bushfighter Posted 3 November , 2011 Share Posted 3 November , 2011 After the British surrender at Jasin on 19th January 1915 (Official History pages 123 - 128) a base was established at Mwele Mdogo from where patrols attempted to check German incursions into British East Africa. Sketch 5 in the Official History shows the rough location of the base. War time photographs published in a recent issue of Old Africa magazine depict a stockaded fort surrounded by a ditch. Thanks to the generosity of local expert and battlefield guide James Willson I was able to visit the location last month and photograph what remains of the fortifications. Mwele Mdogo from the north Defensive ditch at Mwele Mdogo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushfighter Posted 3 November , 2011 Author Share Posted 3 November , 2011 Looking east from Mwele Mdogo fort towards the heliograph station on the far ridge Defensive embankment on the south side of Mwele Mdogo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushfighter Posted 3 November , 2011 Author Share Posted 3 November , 2011 Coins and artefacts found by villagers at Mwele Mdogo (The dead bird was carried by a villager for his own reasons) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushfighter Posted 3 November , 2011 Author Share Posted 3 November , 2011 Probably a Carrier Corps wallet with remains of the bead chain Found by a villager at Mwele Mdogo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushfighter Posted 3 November , 2011 Author Share Posted 3 November , 2011 The HQ Mombasa Command War Diary (WO 85/5360) lists the occupants of Mwele Mdogo fort as: March 1915 The Arab Rifles May to November 1915 The Arab Rifles plus one .303 machine gun December 1915 The Arab Rifles plus one .303 machine gun and one bomb mortar January 1916 The Arab Rifles, one .303 machine gun, one bomb mortar and 2 Double Companies of the 40th PATHANS The 40th PATHANS marched to Mwele Mdogo after the disastrous ambush walked into by the Arab Rifles, described on page 228 of the Official History. Pages 312-3 of the Official History record the 5th Light Infantry as garrisoning Mwele Mdogo until the unit was shipped south to occupy Tanga. Harry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShirlD Posted 3 November , 2011 Share Posted 3 November , 2011 More fascinating photos and insights from our correspondent in the actual field Thanks Harry Cheers Shirley Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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