Loyal North Lancashires in East Africa

[bushfighter]

The 2nd Bn The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment in mid 1915

After the Bukoba Raid (see Post #445) the 2nd Battalion The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment was concentrated at Nairobi, except for the 50 officers & men still garrisoning Kisii (see Post #436).

The Battalion strength in British East Africa was 858 all ranks:
32 Officers, 8 Warrant Officers, 3 Staff Sergeants, 33 Sergeants, 39 Lance Sergeants & Corporals, 81 Lance Corporals, 11 Drummers & 661 Privates.
However 2 Officers & 216 Other Ranks were in hospital - a quarter of the Battalion was not effective.
(Also over 150 officers & men of the Battalion were Extra Regimentally Employed in other units such as Cole’s Scouts, Logan’s Battery, “Z” Signals Coy, Ammunition Columns & Supply & Transport details. This left the actual strength of the Battalion in the field at around 500 all ranks.)

Lady Colvile had privately opened a convalescent home in Nairobi for private soldiers who had been discharged from hospital but who still needed convalescence. Many Loyal North Lancashire soldiers passed through her home & one, Private Frederick Beeman, was retained in the home to work there as Lady Colvile's assistant.

Having failed totally to obtain good mosquito nets from the Supplies Department Lt Col Jourdain then appealed to the India-based patriotic organisation "The Women of India" who responded magnificently, swiftly despatching 900 good nets as a donation to the Battalion.

One of the CO's problems in Nairobi was drunkenness amongst the soldiers caused by some local Europeans inviting the troops to drink well into the night. The CO successfully campaigned to get all bars closed at 10pm.
(The CO's comment on these civilians was: "...a very large number of wasters who should be fighting".)

A YMCA had opened in Nairobi & during the next year the Battalion would be sending soldiers back to this facility for local leave.

Logan's Battery had seen service on the Indian Ocean, having been moved to Mombasa & embarked on SS Barjora. The Barjora then sailed up & down the German East African coastline using Logan's Battery to engage enemy dhows.

After returning from Bukoba in late June Logan’s Battery was deployed to Maktau where it exchanged its 3-pounder guns for two 12-pounder 8 cwt naval landing guns. These new guns were excellent, having carriages with specially made limbers mounted on pneumatic tyres.
Five Hupmobile cars were allocated to the Battery, two to draw guns, two for ammunition & one for kit. The Hupmobiles were soon replaced by Reo lorries.
(In May The Calcutta Volunteer Battery had handed over two 15-pounder guns to Logan's Battery for instructional purposes. These guns were returned to stores & then used to form No 2 Light Battery which became part of No 7 Field Battery in early 1916.)

On 02 July 1915 Private W. Riley managed to get himself accidentally shot in the buttock whilst in the lines.

Doubtless with some relief on 03 July 1915 the CO entrained the Battalion at Nairobi for deployment to Maktau.

Cole's Scouts, which contained around 80 men from the Loyal North Lancashires, also received orders to move south from Katetema to Maktau.

Brigadier-General J.A. Stewart (Commander Nairobi Area - from Simba north to Kisumu & west to the GEA border) came to Nairobi station to see the Battalion off. He asked the CO to thank the Battalion for what it had done ("referring I suppose particularly to Bukoba" commented the CO).

General Jimmy Stewart was a highly experienced & respected senior officer in the Indian Army, & he had been a good friend to the 2nd Bn The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment.
Now things were going to change drastically as Lt Col Jourdain & his men moved south to come under the command of Brigadier-General Wilfred Malleson.

[ShirlD]

What an interesting photo, and had a chuckle at this particular one.

Thanks Harry, for the continuing and engrossing saga.

Cheers

Shirley

[bushfighter]

View from the west (German-held) ridge at Mbuyuni looking towards the east ridge where the British Main Column attacked from.
The dip in the telegraph wire & the railway line show the shallow valley.

The Attack on Mbuyuni on 14 July 1915

Follow-on from Post #450
On the evening of 13 July 1915 Brigadier-General Malleson took out a force from Maktau to attack & capture Mbuyuni.
The feature of Mbuyuni consisted of two low parallel ridges running north-south across the Taveta road. The ridges were about 2,500 yards apart. Maktau lay 12 miles to the east & Taveta was 15 miles to the west. Both ridges were densely wooded but the shallow ground inbetween, was open with long grass & occasional Baobab trees growing there.
The Schutztruppe was dug-in on the most western ridge.

The British attacking force was split into two columns:
Main Column
2 coys 2nd Loyal North Lancashires (under Major H.A. Robinson)
4 coys 29th Punjabis
2 coys 1st King's African Rifles
1 troop KAR Mounted Infantry
1 section (2 guns) 28th Mountain Battery
1 12-pounder naval gun (half of Logan's Battery)
half section 140 Indian Field Ambulance
Total = 762 men with 3 guns & 8 machine guns (6 of the guns were from 2LNL & 2 from 29th Punjabis)

Flanking Column
2 coys 130 Baluchis
2 coys 2 Rhodesia Regiment
2 coys 4 King's African Rifles
Cole's Scouts
half section 140 Indian Field Ambulance
Total = 461 men with 3 machine guns (2 of the guns with 130 Baluch & the other with Cole’s Scouts)

The Schutztruppe defenders were:
1, 6 & 10 Feldkompagnien
Total = 45 Germans, 600 Askari, 69 irregulars with 6 machine guns

Brigadier-General Malleson's plan was for the Main Column to advance directly at the enemy position whilst the Flanking Column (under Lt Col Price 130 Baluchis) rolled up the enemy position from the north.
The KAR Mounted Infantry covered the left (south) flank whilst Cole's Scouts covered the north.
It was a good, simple plan but there were no communications organised between the columns or back to the guns.
Visual signalling from east to west was forbidden. All ranks were ordered to wear a green band around their headgear for recognition. (Usually this was worn as a band on the left shoulder.) The response to a sentry’s challenge was to be: “BUKOBA”.

Price's Flanking Column moved well, being guided through the bush by Intelligence Agent Catchpole. The column became separated in the dark but re-joined before first light.
The Main Column halted on the road in the dark & put out piquets. The piquet nearest to Mbuyuni was manned by 29th Punjabis & had a machine gun.
A Schutztruppe patrol approached during the night & the Punjabi machine gun opened fire. This was a tactical error as the Germans knew that the British did not usually take machine guns on patrol, therefore the British force had to be an assault force. Surprise was lost. (The KAR orders to their piquets were to capture enemy patrols or to bayonet them.)

At first light the Flanking Column was on the northern end of the Schutztruppe's western ridge & fighting southwards. However by 0800 hours the Schutztruppe resistance stiffened & Flanking Column halted whilst the Main Column attack developed (Lt Col Price had no communications with the guns or the Main Column).

The Main Column placed its artillery & the 6 Loyal North Lancashires machine guns on the eastern ridge. The two mountain guns fired at enemy positions that could be observed from the gun positions. Logan’s 12-pounder fired similarly but also fired some blind searching shoots over the western ridge crest.
The machine guns were in good positions & used direct fire against enemy positions.
The infantry of the Main Column advanced across the exposed valley into effective enemy fire & faltered. The Schutztruppe had concealed an outpost forward of the west ridge & the German machine gunner there stopped the British advance.
By 1030 hours the CO of 29th Punjabis (Lt Col H.A. Vallings) was killed & his Adjutant wounded. Punjabi sepoys with wounds to their hands (often a sign of self-infliction) started evacuating themselves to the rear.

Brigadier-General Malleson with the Main Column then inexplicably ordered 4 of the Loyal North Lancashire machine guns on the eastern ridge, that were occupying commanding & concealed positions within effective range of the enemy, to move into the valley "in close support to the firing line". (Lt Col Jourdain's comment on this in the 2LNL War Diary is: "a piece of the worst tactical handling that I have ever known about".)
The machine gun crews in the valley now started taking casualties.

Up at the north end of the west ridge Cole's Scouts was having an interesting time.
Lord Cranbourne who commanded & fired the Cole's Scouts' .450-inch machine gun had his mule wounded which made it bolt & career into the Schutztruppe lines. Luckily he careered out again unharmed, but he saw that the enemy defences were weakly held. The 1 KAR troops near him were ordered to fix bayonets & they started the deep-chested grunting that precedes a KAR charge. But no order to attack was received.
As some Schutztruppe troops were now falling back down the road to Salaita Lord Cranbourne, who was about 400 yards away, emptied several machine gun belts into them. He also shot three Germans who appeared out of cover at about 150 yards range.
(He later wrote: "More than a year later I found, or rather was shown, a captured German War Diary of this engagement, which inter alia recorded the death of three officers in rear of the position from a concealed machine gun. Reading it gave me an unholy pleasure at the time, but every year I recall it with more repugnance." – his sentiment will be understood by other now older & wiser former soldiers.)

The Schutztruppe commander Lieutenant Merensky, who had taken over from the wounded Captain Vorberg, now deployed 6 Feldkompagnie on the northern flank to threaten the British Flanking Column & Lt Col Price started to withdraw his column.

Finally Brigadier-General Malleson lost total control of the battle (his Brigade Major had issued administrative orders for the advance to contact but the Brigadier-General had never issued any orders for the attack) & ordered a general withdrawal to Maktau. Staff officers delivered the order in writing to 1 KAR, 29 Punjabis & the Loyal North Lancashires, & to other units verbally.
Major Robinson commanded the rearguard, which was the Loyal North Lancashire companies, deploying one company as flank protection south of the Taveta track.
Five soldiers out of the seven on one of the 2LNL machine gun teams were wounded & in the confusion a porter dropped that gun in the bush & it was lost, along with one wounded man's rifle.
A large quantity of stores & ammunition was also left behind by 29 Punjabis during their hasty withdrawal.
The general porters used on this operation normally worked for the Railway Construction units & understandably they were not enthusiastic about working on the firing line under effective enemy fire.

Cole's Scouts formed the rearguard for the Flanking Column. As it withdrew the Column took casualties from a concealed enemy sniper who could not be located.
(Some time later when British troops captured Mbuyuni the ground was searched & a hollowed-out termite mound was found - the sniper's position.)
Lord Cranworth's final comment is apt: "The enemy followed us up for half a mile or so, but probably they were as mystified by our manoeuvres as we were & soon drew off".

[lisalade]

Iringa Cemetery. CWGC photograph

Lisa

Thank you very much.

Judging by his Regimental Number he was serving in Bangalore, India before the war.

Judging by his age I would say he landed at Tanga on 03 November 1914 & fought there.

He probably went to South Africa for three months recuperation during Summer 1916.

When I get a photo of his grave I will post it.

If you have any further details about William then please send me an email.

Regards

Harry

Hi Harry,

Thanks for this information. I have a photo of, I think, maybe my Great Uncle William. Always believed it was but not sure! You may know if his uniform is that of the Loyals?? I don't know how to attach a photo on to this message so if you want me to send it to you then let me know how!!!!

Thanks,

Lisa

[bushfighter]

The grave of Lt W.S. Wedd at Taveta, Kenya.
He was killed in action at Mbuyuni on 14 July 1915 fighting on the southern flank with his troop of King's African Rifles Mounted Infantry

[bushfighter]

Casualties, Losses, Expenditures, Awards & General Court Martials at the Fight at Mbuyuni, 14 July 1915

Main Column Casualties

2nd Loyal North Lancashires

Killed in Action: Machine Gun Porter No 784 Makamo Hamis

Wounded in Action: Sergeant A.E. Adams, Privates Paveley, Whitehead, Callan, Woods, McNeill, Robinson, Wallbank & 7 Machine Gun Porters.

1 machine gun (less tripod) plus ancillary parts & 1 rifle were lost.

9250 rounds of .303 were fired by the 6 machine guns.

2192 rounds of .303 were fired by the riflemen.

29th Punjabis

Killed in Action: Lieutenant Colonel Henry Alan Vallings & 21 Sepoys.

Wounded in Action: Captain Ernest Gardiner Collings (35th Sikhs, attached 29th Punjabis), 2 Indian Officers & 73 Sepoys.

Missing in Action: Captain Claude Rex Cleaver & 6 Sepoys.

(Captain Cleaver was wounded, taken prisoner & died in captivity on 19 July 1915. He is buried in Moshi Cemetery, Tanzania.)

1 Porter was killed, 3 were wounded & 4 were missing.

20 rifles & over 40,000 rounds of ammunition were lost.

5,792 rounds of .303 were fired by the 2 machine guns.

32,868 rounds of .303 were fired by the riflemen.

1 KAR

Killed in Action: 3 Askari

Wounded in Action: Lieutenants L.G. Murray & Collison Wells (name unclear) & 31 Askari. 4 Porters were also Wounded.

Missing in Action: 1 Askari

31,716 rounds of .303 were fired by the 1 KAR riflemen & the KAR Mounted Infantry.

KAR Mounted Infantry Killed in Action: Lieutenant W.S. Wedd & 1 Askari. Wounded in Action: 1 Askari

East African Transport Corps & Motor Cyclists Wounded in Action: 1 officer & 1 soldier (Corporal C.W. Harman).

Main Column Staff Wounded in Action: Captain J.M. Colchester-Wemyss

Section 27 Mountain Battery No casualties. 165 rounds of 10-pounder ammunition fired.

1 gun Logan's Battery No casualties. 43 rounds of 12-pounder ammunition fired.

Flanking Column Casualties

2 Rhodesia Regiment

Killed in Action: Private Leslie Allen Martin Wounded in Action: Private Frederick Dennis Crook

18,904 rounds of .303 were fired.

4 KAR

Wounded in Action: Private Juma Murjan, Missing in Action (2RR reported him killed) Private Muhamed Murjan

Injured by motor car during return to Maktau: Bugler Khamis Bazruta & 2 Wakamba Porters

1 rifle lost.

8,444 rounds of .303 were fired.

130 Baluchis

Killed in Action: Jemadar Sardar Khan, Private Baz Khan

Wounded in Action: Captain R.F. Woodward, Havildar Khalil Khan, Naik Gallundar, Bugler Talib, Privates Mir Badshah, Pa Khan, Wazir Ali, Maula Baksh, Karam Dad, Nur Wad, Abdur Rahim, Bahadur Khan, Sajawal Khan.

2 Railway Construction porters were killed & 7 wounded.

2 rifles were lost & one captured.

12,000 rounds of .303 were fired by the 2 machine guns.

11,643 rounds of .303 were fired by the riflemen.

Cole's Scouts

1 Stretcher Bearer slightly wounded.

3 Mules killed & 1 wounded.

407 rounds of .450 ammunition was fired by Lord Cranworth's machine gun.

2328 rounds of .303 were fired by the riflemen.

Schutztruppe - According to Lord Cranworth a wireless intercept heard a German admission of 5 killed & 14 wounded. The OH states 5 & 30.

Awards

2nd Bn The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment

Award of Distinguished Conduct Medal - Sergeant A.E. Adams - "For conspicuous gallantry on 14 Jul 15 at Mbuyuni (East Africa). Serjeant Adams, when in command of the escort to machine guns, displayed great bravery and energy in the performance of his duties at a very critical period, and in a difficult situation, and although wounded continued his work until wounded a second time. He gave a fine example of courage and devotion to duty to all ranks with him."

Private H. McNeil had been recommended: "For courage & coolness. He was wounded in three places & had other bullets through his helmet & clothing."He did not receive an award.

Cash awards of 2 Rupees were made to Machine Gun Porters 412 Buku Bin Hasim & 413 Amri Bin Mussa for Good Behaviour in Action.

King's African Rifles

Award of Distinguished Conduct Medal - No 103 Colour Segeant Juma 1 KAR - "For gallant leading of the vanguard under fire, & continuing to command his men after being severely wounded."

Captain C.G. Phillips, Sergeants John Ali & Longolora & Corporal Kaisa of 1 KAR, Sergeant Gabre Michael Tigre & Lance Corporal Zileka Hileh of KAR Mounted Rifles were also recommended for awards.

East African Transport Corps & Motor Cyclists

Award of Distinguished Conduct Medal - Corporal (Motor Cyclist) H.G. Cooper Southern Provinces Mounted Rifles (Madras) - "For conspicuous gallantry on the 14th July 1915 at Mbuyuni (East Arica) when he carried messages on foot under a very heavy fire to & from the firing line & though severely wounded, with great coolness & bravery continued his work & delivered all his messages safely. His devotion to duty was most marked."

Corporal C.W. Harman of the same unit had also been recommended.

Captain A.J. Farfan Royal Artillery, Intelligence Agent Catchpole Intelligence Department, & Major F.S. Keen, Captain A.H.W. Elias & Captain J.H. Colchester-Wemyss of the staff were also recommended.

General Court Martials

Indian Units

Command Orders of 24 August 1915 published that 11 Sepoys of 29th & 30th Punjabis had been sentenced to 10 years Rigorous Imprisonment for shooting themselves in the left hand on 14 July 1915 at Mbuyuni.

A Sepoy of 63rd Palamcottah Light Infantry was sentenced to 14 years.

2nd Bn The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment

(Brigadier-General Malleson & Lt Col Jourdain loathed & despised each other with an intensity that is difficult to describe.)

The Brigadier-General through General Tighe ordered that Lance Corporal C. Clarke 2LNL be tried by GCM for losing a machine gun at Mbuyuni on 14 July 1915. This was the Brigadier-General's right.

The Bn CO, Lt Col Jourdain framed the charge (as was his right). At the GCM at Bura on 06 September 1915 Lance Corporal C. Clarke was acquitted of the charge.

On 03 March 1917 (after the Brigadier-General had left theatre) Acting Corporal C. Clarke of The Loyal North Lancashires' Machine Gun Company was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal: "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He has performed consistent good work with the Machine Gun Company, and has at all times set a fine example under fire."

Lt Col Jourdain was not always the most popular figure in the Officers' Mess but he knew his regulations & he looked after his mens' interests with loyal & courageous determination.

[lisalade]

Hello Lisalade

In answer to:

"Thanks for this information. I have a photo of, I think, maybe my Great Uncle William. Always believed it was but not sure! You may know if his uniform is that of the Loyals?? I don't know how to attach a photo on to this message so if you want me to send it to you then let me know how!!!!"

I sympathise - the computer side of GWF had me lost for quite a time. I still don't understand it all & never will - but I prefer researching soldiers & battles anyway, rather than trying to understand weird IT-speak jargon!

Let's try & send PMs (I can't get through to you now because your PM facility is disabled).

Click on MY CONTROLS then BOARD SETTINGS (down on the left) then look right to Personal Messenger Options & answer the question "Disable Your Personal Messenger?" with NO.

Then look left again at the top & click COMPOSE NEW MESSAGE. At the top of the message screen in Recipient's Name put bushfighter.

Write anything in the big white area below & click on SEND MESSAGE at the bottom.

We can then correspond at length on shrinking & posting images etc by PMs (Personal Messages).

Good Luck lass - don't let it beat you!

Harry

Hi Harry again!!

Did all what you said but it looks like i'm unable to send or receive PMs??? I can't work it out at all! I've managed to attach the photo, I think! I tried to change my subscription but it wouldn't let me do that either!

Let me know anyway if you see the photo OK,

Cheers,

Lisa

[bushfighter]

The Konigsberg after the final British attack

The sinking of the Konigsberg

Post #310 left the Konigsberg at anchor in the Rufiji Delta awaiting machined parts from the Dar Es Salaam railway workshops.

She also needed coal. But when in April 1915 the Rubens was scuttled in Manza Bay with its coal cargo (see Post #428) the Konigsberg became trapped in the Rufiji Delta.
The Royal Navy did not know this as spotter planes reported the Konigsberg with steam up & therefore in a position to head for the Indian Ocean, but the Germans were using locally-cut wood & could not have broken out for long.

There was a lot of pressure on the Royal Navy to "sort out" the Indian Ocean. Two days after Konigsberg sank HMS Pegasus in Zanzibar harbour the German cruiser Emden steamed into Madras harbour on India's east coast & bombarded & set alight fuel tanks. On 28th October the Emden raided Penang harbour in Malaya, sinking a Russian cruiser & a French destroyer. Although the Emden was destroyed on 09 November 1914 the Royal Navy did not want the Konigsberg at large again in the Indian Ocean.
A Royal Naval Air Service unit, 4 Expeditionary Squadron RNAS, left UK in January 1915 to support HMS Chatham, HMS Dartmouth & HMS Weymouth in blockading the Rufiji Delta.

The eventual sinking of the Konigsberg on 11 July 1915 is well described on the excellent animated flash maps at: http://www.richthofen.com/konigsberg/flash/

During this operation 4 Expeditionary Squadron RNAS went through Sopwith 807 seaplanes, Short Folder seaplanes, Henry Farmans & Caudrons GIII. The squadron's last two remaining aircraft, a wireless-equipped Farman that spotted for the naval monitors being used to shell the Konigsberg & a Caudron GIII used as a bomber & observer, were both lost on the final day - the Farman to ground fire & the Caudron to a landing crash on Mafia Island.

For a very readable & comprehensive summary of the air operations see Peter Dye's recent series of articles in "Cross & Cockade", the journal of the First World War Aviation Historical Society.

In this final action of the Konigsberg 19 of the crew were killed & 45 were wounded. Captain Max Loof & his remaining 257 crew members now joined Lettow's ground forces.

The Germans salvaged two 3.5 inch & ten 4.1 inch guns from the Konigsberg for land use. They were pulled through the bush by African manpower & fitted at Dar Es Salaam railway workshops with wheeled mounts. The Schutztruppe now possessed heavy artillery.
This was bad news for the British ground troops.

[bushfighter]

Copyright QLR Museum Preston

The 2nd Bn The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment in the Maktau Area, July 1915

Follow on from Post #451
After sleeping in the train at Voi sidings the Bn used two smaller trains to move to Maktau on 05 July 1915.
Lt Col Jourdain discovered that the enemy regularly sniped Maktau camp during the night leading to the sentries on duty firing a fusillade back into the darkness.
He paraded his officers & ordered that 2LNL would practise fire discipline & that sentries would not return fire "unless they could get an aimed shot in the dark at close range."

Lt Col Price CO 130 Baluchis commanded Maktau Camp & after a visit by Brigadier-General Malleson it was decided to move Lt Col Jourdain with Nos 2 & 4 Companies & 3 MGs to a camp at Bura below the Teita Hills
This left Major Robinson at Maktau with No 1 Company & part of No 3 Company (the remainder from Kisii returned on 29 July) & 3 MGs. He was appointed OC Maktau Mobile Column - a quick reaction force.

The Companies sent out daily patrols of 20 riflemen from Maktau & Bura but generally after an attack when the damage had already been done. Lt Col Jourdain, who had commanded Mounted Infantry in the South Africa War & been awarded a DSO, was critical of the policy of leaving long lengths of the railway (up to 9 miles at a stretch) unguarded. He wanted to position blockhouses along the line. (Eventually this was done.)

Patrols along the Bura River encountered hordes of mosqitoes & the number of malaria cases in the Bn increased. The medical authorities established a sanitarium at Wusi up in the Teita Hills & many 2LNL soldiers attempted to recuperate from fever up there.

On 22 July Private J. Dunglinson of No 1 Company, from Maryport in Cumberland, died from pneumonia & beri-beri. He was buried in Nairobi South Cemetery.

On 31 July Private J. Melling of No 3 Company was on picquet duty south of Maktau. He sustained severe wounds when fired at by a small German patrol but he walked back to camp.

For the private soldier in the Bn the most important event during July was Brigadier-General Malleson's cancellation of beer purchases from India.
In Nairobi under General Stewart the Bn had been permitted to ship beer from India & issue it periodically on repayment. Medical Officers were in favour of this policy, & drunkenness was not tolerated.
No reason was given for the cancellation.

The Battalion strength on arrival at Maktau was:
No 1 Coy 6 officers & 128 men
No 2 Coy 5 officers & 132 men
No 3 Coy 2 officers & 73 men
No 4 Coy 4 officers & 141 men
Bn HQ 4 officers & 15 men
Total: 21 officers & 489 men

[bushfighter]

The grave of Private J. Dunglinson in Nairobi South Cemetery

[bushfighter]

The location of the sanatorium at Wusi
Copyright QLR Museum Preston

ORBAT (Order of Battle) along the Voi - Maktau Railway Line at 31 July 1915

MAKTAU CAMP
Cole's Scouts
1 sect (two 10-pounder guns) 28 Mountain Battery
Logan's Battery (two 12-pounder guns)
Nos 1 & 3 Coys 2 Loyal North Lancs
“B” & “C” Coys 2nd Rhodesians
Bn HQ 130th Baluchis plus 4 Coys
"B" & "F" Coys 4 KAR (20 Askari at Mashoti)
140 Indian Field Ambulance
25th & 26th Railway Construction Coys

BURA
Bn HQ 2 Loyal North Lancs plus Nos 2 & 4 Coys

WUSI
Bn HQ 2nd Rhodesians plus “A” & “D” Coys
D/26 British Field Ambulance
B/140 Indian Field Ambulance

MWATATE
1 Coy 130 Baluchis

VOI RIVER
1 Coy 29th Punjabis

VOI
Telegraph Section
"X" & "Y" Signal Sections
HQ 29th Punjabis plus 3 Coys
1 Coy 1KAR
Bridge Train
C/22 British Field Ambulance
B/22 Indian Clearing Hospital (less 1 sub-section)
C/139 Indian Field Ambulance

[bushfighter]

Sculptures of a pack mule & an artillery mule at the Animals in War Memorial, Brook Gate, Park Lane, London

The Military Mule in East Africa

Animals in military service during the East African Campaign had a hard time.
These figures give an idea of the casualty rate for horses, mules & donkeys:

HORSES 31,000 in service & 827 survivors
MULES 33,000 in service & 897 survivors
DONKEYS 34,000 in service & 1,402 survivors

African Horse Sickness, gained through tsetse fly bites, was the biggest killer. But like the soldiers that served with them the animals also suffered from exhaustion, over-work, lack of sufficient food & often lack of or poor water. Jungle predators viewed the animals as a food-source & enemy bullets also took their toll.
Some laden mules fell off hillsides & others drowned in rivers.

In February 1915 Major-General Wapshare looked ahead to the transport problems that would arise when German East Africa was invaded & requested a Mule Corps from India. India negatived the request because of commitments elsewhere.
The British Forces in East Africa then started organising their own facilities, basing remount depots at Nairobi & Nakuru which were judged to be healthy locations for horses & mules. The rains in March were good & ample grazing became available for the animals.
An East Africa Veterinary Corps was formed.

Mules (the offspring of male donkeys & female horses) were uncommon in British East Africa. As very few mules are fertile dedicated breeding facilities are needed if large quantities of animals are required. India & South Africa became sources for re-stocking the Nairobi & Nakuru remount depots.

The Indian Army units that had arrived in BEA with mules on strength, such as the Mountain Artillery Batteries, could always request fresh drafts of mules through their depots in India.
For the new units formed in BEA that needed mules as mounts (East African Mounted Rifles, KAR Mounted Infantry, Cole's Scouts & the Mounted Infantry Company) Abyssinia was the favoured source.
The small Abyssinian mule, averaging around 12.2 hands, combined endurance with speed & performed well in pack & light draught roles. When broken to saddle, which was very easy to do, an equipped soldier could be carried considerable distances at around 4 miles per hour without the mule fatigueing.

For an excellent personal account of the effects of African Horse Sickness (as well as an extremely graphic description of the lack of administrative & logistic services for African carriers) read Charles Trehane's article at: http://www.firstworldwar.com/diaries/thedevilmyfriend.htm

For a blunter but still sentimental view, here's a poem from West Africa (West Africa produced Mounted Infantry for the GEA Campaign):

THE OLD M.I.

I saw a man sitting beside the road, & by him a horse lay dead,
"What's the matter? The show bust up?" said I,
But he laughed & shook his head.
"No. I shot the old doki to save its life;
I reckon he'd tsetse fly.
And now the old cripple has gone to rest,
I'm the last of the old M.I."

[bushfighter]

Copyright Queen's Lancashire Regiment Museum, Preston

The Disbanding of Cole's Scouts in August 1915

Post #368 described the formation of Cole's Scouts & how the 2nd Bn The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment became involved with the unit.

The Battalion had attached one officer, a Subaltern, to Cole's Scouts & he made a weekly report to Bn HQ about what was happening to himself & the 80 or so Loyal North Lancashire soldiers in the Scouts.
However this report was sent directly without passing through the hands of the Scouts' OC Captain Berkeley Cole, & the Subaltern, probably being inexperienced & over-zealous, would mention comments made in the Scouts' mess about 2LNL senior officers.

One day in late June at Katetema The Honourable Denys Finch Hatton found the Subaltern's diary containing copies of his reports. According to Lord Cranworth who then appeared on the scene Finch Hatton was "absolutely white with rage standing in front of the LNL officer who had been attached to us".

Lord Cranworth & other more mature officers were not particularly perturbed but Finch Hatton persisted with his indignation until Berkeley Cole "sent in a fiery despatch to HQ".
After the fight at Mbuyuni (see Post #453 ) various interviews were held by HQ & the decision was made to disband Cole's Scouts.

Lord Cranworth greatly regretted the disbandment. He considered the 2LNL Subaltern to be "both efficient & brave" & he concluded: "I, for one, was particularly sorry for this ending, & not least because of my admiration for the men whom we had had the privilege to command. The Loyal North Lancs., whether in East Africa or in France, had a record which will bear comparison with any regiment in the British Army."

The disposal of personnel
2nd Loyal North Lancashire personnel & mules returned to their Bn.
The remaining Somalis probably went to the KAR Mounted Infantry Company (which contained many Ethiopians & was sponsored by 3 KAR).

Berkeley Cole details not known.

Colin de Stuteville Isaacson became staff officer to General O'Grady. Died of Wounds on 11 June 1917 in GEA after being wounded leading an attack on a stockade. Buried at Mingoyo & then re-buried at Dar Es Salaam. Awarded MC.

Lord Cranworth went to Europe, served in France then returned to serve in German East Africa with the Artillery. Awarded MC.

A.T. "Tich" Miles commanded the King's Africa Rifles Mounted Infantry Company. Awarded DSO & MC.

Denys Finch Hatton served as Aide de Camp to General Hoskins, & when the General was moved to Mesopotamia followed him there. Awarded MC.

[bushfighter]

Kasigau, August 1915

As British troops deployed in strength to the Tsavo Valley & the Voi - Maktau area the Schutztruppe developed a new route to attack the Uganda Railway.
Starting at Lake Jipe south of Taveta or else at a waterhole on the GEA border 40 miles to the southeast, German patrols marched for 50 or 60 miles east across a waterless desert to reach the Kasigau area, 30 miles south of Voi. Here was habitation & 6 or 7 permanent waterholes fed by springs running from Mount Kasigau which was 5383 feet high.

Mount Kasigau towers up above the plain it sits on, & was used by the British as an observation post & information collection point. Any useful information provided by the local Wa-Kasigao tribe was heliographed from the lower sopes of the mountain to Voi & to other stations to the south on the railway line.

The British post on Kasigau was not well sited - in fact siting any military position on the slopes of a mountain means that a skilfull enemy should be able to get above the position & fire down into it.
This post was in a natural amphiteatre with the defensive position on the stage, below the surrounding ridges. Doubtless the post had been sited with a view to easily accessing the heliograph station just above it.

In early August 1915 the Kasigau post was held by a detachment from 130 Baluchis. Captain H.G. Sealy was in command & his post strength was 4 Indian Officers & 83 Sepoys.
Captain Sealy did not like the position he had taken over & he had started demolishing it. A new position was being re-sited further up the hill. Unfortunately this meant that neither the old position nor the new position were suitable for fighting a defensive battle from. His reserve ammunition appears to have been in the lower position.
As part of the defensive plan three night picquets each of 1 NCO & 3 Sepoys were located on approach tracks.

Also in the post was Intelligence Agent Perks of the Intelligence Department & a few local inteligence scouts.

At 0515 hours on 12 August enemy fire hit both the old & new British positions & No. 3 Picquet which was to the east. The Schutztruppe had successfully infiltrated in darkness to launch an attack.
At around 0730 hours, with a bugle blowing, the Schutztruppe charged to the cry of "Capture these women of Indians" & overan both British positions. Captain Sealy, Intelligence Agent Perks, 1 Indian Subedar & 30 Sepoys were captured. The Subadar, Abdul Amir was wounded as were about 7 of the Sepoys. Probably Captain Sealy's group in the new upper post had run out of ammunition.
About 35 rifles & 35,000 rounds of ammunition were captured with the prisoners.
Five Sepoys, 1 Bhisti (water carrier) & 1 Stretcher Bearer were killed. One Naik was wounded & not captured.
The remaining Baluch Sepoys hid, fired at the Schutztruppe force as it left & then scattered eastwards towards Maungu on the railway line.

The German commander, Lieutenant Freiherr Grote, had less men in his party than the British had defending Kasigau. He ordered the Sepoy prisoners to be loaded with captured ammunition, blankets & rations. Some of Grote's Askari bundled the captured rifles on poles & carried them off with the pole-ends resting on their shoulders. Grote then withdrew to the southwest.
His Askari had seized the chagals (canvas water carriers) used by the Sepoys & broken & discarded their own calabashes (hollow gourds used as water containers).
According to Lettow's account the only Schutztruppe casualties were a few Askari & a German medical NCO wounded by the final Baluch fire as Grote withdrew.

Lt Col B.R. Graham, CO 3 King's African Rifles, was sent to investigate the incident.
It was his opinion that the local Wa-Kasigau tribespeople had connived with the Schutztruppe, failing to report the German presence to the British & guiding the Schutztruppe in the attack (apparently the Askari had wrapped grass & strips of bark round their boots to deaden sound, & trees were found near local farms with bark stripped off).
When examining the broken discarded calabashes some were found with owners' names on them & marked with "Gonja".
Gonja was a large village across the GEA border to the southwest where the Wa-Para tribe lived. The Wa-Para & the Wa-Kasigau had blood brotherhood.
Graham’s investigation uncovered the activities of German intelligence agents who had been operating around Kasigau, inciting – sometimes with the use of a little “black magic” - dissension against British rule.

The British were now concerned that the tribes in southwestern BEA were more frightened of the Germans than of the British, so an example was made of the Wa-Kasigau.
The 600 members of the tribe on the Kasigau slopes were rounded up & transported out of their tribal area into a less congenial area on the Coast.
The Kasigau post was now garrisoned by a detachment of 3 KAR under Lieutenant N.A. Kenyon-Slaney (Special List). His Askari destroyed the crops left behind by the transported tribesmen.

Along the railway line a system of fines & punishments was imposed on tribes occupying areas where German demolition parties had attacked the line. However this measure had little effect on Schutztruppe activities & on 29 August a special train was derailed between Simba & Sultan Hamed, almost destroying one of the Uganda Railway's best locomotives.

[bushfighter]

Sketches from a journal article on the Mounted Infantry School at Longmoor

The Formation of the Mounted Infantry Company

On the disbandment of Cole's Scouts (see Post #463 ) it was decided fo form a Mounted Infantry Company using infantry men from 2nd Bn The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment & 25th (Service) Battalion The Royal Fusiliers.
2 LNL had provided around 80 riders for Cole's Scouts & 25 RF had formed its own mounted sub-unit for operations around the Magadi railway line.

Some of the Loyal North Lancashires had served in Mounted Infantry Companies in the South African War & some of the Royal Fusiliers had ridden in Scouts & other mounted units around the world.

Each Bn was ordered to provide 75 men & a proportion of NCOs. The MI Coy had a separate establishment & was recognised as an independent sub-unit.

The first Officer Commanding the MI Coy was Captain J.S. Woodruffe, Royal Sussex Regiment, attached 2nd Bn The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment. He took up his appointment on 28 August 1915.

The other officers were:
Lieutenant A.T.T. Storey, South Lancashire Regiment attached 2nd Bn The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment.

Lieutenant W.T. Dartnell 25th (Service) Bn The Royal Fusiliers

2nd Lieutenant M. Ryan 25th (Service) Bn The Royal Fusiliers

2nd Lieutenant W. Parker 2nd Bn The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment

Officers were mounted on Somali ponies & the NCOs & men on mules. Horses & ponies could only be kept alive for a very short time because the country was infested with tsetse fly.
However as long as the mules were administered with 10 grains of arsenic every evening they were practically immune in the Maktau area.
The mules could exist by grazing & they did not need a daily forage ration.

Nobody in the MI Company had attended a Mounted Infantry Course but all ranks were men who were accustomed to horses, & two of the officers had received their commissions from the ranks of cavalry regiments.

The new company operated from Maktau. The country was generally open rolling low hills with patches of woodland & dense bush. Water was very scarce.
Visibility from high ground was quite good except around noon when the overhead sun produced a haze causing a mirage.

The tasks of the MI Coy were to be:
reconnoitring, reporting on enemy movements (keeping in touch with withdrawing enemy units), looking for water, producing terrain reports, searching for downed British aircraft, clearing woods & dense bush when operating with Armoured Cars & intercepting enemy raiding parties.
The duties were to be continuous & the work was to be very arduous.

The Mounted Infantry Company's baptism by fire was to occur very shortly.

[bushfighter]

Workers in a rubber estate in German East Africa

GERMAN INGENUITY IN IMPORT SUBSTITUTION

Lettow & the Schutztruppe had enjoyed a real windfall when the Royal Navy failed to stop or destroy the German blockade-runner "Rubens" with its military cargo (see Post #428 ).

However the civilian administration & German population of GEA had not enjoyed a similar windfall as ships with general cargo were not trying to get past the Royal Navy coastal blockade. This led to a severe shortage of imported goods.

But German resolve & ingenuity went to work on the problem & prevailed. Former exports of raw materials were now used to manufacture home-produced finished articles. The technology was of the "cottage industry" type but it worked.

Spinning wheels & looms were built to make cotton clothing & other items out of the crops from the cotton fields.
Dyes were produced from trees, the Ndaa tree producing a yellowish-brown dye that was excellent for Schutztruppe uniforms.
Rubber from planters' estates was vulcanized with sulphur thus allowing motor & bicycle tyres to be manufactured.
A motor-fuel named Trebol similar to Benzol was produced in the Morogoro region by planters experimenting with their coconut crops.
Soap & candles were made from local ingredients.

Before the war Christian mission stations had been making their own good boots & now this production was increased. Cattle & buffalo hides were tanned with materials produced from the coastal mangrove forests, & a boot production-line opened at Tanga.

Farms around Kilima Njaro now produced large quantities of butter & cheese & the slaughter-houses around Wilhelmstal expanded production of sausages & smoked meats.
(Here is an indicator as to why cattle-rustling was so prevalent in the Lake Victoria border region. The Schutztruppe was concentrated around Moshi & needed large supplies of meat weekly - why denude GEA herds when BEA herds could be captured & driven into GEA. The captured cattle not only contained meat products but also useful hides & horns.)

On the medical side there was a lot of expertise available when war was declared. The GEA authorities had been working hard on a sleeping sickness eradication campaign which involved doctors from Germany. These doctors, being unable now to return to Germany, were allocated to military duties & their expertise helped in the medical improvisations that were made.

The medical staff experimented scientifically with local African food to find the most beneficial local items for Europeans to eat, particularly when columns were constantly moving through the bush.
A rough type of bread was made from village-grown cereals. Manioc, yam & local African sweet potatoes, peas & beans were found to be both palatable & suitably nutritious.

The lack of fat was a problem. Groundnut, sesame & coconut oil was used but by far the best fat came from hippos & elephants.
Sugar was made by pressing & cooking cane-juice but when that was not available wild honey was used if it could be found.
The provision of sufficient salt was never achieved - certain kinds of wild grasses were incinerated experimentally but the product turned out to contain too much potash.
Village-grown red peppers, wild spinach, mushrooms & manioc leaves all became useful vegetables.
Initially bananas, mangoes, pineapple, guavas & oranges were freely available from plantations, but when the war became mobile wild tree fruits were gathered when seen.
(In the later stages of the war as Schutztruppe columns moved around without the logistic support that the British had, the columns lived off the land & the activities of the advance-guard of food-collecting troops were critical to the success of the columns.)

When plantation coffee was finished roasted maize grains were substituted. Suitable plant leaves were used to produce tea.
Supplies of alcohol ran out in 1916 & could not be substituted on the march.

The Askari rations sometimes had to be reduced when rice or maize was not available (many Askari had a wife & a "boy" servant with them & the Askari's ration had to feed them as well) but even during the lean times sufficient hippo meat could be culled to provide the necessary diet to keep the men fighting.
Children were born along the way & just slung onto their mother's backs.
Rest days were used to grind collected corn into flour that was then distributed to the Askari & porters, perhaps two weeks supply at a time, giving the columns great mobility. There were no rear echelons to be concerned about, just the fighting columns.

Medical supplies also had to be improvised. Initially bandages were made from plantation cotton but later beaten tree bark was used as it could be sterilised. Surgical cotton wool was made by removing the fat from raw cotton.
Cinchona tree bark was used to prepare quinine & all the columns carried supplies of bark. Disinfecting alcohol was made from plants, & African medicinal herbs were used to produce drugs to treat ailments such as diarrhoea.
Ointment bases were prepared from hippo & elephant fat & from a mixture of wax & groundnut oil.

Whilst the British from 1916 onwards built up an enornous logistic tail - & even so could not feed their troops in the field adequately - the Schutztruppe marched on, travelling light & using the land to meet logistic requirements.
The Schutztruppe columns marched towards their sources of supply whilst the British columns chasing them marched away from theirs.

[bushfighter]

Sketch of the scene of the action

The Mounted Infantry Company Engagement on 03 September 1915

At 0835 hours on 03 September 1915 the Officer Commanding Maktau Post Lt Col C.U. Price, 130 Baluchis, received a report that the down-line ballast train (carrying railway construction materials) had been fired on at Mile 34 (5 miles southeast of Maktau).
At the same time Mashoti Post reported heavy firing in the same area & one of their 10-man patrols near the railway line was fired at. The enemy strength was estimated to be 40 men.

Lt Col Price immediately ordered the Mounted Infantry Company to proceed about 7 miles to the south of Maktau to intercept the Schutztruppe raiders as they returned to GEA.
A special patrol of 50 rifles from 130 Baluchis under Lieutenant A.H. Wildman was ordered to march speedily in the same direction to support the MI Company. Six mounted soldiers from the MI Coy accompanied the Baluch. An Intelligence Agent marched with them.

Captain J.S. Woodruffe, Royal Sussex Regiment (attached 2nd Loyal North Lancashires), the Officer Commanding the MI Coy, took 3 officers & 63 men out on the mission.
His ORBAT was:

N0 1 Troop 2/Lt W. Parker (2 LNL) & men of the Loyal North Lancashires
No 2 Troop 2/Lt M. Ryan (25 RF) & men of the Royal Fusiliers
No 3 Troop Lt W.T. Dartnell (25 RF) & men of the Royal Fusiliers

The MI Company cantered out well ahead of the Baluch until Captain Woodruffe chose a position on a slight ridge covered in bush. Around 1015 hours the OC deployed No 1 Troop in the centre facing east & No 3 Troop on the right facing southeast, to cover that flank. No 2 Troop was in reserve to the rear.
Mules were held in cover 100 yards behind the position. Picquets were placed forward of the position. Company HQ was behind No 1 Troop.

At around 1130 hours a man in No 3 Troop accidentally discharged his rifle.
It is more than likely that the sound of this shot attracted the enemy towards the MI Company's position.

Just after noon the picquets saw 90 or more enemy approaching. When the enemy was between 10 & 50 yards in front of the picquet line the picquets fired & quickly withdrew into the Troop positions, as per operational procedures.
Now seeing the direction of advance of the enemy Captain Woodruffe ordered No 2 Troop into line on the left of No 1 Troop.
The Schutztruppe was keen to fight & closed with the MI Company, firing furiously & accurately. Both men & mules of the MI Company started receiving wounds.
(In bush encounters such as this you are not firing from the safety of a trench. You are lying or kneeling on the surface & although bush in front may partially conceal you the bush does not stop bullets from hitting you. As your visibility is dependent on the density of the bush, in thick bush you are tempted to move to get a better aim, & so you may expose yourself more to bullet-strikes.)

As No 3 Troop's right flank was not facing the enemy it was not engaging them & so Captain Woodruffe ordered Lt. Dartnell to swing the right of his line to the east.
This order was misunderstood & as No 3 Troop moved it bunched towards the centre rear of No 1 Troop, offering an attractive target to the enemy Askari.

"Fix Bayonets!" was ordered.
Captain Woodruffe received a severe wound in the back. He saw that the situation was deteriorating rapidly & he ordered a retirement before the MI Company was encircled. Private H. Bristow, who had been tending casualties, carried Captain Woodruffe away whilst under heavy fire.

2/Lt Parker took over command & re-organised the Company, getting every recoverable wounded man who could ride onto a mule.
He saw that Lt Dartnell was wounded below the knee & prepared to evacuate him but Lt Dartnell requested to be left behind. He stated that he hoped that his presence as an officer would prevent the other wounded men from being killed when the position was overrun.
2/Lt Parker respected Lt Dartnell's wish & left him there. 2/Lt Parker then brought the MI Company out of action at around 1230 hours, enemy Askari being only 25 yards away as they mounted, & rode towards Maktau.

Meanwhile, after marching for 5 miles Lt Wildman was concerned that he was not in contact with the MI Company. At 1045 hours he sent his 6 MI Company men to locate Captain Woodruffe.
At 1100 hours the Baluch had struck the spoor of 25 booted men with 2 porters moving west-south-west. They followed the spoor but could not exploit it as they were without the MI Company.
At noon the Baluch heard firing a mile & a half to their south & double-marched towards the sound.

At around 1220 hours mounted men were seen moving rapidly to the northwest & were reported as being Germans. The Baluch moved north to intercept them but saw that these men were elements of the MI Company withdrawing from the action.
The Baluch then heard a Schutztruppe bugler sounding a call.
At about 1230 hours the firing died away, then at 1240 hours about 4 shots & some screaming were heard.

[bushfighter]

Mules of the Mounted Infantry Company being held in the bush whilst the rifles deploy forward

Copyright QLR Museum, Preston

The Mounted Infantry Company Engagement on 03 September 1915 - continued

At 1300 hours the 6 MI soldiers attached to the Baluch returned, having not seen either any enemy or Captain Woodruffe’s MI Company.
Lt Wildman halted on a low crest & sent the 6 MI Company men left-flanking to reconnoitre the scene of the fight. They returned to report that corpses were on the ground but that the Schutztruppe had left the scene.

Lt Wildman then advanced & at 1340 hours arrived on the ground where the fight took place. He found 8 Mounted Infantry corpses including Lt Dartnell’s. All had two or more wounds.
Two Schutztruppe Askari corpses & 1 other wounded Askari who died soon after, were found at the scene.
All the British corpses were fully or partially stripped (European clothing was valuable to the Askari).
It appeared as though four of the British wounded had been finished-off.

Buttons with the insignia of 9 Feldkompagnie were found on one dead Askari.

The Baluch Special Patrol & the MI men with them then cast for the Schutztruppe spoor but the ground was hard & a breeze was blowing. They deduced that the enemy had split up into small groups moving westwards. The tracks of two mules were identified heading west.

At Maktau at 1400 hours Lt Col Price had ordered the Maktau Mobile Column under Major H.A. Robinson, 2nd Loyal North Lancashires, to march out to the scene of the fight.
Major Robinson took 200 rifles of 25 RF under Major Towse, 100 rifles of 2LNL under Captain Berkeley plus a Medical Officer & a bearer party carrying 10 stretchers & water.
He marched on a bearing of 200 degrees & was guided by Lt Ryan, 25 RF, & some of his MI men who met up with the Column.

The Mobile Column halted two miles short of the scene when it met two MI orderlies who advised where Lt Wildman was. Major Robinson pushed on with only the stretcher bearers & one 25 RF platoon, joining Lt Wildman at 1700 hours.
It was Major Robinson’s opinion, after a cursory inspection, that all the British corpses had been shot or bayoneted after the casualties had been wounded or had died.

Dusk was approaching & by 1715 hours Major Robinson departed from the scene with the Baluch & the stretcher bearers to join up with the remainder of the Mobile Column, which marched north at 1820 hours.
Signal lamps were shown from Picquet Hill north of Maktau & these were of great assistance as the Mobile Column returned through the bush. It arrived at Maktau Camp at 2010 hours.

The following day a Court of Enquiry was convened to take down evidence on oath.
British patrols went out to the southwest searching for the Schutztruppe raiders, but did not locate them.

Casualties
Initially these casualties were reported:

Killed in ActIon:
Private Frederick J. Bristow 2LNL
Private J.A.S. Cooper 2LNL
Private F. Ward 2LNL
Private W.A. Acton 2LNL
Lance Corporal Richard Brockbank 2 LNL
Lieutenant Wilbur Taylor Dartnell 25 RF
Sergeant Charles Walter Phillips 25 RF
Private Duncan Maclaran Henderson 25 RF

Wounded in Action
Captain J.S. Woodruffe Royal Sussex Regiment, attached 2LNL
Pte Anderson 2LNL
Sergeant R. Wakeford 2LNL
Lance Corporal Jones 2LNL
Private Cornell 2LNL
Private Heaton 2LNL
Lance Corporal Hughes 2LNL
Private Wood 25 RF

Missing in Action
Private Henry Bradley 2LNL
Corporal S. Goddard 2LNL
Lance Corporal Harry Robinson 25 RF


Weapons, Mounts & Equipment Lost
10 Rifles, 1 Pony, 6 Mules, 7 Saddles, 7 Bridles, 14 Bandoliers, 2 Blankets, 1 Haversack, 2 Emergency Rations.

Burials & Commemorations
Those Killed in Action were buried at Maktau & later re-buried at Voi Cemetery, Kenya.

Lance Corporal Harry Robinson 25 RF & Private Henry Bradley 2LNL were later recognised as being dead & both are commemorated on the Nairobi British & Indian Memorial.

Corporal S. Goddard 2LNL is buried at Iringa Cemetery, in southern Tanzania. His date of death is recorded as 03 September 1915.

The Schutztruppe did not kill all the British troops that they found on the position.

Corporal Goddard was captured & marched to German East Africa.
He died, perhaps of wounds, sometime after his arrival in GEA but definitely after 03 September 1915.
One account suggests that his body was found buried in a German cemetery at Iringa. If that was so then it is likely that he died in captivity whilst at Iringa.

As the bodies of Lance Corporal Robinson & Private Bradley were never recovered, were they also captured & marched towards German East Africa, perhaps dying of wounds on the way?

[bushfighter]

The first graves at Maktau

Copyright QLR Museum Preston

The Mounted Infantry Company Engagement on 03 September 1915- concluded


Schutztruppe casualties.
The Mounted Infantry Company believed that it had hit over 25 of the enemy with rifle fire.
The 2LNL War Diary states that an enemy cook, captured after the action, stated that at the fight one German named Michael & 3 Askari were killed. Lieutenant Bosch was wounded.
Doubtless more Askari were wounded, but the Askari of both sides were capable of marching with wounds that would have incapacitated Europeans..

The Area Commander’s Comments
In his report on the action Brigadier-General Malleson regretted that the Mounted Infantry Company had suffered a reverse so soon after its formation.
He noted that an accidental rifle shot may well have alerted the enemy, as it had advanced in attack formation on the MI Company position.
He made two main criticisms of tactical conduct:
The MI Company went ahead too fast, lost touch with its infantry support & never regained contact with that support.
The MI Company’s position was in thick bush with a very limited field of fire when it should have been concealed on the edge of an open glade. Thus the enemy, who attacked with great boldness, could close on the MI Company so quickly that the British firepower was never effective, & British attempts to adjust the position resulted in confusion.

Awards made
Published in the Fifth Supplement to the London Gazette of Tuesday 21 December 1915 & dated Thursday 23 December 1915:

“His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to award the Victoria Cross to:
Temporary Lieutenant Wilbur Dartnell, late 25th (Service) Battalion (Frontiersmen), The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment).
For most conspicuous bravery near Maktau (East Africa) on 3rd September, 1915.
During a mounted infantry engagement the enemy got within a few yards of our men, and it was found impossible to get the more severely wounded away. Lieutenant Dartnell, who was himself being carried away wounded in the leg, seeing the situation, and knowing that the enemy’s black troops murdered the wounded, insisted on being left behind to save the lives of the other wounded men.
He gave his own life in the gallant attempt to save others."

(An image of Wilbur Dartnell’s grave is in Post #108 & Voi CWGC Cemetery is shown in Post #107.)


Distinguished Conduct Medal
On 29 November 1915 10237 Private H. Bristow, 2nd Bn The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, was published in the LG as receiving a Distinguished Conduct Medal:
“For gallant conduct on 3rd September, 1915, in attending to the wounded during the action to the south of Maktau (East Africa), and subsequently for rescuing an Officer under very heavy fire.”


Lt. W. Parker, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, received a Mention in Despatches on 30 June 1916.


A later reunion
On 08 December 1915 the Mounted Infantry Company was despatched from Maktau to assist Belfield’s Scouts & Royal Naval Air Service Armoured Cars in action 5 miles to the west.
The main body of the enemy, 8 Germans & 100 Askari, was chased westwards for over 3 miles, & then the Mounted Infantry Company rode back searching the bush south of the road for enemy stragglers.
Two whites & 5 Askari were found, the enemy immediately displaying a white handkerchief.

One of the whites, named as Volunteer Otta Spinge, was recognised by two members of the Mounted Infantry Company who had fought in the action on 03 September 1915.
Spinge had closed to within 20 yards of the Mounted Infantry as they came out of action. He had been within a few yards of the British wounded, & therefore it was judged that he had been in a position to protect them from being finished-off, if he had wished to do so.

There are no further details of prisoner of war Spinge.


Captain J.S. Woodruffe Royal Sussex
Captain Woodruffe was an experienced Regular Army officer, having served as a Subaltern in the South African War, where he gained the Queen’s Medal with two clasps & the King’s Medal also with two clasps.
He left the East African theatre, survived his wound & was promoted Major on 04 September 1915 (on the same list as Captain Meinertzhagen, Royal Fusiliers, now OC Intelligence BEA).
He was an acting Lt Col between 06 March & 13 June 1917 whilst he commanded a Battalion, & on 06 January 1918 he took over command of the 1st Bn The Royal Newfoundland Regiment & became a temporary Lt Col.
He later became a Chief Instructor at a School of Instruction, & when that employment ceased on 19 January 1919 he reverted to the rank of Major.
He was Mentioned in Despatches on 28 December 1917 & on 03 February 1920.
He was awarded the DSO & OBE.


Personal Comment
The only British person who knew what happened at the end of the action was Cpl Goddard, but that knowledge died with him at Iringa.

As the wounded men left at the scene had their rifles, I think it more than likely that some of them, who were able to, decided to carry on fighting – what did they have to lose?
If that happened then the Schutztruppe would treat all British troops discovered as hostile.

Some British wounded would undoubtedly have been bayoneted as the Schutztruppe fought through the position, but it looks as though some grip was exerted on the Askari as Cpl Goddard, & perhaps others, became a prisoner.
Those too badly wounded to quickly move may then have been finished off.

The British appear to have been shocked by the ferocity of this encounter. Although worse things had happened recently to Rhodesians & British East African whites in the Tsavo, this was the first time that British UK troops had experienced the speed & savagery of combat in thick bush.

None of the Askari in the Campaign – British, German, Belgian or Portuguese – had been taught Marques of Queensbury rules. They were all used as economical & efficient enforcers to establish & maintain colonial policies, & often the enforcement was brutal.

The criticisms of tactical conduct made by the Area Commander appear to be very valid.
It would have been prudent to move to a new position after the accidental discharge of a rifle.

Nothing can detract from the gallantry displayed at the scene, both by those who received recognition & those who, lying on the ground bleeding, heard the last mule ride away & grasped their rifles, waiting for the next movement in the bush around them.

[bushfighter]

The Bharatpur crest, used as a cap badge, & the shoulder title of the Bharatpur Infantry

Units that served alongside the 2nd Bn The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment - The Bharatpur Infantry

Bharatpur was an Indian Princely State in the northeast of Rajputana. The land area was 1,978 square miles & the inhabitants were Jats.
In 1803 Bharatpur became the first state in Rajputana to make an alliance with the British.

The Maharajas of Bharatpur established a hunting reserve around a lake at Keoladeo, & this became known as the best duck shooting resort in the British Empire.
Colonial officials & service officers were very keen indeed to receive invitations to shoot there.
The Maharajah was entitled to a 17-gun salute.

In 1914 The Maharaja provided a half-Battalion of infantry from his Imperial Service troops to join Indian Expeditionary Force "C" in British East Africa.

On arrival in BEA the unit was deployed to Voi on the Uganda Railway. In 1915 it moved to the BEA Coast to work with Wavell's Arab Rifles but the humid & fever-ridden coastal climate took its toll on the Sepoys’ health.
At the end of 1915 it was back on the Uganda Railway line with 200 rifles at MacKinnon Road & the remainder of the unit at Voi.

After the reverse suffered by the Arab Rifles at Mwele Mdogo on 09 January 1916 (when Wavell & 30 of his men were killed) the Bharatpur Infantry were part of a column under the command of Lt Col B.R. Graham CO 3 KAR that marched from Samburu to Ngurungani in southeastern BEA to fight & drive off the Schutztruppe intruders. Elements of 2nd Loyal North Lancashires, 25th Royal Fusiliers, 3 KAR & 28 Mountain Battery were also in this column.

During the invasion of German East Africa in Spring 1916 the Bharatpur Infantry first performed Lines Of Communications duties between Voi & Mbuyuni & then the unit was moved forward to perform similar duties for 2nd Division's advance to Kondoa Irangi.
Working with the Indian 17th Infantry the unit did not lose any en-route vehicles to enemy action.

In German East Africa the Bharatpur Infantry stepped up to become a combat unit.
The Maharajah continued to supply reinforcements & on 06 October 1917 the half-Battalion was 1,100 rifles strong - far stronger than most other complete battalions.

At Nyangao near Mahiwa in mid-October 1917 the unit fought under General O'Grady in the toughest battle of the whole campaign. (In the same battle were 259 Machine Gun Company - formed from the Loyal North Lancashires Machine Gun Company - & what remained of 25th Royal Fusiliers.)
The Bharatpur Rifles lost 40 men in that fight.

Shortly afterwards the unit returned to Rajputana.

Battle Honours
The Bharatpur Infantry were awarded the honours:
Kilimanjaro
Nyangao
East Africa 1915-17

Commemorations
101 deaths are commemorated, one third of them on the Nairobi British & Indian Memorial & the remaining two thirds on the Dar Es Salaam British & Indian Memorial.
The last death is recorded in January 1918.

[Archer]

Harry

Just come across this thread! The following may be of interest: Authorities cited as requested in your PM and typo corrected [Dec 1916 NOT Sep 1916].

Arthur Eric Forrest

Born in Honor Oak Park, Lewisham, the son of Arthur and Elizabeth Forrest, 1892 (Birth registered in the Lewisham Registration District in the quarter ended Sep 1892. See also National Archives, 1901 Census (RG13; Piece 673; Folio 57), p. 55).)

Appointed to His Majesty’s Home Civil Service as a Clerk in the Second Division, 23 May 1912 (The London Gazette, 4 June 1912, p. 4057)

Assigned to the Post Office, 30 Sep 1913 (see The London Gazette, 3 October 1913, p. 6911.)

Joins the Colonial Audit Department, and is appointed as assistant auditor, East Africa Protectorate, July 1915 (Dominions Office and Colonial Office List, 1926)

Released from civilian employment to proceed on active service, October 1915 (Dominions Office and Colonial Office List, 1926)

Commissioned temporary Second Lieutenant, 'whilst employed with the Forces in East Africa,' 26 Oct 1915 (Supplement to The London Gazette, 13 Jan 1916, p. 553)

Posted to the 2nd Battalion, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment (refer e.g. Medal Index Card)

Relinquishes his commission, 12 Dec 1916 (Supplement to The London Gazette, 15 May 1917, p. 4731) and is

Released from the Army to return to civilian employment

Serves as assistant auditor in charge, Somaliland Protectorate, 1917-1920 (for this and what follows, refer to Colonial Office Lists)

Serves as assistant auditor in charge, Zanzibar, Feb 1920 - Mar 1922

Appointed senior assistant auditor, Kenya Colony, Mar 1922

Appointed senior assistant treasurer, Kenya, Nov 1925

Appointed treasury accountant, Kenya, Jan 1926 (afterwards, from 1928, principal assistant treasurer)

Appointed Deputy Treasurer, Uganda Protectorate, April 1930

Appointed Treasurer, Uganda, October 1934

Promoted to Financial Secretary, Uganda, Jul 1937

Retires, circa 1941

Joined the Battalion in East Africa - left it when it was under orders to proceed to Egypt.

What an a thoroughly East African career this man enjoyed !!

Cheers

William

[bushfighter]

William

Thank you very much for all the information - (Arthur looks like an ideal Bn Paymaster!) - I've searched the Bn War Diary & found one reference to him.

On 12 Jun 1916 he is listed as one of the Battalion officers at Simonstown. That means that he had been found medically unfit in BEA & that he had been sent to South Africa for recuperation.

(If he had been fit then he would definitely have stayed in BEA with the Machine Gun Company, Mounted Infantry Company or Logan's Battery.)

Interestingly I was just about to write about Somaliland, Artur's next civilian posting. He was obviously not afraid of service in remote locations.

Regards

Harry

[bushfighter]

East African Mounted Rifles marksmen at Longido West, showing good detail of clothing & equipment

The British Attack on Longido West, 21 September 1915

In the Longido area the East African Mounted Rifles & the 17th Cavalry had been skirmishing with the Schutztruppe.
An attempt to rustle German cattle from Ngoro-ngoro at the end of July 1915 had failed when the British raiders rode into a Boer's outspanned waggon near the objective. The Boer fired a few shots which alerted the Germans nearbye.

But on 02 August a small success occurred when an EAMR machine gun ambush combined with a 17th Cavalry pursuit resulted in the capture of 4 Germans & 3 Askari at Longido. Eight horses & mules were also captured.

British scouts then established that the Schutztruppe was occupying Longido West, the water hole on the extreme west of the Longido Mountain feature.
Nairobi HQ approved a plan to attack Longido West & Lieutenant Colonel F. Jollie, 28th Cavalry Indian Army, was given command of:
"A" & "B" Companies 3 King's African Rifles
The King's African Rifles Mounted Infantry Company
135 troopers from the East African Mounted Rifles
The East African Squadron 17th Cavalry, Indian Army

Lt Col Jollie's plan involved simultaneous attacks from three directions aimed at driving the enemy into the plain below where the cavalry would "mop them up".
There were no communications between the different units on the operation.
The plan may have been suitable for mounted tactics, but it was a fatal plan for infantrymen to follow.

The EAMR & the KAR MI occupied the ridge to the east of the waterhole successfully in the dark. Their task was to provide fire support.
"B" Company 3 KAR assembled in the rocks to the west of the waterhole ready to assault upwards when "A" Company 3 KAR, which had climbed above the enemy post, started to attack downhill.

"A" Company was late due to the difficulty of climbing the mountain crags in the dark so "B" Company assaulted with the bayonet at dawn. However as "B" Company got close to the enemy it ran into not only German fire but also fire from the EAMR & KAR MI firing across the valley at the enemy positions, which were on a small kopje.
("B" Company was carrying its unfurled Comnpany Flag into action & had three flag-bearers shot down. 3 KAR did not carry flags into action again.)

"A" Company then assaulted downwards but descended down the wrong gulley, arriving above "B" Company instead of above the enemy.
As "A" Company arrived it could see that "B" Company was under fire from troops on the opposite ridge, so "A" Company opened fire on the EAMR & KAR MI, thinking them to be Schutztruppe.

As he could not communicate with his units Lt Col Jollie could not change his plan.
Around 1000 hours the British troops, already exhausted from the 18-mile approach march, were ordered by Lt Col Jollie to retire.

The EAMR hoped to regroup with the KAR & assault again but when rendezvousing on the plain they found that the cavalry had already returned to base & that the action was over.
The remainder of the force now marched the 18 miles back to Namanga, without water.

Casualties
3 King's African Rifles
Killed in Action: 13 Askari. Wounded in Action: 28 Askari, Lieutenant E.A.R.Gore-Brown seriously wounded & Lt Purves slightly wounded.

King's African Rifles Mounted Infantry:
Wounded in Action: 3 Askari

East African Mounted Rifles:
Killed in Action: Corporal A.W.Adams, Trooper C.MacMillan.
Wounded in Action: Trooper R.W.Anderson. Wounded & Captured: Lance Corporal C.K.Hilton, Trooper J.G.Dennis.
Missing in Action (also Captured): Troopers J.L.Absalom & G.V.Jackson

The following day a 17th Cavalry reconnaissance found Longido West abandoned by the Schutztruppe. British burial parties returned to collect their dead.

The Schutztruppe had been fighting from good defensive positions (ironically prepared earlier by the EAMR when it occupied Longido West) & there are no available reports of Schutztruppe casualties.

[Archer]

Thank you, Harry

Arthur looks like an ideal Bn Paymaster!

Agreed! Attached is a cartoon of him that appeared in the now-defunct journal East Africa & Rhodesia on 25 February 1937.

[bushfighter]

A Side-show tucked away within a Side-show - Operations in Jubaland 1914 - 1916

When the Sultan of Zanzibar ceded his authority over the mainland coastal strip to Britain, this territory ran north to the Juba River, which enters the Indian Ocean just north of the town of Kismayu.

As the British authorities delineated boundaries with their other colonial neighbours & with Abyssinia, Jubaland was created as a part of British East Africa lying to the west of the Juba River. The Italians colonised the land east of the Juba.

This was rough dry country inhabited by nomadic Somali tribes who moved with their flocks as the rains allowed them to. The Juba River itself was densely vegetated along the banks, & malarial.
Inter-tribal feuding was a way of life & bandits fleeing the Italian or Abyssinian authorities often took refuge in Jubaland.

The means of communication with Kismayu was by ship from Mombasa, & then steamers were used to re-supply outposts established along the west bank of the Juba. (The Italian outposts on the east bank shared the use of the steamers.)
The King's African Rifles was tasked with maintaining British authority in Jubaland, & Askari from 1 KAR (Nyasaland) & 3 KAR (BEA) were used for garrisons, whilst Askari from 4 KAR (Uganda) were used as reinforcements when punitive missions were mounted.

The declaration of war found the KAR in Jubaland & coming towards the end of a protracted operation against the Marehan tribe, with six companies deployed in the region ("A" & "C" companies of 1 KAR & "E" Company of 3 KAR at Serenli, "B" & "E" Companies 1 KAR at Yonte, & "F" (Camel) Company of 3 KAR at Gobwen.)

The Governor of BEA & his entourage, to whom dissident natives were a far greater threat than the Germans ever could be, were reluctant to bring more than a couple of KAR companies out of Jubaland. However in the end KAR officers, notably Major L.H. Soames 1 KAR & OC Serenli, took matters into their own hands, left the equivalent of one company in Jubaland, & brought their companies westwards to fight the Schutztruppe on the Coast & in the Tsavo.

To fill the gap the armed Jubaland Constabulary was formed from local Somali recruits.
The tribes detected weakness in the British position now that experienced Askari were thinner on the ground & in January 1916 a local war-lord convinced Lieutenant F. Elliott, The Lincolnshire Regiment & OC Serenli Post, that it was provocative for his Askari to walk around with rifles when off-duty. Elliott naively ordered that the rifles of those Askari not on duty were to be locked up in the guardroom each night.

The war-lord, Abdurrahman Mursaal of the Aulyehan tribe, then attacked Serenli with 500 men on the night of 02 February 1916. One Aulyehan group surrounded the guardroom & Elliott's house & killed him, another group looted the bazaar, & a third group seized stock.
The Askari could not get at their rifles & 35 of them were killed, 7 were wounded & 3 deserted (they had conspired with the attackers). Around 50 civilians were also killed.

The victorious Aulyehan stayed in Serenli for six days, thoroughly looting the place & removing a machine gun, 50 rifles & 300 boxes of ammunition.
Finally Italian troops crossed the border from Bardera & drove them away.

Without a strong British military presence Jubaland now became a tribal battleground as clans raided stock & took reprisals against each other.

Retribution would eventually come to the Aulyehan down the barrels of British guns & at the end of a hangman's rope, but not immediately as there were no troops to spare for a punitive operation.

Commemorations
Lieutenant F. Elliott is buried in Mogadishu African War Cemetery, Somalia.
Also buried there, & died on the same day, is Assistant Surgeon P.C. D'Cruz, of the Indian Medical Department. As yet the deaths cannot be linked by records, but it is very likely that P.C. D'Cruz was the Serenli Assistant Surgeon & that he was killed there with Lt Elliott.