7th SAI and the East Africa Campaign

[Ed Matthews]

Are there any forum members with an interest in the 7th South African Infantry and their part in the East Africa Campaign? I'd especially like to know more about their role in the heavy fighting around Taveta in March 1916.

Regards

Ed

[KONDOA]

I have an interest in this campaign. Do you have a specific action in mind.

Roop

[Ed Matthews]

Roop,

I'm presently researching an individual who was badly wounded on 11th March 1916* whilst serving with 'B' Company, 7th SAI. Do you have anything specific for this particular unit on that date?

Best wishes

Ed

* His service record notes 8-11 March in one place but just 11 March for the remainder!

[KONDOA]

Will have a look tonight for specifics.

Roop

[Ed Matthews]

That's great, Roop - I'm much obliged to you. I have seen mentions of a 'night bayonet charge' by two companies of the 7th SAI against enemy positions on the Kitovo Hills outside Taveta on the 11th March but I'd be keen to hear more!

Ed

[KONDOA]

11th March was the assault on the Lateama Nek by Mallesons force which included the 7th SAI. A contingent under command of Byron assaulted and gained the heights. Bayonets were used in this action. The ridge was partially occupied overnight, the enemy withdrawing from the position.

Roop

[Ed Matthews]

Many thanks for the information Roop - it's much appreciated.

Best wishes

Ed

[SteveE]

Ed

A description of the action concerned from Part 107 of “The Great War” (The Standard History Of The All-Europe Conflict), edited by H. H. Wilson which drew heavily on the Despatch from General Smuts which appeared in the London Gazette (#29630) of 20th June 1916.

“The Germans had withdrawn to formidable positions in the Kitovo Hills, which were densely wooded and easily capable of defence. On the morning of the 11th the British made a general advance, in the course of which the 4th South African Horse and the 12th South African Infantry captured East Kitovo Hill after a brief skirmish, while the mounted troops of the 2nd Division reconnoitred the Latema-Reata Nek, where they found the enemy in force. The 2nd South African Infantry Brigade, with artillery, was then being brought up from Chala to Taveta. General Smuts now determined to take the Latema-Reata Nek, and for this purpose sent forward, under General Malleson, a mixed force consisting of the 3rd King’s African Rifles, the 130th Baluchis, the 2nd Rhodesians, Belfield’s Scouts, the Mounted Infantry Company, and field and howitzer batteries, besides machine-guns, including those of the Loyal North Lancashires. About noon General Malleson advanced to attack the spur of Latema, which commanded the nek from the north, but made little headway. The enemy had plenty of cover, and from the bush-clad slopes of the hill maintained so severe a gun and rifle fire that the British were held up.

In the middle of the afternoon General Tighe took command of the operating force, as General Malleson had become seriously ill. About the same time the 2nd South African Infantry Brigade reached Taveta, and Smuts ordered its 5th Battalion forward to reinforce the fighting line. On its arrival Tighe assaulted the Latema Ridge with the Rhodesians and the King’s African Rifles, the Baluchis co-operating on the right. This attack was, in the words of General Smuts, “gallantly pressed home, especially by the Rhodesians, but failed to make good the ridge.” Those splendid warriors, the King’s African Rifles, were hotly engaged, and had the misfortune to lose their leader, Lieut.-Colonel Graham, and several other officers. The Baluchis, heavily pressed, had to be strengthened with half of the 5th South Africans. At eight o’clock in the evening the 7th South African Infantry came up as a fresh reinforcement. Tighe now determined to try to carry the nek by sending up the two South African battalions with the bayonet by night.

Led by Lieut.-Colonel Byron, commanding the 5th South Africans, the 7th South Africans formed the first line, with the 5th in support. Advancing with great dash through the dense thorn bush, which was partially illuminated by a young moon, they steadily drove the enemy to the crest, where, however, they were checked. It was about midnight when Colonel Byron, with only twenty men, reached the nek within thirty yards of the German’s main position. Some of his men had got lost in the scrub, and he had encountered fierce opposition. At one point the brigade-major, Major Mainprise, R. E., and twenty-two men had been killed by the concentrated fire of three machine-guns. Being unable to advance or even hold the ground he had won, Byron was reluctantly compelled to withdraw. But part of his force had done very good work. He had given orders that when the crest was reached, Lieut.-Colonel Freeth, commanding the 7th, and Major Thompson, of the same battalion, should occupy the heights north and south of the nek respectively, the hills Latema and Reata. Freeth fought his way up the steep sides of the former till only eighteen of his men remained, but being joined by some Rhodesians and King’s African Rifles, who had clung on to the top of the hill since the earlier assault, he held on till daylight. Major Thompson, with one hundred and seventy, secured an advantageous position on Reata, where he dug himself in.

With the fighting so much scattered in a night that now had become dark, General tighe found it almost impossible to keep in touch with his attacking troops, but, getting requests for reinforcements, he sent up the Baluchis, who fell in with General Byron and his small force retreating. Tighe thereupon entrenched astride the road to await daylight. Hearing from him of what appeared to be the unpromising position of the battle, General Smuts considered it to be prudent not to press the attack farther, preferring to see what would be the result of a turning movement which he had ordered for the next morning. He accordingly directed General Tighe to withdraw before daybreak to a line more distant from the nek. This retirement was actually in progress when it was reported by scouts that both Latema and Reata were in the possession of the British and, more important still, that the enemy was in full retreat from the nek towards Kahe to the south.”

Hope this is of help.

Steve

[SteveE]

Ed

For your information I notice that Chris has transcribed General Smuts' despatch which covers this, and other, actions. It can be found on the LLT mothersite Here

Regards

Steve

[Ed Matthews]

Steve

Many thanks for your lengthy and interesting reply and for taking the trouble to type it all out - it's very much appreciated.

I'm particularly interested in the role played by 'B' Company so I think I need to keep on digging!

Best wishes

Ed

[Peter (SA)]

Hi Kondoa, Ed Matthews, SteveE -

Rfn Gerald Warren Bolus, a cousin of my grandfather, served with the 2nd Rhodesian Regiment (part of the 1st East African Brigade) and lost his life on 11 March 1916 during the regiment’s assault at Latema Hill. He is buried at the Military Cemetery in Taveta, a town near the Tanzanian border.

Some background information and events of the Rhodesian contribution at the Latema – Reata Hill battle comes from the account in a South African book “They Fought for King and Kaiser”, subtitled ‘South Africans in German East Africa 1916’. Authored by James Ambrose Brown, a South African, it was first published in 1991 by Ashanti Publishing of Johannesburg.

Regarding the Rhodesians’ role, and General Smuts’ description that the assault was “gallantly pressed home, especially by the Rhodesians, but failed to make good the ridge”, Brown’s book records at page 93 - 94:

“The Rhodesians went into the attack with magnificent dash, and in the densely wooded slopes the fight developed into a number of small engagements with fierce hand-to-hand fighting. Positions were taken, lost and retaken, bayonets and clubbed rifles were used, men were falling fast on both sides. When the Germans counter-attacked from Reata the Rhodesians had to fall back. Somewhere on the way down Colonel Graham stood forward when a voice called in English. At once he was cut down by a burst of fire.

A small group of Rhodesians had stormed the top of the ridge with the bayonet. Their fierce rush was helped by a single man of the Loyal North Lancs and a KAR askari with a machine gun. While all the others fell back they scraped positions in the rocky surface. There they waited with their askari prisoners. Suddenly the figure of a European appeared silhouetted on the skyline with an askari carrying a box of ammunition. When the prisoners started to murmur a Rhodesian shot down the German. ‘At once there was a tornado of fire from a body of Germans close behind him. As the two groups clashed in the darkness there were screams and yells of ‘Rhodesia!’ ‘KAR!’ and ‘Washikauder!’ as the men tried to identify themselves. If the wrong answer came it was either a quick shot or a lunge with the bayonet’.

In his vivid account of the struggle told by survivors, Philip Sampson describes the midnight hours on the hill:

“The little garrison of thirteen men took refuge in half-formed trenches. Up the slope behind them askaris began to crawl and shoot, their fire being promptly answered. Some of the askaris got within two or three feet of the defenders before they were laid out. By the time the attack ceased only four Rhodesians were unwounded. The groans of their comrades could be heard, but nothing could be done to help.

When the fighting ceased the four began to improve their defences; and then the wounded men, who thought they had been abandoned, begged to be brought into the trench. This was hardly done when in the darkness a German askari came quietly on the scene and was seen standing over the wounded. ‘Get down!’ he was ordered, being mistaken for one of their own.

The askari disappeared, reported that the ridge was strongly held and within a few minutes there was a demand for surrender. ‘No surrender!’ they shouted and another fierce attack followed, to be stoutly repelled by the gallant four who, owing tot he darkness, were compelled to hold their fire until their foes were only a few feet away.

Once more the attack died away. The four crouched, waiting, eyes on the wall of darkness before them. ’Water … for God’s sake a drop of water!’ cried one of the wounded.

With the apparent failure of the Rhodesians, the KAR and the Baluchis to take the hill, Tighe decided to put in the 5th and 7th SAI.”

The book then goes on the describe the role of the 5th and 7th SAI and mentions Colonel Byron, Colonel Freeth and Major Mainrose. But Ed, in this book unfortunately I could find no reference to ‘B Company” specifically.

On the matter of General Malleson’s state of illness (or should that be health) at the time, Brown’s book cites the impression of an eyewitness, Colonel Richard Meinertzhagen, General Smuts’ Chief Intelligence Officer on page 92:

“I could scarcely believe my eyes when I met Malleson in a car, reclining on a soft cushion and smoking a cigarette and making good headway from the battlefield towards Voi. I stopped his car and spoke to him, asking him what was the matter. He said he was feeling very ill, and had handed over his brigade and was off to Voi.

I said nothing. I felt like shooting the cur. Just imagine any general leaving his brigade in the middle of the fight and taking a car as fast as it could carry him back to the rear. He did not look in the least ill. Apparently he got hold of a doctor during the action, a man named Halloran, and told him that he had acute abdominal pain. Halloran winked at me and inferred that the pain was not very serious.”

Regards, Peter (SA)

[KONDOA]

Hi Peter,

If you look in the picture galleries you will see the Latema as seen last November.

 

Roop

[Peter (SA)]

Hi Kondoa

Thanks for the pointer: your photographs of Latema and Riata are great !

And your exploration tour must have been fascinating - a great idea and a rare privilege.

Did you perhaps visit the Taveta Cemetery at all ? Of the 26 buried there is my grandfather's cousin, Rfn Gerald Warren Bolus, 2nd Rhodesian Regiment, who lost his life on 11 March 1916 during the regiment’s assault at Latema Hill.

I'm trying to establish who might be able to take a photo of the gravestone.

Regards, Peter (SA)

[bushfighter]

Peter

If you still seek an image of Gerald Bolus' grave, try: http://www.southafricawargraves.org/list.htm as they might have coverage of that cemetery by now.

I was there last month but didn't know of your want at the time.

Let me know if South Africa War Graves Project hasn't been there yet, as I know someone going near there next month.

Here's an image of Taveta Cemetery:

Regards

Harry

[KONDOA]

Peter,

Sorry I had missed you previous post. I did not get to Taveta so cannot help. So far as I know the SAWGP has not yet covered this cemetery.

Roop

[hillgorilla]

Hi,

I have encountered a man who served in Africa with the South African Forces, was discharged and then re enlisted into the 4th SAI, and was killed in F&F. From looking at the accounts in 'Twenty Years After', this area of the Great War, was as hard as the Western Front, and deserves more recognition.

Best wishes

Hillgorilla

[ShirlD]

Hi Peter,

Another vivid account of such a tough field of battle

Thank you

Cheers

Shirley

[Peter (SA)]

Hi again Harry,

Thanks a lot for your pointers - apologies for this belated response.

The SA War Graves Project website table for Kenya indicates that it hasn't started working on the Taveta Cemetery yet!

So (if its not too late) a photograph of the headstone of Rfn Gerald Bolus of the 2nd Rhodesian Regiment (d. 11 March 1916) would be fantastic and very much appreciated!

Peter (SA)

[bushfighter]

Peter

My man is there now but I can't make contact.

It's worth checking by email with the SAWGP in case they have images but haven't used them yet.

When I go again I'll photo every grave.

Doubtless you have a copy of: "The 2nd Rhodesia Regiment in East Africa" by the CO Lt-Col AE Capell.

If not then it's in paperback & is a cracking read, especially about bush warfare.

Gerald Warren Bolus is listed in Appendix II.

For interesting background to the unit "Jim Redlake" by Francis Brett-Young (MO to 2RR for a short time), although a novel, has an excellent section on the Regiment in the Campaign & also on the realities of advancing without proper logistic support. Cheap copies are around.

Harry