The Tides Of War Pt. 13

Chapter 48

At an Officers Call back at the Crater, David addressed them.

"Well gentlemen, we have done as much as we can to prepare. We hold strong positions, in that the enemy will find it difficult to climb the flood banks in front of them. Our only weakness is if they get behind us. Their artillery could be a problem but if they are like the needle guns used in India they only have a range of about a mile. Our mortars could give them a nasty surprise so the only real problem will be the aircraft if they use bombs. I therefore propose that when we know they are due to attack, that we mount a raid to destroy them first."

He looked around the room as each head nodded in agreement.

Stanley spoke up, "Forty-eight of the home guard have volunteered to guard the howitzers."

David smiled, "Now for the chain of command... Major Mainwaring will be second-in-command to me at Mamboie Ford with his Australians and Lieutenant Rham with twenty Ghurkhas. Major Sultar will be in command of Mamoie Ford with eighty hunters and Ghurkhas. Captain Tartrha will command at Tamha Ford with eighty hunters and Ghurkhas.

Captain Stanley along with Lieutenant Norris's gunners will in charge of the guns and the defence of them with his home guard.

"I don't propose to fully man the outposts until the last minute. As far as the observers in the aircraft are concerned there are only the few men they have seen guarding them. When we do man them, the men will need to take provisions with them to last a week. The horses will be sent to the rift undercover. Patar has begun stockpiling fodder for them and some of N'debi's boys will help him along with Martin and Jill. Susan and Yasmin insist on setting up a hospital there as well, for any wounded. N'debi and his warriors will transport the wounded with mules as and when required. Okay... any questions?"

"The airfield is closest to my ford," Sultar said. "So we will destroy them," he said grimly.

David nodded his head, "Agreed."

The following week the Lewis guns arrived with more ammunition, along with a letter from Robert. Agents had reported that a full regiment of Uhlans along with their horses were due to set sail in the next two weeks. The postmark was over a month old. The Lewis guns were divided out amongst the three posts with six magazines for each gun.

Later that night as he undressed for bed Susan asked him, "David tell me the truth, how bad is it?" she said from the bed.

He had never lied to her, knowing she was a strong character and not the usual mincing type of female.

"If we can't hold them at the river, British East Africa will be overrun. If the Askari's reach the rift you know what they'll do to you, Jill, and Yasmin."

Susan's face went white but she nodded bravely, "I've given your old Smith and Wessons to Yasmin and Martin. We know what to do... they won't take us alive. I've arranged for all the children in to go to Nairobi; they should be safer there."

David took her in his arms and kissed her tear filled face.

"Don't worry darling they have to get past us first."

They slept in each other's arms, each thinking of what was to come.

Pamhar crossed the river to report that he had overheard the Uhlan Colonel say in the mess that his troops would be ready for action in a week. He said the officers present were in a happy mood at the prospect of what was to come.

Sultar sent the message on to David, that he would be taking care of the aircraft in the next two days, and that he had recalled the four Ghurkhas. David sent word to all the commanders to assemble their men and take up positions on the night of the twelfth.

Hanga packed his saddlebags making sure his flask was filled and he had enough cheroots and ammunition for the Colt and Lugar automatics. His kukri had a razor edge and his rifle shone from cleaning. His bandolier had been checked and filled; all was in readiness and there only remained his cutthroat razors, brush and soap. Hanga and Ali had insisted on going to the rift with Susan.

Chapter 49

It was little after midnight when they reached the ford. David removed his saddlebags, binoculars, Lugar and rifle, before Zeus was led away. He dropped them all on his bunk; Bert dropped his then they both rushed out to see that the men were settling in to their assigned positions. Shortly after two am they heard the rumble of explosions far of across the river and an orange glow appeared.

An hour later the telegraph started chattering and David waited impatiently until it stopped then read the flimsy handed to him. "Three aircraft destroyed. No casualties. All men back. Sultar."

David knew the message would go out to everyone as he told Bert to let the men know, but to keep their voices down.

The men stood to as dawn broke. They had heard the sound of movement from the other side of the river but had been unable to see anything. Bert was alongside of him in the trench.

"The men know to keep down until they hear the bugle?" David asked.

"They know David."

The two of them had decided to keep the camouflaged rifle pits and machine gun posts secret until the enemy committed his forces in strength. The four man outpost dugout would receive all of the enemy's attention for the moment. As the light grew stronger David, using his binoculars could make out the six small artillery pieces lined up on top of the bank on the far side of the river. He knew the Havildar who had his old telescope would see them too. He was the spotter for the mortar crews, and would be sending them range and position information. One of Lieutenant Norris's gunners was alongside of him to report for the howitzers with a telegraph key alongside.

Suddenly one of the guns fired with a sharp crack. The shell landed short at the base of the embankment. A few minutes later it fired again, the shell landing near the top of the embankment. Again there was a pause before it fired again, this time the shell landed ten yards beyond the lookout post. Then next all the guns fired at the same time, shells screamed overhead to fall around the post.

At the same time fifty Askari's started across the ford. The four Australians who manned the outpost waited until they were in the middle of the ford, before opening fire.

Askari's fell screaming as the three rifles and Lewis gun poured bullets into them.

They turned and ran back dragging wounded with them, as the guns became silent in the outpost.

"They'll try to overwhelm them with numbers," David predicted.

The guns still continued firing but now the shells were falling closer to the outpost.

The guns suddenly stopped and a silence fell on the ford, which was broken by the dim sound of whistles.

David turned to the young Australian trooper with the bugle, "Get ready," he murmured.

The far side of the ford was suddenly darkened by uniformed forms of Askari's in columns of ten wide. David calculated there must be two hundred in the column and behind them marched a company of German soldiers with steel helmets.

As the first men entered the ford, the guns began firing again. The men in the outpost remained silent, conforming to their orders. David could see the smiles on the faces of the Askari's as they thought the outpost had been wiped out.

He let them reach almost to the bank before nodding to the bugle boy. As the first notes rang out, netting was thrown back and two hundred rifles, Lewis and Vickers machine guns burst into life. At the same time he heard the distinctive "woomf" of the mortars firing, and then the distinctive scream of an artillery shell coming overhead.

Below in the ford it was a blood bath, as men fell killed or wounded and the waters of the river turned pink. Caught in the cross fire of the Vickers and Lewis guns none reached dry land. David focused the binoculars on the guns, three had been smashed, and men and mules fell as they tried to save the remaining three, but as he watched a mortar shell landed in a group struggling to move them. It was followed by three artillery shells that left no-one alive around the broken guns.

The men in the ford were struggling to move back to their own bank, as David gave the order to cease-fire. Bodies were slowly drifting down stream; some of the wounded were struggling to keep their heads above the water. Suddenly four German soldiers with Red Cross bands on their arms entered the river with two stretchers. They let them get on with their grisly work. Finding out they were not being fired upon others rushed to help.

David put down his binoculars, and took a drink from his flask, then handing it over to Bert.

"Well we seemed to have won the first round," he said dryly.

"I'd better let the other fords know to expect them," Bert said.

David nodded, "I'll see if we have any casualties."

Five men had minor wounds from stones thrown up by the guns, none that needed more than a dressing. David sat in the command post looking at the map and thinking.

Bert came in and sat down, "It's all quiet over there at the moment," he murmured.

David nodded, "No word from the other fords as yet," he replied.

"Well, its ten miles to Mamoie and almost fifteen to Tamba; it will take them a while to get troops there," Bert added.

"I've been thinking of that, the Uhlans are their most effective weapon now if they can cross. But I can't see their General wasting them on trying to force a crossing while he has infantry. If I was the commander and found a ford guarded, I'd move on to the next one and try that."

Bert nodded, "That makes sense. But what could we do if they do that?"

David thought for a moment before replying, "If they do have a full regiment of Uhlans, then we are talking about four hundred men. If we assume that they will take infantry to try the fords first they will have to move at the infantry's pace. I've been studying the map. The next ford after Mamoie is twenty-five miles away from it. The next after Tamba is forty miles away. I believe that whichever ford they hit next, they will go on to the next one.

"Bert I've sent a message to the rift to bring one hundred and fifty horses here, along with twenty mules. I intend to make a mobile strike force which will rob you of one hundred men. I'll take Rham's twenty Ghurkhas and eighty of your Australians and four Lewis guns. I've sent word to Sultar and Tartrha that I'll need twenty-five Ghurkhas from each of their commands. They're to sit tight until we know which ford is attacked next. You'll take command here Bert; I'd be surprised if they tried again, but you never know."

"You're going to command the detail then David?"

"Well, it's my idea," David chuckled as he packed his saddle bags. "Can you let the men who are going, to pack more ammunition, and we'll need six magazines for each of the Lewis guns."

Bert left to give the orders, while David contemplated what he was about to do. He knew it all depended on the Germans not knowing he was removing men from the defences.

Chapter 50

A lookout warned him of a dust cloud approaching along the track. He sent a runner to stop them a mile from the ford. The chosen men had slowly gathered behind the embankment as their comrades slipped into their vacant rifle and machine gun posts.

All the men had filled water bottles and carried rations and extra ammunition in their saddlebags along with their bedrolls. He told them to make their way to the horses but to avoid making too much dust.

He remained behind in the command post, alongside of the telephonist. It was an hour later that the key began to chatter. He lent over the man as he wrote down the message. Askari's had attacked Mamoie Ford and had been stopped dead. David gave instructions for the men from each ford to prepare to receive horses.

David threw his saddlebags over his shoulder and carrying his rifle set off for the horses.

When he arrived he was surprised to find Susan, Martin, Jill, Yasmin, Hanga, and Ali had brought the horses forward. He detailed four Ghurkhas to take twenty-five horses to Tamba Ford and to meet up with them above Mamoie Ford. He quickly kissed Susan saying that all was well, as the Lewis guns and magazines were packed onto some of the mules; some already carried water skins and rations. After a quick farewell, he mounted Zeus as the column fell in behind him, then set off at a brisk trot.

It took two hours to reach Mamoie Ford; Sultar was there to welcome him. As the men watered the horses Sultar brought him up to date. "About fifty Askari tried to cross, but as soon as we opened fire they ran back. I sent a scout across an hour ago; everyone had gone but he reported a large amount of horse tracks leading up-river."

David nodded, "Are your men ready to ride?" he asked.

Sultar smiled, "All handpicked," he said throwing his saddlebags over his shoulder and picking up his rifle.

David frowned, "You're not going," he said.

Sultar said seriously, "You need a good second in command. My lieutenant is more than capable of looking after things here. Besides my horse is there," he said pointing.

David then saw the German stallion that he had captured that Sultar now rode.

Sultar smiled, "I told them back at the rift to make sure they included it."

David shook his head, "Okay, you win... mount up." He needn't have spoken as Sultar was already mounting. They set of again after leaving instructions for the men from Tamha Ford to try and catch up with them.

David pushed the column hard, but it still took over three hours before they topped the ridge leading down to the ford... and his heart sank.

Germans and Askari's were digging in on their side of the ford. There looked to be around sixty digging trenches in front of the ford, whilst Askari's stood up to their waists in the river to mark the edges of the ford, Uhlans crossed in pairs. Through his binoculars he could see over a hundred had already crossed and were dismounted drying out their boots and equipment. He rapidly issued orders to Sultar.

"Take your men and two Lewis guns and keep them busy down on the ford. Try to stop them crossing. I'm going to circle around the ridge and come up in front of the cavalry; they'll have to charge up the slope to attack us."

He and Sultar wheeled their horses back to the column, which was still behind the ridge.

Sultar barked out orders as men dismounted; some unshipping the Lewis guns and magazines from the mules, as David led the others along the ridge with Rham now at his side.

When he judged he was in the right place he dismounted and carrying his binoculars crept over the skyline. Looking down he had a clearer view of the Uhlans as they hastily pulled on boots and fastened their equipment. He noticed that German soldiers were also mixed in with them, and were rushing with their rifles to where Sultar's men had opened fire.

He rushed back to the column as the men dismounted, gathering the NCOs and Rham around him he quickly gave orders, "Spread out along here, I want a Lewis gun at each end of the line. Tell the men to keep flat down on their stomachs. We may have to repel a cavalry charge."

The NCOs dashed off to relay the orders. The men crawled on their bellies over the skyline utilising any available cover. David adjusted his rifle sights to what he thought was six hundred yards to the enemy; a long shot, but he had men who knew how to shoot. He aimed at an officer giving orders to the soldiers, and was rewarded by seeing him fall after squeezing the trigger. Rifles were cracking all along the line now, as the German soldiers dived for cover and started to return fire.

He put his rifle down to look through the binoculars. The Uhlans had hastily moved behind a hump in the slope that hid them from view. Looking towards the ford, he saw it was now empty; a few bodies drifty slowly downstream, while four rider less horses galloped along the riverside.

Switching to Sultar's position he saw some of the Ghurkhas using their kukri's to dig shallow rifle pits. Some he saw were lying still; Sultar's position was closer to the ford than his and was under fire from across the ford.

David knew if the Uhlans charged Sultar he would be over-run. He turned to Rham.

"Take your men and re-enforce Major Sultar!"

Rham wiggled away calling out for his Ghurkhas to follow him.

A burly Australian Colour Serjeant flopped down alongside of him.

"Good day for it mate," he said with a grin.

David had to smile at the man's humour, "I'm Walt... any orders sir?" he asked.

"The Uhlans are behind that bump so we can't see them. I'm betting they'll try to charge Sultar's position. If they take it they'll ride over the ridge and come back to take us in the rear. We have to stop them doing that."

"Well sir, why don't we move the Lewis gun over to the other one, they're likely to get the best shots at them if they do charge."

David nodded, "Do that Colour Serjeant; in fact we can move more men over to that side."

David crawled along the line telling the men to follow him as he passed, until he was alongside the Lewis gun.

"How many magazines to you have left?" he asked the young Australian gunner.

"Two," came back the reply.

David passed the three empty magazines to the men in the line, "Reload these," he ordered taking bullets out of his saddlebags and handing them over, as other men did the same.

Three men arrived with the other Lewis gun and magazines, one was the Colour Serjeant.

"Tell the men to reload the empty magazines," he told him "and to save them ready for the charge."

Looking over to Sultar's position he saw Rham had arrived and his men were getting into place. A lull had overtaken the battle and Sultar used it to take his wounded and dead back over the ridge out of sight. David estimated that from where the Uhlans were hidden to Sultar's position was about half a mile. A charging horse could cover that distance in mere minutes; the ground was fairly flat and only a slight slope where the men were.

Fire had dropped off to single shots as both sides sniped at each other.

The Colour Serjeant came back alongside of him.

"When they charge it will be difficult to hit a man, so they will have to shoot at the horses," David said.

"Yes sir, they know; they'll hate doing it but they will."

"They're up to something," David replied.

"Can I borrow your glasses a moment?" Walt murmured. "Well I'll be buggered; their using semaphore." He said pointing to a figure on the far bank level with where the Uhlans were hidden. David snatched the binoculars and saw a German soldier signalling with flags.

"They're co-ordinating the attack," David murmured.

He had no sooner finished talking when a furious barrage of rifle fire erupted from the enemy directed at Sultar's position. Fire was even coming from the far bank as dismounted Uhlans opened up using their carbines. At the same time a bugle sounded and the Uhlans exploded from behind their cover in lines of twenty riders galloping alongside each other. David had just time to see five lines of them as he opened fire.

The Australians were firing as fast as they could and the Lewis guns were chattering away too.

Men and horses were going down screaming, but only the flank facing David's men were really affected, their falling comrades shielding the riders on the riverside. Suddenly he was conscious of rifle bullets passing over his head. He spun round to see German infantry charging up the slope from their cover with bayonets fixed to their rifles.

"Look to your front," he cried out.

As the Australians spun round to see this new threat, they rose up fixing bayonets to their own rifles to meet the Germans who were less than forty yards away now. David dropped his rifle and pulled the Colt Automatic from his holster, and turned to face them.