RESCUE OF A KING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20793, 12 August 1929, Page 16

RESCUE OF A KING.

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 Francis Humphreys, recently Minister at Kabul, presented the prizes at Shrewsbury, his old school.

Describing it as an 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 Bagdad and even from Egypt.

A fierce battle -was raging in the neighbourhood, but never once did they refuse his call. There was one exciting incident. King No. 2 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 sealing 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 “ the , Englishman.” He had no soldiers and no means of enforcing jiis authority except with his tongue. The aerodrome was situated between the two armies and only 400 yards apart, and was raked with a devastating crossfire. He had to take the risk, and he telegraphed for aeroplanes.

“When the machines arrived in sight we gave the signal for 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 terrible fate, but probably saved England from another war.