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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Loyal North Lancashires in East Africa


bushfighter1

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An old station in the bush, on the military railway line

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On the Voi - Taveta road

On 14 September 1915 the Mounted Infantry Company under Capt George Atkinson, Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, fought a very successful action seven miles southwest of Maktau.

They worked with 100 riflemen of 130 Baluch under Lt Wildman.

An ambush was laid on a known German route.

The first sign was five buck running across the killing ground.

Two minutes later about 60 German troops appeared.

The MI Coy & Baluch opened fire at 100 yards range, advanced to within 20 metres of the grounded enemy & fired again. Lt Wildman led a Baluch bayonet charge into the killing ground, but was killed in action there.

The unwounded German troops fled, leaving 32 dead behind.

Lt Martin Ryan, 25th Royal Fusiliers was a crack shot, he was deployed as a rifleman & made around 10 kills.

The German troops were found to be using three types of rifle & ammunition:

.303 (captured at Tanga)

German Mauser

.450

The Baluch lost 5 killed in action including Lt Wildman & had 7 wounded.

The MI Coy had 1 Loyal North Lancashire wounded.

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This Kenyan security post is roughly in the area where Lt Col Jourdain, CO 2nd Loyal North Lancashire Regiment, marched Simba Column throughout the night of 10 May 1915.

The enemy withdrew ahead of the column.

Take a last look (until you visit it) at Kilima Njaro, the massive mountain that dominated the tactics of the early years of the Campaign

Both the Royal Fusiliers and the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment were awarded the Battle Honour

KILIMANJARO

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Lads & Lasses, let's spend some family time for a few days & then return to look at Tanga.

Easter Greetings

Harry

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Very Good Harry, At least you saw Kilimanjaro!! When I went I got a partial view for 5 minutes..

Look forwards to seeing more.

Roop

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Can I just say this is a fascinating thread including the pics. They bring to life my recent reading of William Boyd's 'An Ice Cream War'.

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The Nairobi Railway Museum displays this fine furniture salvaged from the Captain's cabin on the Konigsberg

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Elephant on the track were a constant hazard both on the main line & the military line.

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The German station bell from Moshi station on the Usambara line.

It was busy as soon as Lettow was informed of the British landings at Tanga.

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Tanga Harbour as it was.

This was the prize for the British landing attempt - a good harbour with an adjacent railway running up to Moshi, where the German troops could be contained & defeated.

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Tanga Harbour today.

General Aitken could have landed at Dar Es Salaam but he chose Tanga.

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Many old German buildings still survive in Tanga. This clocktower above the harbour was erected in 1901.

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This is the street above the harbour.

Tanga is a very pleasant laid back town with none of the hustle & bustle commercial atmosphere of Mombasa or Dar Es Salaam.

The battlefield is compact with many original features still visible.

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As Indian Expeditionary Force "B" closed onto the Ras Kasone peninsula, Tanga on 1st November 1914, two British Intelligence Agents were put ashore.

They were Major A. Russel & Lt H.P.Ishmael. Lt Ishmael moved down the north edge of Ras Kasone but was seen & shot. He died of wounds in the German hospital - the first British casualty at Tanga.

Major Russel patrolled successfully & repeated this the following night.

Lt Ishmael is commemorated in the British & Indian Memorial Cemetery, Tanga.

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Wall panels in the British & Indian Memorial Cemetery, Tanga.

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The descriptive panel in the British & Indian Memorial Cemetery, Tanga.

Sadly this cemetery has had its metal gate stolen.

Entrepreneurs from India have recently started a steel mill in the area.

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"A" Beach southern end.

Luxury villas are being constructed all along the Ras Kasone eastern cliff top.

I could not identify the Red House & believe that it has been replaced by a modern bungalow.

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The birds were having breakfast when I found this snake on the Ras.

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Looking down onto the mud & mangroves of "A" Beach.

The first British units ashore - the 13th Rajputs (The Shekhawati Regiment), the Brigade Scouts & four single companies of the 61st King George's Own Pioneers & General Tighe & his Brigade HQ - landed here on the night 02-03 November 1914.

Elements of 17 Feldkompagnie engaged the British troops but were driven off.

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Harry,

The original Redhouse was modified over the years but still remains. The inside floor tiles are those of the original, superficial external additions mask the place Mienhertzagen describes.

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This building was studied some years back to establish it's provenenance and was at that time ascertained to be the Redhouse.

Roop

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Sisal on Ras Kasone.

When planted tightly it makes an effective obstacle to men on foot.

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A modern jetty constructed just north of "A" Beach.

In 1914 the Royal Navy had no facility like this & had to contend with reefs & tides, making disembarkation much slower than planned.

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The Tanga European Cemetery with British World War 1 graves in the background.

Privates J.G. Towers & R. Wass of the 2nd Bn The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment are buried here.

Sadly the local demand for scrap metal had led to graves being vandalised & the removal of metal plates & lettering from headstones.

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The drainage ditch looking north. This featured in the first day's fighting on 03 November 1914.

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