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The Honorable Augustus Khumalo was a Manticoran citizen and an officer in the Royal Manticoran Navy.
Physical Appearance[]
Khumalo was a large man, over 180 centimeters, and described as 'massive' and 'beefy', with broad shoulders and a powerful chest, though he was also somewhat portly. His eyes and complexion were very dark, as was his hair, though Michelle Henke noted that it was greyer than she remembered. (SI1, SI2)
Biography[]
Khumalo was a distant relative of the House of Winton and a firm member of the Conservative Association.
In 1920 PD, he held the rank of Rear Admiral of the Green and served as the commanding officer of Talbott Station. His flagship was the Samothrace-class superdreadnought HMS Hercules, Captain Victoria Saunders commanding. His chief of staff during that time was Captain Loretta Shoupe.
Lucien Cortez wanted to recall Khumalo, this was not implemented as there was nobody to replace him in the low priority Talbott Cluster and later Talbott Quadrant. Many saw him as a "political" admiral lacking leadership capability and whose only use was as the military administrator. Khumalo himself was unsure why he had not been recalled after the fall of the High Ridge Government and the Janacek Admiralty. His opinion was that he had been left there to serve as a "suitable scapegoat" in the event it was required. (SI1, SI2)
Initially considered a by-the-book officer lacking both imagination and strategic ability, he surprised his fellows and distinguished himself to the Grantville government with his actions in supporting Captain Aivars Terekhov during the crisis surrounding the annexation of the cluster and the military build-up in the Monica System. As a result he earned considerable respect from his peers in the Navy, from Governor-General Dame Estelle Matsuko, and from the inhabitants of the Talbott Quadrant. (SI1, SI2)
Though she initially disliked him, his relationship with Dame Estelle thawed considerably following the Battle of Monica, and the two developed an excellent working relationship as well as a warm personal friendship. (SI2, SI4)
Following the Battle of Monica, he was promoted to Vice Admiral, and to full Admiral a year later. He was promoted a day before Admiral Gold Peak in order to keep him the senior officer on Talbott Station. (SI2, SI4)
Service Record[]
Promotions[]
- Rear Admiral
- Vice Admiral (1921 PD)
- Admiral (1922 PD)
Posts[]
- Commanding Officer, Talbott Station