed his family in the past, and ruined his career as soldier serving France.

And his age didn't diminish his battlefield trained voice.  Giving him the nickname "Voix de Lion" in parliament.

On  March 1 1901 André DeCreme was gravely injured with a gunshot ,during one of his roaring speeches in Parliament.

The removal of the bullet, and the operation to repair the damage was done by the young but already worldfamous chirurg René Leriche .

A few days later, the anarchistic and elderly "Red Virgin" Louise Michel, got a second chance,and could inject DeCreme with an overdose of morphine. Nobody suspects the old lady.
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"According to the will of Minister of State,André DeCreme, he will be buried in the old Norse way, as befitting of his long line of ancestors and his personal sacrifice to the greater cause of France.
To show the world the Greatness of this Man, a ship will be constructed as if it will sail to war, but also, a guidance to his army past.
Unfortunatly, building a ship like this will take more time that is  fitting for our Great example to be burried.
But our great governement, inventive as always, will carry out  Monsieur DeCreme's will.
André DeCremes immortal remains will be held  for eternity, first in a cryth in his last place of stay, and ironicaly enough, the resting place for other great French hero's, L' hôpital Des Invalides.
The vessel to be his eternal resting place, Croiseur "L'Immortal" will be moored in Paris , in front of the Place de la Concorde."