FRONTIER STORY.

Serial Waves, 14 September 1940, Page 6

FRONTIER STORY.

By Sjt.-Major “ Jock, ” 24 Auck.

When serving in India with a British Regiment as a Serjeant I was chosen with a Corporal and 10 men to proceed to the frontier to guard and patrol an important Pass through which a tremendous amount of illicit drugs were coming into the country, ' I had been there 3 months when suspicion fell on a goat herder. This man used to drive his herd through the camp to ’ the bottom of the mountain because the grass was better near • the river. I noticed, the udders of the she- goats were tied up with sacking and I asked him the reason—- “ So as to keep the young goats from sucking the nannies,” he said, allowing the herd to travel more quickly to and from the feeding grounds.” I though! that reasonable, at first,. and worried no more about’ it. The oftener he came through, the more insolent he became, and his sneers were becoming unbearable. After he had gone through I wondered- how - I could trap him, and suddenly thought . that the young goats were too big for sucking. The following morning before' daylight I ; went to the r top of a hill 1 which •- commanded a view of -The

whole country for miles round. When it was daylight I searched the lower slopes with the aid of binoculars and saw the goat herder and two other men tying up the udders with sacking. Knowing the country beyond, 1 decided to have a showdown. On reaching camp I ordered 6 men to go down the road and wait for him. When he came along, they were to come back with him in such a manner as to raise no suspicion. I placed 2 men outside the main tent in case of accident. Along came the goat herder and the men acted according to instructions. When he reached the camp I met him and told him to come along to the tent so as to have his pass examined. When he entered the tent, the remainder of the guard took off the

sacking and, found leather bags underneath these containing opium. These were brought to the tent, and when Ram Dim saw them he tried to jump past the sentries, but he was stopped when the sentries came to the on guard. ” “ Ram Dim, the game is up. You have had a long run. Tell me where this stuff goes to, and to whom you send it, and I will do all I can do to" help you.” . After thinking! the .matter, over, he gave me some very valuable information

which led to the arrest of several prominent people, who were sent to the Penal Island in the Indian Ocean.