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Chapter twenty-nine. Crisis |
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Zhekuingba came from the camp to meet us, and said : |
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" There's a 'V' Force Sahib here." |
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I tramped down the veranda and looked through the door. A fair-haired captain was sitting by the table. He got to his feet. |
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" Hallo. I'm Albright. Scotty sent me along." |
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On the floor in the corner, where I hadn't seen them at first, were long cases, rifles and tommy-guns, boxes of ammunition, grenades and rations. " V " Force was backing me up. |
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Albright gave me the news. 2 and 3 V Ops - that is, Imphal and Kohima areas - had been dispersed and scattered all over the map. A large number of their scouts had been (210) Kukis of those groups involved in the 1918 rebellion. Most of them had been playing a double game, and, when the Japs came over, they joined them openly and led them to every camp and cache set up by their " V " Force officers. These were mostly missing. They were coming in by ones and twos, and it was hoped that most were safe. Murray, of 3 V Ops, had made a fighting retreat from Shangshak and beyond, ambushing the enemy a fantastic number of times. Ruther had reached Kohima. Someone called Betts was still missing. H.Q. staff had been sent out right and left to fill gaps (Albright was a Staff Captain) and down at H.Q. Scotty laboured almost alone with the clerks. |
