victusinveritas:theoddmentemporium:The Dreadnought HoaxThe Dreadnaught Hoax was an elaborate prank o
victusinveritas:theoddmentemporium:The Dreadnought HoaxThe Dreadnaught Hoax was an elaborate prank orchestrated by members of the Bloomsbury Group. The plan was set in motion on February 7th 1910 when Horace de Vere Cole, who is described as an ‘eccentric prankster’, had a telegram, apparently signed by the Foreign Office, sent to the naval ship HMS Dreadnought notifying the captain of the imminent arrival onboard of a group of Abyssinian princes. Under the pseudonym Herbert Cholmondeley, Cole then escorted his entourage, who, including Virginia Woolf (far left in photo), had disguised themselves by darkening their skin and dressing in turbans with false beards, to Paddington Station where he demanded a special train to Weymouth where the Dreadnought was moored. The stationmaster duly arranged a VIP carriage for them.Upon their arrival in Weymouth the group was met with an honour guard. Unfortunately, no Abyssinian flag could be found so, oddly, the flag of Zanzibar was hoisted instead and Zanzibar’s national anthem played for the esteemed guests. The ‘princes’ then inspected the fleet and attempted to bestow fake military honours on the officers, speaking all the while in gibberish - frequently showing amazement or appreciation with cries of “Bunga! Bunga!”. An officer friend of both Cole and Woolf failed to recognise either of them.When the hoax was eventually discovered the Royal Navy became a object of ridicule due to the Bloomsbury Group’s pacifist views. The Navy first called for Cole’s arrest, however, he had not broken the law. They then sent two officers to cane him but Cole countered this by arguing it was they who should be caned for allowing themselves to be fooled in the first place.[Sources: Image | Dreadnought Hoax | Horace de Vere Cole]Old timey hijinks win. -- source link