When Jackson Marshall received the order, the "West Africa" had finished its first sea trials and was slowly sailing into the Edward Military Port.

The battleship "West Africa", which was refitted, had three triple 340-mm guns, a full load displacement of 26,000 tons, a maximum speed of 31 knots, and a crew of 1,096 people, making it the most powerful warship in southern Africa.

Once delivered, the West Africa will be the flagship of the Edward's fleet, and Jackson Marshall will also serve as the captain of the West Africa.

"It's a shame that the West Africa can't participate in joint military exercises yet, otherwise we would have surprised our old fellows." Garfield, the first mate of the USS Edward, was from the Royal Navy, just like Jackson Marshall.

This Garfield is the same Garfield who once served as the deputy chief of guns on the "Royal Princess", and after coming to southern Africa, Garfield became Jackson Marshall's deputy with his outstanding resume and rich experience, serving as the first mate of the "Edward" heavy cruiser, and resumed his naval career.

It was a new beginning for both Garfield and Jackson Marshall.

Also serving in the Edward's fleet was Nelson, the former chief engineer of the HMS Princess Royal, who is now the captain of the light cruiser USS Valiant.

"There's nothing to regret, our old fellows don't necessarily like our West Africa." Jackson Marshall has no regrets, compared to the current battleships, the "West Africa" is a hedgehog covered with spikes.

Although aircraft have shown a great threat to warships during the world war, those British and American ship designers still did not pay more attention to air defense when designing warships, and there were not many air defense weapons installed on warships.

In this way, the "West Africa" has reached the level of a snake shadow for air defense, and the installation of as many as 40 anti-aircraft weapons is simply a freak in the eyes of the Royal Navy.

"There will be a price to pay for ignoring the threat in the air." During his service in the Royal Navy, Garfield proposed to the Royal Navy to increase the number of anti-aircraft weapons in response to the threat of aircraft.

It's a pity that after the report was submitted, it sank into the sea and did not attract the attention of the Royal Navy.

That's right, a deputy gunner, it is true that he does not have the qualifications to go directly to the heavens.

In the Southern African Navy, however, Garfield felt a long-lost attention.

A month earlier, Garfield had written another report recommending that the 356mm torpedoes, now used in southern Africa, be upgraded to a more threatening 406mm.

This suggestion was taken seriously by the Southern African Deputy Minister of Defence, Derek Dodd, and Garfield was able to travel to Pretoria to speak to Derek Dodd in person about the importance of upgrading the torpedo.

The Department of Defense did not immediately take Garfield's advice, but Garfield was promoted to lieutenant colonel to colonel upon his return to Port Edward.

This made Garfield feel an unprecedented passion, an impulse that he had only felt 20 years ago, when he first joined the Royal Navy, and when he arrived in southern Africa, Garfield was like a young man, full of energy.

"That's why there is a joint military exercise, don't think that the generals of the Royal Navy are all corpses, some of them are still very capable." Jackson Marshall never took anyone lightly, and it was with this caution that Jackson Marshall was entrusted with a heavy responsibility.

At the end of the day, Jackson Marshall returned to his home in Port Edward.

It is a noble residential area between the port area and the military port, all of which are single-family villas built for senior naval officers.

Different from the common wooden buildings, these single-family villas are all made of marble imported from Mozambique, and the furniture is all African rosewood, from the primeval forests of the Kingdom of Congo that have existed for hundreds of millions of years.

"Great, you're finally back, you have to pay attention to William's academic performance, the home visit teacher just left, this time in the exam, William only got a B, it's so embarrassing, I don't even have the face to attend the school's parent-teacher conference." Marshall's wife, Sonya, also followed Marshall to Southern Africa, and she and Marshall had a total of three children, all of whom were already enrolled in school.

William was twelve, had just started secondary school, and when he arrived in Port Edward from Portsmouth, William was clearly not comfortable with it.

"Okay, okay, leave it all to me, I'll talk to William." Jackson Marshall spends most of his time in the barracks and can only return home once a week, feeling guilty for Sonia and the children.

When he came to William's room on the second floor, Jackson Marshall was relieved to see that William was doing his homework at his desk.

William has always been a good boy who works hard.

"I heard you didn't do very well in school—" Although the door was open, Jackson Marshall did not forget to knock on the door and give his son full respect.

"No, Alyssa and Oscar both got a C, and the school curriculum is different from ours in Portsmouth, which is more difficult, more demanding, and we have to learn Chinese, and we have never had so many assignments before." William's expression was sad, and he didn't want to do that.

Public education in Southern Africa is very different from public education in the UK.

Britain also implements an elite education model, the top secondary schools attended by aristocratic students are completely different from public schools in the ordinary sense, William's school in Portsmouth, although it is not bad in Portsmouth, but compared with Eton Harrow in the United Kingdom, there is still a big gap.

With William's academic performance, it is unlikely that he will be admitted to Oxbridge after graduating from secondary school, and the most likely is that he will be admitted to the Naval Academy like his father, and join the Royal Navy as an officer after graduation.

Compared with the public schools in the United Kingdom, public schools in southern Africa have stricter requirements and better student achievement, such as learning multiple languages, which is only available in aristocratic schools in the United Kingdom, but in southern Africa, even ordinary students are required to be proficient in English and Chinese, and can also choose other languages according to their preferences.

"So do you think the school here is better, or is the school in Portsmouth better?" Jackson Marshall crouched down beside William, his eyes just level with William in his chair.

"Of course, it's the school here, although we have a lot of schoolwork, the curriculum is still very rich, last weekend the school organized us to watch a movie, and also visited the zoo, I like the giant pandas in the zoo." William finally had a smile on his face.

Only then did Jackson Marshall notice that William's bedside had an extra panda toy.

"Is this the panda? It's so cute! Jackson Marshall's surprise was just right.

"Yes, this is the panda, from the mysterious ancient Eastern Empire, in the school in Portsmouth, the evaluation of the Chinese is very bad, after coming to Nyasaland, I learned that the Chinese are very smart and hard-working, in every class in our school, the best students are Chinese-" William is depressed, people who are smarter than you work harder than you, nothing is more desperate than this.

"That's why we came to Port Edward from Portsmouth, son, and I've always told you that the best way to know the truth about something is to walk around and see it for yourself, and not to believe the whims of some people." Jackson Marshall was smiling brightly, and he once again strengthened his conviction that he had come to Nyasaland from the home of England, and he was absolutely right.

"The teachers at the school said the same thing, we have a parent-teacher conference next week, do you have time to attend?" William said with hope that this semester is coming to an end, and at the end of each semester, the school will organize a parent-teacher meeting to remind parents of some precautions, and during the holidays, they cannot relax their children's learning.

"I'm sorry son, I'm going to Walvis Bay next week-" Jackson Marshall was sad, not being able to participate in some of his son's important moments was Jackson Marshall's biggest regret.

William didn't speak, he bowed his head and sighed in disappointment, he already knew what life was at a young age.

"Is it important to go to Walvis Bay for work?" William's voice was small.

"It's very important, the Southern African Navy and the Royal Navy have to conduct joint military exercises, and Dad has to command a powerful heavy cruiser, and full force can ensure a happy life for you and your mother." Jackson Marshall gently stroked William's hair, and on William's desk, there is a photo of William and Jackson Marshall, in which Jackson Marshall is holding William, and William is wearing a Jackson Marshall military cap with a sunny face.

"Then you must kill all the enemies, and when I grow up, I will also join the Southern African Navy, and then you and my mother will be protected by me." William was ambitious, Southern Africa admired martial virtues, the school would also regularly organize students to visit various military museums and military bases, and the Edward Military Port would also be open to the general public.

"Hahahaha, great, son, grow up quickly, I can't wait to accept your protection-" Jackson Marshall laughed.

"God, I asked you to supervise William's studies, not for you to chat and laugh with William." Sonia was furious, the child was unreliable, and the child's father was even more unreliable.

"Okay Sonya, clean up, let's go out to dinner." Jackson Marshall wanted to give William a good weekend, and the two of them had too little time together.

"It's a waste to go out to dinner again—" Sonia grumbled, but she was honest, and she had already changed into the long dress she had just ordered last weekend.

"It's beautiful!" Jackson Marshall praised from the bottom of his heart and received a white eye from Sonya.

"I'm going to bring my fat smash—" William happily picked up the panda toy at the head of the bed, his new friend.

(End of chapter)