Penistone, Stocksbridge and Hoyland Express, etc. — 1915-09-18 (Penistone, South Yorkshire, England)

BRITISH EAST AFRICA. Chapeltown Soldier's Racy Letter.  Lance-Corpl. Reg. Frogyatt, ct thapeltown, , who is in British. East Africa with the Royal Fusiliers (Frontiersmen), writing to his Cliapeltown friends, says: -Lord Kitchener sent ;a message of congratidation after the big success at Bukoba. and the best joke is that the Kaiser also sent a message to his mob complimenting them on their 'victory.' If these are the sort of victories the Germans brag about they must be in a bad way. In the fight the Germans floated a tremendous Red Cross °vet their big gun. but this dodge didn't act, and we raptured it. One of our . officers is an old hunter, and knows all the , country like a book. He is a wonderful old L gentleman, and must hive II charmed life. I . won't mention his name, but might say some . of Rider Haggard's tales are woven round [ , him. It was a complete win for us at Buhobo. We cleared them out in two days. and L there wasn't a soul left in when we entered. . The Cermans had kindly left the tables laid , for dinner in most of the big houses, and the stoves. etc., being handy, you may guess that some. hungry boys had quite a happy time. L It is rather exciting, however, when the bill; lets are buzzing all round and cracking on , the rocks at the side of you. There are some cool old spirits in our party, and one sees !wine wondertul actions at these fifties. It is , rather tunny when you get round a rock and find a chap calmly opening a tin of jam when the machine guns are pumping it at you all the time. So far I have been very lucky in dodging the fever. This is a terribly , tricky country for that sort of thing. The !attacks are sudden, and if you are physically !strong it may leave you just as suddenly. The life out here is naturally very wild, and we ihavis got so used to it now that we take no notice mudk of animals unless they show up ;nasty, a!fich is by no means an unusual ocriurrence. The lions are pretty keen watchers at the water holes just now. It may be that I water is getting scarcer. Not far from here la few of us were escorted away from a waterhole one morning by a lioness. Next morning tile lioness was there again, along with two lions lying each side of the hole. They just lifted up their heads, and had a look, which , was quite sufficient to say "You cannot have any of this wader to-day." Of course, if the; enemy is about you cannot start showing; your authority by letting off your gun, or you would soon find yourself in a very in- , teresting little skirmish. It sometimes pays to let the lions think they are masters of the situation. Some ot our experienees would take a lot of believing by the good people over there, who do not know the country and: its queer places and people. I have seen re- I ports about us in some of the Isindon papers which have found their way over here, but i I don't suppose they will get our iamous mob into any of the Sheffield papers. We have lest a few good fellows, but you can take it from me for everyone we lose the enomy have to pay dearly. There is some art in the scrapping out here: it isn't wholesale murder, as • it is in France. Please thank all friends for good -wishes, and if I find an extra large dia- • mond I will keep it for you." •