Dervish Swarm Sinclair's Square

Date: 25 September 1929/2019
Location: British Museum Site B, Near El Wil-Yam
Situation: Eleven Days After The Dervish Swarm Victory

Credits
Story: General Pettygree Studios
Homage: Alfred Hitchcock "Very Light"

Before reading Dervish Swarm Sinclair's Square you may want to sequentially read:
Dervish Swarm posted 15 September 2019
Dervish Swarm The Harbor posted 16 September 2019
Dervish Swarm Into The Interior posted 17 September 2019
Dervish Swarm and The Dispatch Rider posted 20 September 2019
Simply scroll down for them all.

DAWN

25 SEPTEMBER 1929/2019
Piquet Outside The Square

"D'yah here that rustling by the stream Duncan?"

"Huh? --- No mate. --- Can't say I do."

" A malingerer you are. Wake up. I heard someth'n metallic too."     

"Insulting me again, Robert? --- And the answer is no."

"All right then. Keep a sharp eye if you can, with the sun com'n up now."

"I hope that dispatch rider the Colonel sent out brings a relief column."

"Uh --- It don't matter now mate --- cause...."

"Here come them Dervishes. --- We gotta warn the Colonel."

LATER

Colonel Sinclair's Square awaits the foe atop the mound at

The British Museum's Site B excavation.

The right-most enemy body began crossing a shallow creek

disordering them a mite while....

Another crossed the same creek just to the left.

Both deployed skirmishers firing ineffectually into the square.

Another face of the square contended with a third skirmisher force.

Covering massed swordsmen who eventually charged through to

the zareba protected by thorny bushes, sandbags and Seaforths.

The Highlanders encouraged by Colonel Sinclair repulsed them. 

While to the right massed sword and spearmen

rushed forward intending to scale the corner tower.

On the opposite corner, tribesmen
worked around a different zareba section.

But back on the right flank, orange-sashed natives we first saw

suddenly shifted away from the square facing a new direction. Why?

Because three days before, the dispatch rider though....

 Almost downed by a Dervish piquet arrived

at General Pettygree's headquarters up the Dongolo.

"Cavanaugh. Glad to see you. Not too grievously wounded I see.
What is your report?"

"Sir. Colonel Sinclair sends his compliments respectfully requesting that a relief column be dispatched to Site B. The Dervish, Sir, have us surrounded. He dared not risk a retreat overland given the odds and our many wounded."

"Well Sir, that's a fine situation. Get some food and sleep. And....

Are you well enough to lead the 9th back to Sinclair in three hours?"

"Yes, General."

"Very good. The rest of the Army will march at dawn."

The 9th Bengal Lancers arrived in the nick of time

led by Captains Dyce-Powers and Cavanaugh.

They immediately charged and routed the foe. 

Which fled and was cut down in the pursuit.

"Cavanaugh! That was the grandest charge since Waterloo!"

"Right you are Dyce."

After this the Dervish lost heart and abandoned the battlefield. General Pettygree arrived two days later and eventually withdrew the entire command up the Dongolo River relinquishing the region to the Dervish Empire.

CLOSING REMARKS

Thus ends Dervish Swarm told by model soldiers in five episodes in quick succession for your enjoyment.

Next Things

Your remarks, if you please --- below.

Thank you.

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