Our Despatches from the Front (No. 141
Page 17
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
A Motor Lorry in the Wilds of East Africa.
ALT, EXPERIENCES IN EAST AFRICA.
(Continued from page 279.) Later on I was sent up with 25 men to where the Germans had blown up the water tanks. AVo went straight into the bush in order to get near to the German camp, and there we dared neither smoke nor speak ; after waiting all night, we were successful in taking two of the enemy, evidently bent on more destruction.
The day after I was sent to a distant camp with veterinary stores. Just as I was starting back, the general officer gave me orders to wait until later, as he wanted me to carry some officers and their kit to a point about 20 miles down the road, where they were to join their companies. One of the officers was supposed to know the place where to meet the outposts. The general officer also gave me directions and showed me the place on the map to which we were to go. Unfortunately, the officer in charge and myself differed as to the direction we were to take at a certain corner of the forest. I was quite certain that I was right, but, of course, I had to go in the direction I was ordered. We had gone about a mile further
• up in this direction when we received a volley, so I turned the lorry into the bush. The officer stated that it was his own outpost, and he jumped off the lorry and ran to see, but he ran back quicher than he went, for they were a party of German black troops, and not our own men. So we turned back and, met with a body of K.A.R.s. One of the volleys fired went through my bonnet, but did not do any damage to the trigine. From that day, for four days and three nights, a big actin took place, and so many of the enemy were killed that they could not bury their dead, but had to burn them. We also captured one of their big guns, scene machine guns, stores and ammunition.
We then advanced further. into the German territory, and I was attached to Van Diernan's Horse with the advance supplies. It took us three days to do 75 miles on bad,_ mountahlons roads. We went through 17 rivers in 15 miles. In some places We had to get ropes fastened on to the front of our lorries and pull them through the water and up the banks of the rivers; which were too steep. and -rocky to permit the engine to take them right up on its own power. It was terribly hard work; and I was up to my waist in the water for hours.
On arriving at our destination we had three days rest, until theenain convoy came through with more supplie3, which was the signal, for our departure. I was left in charge of four lorries carrying stores and ammunition, returning several times for further ammunition sup
plies. On one cd these journeys we started hack with two days rations. Not long after the beginning of our journey it commenced to rain, and before we had one 15 miles the road was almost impassable, and we were only able to do about five miles per hour.. We went on until it was nearly dark, and then decided to stop for the night. I boiled the water for tea in my dixie over a jam tin filled with petrol. We could not use wood, as it was too Wet. it continued to rain all night, so we piled the ammunition up on each side of the lorries and put an oil Eiliet over the top, and got underneath ourselves, where we had. our tea and bully. When daylight broke the toad was like a river, and the lorries had sunk down to their axles in, the mud. We cotild not possibly move, so we had breakfast, consisting of tea, bread and bully, and had to Wait until the road became sufficiently dry for us to proceed. Still, however, it. continued to rain, and we onlyhad enough rations for one more meal. We did without-food all the next day in order to spin out our supplies as far as possible. That night we were indeed hungry, so we had what was left, and, fortunately, the rain stopped, after three days and three nights eontinual downpour. We were now without food. There was no possible chance of moving the lorries 'until the next morning. so I started off to hunt for something to eat. I took one mail with me and left two behind to take care of the lorries. We walked about six miles into 'the bush without adventure.