Operation Northern Light

Operation Northern Light
Part of East Keltian Collapse
Date 1.VI.1737 AN - 15.VI.1737 AN Location Normark and Anahuaco, Keltia Status Completed
Belligerents
Nouvelle Alexandrie  Constancia  Benacian Union  Natopia  Oportia  Moorland	Confederacy of the Dispossessed
Commanders and leaders
General Borzou Gankhaki (Nouvelle Alexandrie) Admiral Konstantin Papadopoulos (Constancia) Frainan Uihmanzis bi-Łoidi Heinz Müller (Benacian Union) Captain Erik Larsson (Natopia) Colonel Maria Sanchez (Oportia) Cmdr Athena Campbell (Moorland)	Unknown
Units involved
Keltia Command Streïkrupp-Uihmanz Normark
Strength
Approximately 10,000 special forces personnel 200 transport aircraft 50 naval vessels	Unknown
Casualties and losses
17 killed 87 wounded	Unknown
Over 5,000 scientists, engineers, and officials extracted

Operation Northern Light was a joint military operation conducted by Nouvelle Alexandrie, Constancia, the Benacian Union, Natopia, Moorland, and Oportia from 1.VI.1737 AN - 15.VI.1737 AN. The operation aimed to extract key personnel and critical assets from the collapsing nations of Normark and Anahuaco before they could fall into the hands of the advancing Confederacy of the Dispossessed. The Benacian Union would have been seriously hampered in its participation by the Shirerithian maritime blockade of the Benacian continent during the Streïur uis Faïren, were it not for its continued ability to conduct flights via the Boreal Air Bridge.

Background

Eastern Keltia prior to the East Keltian Collapse.

As the political and military situation in East Keltia deteriorated rapidly in early 1737 AN, the Raspur Pact nations became increasingly concerned about the potential loss of valuable scientific and technological expertise to the advancing forces of the Confederacy of the Dispossessed. Intelligence reports indicated that Normark and Anahuaco possessed significant amounts of Raspur Pact military assets, personnel, and facilities that could aid the enemy significantly. The decision to launch Operation Northern Light was made during an emergency meeting of the Raspur Pact on 24.V.1737 AN. The operation was given top priority due to the strategic importance of the targeted assets and the rapidly closing window of opportunity for extraction.

Planning and Preparation

The interests of time necessitated priority of movement of certain identified targets out of the immediate area and into secure holding areas, from which the secured personnel could be transshipped to eventual domiciles.

The Boreal Air Bridge was pressed into service, and the Principality of Arboria and Amaland were immediately pledged as interim relocation sites, in the course of a command conference on 24.V.1737 AN, after the emergency meeting of the Raspur Pact, where the "Top 3" (a euphemism for Basilinna Esmeralda al-Osman, Prince-Autokrator of Constancia Iñigo, and Princess Rosamund) were present. In addition, the Imperial Constancian Navy made plans to dispatch a flotilla, Task Force Redemption. Military Advisory Command Anahuaco and Task Force North Wind were placed on the highest operational and readiness alert. Military Advisory Command Anahuaco was given orders that Task Force North Wind no longer reported to them, effective immediately. Imperial Constancian Humanitarian Council and the Asylum and Refugees Commission was placed on alert.

An Autokratorial Decree issued immediately after the command conference on 24.V.1737 AN directed Imperial Constancian Ambassador to Normark Soheila Osman to locate all Constancian nationals in-country, evacuate all non-essentials, and mobilized all Constancian nationals in-country under her command, with Ambassador Soheila Osman being commissioned then-and-there a Taxiarchos (Brigadier) of the Imperial Constancian Army, and commander of Imperial Constancian Armed Forces in Normark. Similar directives were issued for Imperial Constancian Ambassador to Anahuaco Hillary Nicostrato. Constancian nationals who did not have means to flee borders were directed to make their way to the Imperial Constancian Embassy to shelter-in-place. The State Protection Authority, particularly the security attaches in Keltian embassies, were likewise placed on alert.

A subsequent Autokratorial Decree prohibited civilian flights from Constancia to Anahuaco and Normark, naturalized all Anahuaco and Normark nationals presently in Constancia, established two new cities in Shahzamin: New Konungshjem, east of Al-Ghabi, and Ciudad Emperador José Joaquín, southeast of Port Aguilar.

Constancian Efforts

The Constancian operational component headquarters was established on 1.VI.1737 AN at RASMOR JTF, Nouvelle Alexandrie-Moorland Joint Training Facility, south of Newcastle upon Eastmoor in Moorland, with Sarhang Olivier Sud of the Imperial Constancian Army as primary operational and field commander, directly reporting to both Admiral Konstantin Papadopoulos and Taxiarchos (Brigadier) Eirene Spiro of Task Force North Wind.

ESB Group Efforts

Immediately after the command conference on 24.V.1737 AN, where the Chairwoman, Director of Euran Operations and Director of Financial and Legal Services were present, Director of Keltian Operations Katja Magda Thorgilsdottir and her immediate staff was immediately ordered to board the next flight out of Konungsheim Elieru flygplats, and make her way to either Constancia or Nouvelle Alexandria.

ESB Bank at ESB residency Elijah's Rest was to wire all its assets and records to ESB Bank at ESB residency Seydlitz, Isles of Caputia within the hour. Similar directives were provided to the Keltian financial and legal subdirectorate, and all Keltian continental ESB companies. Structural assets and fixed assets were to be firebombed or set alight to deny use to the enemy, moveable assets were to be brought to a place of safety, if possible. After giving 3 hours lead time for corporate and higher-ranking officers, all ESB Keltia employees in Normark and Anahuaco were soon notified to sauve qui peut and make their way to Overseas Autonomous Territory of San Lucido and the Eastern Regions of the Republic of Vegno, the Republic of Mercury, the Three Kingdoms of Nidaros, Riskai and Celebarador or the Kingdom of Moorland as soon as they could. All ESB employees in Normark and Anahuaco (who would have ESB Pay and MicrasCard) would find their credits substantially enlarged to enable them to escape with their lives.

In accordance with decisions previously-reached at the Board Meeting in Astérapolis on 14.IV.1735, the Corporate Seafaring Transportation Service was directed to activate the Aqa Thorgils Tarjeisson to assume Group command and communication, and prepare all vessels of the Corporate Seafaring Transportation Service to sail.

In accordance with decisions previously-reached at the Board Meeting in Petropolis on 2.VI.1736, the ESB residency in Seydlitz, Isles of Caputia, Nouvelle Alexandrie, was activated as reserve and alternate continental headquarters for the Keltian Directorate.

The Imperial Constancian Airways Corporation was directed to place spare planes and crews ready for emergency charters.

Raspur Pact Efforts

Keltia Command was placed on the highest alert and readiness immediately after the emergency meeting of the Raspur Pact on 25.V.1737 AN. This included the General Inspectorate of Keltia, Grand Commissariat of Keltia, Nordhær and units like the Landgendarmerie, Elian Militia, and such individuals of the 18th Vanguard Division who could be mobilized.

Sårensby Arsenal was ordered to open its doors and provide all its contents for dispersal and distribution as directed by Keltia Command or its subordinate commands, or as directed by ESB Keltia.

Execution

Constancian and ESB Group Efforts

Sailing distance meant that Task Force Redemption would arrive at Taylor Bay no earlier than 3.VI.1737 AN, even if all vessels went at flank speed. Rapid communications intimated that many in Normark and Anahuaco considered attempting to cross the Strait of Haifa to safety, to reach Imperial Federation territories in Haifa or the Northwest Territory, but a significant number considered the shorter distances to Mercury, Moorland or Vegnese San Lucido and the Eastern Regions to be much more feasible.

Significant diplomatic effort (and economic blackmail) was expended to influence Vegno and Moorland to permit and prioritize civilian charter flights (via the Imperial Constancian Airways Corporation to and from Normark, Anahuaco, and their countries. Upon landing, the respective Imperial Constancian Embassy took charge of their further repatriation.

Military Advisory Command Anahuaco was advised to make a last stand at Hidalgo, Matamoros, location of a subordinate provincial command, due to its access to the sea, its political significance as the Matamoros state capital, and its being the ideological stronghold of the Partido Liberal Anahuacano (Anahuacan Liberal Party), which made it resistant to the resurgent Republicanos. Forces in the subordinate provincial command at Guerrero, Granaditas were ordered to make their way to San Miguel el Grande, Pavón and hence to the coast fronting Taylor Bay, in the event that they were not able to make it to Hidalgo, Matamoros, in time.

Task Force Redemption arrived off Hidalgo, Matamoros on 2.VI.1737 AN. Many evacuees were picked up via various small boats, although Constancian, Raspur Pact and other foreign nationals were prioritized. Anahuaco nationals were evacuated if they were of high rank or part of the priority list.

Javelin H-5 Sovereigns from KP Varaz and KP Imperial Will under alternating air cover from F-9 Ashavan III, F-17 Axarana, and Javelin F-21 Heavenscream combat air patrols made their way to the Imperial Constancian Embassy, Ciudad de Anahuaco, to evacuate Imperial Constancian Ambassador Hillary Nicostrato and other notables that have taken refuge there. Other Javelin H-5 Sovereign sortie to Hidalgo to begin evacuation operations. The H-5 Sovereigns have Merarhia Pezonauton (Marine Division) dekanias/squads for perimeter security, from the 500 embarked on the KP Varaz. The first H-5 Sovereign that returned, named Lady J, landed at the KP Imperial Will, bearing Imperial Constancian Ambassador to Anahuaco Hillary Nicostrato and senior embassy staff. The second H-5, immediately behind it, landed at the ESB Corporate Seafaring Transportation Service Harmony-class leisure cruise ship Amitybearing a few members of the Congreso Honorable del Imperio and their families. Evacuations from both Hidalgo, Matamoros and Ciudad de Anahuaco continued until dusk, at which time Task Force Redemption proceeded to Taylor Bay, to repeat the process.

An undisclosed special operation by the Raspur Pact managed to secure King of Normark Fredrik Michael Tarjeisson, along with Imperial Constancian Ambassador Soheila Osman and the original 1731 Constitution of Normark. Later media interviews revealed that they were ensconced at the Imperial Constancian Embassy in Mercury City, Republic of Mercury, before transshipment to the ESB Corporate Seafaring Transportation Service Harmony-class leisure cruise ship Concord.

Outcome

At the conclusion of the evacuations, the remaining allied base infrastructure in Normark would be explosively decommissioned by Keltia Command.

See Also

• East Keltian Collapse
• Operation Arctic Exodus
• Raspur Pact
• Confederacy of the Dispossessed