Tournament -The true Battle of Cable Street

[Culwych1]

Mosley comes so close, they

Now can see his outstretched arm

A hand raised up that way never took

The future in its palm

- Ghost of Cable Street, The Men They Couldn’t Hang

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Background: 4th October 1936

The Battle of Cable Street was not a conventional battle of World War 2 in the military sense. It is instead best described as a large-scale street confrontation.

On one side of this confrontation were 5,000 British fascists, led by Sir Oswald Mosley and funded by the Nazi party of Germany in order to destabilise Britain. The fascists marched, their right arms raised straight out at an angle with their palms facing downwards, escorted by 7,000 policemen who intended to lead the demonstration through the predominantly Jewish and working-class area of East London.

Opposing them was a never-before seen alliance of British Jews, trade unionists, various political party representatives, and the ordinary people of London, over 100,000 strong. It was if the whole of London had taken to the streets to face the fascists.

At 3pm the Secretary of the Independent Labour Party called the Home Office from near the demonstration and said:

"There are a quarter of a million people here, they are peaceful and unarmed, but they are determined that Mosley's provocative march shall not pass. If you permit it, yours will be the responsibility for the serious consequences"

The march continued despite the warnings, so Londoners took to the streets and built barricades where they could. Fighting started at several locations and blood started to flow. Through it all one chant could be heard above all others from the demonstrators facing the British fascists. A slogan borrowed from the Spanish Civil War and repeated by men, women and children who fought with anything they could get their hands on.

With one voice, London shouted “They shall not pass!”

---

But that is not the whole story…

* Declassification of classified World War 2 Documents; Document 673 *

3rd October 1936

Captain America stepped off the plane onto the tarmac and looked at the British agent who was meeting. James Falsworth, aka Union Jack, was dressed in a blue suit that showed off his muscles under the flag that was his namesake.

Cap nodded, his arm half raised in a salute but James waved him on. “No need for that old chap, we’re all friends here.

The two men shook hands firmly, and James gestured towards an unmarked car waiting near the airstrip. "We’d best get moving. I assume they briefed you on the situation?"

Cap slid into the passenger seat as James took the wheel. “They told me about Mosley, and the fascist march tomorrow, but they were vague on the real reason I’m here.” He turned towards his British counterpart, his eyes sharp. “What aren’t they telling me?”

James glanced at him before focusing back on the road. “Because the truth sounds mad, even to us. You see, this isn’t just about Mosley. We have reason to believe that someone far more dangerous is operating behind the scenes.” He gripped the steering wheel tightly. “Someone who’s been at this for much longer than any of us.”

Cap frowned. "Who?"

"His name is Vandal Savage. Have you ever heard of him?"

Cap shook his head. "No."

"Few have," James muttered. "Officially, he doesn’t exist. Unofficially, he’s been seen throughout history, sometimes as a warlord, sometimes as an advisor to kings, sometimes as a revolutionary. Always where history turns bloody. The reports we’ve gathered suggest he’s here in London, aiding Mosley and the Nazi cause."

"And you think he's more than just another agent of Hitler?" Cap asked.

"We know he is. Intelligence suggests that he's working towards something bigger than just supporting the fascists. Our best guess? He's after something buried beneath London. The Nazis call it 'Das Erbe', The Legacy. We don’t know what it is, but we do know it’s old, and we do know it’s powerful."

Cap exhaled. “And let me guess, you want me to stop him before he gets his hands on it.”

James grinned as they sped down the darkened streets. "That's the spirit, Rogers. Welcome to London."

---

4th October 1936

The riot was already in full force when Captain America and Union Jack moved through the fog-laden streets of East London. The sound of glass shattering, voices yelling and the stamp of feet filled the air.

Cap saw the devastation and couldn’t stand it. Men and woman and children fought desperately, and he wanted nothing more than to charge into the middle of it himself; but he couldn’t. The mission meant life and death not just for Londoners, but potentially the fate of the entire world.

They reached an abandoned warehouse by the docks, one of MI5’s suspected locations for covert Nazi operations. The moment they stepped inside, Cap knew they were too late. The place was empty, but not untouched.

The sound of footsteps echoed above them. Cap instinctively raised his shield as a hail of bullets rained down from the rafters. He rolled into cover as Falsworth pulled out his revolver, returning fire. The two leapt behind a stack of crates as the enemy regrouped.

“We’re not alone,” Falsworth muttered.

Cap didn’t respond. He vaulted over the crates, flinging his shield towards the shooter above. It struck its target squarely in the chest, sending the man toppling onto the floorboards below. A second figure lunged from the shadows, a knife flashing in the dim light. Cap twisted, catching the blade with his gauntlet before slamming his attacker into the wall.

The thug groaned and slid to the ground. Falsworth moved up beside him, kicking away the fallen man's weapon. "They were protecting something."

Cap nodded, his keen eyes scanning the dimly lit room. In the centre, an old wooden trapdoor lay slightly ajar, disturbed in a hurry. He moved forward and pulled it open, revealing a dark tunnel leading below the streets of London. A faint, eerie glow flickered from within.

"This is it," Cap muttered. "Savage is down there."

Falsworth reloaded his revolver and gestured for Cap to lead the way. "Then let's not keep him waiting."

The underground passage was ancient, the walls carved from stone long before London had risen above it. Flickering torches lit the corridor ahead, their light casting monstrous shadows. The deeper they went, the more Cap felt the weight of history pressing down on him.

"Savage didn't just stumble upon this place," Falsworth whispered. "He knew exactly where to look."

The tunnel opened into a vast underground chamber. In the centre stood an ancient dais, carved with runes neither of them recognized. And standing before it, dressed in a dark military coat, was the man himself.

Vandal Savage.

"Ah, the famous Captain America," Savage said, his voice deep, with an unrecognisable accent. "And Union Jack. I was wondering when you'd arrive. You're late."

Cap tightened his grip on his shield. "You're playing a dangerous game, Savage. You back Mosley, help the Nazis, and now you're meddling with things you don't understand."

Savage chuckled. "I understand them better than you ever will. I was here when they were created."

He stepped aside, revealing an object resting atop the dais. It was a stone tablet, glowing faintly with an unnatural energy. Strange symbols pulsed across its surface, shifting as if alive.

"Das Erbe," Falsworth whispered. "The Legacy."

"Power beyond imagining," Savage said. "A gift from the Old World, long before your kind came to rule these lands. And now, it shall be mine."

Cap stepped forward. "Not if we have anything to say about it."

Savage smirked. "Then by all means... say something."

The room exploded into motion as suddenly a ragged creature with fangs leapt out of the shadows and carried Falsworth away, his gun firing repeatedly into its maw.

Savage slowly drew a long sword; it looked ancient but reinforced with a sheer metal that glinted even in the low light. He clearly knew how to use it as he swept it back and forth and entered a pose.

“Come Captain. Come feel my power. You shall fall first, then London, then England and eventually even your precious America. The Third Reich is but one of the pawns on my chessboard, and soon the world will be in my palm."

Savage's voice echoed out as he pointed his blade at Steve. He advanced, snarling. "Heroes all invariably lose. Here, you die regardless America!”

[END OF DOCUMENT]

---

Addendum: Classified S.H.I.E.L.D. Intelligence Report

The full outcome of Captain Rogers’ engagement with Vandal Savage remains unknown. Before he had the opportunity to fully debrief intelligence officers, Rogers was declared MIA and later presumed lost in the Arctic. As such, this document remains one of the few surviving accounts of his encounter with Savage, but his fate or the success of the mission remain unknown. 

[Important] Recovered fragments indicate discrepancies in declassification records. Certain portions of Savage’s final words remain unexplained.

Analysis of linguistic patterns suggests an encoded directive within the text.

Further examination recommended.

End of Report

[Callisto]

Learn More About
Captain America
Read more about Captain America at Wikipedia
Official Site: Marvel Links: Wikipedia: Captain America Marvel Database Project: Captain America Marvel.com: Captain America

Vandal Savage
Read more about Vandal Savage at Wikipedia
Official Site: D.C Comics Links: Wikipedia Hyperborea Comicvine

[Macklemore]

Has to be an easy Captain America win. The problem with Vandal Savage is that he's an amazing planner, strategist, but if Captain America has found himself past Vandal's plans, and they're rapidly approaching a fist to fist fight, Captain America has it no doubt.

[Culwych1]

1 hour ago, Macklemore said:

Has to be an easy Captain America win. The problem with Vandal Savage is that he's an amazing planner, strategist, but if Captain America has found himself past Vandal's plans, and they're rapidly approaching a fist to fist fight, Captain America has it no doubt.

Interesting! From memory (haven't read something with Vandal in it for a while), I thought he was a decent threat, even at times for the JL. Agree, he's probably more prep, but that can come into play here.