by Carly Smesh
Tamar smelled the contents then picked up a pinch and rubbed it between his fingers. Finally, he took a small amount outside and placed it on the ground. Then, using a long taper, he placed the burning end into the small mound of shavings. Nothing happened for a second or two and then, with a whoosh, it ignited with a dazzling white light and a thick pall of white smoke.
Mr. Tamar looked satisfied, "How high does the Sahib wish the rocket to fly?" he asked.
"Only a hundred feet. We wish the bright light to show what is on the ground at night" David explained.
Tamar nodded understanding, "And how many rockets will the Sahib need?"
"At least a hundred," David replied.
Tamar looked worried, "Sahib I do not have here sufficient gunpowder or other materials to make that number."
"We can give you gunpowder and perhaps your son can return to bring the materials you need from the city."
Tamar smiled and began telling his son what was needed, while Hangar arranged for a mule cart and escort to take him to gather the necessary materials.
Mr. Tamar moved his cart outside of the Fort and set up his camp.
The next morning David rode out with the patrol to check the Pass.
At the entrance, the men put on their overcoats and gloves to combat the freezing cold wind that blew down it.
As they slowly rode down the Pass, David could see that the snow had gone from the heights. Not until they were three miles into it did they see remnants of it shaded spots along the route.
They were less then half a mile from the Cleft before the way became blocked. David could see the top of the buttress through his telescope. Icicles hung down, reflecting the sunlight, and he noticed they were dripping.
The ground underfoot was a mixture of mud and slush, with small streams of water soaking into the sand.
"It has retreated nearly fifty feet since the last patrol, Colonel Sahib," the Naik said pointing to a mark on one wall of the gorge. David watched as he marked the current position.
They returned to the entrance and made camp for the night.
As he and the patrol rode through the Fort gate, David noticed that Mr. Tamar's camp had grown. Several others were now helping and he saw Sultar amongst them.
Back in his quarters, he asked Hanga to prepare a bath and arrange a meeting with his officers in an hour's time.
Once the Officers were sat down he began, "At he rate that the snow is melting, I would expect us to be able to start work on improving the defenses in the Pass by next week. One of the things I have been thinking about is how we can register the fall of shells from the mortars. The cave lookout point is directly above our camp, as is the other one. As I remember it, the cave crest is fairly clear for about a mile along it. So in order to see the fall of the shells, we need to be looking down at the other end of the cleft."
He let his comments register with them.
Turin was the first to reply, "We would have to move the lookout post almost a thousand yards in order to do that, Colonel Sahib."
David nodded slowly.
"And how would we report the fall of the shells to the mortar crews in the valley, Colonel Sahib?" Rhana asked.
David smiled, "That is the next problem we must solve gentlemen"
He changed the subject and asked if any progress had been made with the rockets.
Sultar replied that he could see a demonstration that night. He went on to explain the problem had been igniting the Magnesium. The gunpowder propelling the rocket burned so quickly, that it would not reliably ignite the Magnesium, but Sultar had overcome this by placing three match heads inside it. The burning gunpowder had ignited the match heads and wooden shafts they were attached to. Experiments had proven the slower burning match heads were almost completely reliable igniters of the Magnesium flakes.
He then produced a bag made from cloth. It was tightly bound at the neck, from which a fuse stuck out.
David immediately grasped the idea: An illumination grenade!
"I've taken the idea of using match ends at the end of the fuse. The bag is soft enough not to burst when thrown. You can see the result tonight with Tamar's rockets."
He handed the bag to David. He hefted in his hand. It weighed about half a pound he judged.
"What about the fuse?" he asked.
"Its ordinary cotton cord soaked in tallow and gunpowder, Colonel Sahib."
He removed one from his pocket; the end of the fuse had three match heads bound to it. They went outside so Sultar could demonstrate.
"The fuses are all cut to give five seconds before exploding," he said, lighting it and tossing it on the ground in front of them.
The fuse hissed with a red glow until it reached the match heads then burst into flame.
"We could use these at the Cleft Colonel Sahib," Sultar said.
David congratulated him, saying he looked forward to the demonstration.
Only the oil lamps inside the barracks and offices cast their light across the parade ground as David, accompanied by his officers made, his way outside the Fort to Mr. Tamar's encampment.
Mr. Tamar welcomed, him introducing him to his two other sons who had come from Putan to help him.
"I think I have succeeded in what the Sahib asked for. It took a little trial and error to find the correct proportion of gunpowder to lift the rockets to the desired height. I also had a problem getting the Sahib's substance to ignite. But you may judge for yourself."
He picked up a rocket from a pile of about a dozen and showed it to David. The rocket was about 2inches in diameter and roughly two feet long. It was attached to a cane stick about 36 inches long.
"The Sahib's substance is packed in this part of the rocket," he said indicating about five inches from the tip of the rocket.
One of the sons stuck a metal rod with a vee-shaped end into the ground and Tamar placed the rocket so the cane rested in the vee, the end of which was just below the body of the rocket.
Every one moved back as Tamar lit the fuse.
For a few seconds nothing happened and then, with a whoosh, the rocket took off, climbing almost straight up and leaving a trail of red sparks behind it.
David followed the red glow until it faded and then, suddenly, the night sky was lit up with a brilliant white light that illuminated everything below.
David's eyes were for a moment dazzled by the light, which lasted for about six seconds before it went out, leaving a shower of brilliant sparks falling to the earth.
"That rocket Sahib climbs the highest, but I have made others that explode closer to the ground."
He demonstrated the second design. This one didn't illuminate as much area as the first, but the light lasted slightly longer.
David ordered 150 of this size and 100 of the longer range size, an order that delighted Mr. Tamar. He told David it would take four days to complete the order.
Sultar then demonstrated his 'grenade.' After lighting the fuse, he threw it overarm out into the darkened waste ground. David heard the plop as it landed, and then a second later it exploded in a shower of white sparks and a brilliant white light that lasted for eight or nine seconds before fading.
"If the Magnesium is not so tightly packed it burns longer, Colonel Sahib," a smiling Sultar explained.
David laughed, congratulating him, "It seems, gentlemen, that our illumination problem has been solved"
Turin solved the problem of signaling the fall of shells two days later.
"I got the idea from the rifle range, Colonel Sahib. We use flags to warn the butts when we are about to fire and to help indicate where on the target the bullet has hit. So why not use flags during the day to direct the fire?
If we had two flags - say a red one and a green one - the red would mean to increase the range and the green one to reduce it. There are only four marks on a mortar, so one wave of a flag would mean either reduce it by one mark, or increase it by one mark depending on the colour of the flag, Two waves would mean reduce or in
crease by two marks and so on.
"Waving both flags together could be used to adjust the fall of the shells to the left or right: Wave both flags in the direction - left or right - the fall of the shell needs to move and the mortar crews would move their alignment in that direction.
Someone on the forward lookout could signal someone overlooking the camp, and they could signal the ones firing the mortars. We could use a similar method at night using a white lantern and lanterns with coloured glass. The white lantern would let our people know where to look for directions. Moving a red lantern up and down over the white lantern would mean to increase the range, a green lantern moved up and down over it would mean a decrease. Moving the red and green lanterns sideways to the left of the white lantern would mean move the shot left, waving them sideways to the right of it would mean right. We would shield the lanterns so they couldn't be seen from the enemy side."
David was amazed at the simplicity of it, giving it his immediate approval.
Turin had teams practicing the new signaling system, with one man outside the Forts wall signaling a man on the Fort's wall, relaying it down to the mortar crews inside the Fort. This reproduced, in miniature, the situation they would face in the Pass: Sending signals from one high point to another and then down into the mortars in the Pass.
They practiced both day and night signaling, using specially adapted oil lamps Hangar had altered for night firing. While David did not expect much mortar firing at night, having the ability to do it might prove critical and he suspected the Russians were unlikely themselves to have solved that problem for the type of situation they would find in the Pass.
Meanwhile, the clothing, blankets and other equipment necessary for doing battle in the Pass was checked and rechecked. Men were clipping cartridges into clips and placing them in ammunition boxes. Weapons were cleaned, tested, and cleaned again. Saddles, bridles, and horseshoes were subjected to similar scrutiny. The sense of urgency affected the entire Fort.
They all knew that spring would soon open the Pass and the Afghans would be close behind. Battle was a certainty.
An argument broke out at an Officers Call when Turin, Sultar and Rhana all claimed the honor of being the first company to guard it, each insisting it should be them. David solved the problem with straws and Turin won. Half of Tiger Company - 50 men - would be the first at the buttress. It would fall to them to carry out all the new construction and other defensive preparations.
Turin had the blacksmith forge additional picks and crowbars, along with heavy hammers and chisels, to help force the granite rock of the Pass to help them defend it.
Chapter 25
A week later, the patrol reported that, although the cleft was still blocked, the buttress camp was now accessible.
Turin's men began loading the heavy wagons, while he and Hangar checked off the items on their lists.
Later that night he reported to David that he and the Tigers would be leaving at first light.
David told him he would be report to the Prince, in Putan, and then join him at the Pass the following day.
He stood on the wall of the Fort as the first rays of the sun rose above the Eastern mountains, watching the wagons and soldiers leave the Fort.
Later, he rode Thor to the city, arriving a little before noon.
The Prince was with Ashar Kahn, when he was shown into their presence.
The Prince looked hard at David knowing why he was here, "The Pass is clear?"
David shook his head, "Not all of it. The Cleft is still blocked, but we can begin work at the camp, making our preparations," he replied. He then went on to explain about the rockets and system his officers had devised for signaling the mortars.
The Prince smiled sadly, "So, there is to be a battle and men will die. Yet the men dying do not belong to my kingdom. It seems so unfair to ask them to do this."
David smiled, "They do not belong to your kingdom, Sir, it is true. But they belong to the Khana Rifles, which binds them tighter than a kingdom. It binds them to each other. They are Ghurkhas. They fight for the man alongside of them, as he fights for them. They fight for their troop, their Company and Regiment, and the flag that flies above them."
Ashar Kahn said quietly, "And for you Colonel Sahib."
"And I for them," David replied.
When it came time for David to leave, Ashar Kahn embraced him whispering, "Be careful my Son, I have promised Sulkie you will be there when she foals."
The Prince took David's right hand in both of his, looking deeply into his eyes, "David, you must know you are more than my Colonel to me. You are a true friend and I do not wish to lose that friendship. You do not have my permission to get yourself killed."
Susan was waiting outside the room, "I heard you had arrived in the Palace. You're going to the Pass aren't you?" she murmured her eyes glassy.
He nodded, "Yes, tomorrow."
Later as he dressed, he looked down at her beautiful naked body. Her eyes were red from crying, but she made a brave attempt at smiling, "Come back to me darling" she whispered.
The Fort was in darkness by the time he arrived back.
Hanga had cleaned his weapons: His rifle, pistols and kukri lay on the table. The furs he wore at the Pass were rolled up along with his blankets. His saddlebags were on an armchair.
"I've filled your flask, Colonel Sahib, and have put in thirty cheroots as well as forty rounds of pistol ammunition and your telescope. Your cartridge belt has fifty rounds of rifle ammunition. Is there anything that I've forgotten?"
David smiled, "No, old friend, you have done well. Kahn will have a heavy load to carry tomorrow."
Hanga left to take care of Thor, leaving David to eat his dinner.
The next morning, clad in his long johns and shirt after a breakfast of bacon and eggs, he went outside to find Hanga finishing loading Kahn.
Para, Hangar, Sultar and Rhana were waiting for him.
"I'll send up the cart with the ammunition, rockets and pigeons in two days, as ordered, Colonel Sahib," Para said.
David nodded as he mounted.
"Don't start the battle without me Colonel Sahib," Sultar added.
Kahn set off at a brisk trot, eager to be away and seemingly unaware of the heavy load he carried.
When he arrived at the buttress, the sight that met his eyes was one of seemingly organized chaos. Men were hoisting pallets of stone building blocks up to the crests. Others were building storage boxes for ammunition and supplies close to the buttress's walls, while others were on the blockhouse roofs fixing chimney vents and reinforcing the roofing.
A rifleman took charge of Kahn when David dismounted and removed his furs and bedroll, hurrying into the blockhouse to change, already shivering from the cold wind that blew constantly down the Pass.
He was changing his boots for the warm fur ones when Turin entered, "Sorry I was not here to meet you, Colonel Sahib, but I was on the crest overseeing the building of the lookout post."
David waved aside the apology, "So have you found a suitable site for it?"
Turin explained he had found a step in the rock face about thirty yards beyond the other side of the cleft. At its highest, it was a little over six feet, so he was building the lookout house there, as it would only require three walls. Towards the rim, the step dropped down to about three feet, but provided excellent cover for firing from. He said should be completed by the end of the day, adding it now required only the roof and a chimney for the pot-bellied stove. The same was true of the other lookout post on the other side of the gorge.
"I've men digging out the coal seam and we are stockpiling it. Tomorrow, when we lift the bunks up, we will also send coal up there as well."
"How does it look on the other side of the cleft," he asked.
"The wind has drifted the snow high against the buttress, Colonel Sahib, and the road is hardly visible. I have given orders that should anyone appear, the men are to stop work and hide. That applies to everyone, both on the
other side and in the valley."
David nodded his agreement, then added, "When the lookout posts are completed, we must turn our attention to the safety of the men in the valley. Their biggest danger will come from whatever artillery is used against us, which I'm sure will be mortars. The biggest threat will be shrapnel when they explode. I think it is impossible to drop a shell down the side of the buttress, but a well-aimed or lucky shell will be able to land some yards away from it. Therefore, we shall dig a trench hard against the buttress wall, six feet deep, that the men can drop into when the shells fall."
Turin nodded, "We can use the material removed to create an earthen wall for the mortar ammunition and rocket storage bins. It may prevent damage to them."
Turin returned to the crest, leaving David to sort himself out.
For two days the men laboured from first light until there was no longer any light to work in. David had climbed each crest in turn, viewing the results of their work and providing his own strength to the work when circumstances permitted.
The new lookout post - surprisingly snug - was now finished. The constant wind brought snow flurries, but inside the new post, prefabricated bunks had been erected and a potbellied stove glowed red from the burning coal. When David looked over the lip he, could see sections of the road appearing through the snow. In front of the step there, was a clear field of fire for roughly 600 yards before outcrops blocked the view that could be seen between the flurries of snow.
Looking across to the other side of the Pass, he could see the ridge was more broken up, difficult terrain to traverse, he knew.
The main attack will be against this lookout he surmised. The Afghans had already sent a handful of men to reconnoiter the other crest. Turin and his men's alertness and rifle marksmanship meant they had never returned. Yes, he decided, this will be the next one.
He expressed his views to Turin that night.
"In hindsight, I would like to have more men up there now. We will almost certainly lose the two men who have to signal the valley."
Turin pondered the problem, "The only thing that prevents us placing more men up there is the sleeping arrangements. There are two men on guard throughout the night, so two beds are empty. By squeezing the beds together we may fit in another two or three beds."