Major de Custaad,
By defination Regimental Protocols appertain to the regiment - not to the
whim of whoever happens to occupy the Colonel's chair at any particular
time. Indeed, the upholding of regimental traditions is a prerequisite for
anyone entering the Colonelcy in the first place.
The protocol in question was instituted specifically to prevent just the
sort of rancour (so damaging to regimental morale) which has arisen since it
began to be wilfully ignored. It was in place when Brigadier B'Staad was in
command of the regiment, and followed by myself and Brigadier Tournage when
we attained our majorities. It was continued by myself when Lt.Colonel
Brouilles attained his own for, unless specifically requested otherwise by
the Senior Captain (something which has not happened since the occasion, I
believe), reserving majorities for those captains who have given most to the
regiment by the length of their service at that rank is the only fair and
honourable course in this matter.
Brigadier Tournage's adherence to this protocol may be accurately gauged by
the fact he chose to follow it himself and does not consider those whom have
flouted it to be suitable for the post of Brigade Major - especially when
one considers that his only other option is currently to appoint a member of
the Queens'!
Finally, Colonel d'Erring's fines for it's flouting - not having recourse to
any more effective sanctions - should leave you in no doubt as to his own
position on this issue.
Thank you for offering to forward the list of regimental protocols with
which the Colonel is about to provide you. With all due respect, however, I
served with the regiment as a Captain quite long enough to become familiar
with them all.
It is a sad day for the Dragoon Guards, as I hope you will agree, when an
officer of the calibre of le Vicomte le Vair feels he has no recourse but
leave its ranks if he wishes to continue service in an honest regiment.
Admittedly, it is the unashamedly mutinous actions of Captain du Pain -
despite his friends having urged him to take the honourable course - which
has most recently led to this. Indeed, I note that you have requested
command of a more senior squadron so as to deny du Pain the opportunity to
do to you what he has recently done to all the (remaining) captains in the
regiment (and, incidently, what you yourself did to Captains le Vair, de
Sevigny and du Jour beforehand). From this I can but take it that a
generally low opinion of du Pain is universally held in the wake of his
recent actions.
Something of which you may be unaware, however, is the fact that du Pain has
been holding up _your own_ previous actions as the example he has followed
in this. For myself, after aquainting Colonel d'Erring with this matter, I
would have been content to leave it there had not du Pain falsely proclaimed
that he was also following _mine_!
You do have the opportunity, of course, to reclaim your good name by giving
du Pain a more worthy example to follow. I can but hope that you do not
choose to ignore it.
Lt.General le Comte de Mylcandonai
