On February 7, 1910, the British Royal Navy suffered one of the most embarrassing pranks in military history. Eccentric prankster Horace de Vere Cole, along with five friends including a young Virginia Woolf, disguised themselves as the Emperor of Abyssinia and his royal entourage. They sent a telegram signed by a fake Foreign Office official to the commander of HMS Dreadnought, the flagship of Britain's Home Fleet stationed at Weymouth, announcing the urgent arrival of the royal guests.
Upon arrival, the pranksters were greeted with full military honors, a band playing national anthems, and an elaborate red-carpet reception. The group spoke a gibberish mixture of Latin and Swahili, repeatedly shouting 'Bunga, bunga!' to express admiration as they were given a guided tour of Britain's top-secret naval technology.
Naval officers were so eager to please that they completely failed to notice the greasepaint makeup, absurd fake beards, and obvious theatrical props. The hoax was revealed to the press days later when Cole sent a group photo to the Daily Mirror, causing immense public humiliation for the Royal Navy. Parliament even questioned the navy's security protocols, while the phrase 'Bunga, bunga!'
became a widespread national catchphrase.