The Bones of Napoleon

The Bones of Napoleon

Preserved from a now defunct web site from 1997. Original source had dead links to original maps/images. Now updated with my interpretation of maps and images.

Uses the Twilight 2000 version 2.2 RPG Rules.

Synopsis

England kept Napoleon’s remains on St. Helena, stating that his exile was to be permanent. By 1940, the tomb has had an honor guard for 120 years. The refusal to return the French emperor’s body has been a minor point of friction between France and England over the years, but it did not stop France and England from seeing the necessity of allying for the Crimean War, World War 1, and World War 2. And, as in our world, Germany invades France in May of 1940, and France still falls in just six weeks.

Shortly thereafter, someone within the SS administration of occupied France conceived a plan called Operation French Ghost to send a commando squad drawn from Germany’s elite parachute troops in a submarine to raid St. Helena and return Napoleon’s bones to a grateful France.

From the Executive Précis of Operation French Ghost Mission Plan

...The benefits of such an operation successfully carried out, with the remains interred in a suitably magnificent tomb in (occupied) Paris as a gift from Germany to the people of France are manifold, but include:

• Gaining the active cooperation of the people of France. A cooperative, friendly France will be easier to administer.

• Showing Germany as a champion helping its allies to right old wrongs - especially wrongs done by the English.

• Showing that Germany can strike the English anywhere it pleases. Striking into the South Atlantic can strengthen our influence in South America.

Certainly, these potential benefits are worth the risk of one submarine and a squad of fallschirmjaegers?