Our Despatches from the Front (No. 140).
Page 17
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A Motor Lorry in the Wilds of East Africa.
MT. EXPERIENCES IN EAST AFRICA. (Continued from. page 258.)
One day, when I and my second driver had got nicely settled down under cover for lunch, we found we had not enough bread, so I returned to the lorry to get some, while any companion. wandered into the bush a few yards away. I just got back in time to see a jackal running off with the bully beef. We had nothing but bread that day. Another time, we had been out all day, and the butcher had left about 5 lb. of meat for the four of us on the table outside the tent. We were standing about 200 yds. away, and were just in a position to see a leopard jump on the table and ran away with the whole of our meat; that day we had bread and jam only. I fired at the beast, but only wounded him, so he got away with something for his trouble.
Another night I was lying awake thinking of home, when I hea.rd a loud roar, and looking up I saw a lion anchlioness about 20 yds. from our tent. The four of us got up as quickly as possible, and with our rifles ready waited for them to eorne nearer, but they turned off and went across the railway lines, where about 200 donkeys were collected. The -brutesleapt over the branches which barricaded our encampment, and ran off with a donkey, the black men in charge shouting and yelling and lighting fires to scare off the lions.
The next morning I and another man went out in search of them, and found their footmarks leading into the bush. We followedthe spoor for about four miles right into the jungle ; we found the bones and fragments of the donkey but no other trace of the lions, so after searching about two hours we returned and came across a herd of wildebeest. I brought down one of them at about 50 yds. We cut off a hind leg and took it back to camp, and had it roasted for tea and supper, the meat being tasty and tender. We went next day to cutoff another joint, but there was nothing left but skin and bones, for the wild beasts of the jungle had eaten the rest. However, we -shot two small deer, about as big as a large goat, and these proved very good eating, something like lamb, very tender.
We presently moved up to where there had been some fighting, and we were sent forward as scouts. We found the enemy gone, so we hurried back and reported, and then with some K.A.R.s took possession of. the vacated positions. A few days later we joined the company at a town not far distant. We stayed here until the early spring, when the big advance started. With our lorries filled with stores we followed the mounted brigade, which was to attack a strongly-for tified position. This was shelled for about four hours, with the result that the enemy cleared out and we took a lot of prisoners, while our main body attempted a flanking rnovenfent. The motor' convOy was attacked here by a body of about 600 of the enemy. Our captain gave us orders to get off -our lorries and get underneath, and we had a hot time for about half. hour. hour. We managed to keep the Germans back until they were reinforced by about 500 more Men. They then got as near as 50 yards, and we had a chance to put some lead into them. We were fortunately assisted by some Indian Cavalry, and the enemy retreated, followed up by the South African Horse. Two or three tins of hisunits in my lorry were riddled with bullets. The next night I was sent out to bring in wounded, and I was at it until 5 o'elock in the morning. My next job was carrying up troops to follow after the retreating enemy, returning for further bodies of men. The convoy was frequently attacked by shelling parties, but we soon cleared them off,laking a few prisoners. (To be continued.)