The Tides of War
Copyright© 2019 by Robin Lane
Chapter 47
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 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 Gurkhas. Major Sultar will be in command of Mamoie Ford with eighty hunters and Gurkhas. Captain Tartrha will command at Tambar Ford with eighty hunters and Gurkhas. Captain Stanley along with Lieutenant Norris’s gunners will be 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.
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