Follow That Camel - Plot

Plot

His reputation brought into disrepute by Captain Bagshaw, a competitor for the affections of Lady Jane Ponsonby, Bertram Oliphant West a.k.a. "Bo" decides to leave England and join the French Foreign Legion, followed by his faithful manservant Simpson. Originally mistaken for enemy combatants at Sidi Bel Abbes, the pair eventually enlist and are helped in surviving Legion life by Sergeant Knocker, although only after they discover that when he is "on patrol" he is actually at the local cafe with the female owner, ZigZig.

Meanwhile Lady Ponsonby, having learnt that Bo was really innocent, heads out to the Sahara to bring him back to England. Along the way she meets Sheikh Abdul Abulbul and ends up becoming a part of his harem and planned 13th wife.

Knocker and Bo are kidnapped by Abulbul after being lured to the home of a belly dancer. Simpson follows them to the Oasis El Nooki but is also captured. After entering Abulbul’s harem and discovering Lady Ponsonby, Bo and Simpson give themselves up while Knocker escapes (or rather is allowed to by Abulbul) back to Sidi Bel Abbes to warn Commandant Burger of Abulbul’s plans to attack Fort Zuassantneuf (Soixante-neuf, Fort 69).

However during this time ZigZig has told the Commandant about Knocker's true destination when on patrol and therefore upon his return his story is not believed. It is only when Knocker mentions Lady Ponsonby (the Commandant was previously her fencing teacher and they met again while she was looking for Bo) that they realise he was telling the truth and the Commandant organises a force to head to the fort.

Along the way they discover Bo and Simpson staked to the ground at the now abandoned oasis. The force marches on towards the Fort but heat, lack of water and a sand castle building competition gone wrong decimates the force to a handful. The remaining members reach the Fort to find that they are too late; the attack has already occurred and the stationed garrison wiped out.

After learning that Abulbul's celebration of the successful attack includes marrying Lady Ponsonby, Bo, Burger, Knocker and Simpson rescue her from his tent, leaving Simpson behind dressed as a decoy. When Abulbul discovers the deception he chases Simpson back to the fort where, through the imaginative use of gum arabic, coconuts, gunpower and a cricket bat, the group holds off Abulbul’s army until a relief force arrives.

Back in England the group reunites for a game of cricket. Bo is batting but when he hits the ball it explodes. The bowler is then shown to be Abulbul who exclaims “Howzat!” to which Bo, with a broken bat and burnt clothes, responds “Not out!”