Wilmshurst of the Frontier Force

ant; how man

aring a broad

only a Haussa can when reporting losses amongst his comrades. "Nimshi Pali

ss, the sacrifice had not been made in vain, for a numerically stronger force had been completely routed with the loss of eighteen left dead upon the field, and thirty-

step was unlikely in view of the demoralization of the defeated force, Wilmshurst

to work to dismantle the machine, removing the planes as carefully and expeditiously as a party of crack mechanics from the Royal Air Force

transport across five miles of bush country, al

teadied and propelled the heavy load, others armed with axes and entrenching spades going on ahead to clear the path. Other parties transported the floats and

iles an hour, and it was close on sunset when the rescued seaplane arrived at the banks of a sma

d him upon the way in which he had accomplished the difficult task with which he h

about the utter faithlessness of the supposed Rhodesian. "A man like that will cause more trouble than a dozen machin

er, sir," re

anner

ltern replied

d that long years of residence either in Great Britain or the colonies has enabled him to totally suppress his Hunnish accent and traits, alt

so-called MacGregor had contrived to escape capture. The members of the "Lone Star Crush" were boisterously warm in their congratulations, chaffi

ried in roughly-constructed "dhoolies" by the Haussas. Their relief on learning that the seaplane was safely alongside the

e column. We heard that a runner came in just now before we left Gwelba, with the news that an ammunition column and

d Wilmshurst. "Merely returni

l,'" repeated the pilot.

. "A day or two ago my platoon were posted on the M'ganga road. We were just settling do

rver. "We thought we were strafing

men, that's all. We couldn't get you to see that we were a Haussa platoon, and I had a nice old job keeping my men in h

the pilot. "I say, what a frost! An' w

surprised how difficult it is to distinguish between British and German native troops from any height. By the bye, did you find a mahogany box in the fuselag

so by the number of prisoners. The captive Askaris were subjected to a strict examination, with the result that it was discovered that Robert MacGregor was really a German, and a person of some official capacity, since he was on f

ght Wilmshurst, as he made a note of the name in his pocket-boo

German entrenched post held by three native regiments and a han

ed adjutant, referring to a map. "Ask the prisoner how far

ding to the Askari's description M'ganga was a fairly extensive table-land, precipitous on three sides, while on the fourth the ground d

With our small force a turning movement seems rather a tall order. Of course, if we can get in touch

operate-cannot we send a runner, sir? He'll be back

be at a loss to find a suitable spot to alight, a seaplane stood a better chance, owing to the presence of several wide rivers, and here the Sea Service machines of the Royal Air Force scored over the

us and perilous trek, volunteered to remain and co-operate. For observation purposes and machine-gunning the Huns they would be ab

of small sacks filled with cordite, both loose and in cartridges, while by manipulating the fuses of Mills bombs, so that the period between release an

d had not the expected stores been speedily forthcoming. There was petrol, too, enough for a series of flights over a distance of two hundred miles; while to the intense satisfa

to Wilmshurst's greeting. "You've been lucky already, I hear?

explained wha

r our wing, so to speak. I don't mind admitting now that I didn't t

rrupted Laxdale, "and left

d guilty," a

d he had a rifle. Ah, well; you fellows have stolen a march on me, a

th the Indian crush," replied

it will be a decent scrap, and that von G