bushfighter Posted 12 March , 2015 Share Posted 12 March , 2015 The 30th Punjabis experienced some difficult and ferocious fighting in the thick bush of East Africa. An account of a couple of operations is here: http://gweaa.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/30th-Punjabis-at-Tandamuti-Hill-and-Nakadi.pdf Harry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MartH Posted 12 March , 2015 Share Posted 12 March , 2015 Thanks for sharing, excellent research. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrjustinhayward Posted 12 March , 2015 Share Posted 12 March , 2015 Superb, thank you Justin H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 13 March , 2015 Share Posted 13 March , 2015 HarryExcellent article as ever, thanks.Just a quick question, at Tandamuti you have the 30th Punjabis on the left, with the 25th RF and 3/4th KAR in the centre on the Punjabis right. My appreciation of the assault was that the 30th Punjabis were in the centre...have I understood this wrongly? I've only got Van Deventer's despatch accessible at present but he does say "The objective of the left or main column (25th Royal Fusiliers, 259th Machine Gun Company, 3/4th K.A.R.) was the enemy's right flank on Tandamuti Hill. Here very stubborn resistance was encountered, the centre of which was a concealed redoubt, the existence of which was not previously known. Despite repeated efforts this redoubt could not be taken, and in consequence the main column was brought to a standstill. The centre column (30th Punjabis) became thus unsupported in its advance, and on being heavily counter-attacked by the enemy's reserve was compelled to withdraw with considerable loss after the whole of the British officers had become casualties."RegardsSteve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushfighter Posted 13 March , 2015 Author Share Posted 13 March , 2015 Steve Greetings No - you are right and I am wrong. I worked from the Draft Official History Part II and misread: On the left the 30th Punjabis under Major W.K.R. Wilson . . . to mean on the left of the battlefield. Now I believe that the 'left' means on the left of 3/2nd KAR. In fact the Punjabis did cross the line of advance of the main column on the left but they appear to have recovered from that error and got back in the centre. I won't alter anything because the Punjabis fought and suffered alone and were not in contact with any other British unit, so the narrative remains valid if slightly inacurate as to location. Harry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 14 March , 2015 Share Posted 14 March , 2015 Harry Thanks for the clarification, I was a bit concerned that I'd misread the situation in my write up for the 25th RF's involvement in the action. At least I can leave that alone for the time being. Regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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