The Battle of The Rath (Part 3)

When they reached the shore Callum McCallum had a line of patients all aligned outside his tent. BT McG and Haemish sat on a washed up log along side the river.

“How did they take us by surprise Sergeant-Major? Never hap’end before. One minute we were all a spread across the field and the next thing was the whoosh-crack of the Moth Mortars. They were everywhere..

“We are get’n lax Haemish, lax. Too many easy victories. Thank the good Lord that the Colonel arrived ‘fore we were over run.. Would’nt want to write home about that. Should have had more scouts out – no doubt about it. Even then I am afraid that we never would have seen those mortars ‘fore they hit us.. Big as bowling balls they were.. must be a huge one to throw such a size.. The Dragon Dragoon Guards are aloft looking for them as we speak.. got 100 gallon drums of cheap perfume to drop on their poor benighted souls.. mixed in with washing up detergent to make it stick.. Now that should throw them Pyrates for a loop.

“I surely hope so.. Not used being on the lose’n side of anything. No like poor Beauregard and that civil war his great gran’dad were in.. good thing he can cook to take his poor troubled mind off it…”

“Haemish, Haemish. Beauregard is far too concerned about the current state of Pyrate resurgence to trouble his mind about that.. and the difficulties of a good soufflé in a field kitchen.”

Just then Callum McCallum yelled out “Next” and the two slowly picked themselves up and brushing themselves thoroughly – Callum would tolerate no messy patients – limped into the medical tent..

“Callum do you have any medicinal brandy?” asked RSM McGruph. “Just in case I pass out.”

Callum hit him with his walking stick.

“Fine bed-side manner you have…”