Thorebourne Naval Base

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Thorebourne Naval Base
Base navale Thorebourne
Thorebourne, Imagua and the Assimas
Naval headquarters
File:Thorebourne seal.png
Type	Military base
Site information
Controlled by	Estmere (1889-1926) Gaullica (1926-1935) Template:Country data Estmere (1935-1957) Rizealand (1957-present)
Site history
Built	1889
Built by	Estmere
In use	1889-present
Battles/wars	TBD
Garrison information
Current commander	Willem McDonnail

Thorebourne Naval Base (Vespasian: Base navale Thorebourne), commonly referred to as Thorebourne, is a naval base operated by Rizealand on the territory of Saint Fiacre's County in Imagua and the Assimas. Originally established as an Estmerish naval base in 1889, during the Great War, it served as a military base for the Gaullican Royal Navy, before returning to Estmerish control at the end of the war. As a result of Estmere's downsizing of the Estmerish Federal Navy. Today, it serves as the main headquarters of Rizealand's presence in Imagua.

It is today bordered to the east by the Arucian Sea, to the southeast by the unincorporated settlement of Bloomburg, to the south by lands directly controlled by Saint Fiacre's County, and to the west and north by Topuland.

Etymology

The name Thorebourne Naval Base was named after Admiral Avery Thorebourne in 1936 following the abolition of the Estmerish monarchy. Prior to that, (TBC).

History

Construction of the naval base

With the passage of the Land Alienation Ordinance in 1872, an opportunity emerged for the Estmerish Royal Navy to secure land from the Native reservation of Topuland for the construction of a new naval base, as the naval base in Cuanstad was running out of room to expand as the city was growing. Thus, the Estmerish Royal Navy used the provision under the Land Alienation Ordinance to take control of what would become the Thorebourne Naval Base in 1876, with the colonial government officially selling the land for one penny.

A survey by Admiral Avery Thorebourne in 1877 reported that:

"While the land has a lot to be desired, especially as much of the territory is rugged, the advantages, such as the deep sea, the location of the land is suitable for sailors to receive refreshments from the town of McKinnon, while being far enough from any civilised community to not pose any disturbances, and allow for expansion along the coast, especially along the coast."

However, as the site was remote from the rest of the island, combined with the necessity of constructing artifical harbours, construction only began in 1881, when the steam shovels arrived onto the site of what would become the Thorebourne Naval Base. During the eight years of construction, around 275 people died, mostly Senrian immigrants.

Establishment

Thorebourne Naval Base, 1911

On October 5, 1889, the naval base was formally established and named the Thorebourne Naval Base. While Estmere already had a naval presence in Cuanstad, the opening of a larger base at Thorebourne that can handle larger ships and was not near a large population center meant that the Royal Navy relocated its "southern operations" to Thorebourne: in 1875, the Territorial Coast Guard took over the former naval base in Cuanstad.

Over the next few decades, (TBD). At the same time, the base helped grow the economy of the village of McKinnon, located a few miles to the south, as many sailors with little to do would contribute to the local economy: bars and bordellos would spring up to serve the sailors stationed at Thorebourne, while many restaurants thrived. Likewise, many people found opportunities to work on the base.

However, as ships grew larger, the Admiralty ordered the expansion of the base and the deepening of the existing harbors in 1903, in order to accommodate new ships. To achieve that, while some of the dredged material was dumped next to the coast to help expand it, land adjacent to the base was seized via eminent domain: settlers who owned expropriated land received 1,000 shillings in compensation for the land, while land owned by natives were seized with no compensation. By the time the works to expand the base and its infrastructure were done in 1910 (with the help of steam shovels), Thorebourne Naval Base expanded to an area of 120 square kilometers: not only would there be enough room to accommodate larger vessels, there would be room for further expansion of the base without seizing further land from owners.

Transition to self-governance

Administrative building, 1956

While the Colony of Imagua was given increasing powers, the Great War broke out. This saw the swift occupation of the archipelago by Gaullica, and Thorebourne Naval Base thus fell under Gaullican control in 1926 along with the rest of the island. During Gaullican occupation, the base was used by the Gaullican Royal Navy as a way to help secure Guallican control over the Arucian Sea.

After the end of the Great War, Thorebourne was once again returned to being an Estmerish naval base, and would remain the most important military base on the islands. While there were calls for the colonial militia to be turned into a proper military, and for said military to take control of Estmerish bases such as Thorebourne, Prime Minister Lucas Pembroke instead dissolved the colonial militia, saying that "the past war shows us that with our small size, it would not make any difference whether or not we had an army."

Thus, without a military besides the gendarmerie and coast guard, which were both transferred to the Royal Imaguan Constabulary, defence remained the effective responsibility of Estmere. During the post-Great War period, Estmere sought to fortify the base and further develop it so that it may "never again fall to foreign invaders."

During the Solarian War, Thorebourne Naval Base played a vital role in helping Estmere take control of the Assimas Islands from Etruria. However, the Solarian War led to the end of Estmere's colonial empire: although when Estmere granted Imagua independence in 1948, it agreed to maintain control of the Thorebourne Naval Base, the costs of maintaining it became unpopular among Estmerish politicians, and by the mid-1950s, Estmere sought to close the base down, as it was too expensive for Estmere to maintain military bases in the country.

Rizealander ownership

Aerial view of Thorebourne Naval Base, 1962

At around the same time Estmere was considering closing down the base, Rizealand expressed their interest in taking over the Thorebourne Naval Base, as it would allow them to project their interests in the Arucian Sea and Asteria Inferior, as well as provide a place with which to base their operations in the region, especially in the effort to contain Maracao. Thus, when Estmere announced its intention to close down the base in 1955, Rizealand announced that it would be willing to purchase the base from Estmere.

Incumbent Prime Minister Marguerite Ernman expressed support for the idea of Rizealand acquiring the base, as she felt that it would "help serve as a deterrent to any foreign invader seeking to overwhelm our shores," although sought to be "involved in any negotiations concerning the status of the base." After her defeat in the 1956 general election, newly-elected Prime Minister Martin Ellingham also expressed his support, arguing that the base would "protect Imagua from socialist influence" and ensure the "continued prosperity" of the Imaguan nation.

Under Ellingham's tutelage, the bilateral negotiations between Estmere and Rizealand were expanded to include Imagua, with Ellingham mostly focusing on negotiating the rent by Rizealand after they take over Thorebourne from Estmere. After finalising the details of the agreement, the Tripartite Agreement was signed in November 1956, with the three legislatures ratifying the agreement.

On 12 February, 1957, Thorebourne Naval Base was officially transferred from Estmerish control to Rizealander control, with the last Estmerish troops leaving the island on that date, while the first Rizealander units moved onto the island. This made Thorebourne Naval Base the centre of operations for the Rizealander Arucian Command.

Shortly after taking over the base, Rizealand commenced on an expansion project, mostly reclaiming land from the Arucian Sea, as the Lloyd McNamara Airfield needed to accommodate modern aircraft, while also needing space for more installations to help coordinate the Rizealander military presence on not just Thorebourne itself, but the rest of the Imaguan archipelago. Thus, from 1958 until 1965, land reclamation was done to help expand Thorebourne Naval Base, so to accommodate not just the Rizealander fleet, but also have it be their central base of operations within Imagua.

During the 1960s and 1970s, Rizealand also began opening smaller bases across the country, as well as with the opening of Camp Devon on Ineweyu Island in the Assimas County, in order to help ensure the effective defence of the island nation. These bases mostly comprised of individual barracks, with the intention that the smaller bases house one or two Rizealander batallions across the rest of the archipelago. This meant that Thorebourne became the primary hub of operations for Rizealand's military presence in the country, with the headquarters coordinating activities on the smaller bases.

By the late 1980s, as more personnel were stationed there, the area immediately to the south of Thorebourne was developed to accommodate businesses that catered to Rizealander personnel, due to both an increasing number of personnel deployed at Thorebourne, and the lack of space on base to have businesses operate on base. Thus, Bloomburg was developed, with businesses catering to servicemen, such as Rizealander banks and Rizealander restaurants opening up in the area, as well as motels to accommodate visitors.

Contemporary era

Aerial view of Thorebourne Naval Base, 1995

Beginning in the 1990s, Thorebourne Naval Base became a major centre for the operations of the Rizealander Arucian Command. During the 1990s, as Adão Costa consolidated his power in Maracao, and the Maracan government became a major geopolitcal threat for the Arucian Sea, more Rizealander personnel were stationed across Imagua, while the Imaguan gendarmerie increased their strength.

While the presence of the base was popular among most Imaguans, there were calls by a cross-section of the population to increase the yearly rent paid by Rizealand for the operation of Thorebourne, as they continued paying £73.23, which in 1955 was worth 16ſ02, but was 1,403ſ11 by 2000, or €223.41.

Despite these calls to raise the rent, the Rizealander government initially did not want to raise the rent, as "the Rizealander government has invested time and money into developing a Rizealander military presence in the Arucian," they ultimately agreed to raise the rent to £550.45 in 2007 to adjust for inflation since the signing of the Tripartite Agreement and "sate the demands to increase the rent" while recognising the extensive benefits and costs Rizealand has incurred in operating the military bases on the island.

(TBC)

Units and commands

Resident units

• Headquarters, Naval Station Thorebourne
• Thorebourne Naval Hospital
• Naval Supply
• 4th Fleet
  • Expeditionary Task Force 42
  • Expeditionary Task Force 43
  • Expeditionary Task Force 45
  • Expeditionary Task Force 48
• Navy Security Forces
• 319th Fighter Squadron, VFA-14
• 56. Airborne Battalion, 3rd Brigade

Assigned units

• 2. Marine Battalion, 1st Brigade (1974-1978)
• 4. Marine Battalion, 1st Brigade (1979-1992)
• 54. Airborne Battalion, 3rd Brigade (1992-2010)

Geography

View of the surrounding area, 2005

Thorebourne Naval Base is 125.44 square kilometers (48.4 square miles) in area. It is bordered on three sides (south, west, and north) with Imagua and the Assimas, and is accessible by the Arucian Sea to the east.

The Thorebourne Naval Base is geographically divided into two sections: the reclaimed areas, that were constructed from 1881 to 1889, from 1903 to 1910, and from 1958 to 1965, and the natural areas. The reclaimed land is generally flat, with an average elevation being at one meter above sea level. In the natural areas, they tend to be substantially hillier, with the highest point on the base being on the hillside of Mount Apita, at 375 meters (1230 feet) above sea level. The average elevation of the entire naval base is around 5 meters (16 feet) above sea level.

Climate

Climatically, like the rest of Imagua and the Assimas, Thorebourne experiences a tropical monsoon climate, with the yearly average highs being 32 °C (89.6 °F), and the yearly average lows being 20.5 °C (68.9 °F). The wet season is generally from May to October, while the dry season typically lasts from November to April, although the months of April and November receive more rain than any other month in the dry season.

The highest recorded temperature at Thorebourne was at 35.9 °C (96.7 °F) on 1 August, 1939, while the coldest recorded temperature at Thorebourne was at 12.7 °C (54.9 °C), on 15 January, 1911.

Governance

Commander Willem McDonnail, 2016

As per the Tripartite Agreement signed in 1956 between Estmere, Rizealand, and Imagua and the Assimas, Thorebourne Navy Base has under Rizealander administration since 1957, although ultimate sovereignty remains under Imagua and the Assimas, and a yearly rent is paid to the Imaguan government, currently at £550.45 as it has been since 2007, when it was increased from its original £73.23.

Thus, Thorebourne Naval Base is officially under the administration of the Armed Forces of Rizealand, with the entire area being under the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth Navy.

Because of its status as a Rizealander military base, the commander of Thorebourne Base is, since 2016, Admiral Willem McDonnail, who is selected by the Ministry of Defence.

In addition, military personnel and their dependents, as well as all Rizealander nationals employed on base must follow Rizealander military law, while all other civilians follow Imaguan law. As per the Tripartite Agreement, Rizealander personnel committing crimes against other personnel, or committed crimes against Imaguan civilians in the course of their duties are to be tried by Rizealander court martial, while all other crimes are tried in Imaguan courts.

Demographics

Typical housing

As of the 2015 census, Thorebourne Naval Base has a population of TBD people. Most of the inhabitants are Commonwealth Navy personnel and their dependents, with the remainder being Rizealander contractors.

Despite the official population of the base, it is accepted by the Ministry of Defense in 2017 that there are several hundred Imaguans who work at Thorebourne Naval Base, mostly from surrounding villages such as McKinnon and Topuland.

The primary language at Thorebourne is Estmerish, due to its status as official language of Rizealand, and as the most dominant language in Saint Fiacre's County, despite it being a co-official language on the national level alongside Vespasian.

Infrastructure

Education

Thomas B. Dalson School, 2014

The Naval Base features one school, Thomas B. Dalson School, which teaches from Kindergarten to Year 12. It is public and provides education services in Estmerish to children of military personnel stationed in the base. In 2008, the school had to be expanded to accommodate for the increased amount of ships present in the 4th Fleet and the subsequent personnel. As a result, the complex grew significantly, having to relocate itself outside the military base's premises. A deal was made with local government, with the school now providing Estmerish language courses and having the excess number of seats available for Imaguan children to enroll at. The former school building was demolished in 2011, when the new building was officially opened, with the old site giving way to additional military installations within the base.

All teachers and personnel working on the school are civilian contractors, with the majority of teachers being of Rizealander nationality and most other workers coming from neighbouring Imaguan towns.

Transportation

Lloyd McNamara Airfield, 2010

There are two gates for pedestrian and vehicular traffic to and from Thorebourne: the South Gate, and the North Gate, which are intended for personnel and personnel working at the base.

There is only one operating military airfield: the Lloyd McNamara Airfield, which opened in 1927 and was later expanded in 1960. It is currently used by military aircraft, as well as charter flights to transport soldiers and their dependents to and from Rizealand. It also is used extensively for transport of high-value cargo.

Visitors to the base have to be approved to visit the Naval Base by the local chain of command, with the Commander of Thorebourne Naval Base giving his or her final approval for visitors. To further ensure security, all visitors have to enter via the South Gate and check in at the visitor's center.

Issues

Environmental issues

Thorebourne Base has had substantial environmental issues: much of the base was reclaimed from the sea, initially by moving dirt and rocks to infill the general area, but from 1958 to 1965, when Rizealand expanded Thorebourne Naval Base, they dredged from the sea floor, which has led to concerns by environmentalists that they were damaging the undersea environment. Thus, since the 1980s, with passage of environmental laws in Imagua, it has become more difficult to reclaim land, which has led to most of the base being repurposed for military activities.

Despite this, as environmental laws are far more lax in Imagua than in Rizealand, the Rizealander Armed Forces has been able to exploit it to... (TBC)

Indigenous issues

Indigenous protest against Thorebourne's operations, Nua Taois, 2005

Due to its creation as a result of the Land Alienation Ordinance, which allowed for the colonial government to deem parts of Topuland "alienated lands," Native Imaguans have consistently criticised the presence of the Thorebourne Naval Base, as it was built on traditional land that was seized under the ordinance.

The then-Mayor of Topuland, and de-facto chief of the Native Imaguans, Harvey O'Concannon said in 1987 that "the continued presence of Thorebourne is in and of itself a continued reminder that Cuanstad is uncommitted to redressing our issues that face the island," and urged Rizealand to "vacate the areas that colonial authorities did not create and to give it back to the Native people."

While in recent years, the base has tried to improve its reputation among Native Imaguans, and many natives who reside in Topuland are now employed by the base as civilian contractors, primarily due to lack of opportunities in Topuland, most natives who live outside of Topuland continue to criticise the base and demand that the base be moved to another part of Imagua, and the territory be returned to them, either the areas that existed prior to expansion by land reclamation, or the entirety of the base.

Labour issues

Concerns in the Rizealander Central Assembly and from NGOs have been raised regarding the labour rights of the civilian contractors for Thorebourne Naval Base. The locally sourced contractor companies that provide the base with cooking, medical and other secondary services are subject to Imaguan labour law, and thus companies who have received these contracts have taken advantage of it to cut costs. Many workers, which are often of native Imaguan origin, work for salaries severely below average when compared to the same function in Rizealand or even other Rizealander military bases abroad.