RESCUE OF A KING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20324, 3 August 1929, Page 3 (Supplement)

RESCUE OF A KING.

ENGLISHMEN AT KABUL. AN EPIC OF THE AIR FORCE. How unarmed Englishmen with a wave of the hand made warring Afghans cease fire and carried off a king and his ladies from his beleaguered fortress was revealed when Sir Fra,ncis Humphrvs, recently Minister at Kabul, presented the prizes at Shrewsbury, his old school. Describing it as nn epic of the air unparalleled in history, Sir Francis told how, when the British and other European residents at Kabul were hopelessly cut off from the outside world, aeroplanes flew to tHeir rescue from Baghdad and even from Egypt, A ficice battle was raging in the neighbourhood, but never once did they refuse his call. There was one exciting incident. King Number Two was besieged with a garrison of 5000 men. He was given a 24-hour ultimatum to surrender to the attacking army of 16,000, the alternative being a murderous assault with scaling ladders, no quarter, and general loot and massacre. The king replied that nothing would induce him to come out unless the safety of himself and his ladies was undertaken by " t.he Englishman." He had no soldiers and no means of enforcing his authority except with his tongue. The aerodrome was situated between the two armies only 400 yards apart, and was raked with a devastating cross-fire. He had to take the risk, and he telegraphed for aeroplanes. " When the machines arrived in sight, we gavo the signal to both armies to cease fire. Fortunately for us, they obeyed. The aeroplanes landed in silence, and the king and his ladies, escorted by unarmed Englishmen from the Legation, went to the waiting machines and were flown safely to India." There was no doubt whatever, added Sir Francis, that the R.A.F. on this occasion by their gallantry not only saved the city and foreign legations from a terriblo fate, but probably saved England from another war.