- In February of 1941, South African troops are in action against the Italian forces on the northern frontier of Kenya. An Italian invasion, aimed at pushing the Allied Forces out of Central and East Africa, is imminent. The South African Command realizes it has no forces at its disposal capable of stopping the Italian objective. The Command resorts to a grand bluff, designed to mislead the Italians into believing that heavy concentrations of South African troops are placed at strategic points---thus making the planned advanced impossible.—Les Adams <longhorn1939@suddenlink.net>
- South Africa fought on the side of the Allies in World War II. This is the story of a platoon of men in North Africa, fighting against the Italian Army. Mostly it is about interaction among the men and not so much about the war, although it has it's fair share of killing.
During the East African campaign in the early part of WWII, an allied outpost in the north of Kenya on the Ethiopian border is awaiting a special convoy. This arrives in two trucks, and it becomes clear that it comprises two teams equipped with wireless which are to be sent into enemy territory to broadcast misleading messages designed to fool the Italians into thinking two extra brigades in the field. The teams are under the leadership of a young knowall lieutenant, and comprise a mixed bag of squaddies and NCO who don't understand discipline. As they drive off into the border areas they come across a wrecked truck containing a dead driver and a nurse on her way to a field hospital. As an escort cannot be provided, she has to come along with the teams, which then split. The film follows the team she is with. The officer annoys the men by refusing to tell them where they are going, then gets them lost. Attacked by the Italian airforce (a strange three engined bomber), their water supply is destroyed but, having crossed a desert in broad daylight, they come across an Italian patrol at a waterhole. They wipe out the Italians, fill their water bottles and continue. However, in an ambush the lieutenant is captured, and the others squabble about whether to carry on with the mission or return home. However, they have been spotted by the Italians so take refuge on a hill top. An Ethiopian scout for the Italians is wounded and the nurse goes to help him, only to be badly injured herself. The medicinal alcohol in the first aid kit is missing, having been drunk by the team's soak, so the nurse has to suffer. Eventually the rains come which bogs down the Italian army, and the operation is called off, but left to its own devices about getting back to base. The Italians have one last attack and several more South Africans are killed before the remaining few try to make for home.
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