Chapter IX: Romanov's In Dongolo

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EXPEDITION TO ALEXANDRAPOUR
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Date: 6 August 1900
Location: Legation City of Dongolo
Situation: Romanov Arrival and Departure
See Chapter VIII posted 22 January 2012 here:
http://generalpettygree.blogspot.com/2012/01/chapter-viii-hm-gunboat-zanzibar.html

Map {3rd. photo down}:
http://generalpettygree.blogspot.com/2011/07/chapter-vi-spy.html

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Previously in Expedition To Alexandrapour

Chargé d’affaires, Brigadier (ret.) Graham Day{cigar} "...after some refreshment and a tolerable curried chicken, we'll talk about the mission versus those infernal Romanovs."

Mr. Jitters: "Excuse me General but...."

Day: "Yes Mr. Jitters."

Jitters: "I'm terribly sorry Sir, but luncheon will be delayed near half an hour. The help here Sir, it's not like back in Dakla."

Day: "That's alright Mr. Jitters. The gentlemen and I will speak more."

Jitters: "Very good Sir."

Day: "I beg your pardon gentlemen. To the Romanovs then. Let us move to the other side of the veranda for the story of their arrival here.

Day: "Their jingling column I'm told arrived on Chapel Road two weeks ago."

Wyatt: "There Sir?"

Day: "So I'm told. A fortnight ago led by Colonel Villainovich and his niece, Countess Alexandra, they passed by the old Iberian Catholic Chapel. Imagine if you will...."

Day: "The two leaders followed by a troop of white-coated horsemen, a company of infantry and supply animals. They marched in style looking none the worse for their long journey."

Day: "Word is, she looked stunning and serenely composed in a tropical ensemble. The Colonel's military bearing was calm and confident."

Day: They marched by here proceeding to the Romanov compound over the bridge. Later that evening...."

Day: "Villainovich and Alexandra met my counterpart, Consul General Kuragin to dine."

Day "What they discussed at dinner, we do not know."

Colonel Lawford: "At the restaurant at the harbour side I saw when we disembarked from Zanzibar?"

Day: "That's the one. Unfortunately none of our people gathered information of any sort aside from exchanged pleasantries and remarks about the march inland from the coast. Then five days later...."

Day: "They marched out to the northeast."

Day: "The same lot but reinforced from the local Romanov garrison too."

Day: "Well gentlemen, that's all we know.

Day: "What their inscrutable plans are --- remain a mystery."

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Closing Remarks

(1) Thank you for looking in.

(2) There are eleven more chapters in Expedition to Alexandrapour. Chapter XX will end the story tentatively before 2013.

(3) Chapter X appears 19 February, 2012. Return again for Colonel Lawford's dramatic final hours in Dongolo. Later in Chapter XI he presses on into the interior pursuing the Romanovs and Alexandra encountering more danger, drama and surprises than anyone ever imagined. Steady on everyone.
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Chapter VIII: Zanzibar Arrives At Dongolo

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EXPEDITION TO ALEXANDRAPOUR
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Date: 3-6 August 1900
Location: Legation City of Dongolo
Situation: Disembarkation
See Chapter VII posted 1 November 2011 here:
http://generalpettygree.blogspot.com/2011/11/chapter-vii-gaunlet.html

Map here: http://generalpettygree.blogspot.com/2011/07/chapter-vi-spy.html

Musical accompaniment: If you have the soundtrack from Lawrence of Arabia, play the overture as your read. Or... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuxHLzwlDY4
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Preface

Lt. Col. Lawford's passage up The Dakla River aboard HM Gunboat Zanzibar ends at the Legation City of Dongolo. After a pause, the pursuit of the Romanov Expedition to Alexandrapour and Countess Alexandra will resume.

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The Legation City Of Dongolo, Mafrica

3 August 1900

At the eastern gate....

A Germanian Schütztruppe squadron returns from patrol.

Inhabitants gather round to observe and hopefully make some money but....

The camelry rides on as....

Gunboat Luchs of the Imperial Germanian Kriegsmarine raises steam to depart.

The helm is put hard a starboard to help turn the gunboat almost in place.

The turn is successful as she heads out into The Dakla River.

Dockspace is needed for....

HM Britannian Gunboat Zanzibar. On the upper deck Nazeem, Lt. Colonel Lawford (blue shirt) and Mr. Wyatt observe the Germanian compound.

Zanzibar motors by and...

Enters the harbour.

Led by the pilot boat which has been with her from the beginning.

A slow turn to port soon....

Finds Zanzibar making the dock and later disembarking a portion of the crew.

Her sailors form at dockside whilst a section of Britannian infantry stand guard.

Lawford and Wyatt proceed down the dock escorting the wounded Colonel Boyle.

Boyle was wounded by plunging fire four days ago on 31 July. See:

http://generalpettygree.blogspot.com/2011/11/chapter-vii-gaunlet.html

The party crosses the bridge.

Wyatt: "Colonel, our legation is just round to the right of the American building. Ours is the old Iberian government house we took over last year."

Inhabitants again gather to sell their wares as Britannian and American guards cast a watchful eye and keep the natives away. Though his wound is not mortal, in this heat Boyle needs immediate care from medicos.

His wound is on the side of the abdomen.

Soon he will be resting within.

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Three days later:   6 August 1900

Left to right: Chargé d’affaires, Brigadier (ret.) Graham Day's servant Jitters, Day, Wyatt and Lawford.

Day: "Lawford, Wyatt, very good to see you."

Lawford: "When did you arrive Sir? We last saw you on the coast a month ago."

Day: "Last night. Surprised to see me -- I know. Wyatt you keep a good secret."

Wyatt: "You see Colonel, we did not want foes to see him board Zanzibar with us. As far as they know, the Consul General never left the port of Dakla."

Day: "Quite so. Secrets are everything in these parts. [Pause] And now after some refreshment and a tolerable curried chicken, we'll talk about the mission versus those infernal Romanovs."

Return in on the 5th proximo to hear the discussion.

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Closing Remarks

1. Jim P., Der Alte Fritz, kindly loaned the following from his collection: Tiger Miniatures Schütztruppe and Americans available from Recreational Conflict, Gunboat Luchs from The Virtual Armchair General, the pilot boat and the small stuccoed  building near the bridge from H.G. Walls. Thank you.

2. Chuck L.'s civilians, pots, boxes and reeds add much to the scene. Thank you.

3. Randy F. also loaned civilians to populate Dongolo. Thank you.

4. All flags with poles are from Flag Dude.

5.Most other structures are from Miniature Building Authority.

6. The cobbled road is from JR Miniatures.

7. The dock was scratch-built for a model railroad layout.

8. The late Brigadier Peter Young gifted The Petrus Monument to me in 1985. It is near the dock. Thank you.

9. Chapter IX is already photographed. Action will heat up with the arrival of Countess Alexandra's expedition and Colonel Lawford's pursuit. Come back on the 5th proximo, if you please.

10. Thank you for your interest. Your remarks are very welcome below. Simply click on the word Comments.

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In Memorium

Sparks (January 18, 1997-January 9, 2012) 

Sparkling Diamonds of Snowwood,

Sparky, Pup, Mr. Sparks, Sparkies,

Big Fellah, Good Fellah, My Blessing, Big Guy,

My Good Boy, GooOD-NEsss and My Friend.

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He lasted until January 9th, 2012 after nearly fifteen years of love, adventure, fun and enormous satisfaction.
He was a wonderful gift and blessing for us.
The above photo of him is before he started becoming unwell a few years ago.
A magnificent and peaceful dog. A credit to the breed.
Oh the memories....
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In the blue Suburban anticipating aromas and sites.

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Dalmatians typically have black spots.

Sparks had "liver-colored" spots of dark chocolate brown.

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Sparks loved walking Trinity Wetland Habitat Conservatory.

Now he has another lovely place to walk, sniff and play.

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MERRY CHRISTMAS

May the reason for Christmas fill your homes.
Blessings to all.
Respectfully,
Bill

Chapter VII: The Gauntlet

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EXPEDITION TO ALEXANDRAPOUR
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Date: 31 July 1900
Location: Dakla River
Situation: The Gauntlet
Recommendation: See Chapter VI posted 24 July 2011 here:
http://generalpettygree.blogspot.com/2011/07/chapter-vi-spy.html
The map shown here will be singularly helpful in following the journey
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Clicked Images Are Extraordinarily Better
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We resume the story of Lt. Col. Lawford's Journey Up The Dakla River.

The Dakla River near the city of Azrou. A pilot boat....

Leads HM Gunboat Zanzibar up river.

On the main deck amidships we see Nazim at the ladder, Colonel Lawford in the blue shirt, Politico Mr. Albert Wyatt in khaki and the enigmatic Colonel Boyle at his cabin door.

Zanzibar's crew exercises the forward gun while others observe adjacent hills. Her speed is only four knots in this narrow and safe section of The Dakla but....

The serenity of the river passage is shockingly altered when shots are fired from the eastern ridge top.

Zanzibar's crew swings around the forward gun and fires, sailors armed with rifles shoot and the Gatling peppers the hillside. Lawford ducked whilst Wyatt and Boyle  moved out of sight.

The Gatling suppresses enemy fire.

But Colonel Boyle is hit and lying on the main deck as....

Zanzibar increases speed moving out of range of enemy fire.

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CLOSING REMARKS

1. Readers are kindly reminded this is Part VII of a second serial story on the Campaigns of General Pettygree blog. Part VI, The Spy, appeared here on 24 July 2011. This story and General Pettygree's Surajistan Field Force (Chapter 55 recently posted) are occurring at the same time.

2. Col. Lawford was detached from Gen. Pettygree's command due to his unique knowledge of whom he is pursuing. Tally-Ho Colonel!

3. The map mentioned at the very beginning is here: http://generalpettygree.blogspot.com/2011/07/chapter-vi-spy.html

4. Gunboat: A Houston vessel bought from The Virtual Armchair General. http://www.thevirtualarmchairgeneral.com/500-houston.html

5. Crew: Mostly Perry Sudan Naval Brigade painted by John Preece.

6. The water product from Scenic Express is terrific. See: http://www.sceneryexpress.com/prodinfo.asp?number=NH60851 

7. Ahoy there lads! Your remarks are entirely welcome.

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