Chapter 46

The year dragged to a close and information from across the river started to dry up as the tribes either crossed the river or moved further north. The lack of information was brought up at one of the meetings held with senior officers. It was Sultar who suggested letting some of the Gurkhas cross the river in disguise. “Due to their size and colouring they may be able to avoid detection,” he argued.

Rham, along with three of the original Gurkhas who had come with David to the Crater, were chosen. They had picked up the Matabele and Maasi language, along with some of the local native languages through their close work with them. Hans was brought in from Nairobi to instruct them in German. After a month he said they were ready, “They’re not fluent, but no-one would expect them to be. But they know enough to pass.”

Susan mixed up something that darkened their skin even more and David gave them some of the money recovered from the dead Germans during their first encounter with them. He spoke to them as they waited at an outpost to cross. “Men, I don’t want any of you being heroes. Don’t carry anything that could cause suspicion if you are stopped and searched. What we need is information on numbers of troops, camp positions and anything else of value.” He watched as they silently slipped away.

They were gone for almost two weeks before they started to reappear at the outposts, shocking the Australian guards by appearing right in front of them without them knowing they were there. David and Sultar debriefed them back at the house.

Rham began, “I saw a full regiment of white German soldiers made up of four companies on parade. Also ten companies of Askaris and they complain that they have to march ten miles each day and the distance is increased the next time they march. The three main camps are near Mamboie, and the fords either side of it at Mamoie and Tambar. Tarbah found work at the airfield were the aircraft are kept.”

Tarbah took up the story, “I worked in the kitchens. There are three aircraft at the base. Each has room in them for two men. In the back is a machine gun and along the sides are racks that hold shells like our mortars only bigger. The airfield has barbed wire around it and Askari’s guard it.”

Parah started his report, “The camp I worked at contained artillery, but not big guns. They were small and were carried by two mules. They practice most days at unloading the parts and putting them together and then firing them. A German soldier is in charge of the training for the Askari gunners. I counted six of these guns.”

Pamhar started next, “I worked as a mess boy in their headquarters. The General is a big man with spiky hair. But there was an officer who was called Colonel who wore the same uniform as those we killed with the lances. They seem to be waiting for more to arrive, because the Colonel asked if the fodder for the horses was being gathered.”

The four men all volunteered to return across the river. Before leaving David asked Tarbah to look for any weakness in the airfields security. After they had gone David turned to the assembled officers, “Well gentleman, it seems they mean business this time. Our only defence is to hold them at the river. If their cavalry is allowed to deploy we will be overrun, especially if their aircraft are bombing and machine gunning our positions along with their artillery.”

“If we only knew for certain where they will cross, it would help,” Stanley exclaimed.

“My guess is they’ll cross using three fords. Mamboie would be the main crossing point. It’s the shallowest and firmest, and the most direct route track to Nairobi, but they could cross on either side of that enabling them to swing around and take us from the rear,” David murmured.

“The one ace we hold up our sleeve is the three guns we took from them. They could be set up to pound all three crossing points,” Stanley added.

David nodded, “The only thing that could hurt us is the aircraft. They need to be put out of commission in order for us to prepare defences without being observed.”

“Well,” Sultar added, “We can start preparing at the outposts if we do it at night, and camouflage the work during daylight hours. At least we hold the advantage of high ground at those fords. What sort of numbers do you envisage manning them David?”

“With the Australians and Gurkhas we have about three hundred.”

Stanley cut in, “You also have sixty of us.”

David smiled, “Three hundred and sixty then. We’ll need twelve to man the guns, Lieutenant Norris and his gunners along with some of the home guard can do that, so effectively we can place eighty men at the two fords either side of Mamboie. Leaving two hundred to man the main crossing point, we can place two machine guns and two mortars along with four Lewis guns at the two side ford positions. The rest will be at Mamboie. We will need to string wire to connect the gun positions with the outposts for fire support.”

‘Where will you put the guns?” Stanley asked.