Murdered on the Assiut-Minia train

[ImOhShep]

Just for info: Hazel's medal group came up for sale in 2012

DNW, Lot No: 1644 12th/13th December 2012 Price Realised £880

http://www.dnw.co.uk/auction-archive/catalogue-archive/lot.php?auction_id=265&lot_id=88209

'A Great War C.B.E. group of six awarded to Lieutenant-Colonel A. W. Hazel, a General Staff Officer in the Ministry of Interior, Cairo, who was murdered in the uprising of March 1919

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, C.B.E. (Military) Commander’s 1st type neck badge, silver-gilt and enamel; British War and Victory Medals, M.I.D. oak leaf (Lt. Col. A. W. Hazel); Egypt, Order of the Nile, 3rd Class neck badge, silver, silver-gilt and enamel; Turkey, Order of Medjidie, 3rd Class neck badge, gold, silver-gilt, silver and enamel, together with a gold locket with portrait photographs of the recipient as boy and man, and a Royal Artillery tie-pin, in gold and enamel, generally good very fine and better £700-900'

[ddycher]

All

Sorry - for some reason this thread had missed me completely previously.

Lt.-Col Hazel was hit by sniper fire from the bank whilst travelling up river. He was part of the force sent up river from Deirut to relieve Assiut. The force was fired upon by snipers lining the banks but was dispersed by machine gun and rifle fire. One officer and two OR's were also hit. Hazel subsequently dying of wounds.

Events of March 1919 make for fascinating reading. Huddleston's column (this my main interest in the events) was one of 16 mobile columns operating in lower Egypt to put down the un-rest. Consisting of 250 Irish Rifles it was sent to restore order in Assiut and the surrounding neighbourhood before being relieved on the 2nd April. The local garrison and residents had been under attack for a couple of days (23rd and 24th). The force coming up river relieved the town on the 25th. For a couple of days before this contact was only maintained by flying boat. Shea commanded the relieving force moving south from Wasta to quell the unrest. Rather than local murders this was a much more widespread uprising by the Bedouin. Armed bands of Bedouin were active up the Nile as far as Beirut. 400 arrests were made at Assiut following the riots and looting there. The total casualties were said to be 8 men killed, 4 officers and 15 men wounded.

Re. the murders of the train of the 18th. Alexander Pope boarded the train at Assiut on the 18th. Pope was said to have gotten off the train and been beaten to death by a stick wielding mob. He is named in a Western Daily Press article of April 7th. I also struggle with the fact that these men were not armed. There had been attacks in the area starting on the 10th. Nor were these disturbances over quickly. Shea did not arrive at Assuan until the 18th April and it was late June before the Military Court in Cairo finished passing sentence on those arrested. With respect to events at Assiut ultimately 81 men were tried. These included 3 policemen, one a chief magistrate. The Chief of Police at Assiut was sentenced to death and executed on the 11th June.

Would love to know more about Huddleston's actions in March and April. Over the years I have pieced together a biography of the man but detail for this period is sparse.

Regards

Dave

[ddycher]

Would like to explore the relief of Assiut a little further. Rather than hijack Michael's thread on the Assiut ~ Minieh train murders I will open a seperate thread.

Regards

Dave

[ddycher]

Some late corrections on my earlier posts.

Huddleston's column was despatched from Cairo to Assuan not Deirut to Assiut as indicated above. It was stopped at Assiut given the size of disturbances there (Assuan relieved by Shea).

Albert Hazel was assigned to the column as Political Officer to Huddleston. The connection between the Labour Corps recruiting I am still following up on. Ellis Goldberg in "Peasants in Revolt" would seem to agree with Harry. There are tenuous ties to the jail break at Assiut as well. Interesting stuff.

If you haven't already seen them take a look at AndyR's photo's on the other thread.

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=225381&hl=

Regards

Dave

[Guest]

Thank you for sharing this sad and brutal story. I came across it while researching Lawrence Henry Redding who was my cousin (1st 2x removed twice over - his parents were my (great great) aunt and uncle before they got married!). I knew he had died in 1919 but until today, not how he had met his end, I feel quite shaken having read the account. With this year being the 100th anniversary of their deaths I would like to do something to mark the event and to remember him and all those who lost their lives that day.  Do you now if anything is being planned?  

[ddycher]

Sorry for the late reply. Can’t help with any commemorations I’m afraid. Nothing I am aware of at least. 

 

Regards

Dave