Loyal North Lancashires in East Africa

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View from Arab Fort ramparts towards beach

British seaplane reconnaissance reported trenches at the north end of the town beach and two defended strong-points at the south end, protected by trenches and screened by trees and thick bush from the beach.

These strong-points were the Arab Fort (called the Old Boma in the OH and “Britain’s Sea Soldiers”) and the Boma (called the Governor’s House in the OH and “Britain’s Sea Soldiers”)

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The German Boma.
Looking at the northeast corner.

The Schutztruppe manned trenches in thick bush on slightly lower ground inbetween the Boma and the beach (to the left of the image).

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HMS Vengeance was a Canopus Class Battleship launched in 1902 and armed with four 12-inch and twelve 6-inch guns.
This was Rear-Admiral Charlton's Flagship from February 1916 to February 1917.

Courtesy of Cross and Cockade International

Before dawn on 15th August 1916 the battleship Vengeance, the cruiser Challenger, the monitors Mersey and Severn, the armed tug Helmuth and other British light craft, anchored off Bagamoyo.

In bright moonlight at 0530 hours six strings of landing-party boats, towed by steam-boats, started in line abreast from the ships for the beach. The boats carried an assault party of 324 men:

16 Royal Navy officers and 160 Seamen
1 Royal Marines officer and 64 Marines
1 Zanzibar Rifles officer and 54 Askari
1 Intelligence officer and 18 Intelligence Scouts

4 machine-guns and 6 Lewis Guns were carried ashore.

The two monitors provided covering fire.

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A view from the old German Customs House looking south down the Bagamoyo beach.

The German trenches beside the Customs House engaged the towed landing party with rifle and machine-gun fire, assisted by a pom-pom.

The Konigsberg gun also opened fire at the southern end of town, causing an unpleasant surprise to the British squadron.

However because the gun position had been inadequately prepared the 4.1-inch gun could not depress sufficiently to accurately engage the British ships.

The Helmuth and a picket boat with a 3-pounder engaged and silenced the German 4.1-inch gun.

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The landing took place in the foreground of this picture.
Looking north along the beach the area of the German Customs House can be seen left of a tall grey structure.

Commander R.J.N. Watson RN, commanding the landing flotilla, steered a zig-zag course to the beach and landed below the Konigsberg gun.

Sub-Lieutenant F.S. Manning, Royal Naval Reserve, immediately assaulted the Konigsberg gun-position with a machine-gun team, capturing it and finding the gun-crew gone and the breech-block in a nearby pit.

This was the first Konigsberg gun to be captured in combat.

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The German Boma.
The entrenched area where the Marines fought is to the right of this image.

The Royal Navy landing party assaulted the Arab Fort, their objective, but found it abandoned.

The Royal Marines assaulted and captured the Boma.
But the remaining defenders were still in their trenches between the Boma and the shore.
Assisted by the Zanzibar Rifles the Royal Marines started clearing the area.

During this fighting both Captain Thomas and the German officer Captain Wilhelm von Wulfingen were killed.
Private Dennis, who had been Captain Thomas’ bat-man, bayoneted to death the man who had shot Captain Thomas.

A group of Seamen, working on information carried by Lance Corporal E.V. Deane (Plymouth RMLI), worked around the rear of the Boma and cut-off the Schutztruppe’s line of retreat.
Lance-Corporal Deane had run under fire to deliver the information to the RN assault-party commander Lieutenant E.S. Brooksmith RN. Lance-Corporal Deane then provided covering fire for Lt Brooksmith’s advance.
For these actions Lance Corporal Deane later received a Conspicuous Gallantry Medal.

Acting-Company Sergeant Major P.E. Smith, Lance-Corporal W. Bradley and Private W. Dennis (all RMLI Plymouth) were awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.

Captain Thomas, Colour-Sergeant W.J. Fouracre (RMLI Plymouth) and Sergeant Harry Carter (RMLI Portsmouth) were Mentioned In Despatches.

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HMS Manica launches her Caquot ballon from the forward hold
Courtesy of Cross and Cockade International

The Manica’s kite balloon and the British seaplanes reported at 0630 hours that the Schutztruppe was abandoning its trenches and falling back on the French Mission compound to the west of the town.

Apparently the German commander Captain von Bodecker was killed when naval shells falling on the town hit his counter-attack that was advancing eastwards towards the beach.

With Captain von Wulfingen also dead, the Schutztruppe survivors moved westwards.

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Church doorway near the French Mission
“Through this door Dr David Livingstone passed”
Apparently true, but the guidebook says that the doorway has been brought here from Central Africa.

Near here a German multi-barrelled Revolverkanone was brought into action until it received a hit from naval shellfire and was abandoned.

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Photograph of refugees from the fighting in Bagamoyo.
Displayed in the Museum in the French Mission.


The French Fathers’ Mission House and Church were hit by naval shellfire, but the Fathers and townsfolk sheltering inside avoided injury as the bishop celebrated a special Mass.

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Town housing in Bagamoyo.
Wall-construction methods are as they were in 1916.


The Official History states:

“Except for a fire in the native quarter, the town escaped lightly, the European houses for the most part being intact. From midday onwards all was quiet.”

As usual those who possessed least lost most.

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A German Observation Post.
This big Baobab tree stands on a rise above the southern end of Bagamoyo.
(Above the location of the Konigsberg 4.1-inch gun.)
Metal rungs have been driven into the tree to give access to the uppermost branches.


After defeat at Bagamoyo the Schutztruppe withdrew south towards Dar Es Salaam.

Meanwhile 2nd West India Regiment marched south from Sadani accompanied by 50 Zanzibar Rifles Askari and a group of Intelligence Scouts.

This column secured crossings over the Wami River and reached Bagamoyo on 18th August.

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The victors pose before their booty.
The damaged Revolverkanone is to the left and the Konigsberg 4.1-inch gun to the right.
Courtesy of Cross and Cockade International

The victors are, from left to right:
Captain Cullinan, Commander R. Bridgeman and the Commander in Chief Cape Squadron, Rear Admiral Edward Charlton.

(My preference is for the chap in the left rear – he may well have been in charge of the fatigue-party that cleaned the weapons!)

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The gravestones of Captains Ernst von Bodecker and Wilhelm von Wulfingen in Upanga Road CWGC Cemetery, Dar Es Salaam.

Captain Francis Hastings Thomas, Royal Marine Light Infantry, is commemorated on the Plymouth Naval Memorial.

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2nd Bn The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment on parade, Nairobi 1916.
Copyright QLR Museum, Preston, UK.


LOYAL NORTH LANCASHIRES IN AFRICA IN JULY 1916

The 2nd Battalion The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment

The medically downgraded men (16 officers and 557 Other Ranks) of the Battalion were still stationed in the Cape in South Africa for rest and recuperation, although the Battalion had received a Warning Order for a move back to East Africa in early August.

The officers in South Africa were:
Lt Col C.E.A. Jourdain DSO.
Captains J.S. Gaskell, D.P.J. Collas (Adjutant), J.F.B. Watson, R.L.C. Keays, B.H. Withers.
Lieutenants J.G.W. Hyndson, W.M. McDonald, F.W. Walker, M.E. Leeb.
Second-Lieutenants P. Chalk, C.S.Chambers, R. Forrest, C.H.A. Grierson.
Lieutenant and Quartermaster R.L. Rowley.
Captain A.T.T. Storey (South Lancashire Regiment attached) was in hospital, as were over 150 of the men.

On 30th June 1916 a Supplement to the London Gazette had recorded the following Battalion members as Mentioned in Despatches:
Major H.A. Robinson (died in South Africa 31 May 1916)
Major R.H. Logan
Captain G.P. Atkinson
Captain D.P.J. Collas
Lieutenant W. Parker
Second-Lieutenant L.M. Kerr
Second-Lieutenant O.E. Almond (killed in action BEA 29 September 1915)
Regimental Serjeant Major W.S. Heaton
Serjeant J. Crawley
Private H.J. McNeil

Captain C.J. de V. I’Anson was also listed. He was in June 1916 serving on the Staff in East Africa

Some of these “Mentions” dated back to Tanga in November 1914.

From now until the end of 1916 the War Diaries of the Battalion are either missing or contain very little useful information.





The Mounted Infantry Company

On 24th June 1916 the Mounted Infantry Company was in action at the fight on the Lukigura River at Kwa De Rema (see OH Sketch 36), successfully cutting off and capturing remnants of the defeated Abteilung Doring.

On 1st July the MI Company had only 3 Officers, 1 Warrant Officer, 27 NCOs and Men, 8 Armed Scouts and around 30 Followers in the field, 51 others were in hospital.
The Company machine-gun had been out of action during June as only 2 of the 10 Company machine-gunners were still in the saddle.

On 3rd July 1916 DAA and QMG’s letter No A/2529 ordered the disbandment of the Mounted Infantry Company owing to the unit having fallen so much below strength and no reinforcements being available.

The remaining officers and men of the Mounted Infantry Company were distributed amongst:
The Loyal North Lancashire Machine Gun Company, No 1 Signal Company, East African Protectorate Forces Requisitioning Staff, and 1st Division Intelligence Department. 15 Porters were posted to 25th Royal Fusiliers.
The OC, Captain G.P. Atkinson, was posted to the 17th Cavalry squadron.

Two days later a draft from the UK of 150 Loyal North Lancashire soldiers arrived in British East Africa.

During the remaining two years of the campaign there were never enough good mounted troops.

This disbandment has to be seen in context. The British military authorities wanted to believe General Smuts’ optimistic dream that the campaign would soon be over.


The Loyal North Lancashire Machine Gun Company

The machine-gunners had also fought at Kwa De Rema, and they marched further south to fight again on the Wami River and at Dutumi, constantly losing men to tropical diseases.

The remnants, only 20 of them being medically boarded as fit, rejoined the 2nd Bn on the coast in November 1916.

These 20 stalwarts formed the nucleus of a new Loyal North Lancashire Machine Gun Company that was established.


No 6 Field Battery (“Logan’s Battery”)

The Loyal North Lancashire artillerymen continued moving south as part of 1st Division Artillery, frequently coming into action, until the vehicles could not progress further because of the unsuitable and wet terrain.

The guns were then dismounted and carried by porters to the Rufiji River where the Battery was disbanded, two years after it had been formed in late 1914.

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THE BRITISH ADVANCE ON DAR ES SALAAM
August and September 1916

(OH Sketch 53)

On 20th August 1916 the 2nd Bn The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment (14 officers and 355 Other Ranks) arrived at Kilindini, Mombasa from South Africa aboard the “Comrie Castle”.
(Around 150 men remained in hospital in South Africa.)
Theoretically the unit was fit, rested and recuperated.

With the addition of drafts from England the Battalion on 22nd August had a strength of:
21 Officers
31 Warrant Officers and Sergeants
71 Corporals and Lance-Corporals
4 Drummers
404 Privates.


On arrival in British East Africa the CO received a Warning Order to be ready to move by sea to Bagamoyo aboard the SS Rajput.
This move was completed before the end of August.

The British plan for seizing Dar Es Salaam, as seen on OH Sketch 53, was to advance south from Bagamoyo on three axes whilst a fourth column moved southwest to Ngerengere to cut the German Central Railway.

The 2nd West India Regiment, Zanzibar Rifles and details of South African Infantry (put together from stragglers found on the L of C) marched down two tracks near the coastline.
Also on this axis was a Royal Navy landing party equipped with a 3-pounder gun, 6 machine-guns and 6 Lewis guns.

2nd Bn The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment advanced along the road with the Main Column, as did 129th Baluchis and 5th Light Infantry combined as a composite battalion.

40th Pathans marched slightly west to seize Ruvu Station on the Central Railway.

The Jind Infantry were tasked with the capture of Ngerengere.

The Royal Navy was to support the coastal column and bombard Dar Es Salaam.
HMS Challenger had fired 50 shells at night into Dar Es Salaam railway station on 21st August, causing a large fire and demoralizing the civilian population.

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Singa Village looking east

On 31st August at 1400 hours No 1 Company of the 2nd Bn The Loyal North Lancashires marched south as Advance Guard for the Main Column.
The remainder of the Battalion marched at the head of the main body.

Each company marched with its own Machine-Gun Section and with its own 1st Line Transport immediately behind the company.

As insufficient porters had been provided, the mens’ kits were left at Bagamoyo in a small Depot.

The weather was hot, especially for the new men from England, and the broken road surface threw up much dust and impeded the carts.

The Advance Guard saw enemy movement ahead but no contact developed.
At around 1700 hours Singa Village was reached.
The column bivouacked in a square with the Loyal North Lancashires facing south and east.

There was a little water here but a bonus was the large number of ripe coconuts waiting to be knocked off the plantation trees.

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The Bishop of Zanzibar. A 1923 photograph.

On 1st September No 1 Company was placed at the rear of the column to escort the Supply Column, whilst No 4 Company was Rear Guard.

The road threw up choking dust and at 1000 hours, after five hours marching, a halt was ordered at Mapinga and bivouacs prepared.
Bees were disturbed and the new soldiers from England had an introduction to their ferocious attacks and stings.
A “bright spark” lit a grass fire to drive the bees away and several items of equipment and helmets were burnt and lost.

Some more porters arrived from Zanzibar under command of Frank Weston DD, Bishop of Zanzibar, and the rear end of the column started to move with more determination.
(An interesting account of this march from Bagamoyo to Dar Es Salaam and of the Bishop’s military service in the Carrier Corps can be found in “Frank, Bishop of Zanzibar” by H. Maynard Smith
Free Download available at: http://anglicanhistory.org/weston/ ).

There was good water at Mapinga and so dinners were cooked.
The Field Ambulance admitted 32 men suffering from fever and the effects of the sun, whilst 16 other sick men stayed behind here under the Quartermaster to guard a dump of kit.

At 1430 hours the column marched again, reaching Magosa at 1730 hours.
A square perimeter was formed again with the Battalion on the north and east faces.
The water here tasted very bitter.

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The likely position of the Schutztruppe 4.1-inch gun position covering the entrance to Dar Es Salaam Harbour

An early start at 0300 hours took advantage of the cool pre-dawn air on 2nd September.
No 4 Company was Advance Guard, opening fire with its machine-guns on Schutztruppe seen near Gunja Peak at 0730 hours.
An hour later the peak was occupied. It had been an enemy Observation Post and the former occupants had withdrawn rapidly.
As there was good water here the Battalion halted for the day, picqueting the hill and establishing an OP manned by an officer in a large tree.

Next day the Bn marched in the main body. The column started at 0200 hours, marching on the reported German 4.1-inch gun position north of Dar Es Salaam.

At 0530 hours an hour’s halt was ordered whilst the Royal Navy bombarded the enemy gun position.
The advance then continued to Mission Hill and on to Kyemeko Hill where dinners were cooked.
In the evening the Battalion reached the RV for the day, Msasani Beach just north of Dar Es Salaam.

A platoon of No 4 Company and all the Battalion’s sick men had remained at Gunja Peak to guard a Royal Navy wireless station established there.

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Msasani Beach, Dar Es Salaam

The Royal Navy had landed 12,000 gallons of fresh water and three-days rations for the Coast and road columns at Msasani Beach.

Coast Column (2nd West India Regiment, South African Infantry and Zanzibar Rifles plus a RN 3-pounder gun) had arrived first at Msasani in an exhausted and dehydrated state.
This had been the first exposure to the harsh theatre conditions for the newly-arrived West Indians.
(Read in “Frank, Bishop of Zanzibar” how the Bishop and his Zanzibari carriers had got the naval gun through the bad, dry terrain.)

Applying an improvised rule that “Possession is Nine-Tenths of the Law” Coast Column drank all the water and consumed all the rations before Road Column, including 2nd Loyal North Lancashires, arrived.

(In his dispatch Rear-Admiral Charlton apportioned the blame to a “regiment of African descent”.)

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British air reconnaissance photograph of Dar Es Salaam
Courtesy of Cross and Cockade International

On 4th September 1916 British Army units entered Dar Es Salaam, the 2nd Bn The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment first being billeted in Boma Barracks, but later that day moving into the Sewa-Hadji Hospital.

The Schutztruppe had withdrawn from the vicinity of the town, and the Battalion had a reasonably quiet time, receiving the mens’ kits from Bagamoyo on 10th September.

That day the CO received orders for a move to Kilwa, as the Royal Navy was pressing ahead with the seizure of the ports in the south of German East Africa.

On 11th September the Battalion embarked on HMS Hyacinth at 0600 hours, and sailed south.

(An Admiralty Prize Court later awarded 100,000 pounds prize-money to the Royal Navy for the capture of Dar Es Salaam. Army units did not qualify to share the award as the Court judged that there was no convincing proof that any soldiers had Dar Es Salaam harbour in sight at the time of capture.)

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The old German church in Dar Es Salaam


The only Germans found in Dar Es Salaam were 80 hospital patients and 370 non-combatants.

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Dar Es Salaam Harbour


The British now began to change their main base from Mombasa to Dar Es Salaam, although initially tidal constraints meant that floating pontoons had to be used at Dar Es Salaam for offloading lighters bringing cargo from anchored ships.

By 23rd January 1917 a new deep-water pier with a 5-ton steam crane was in use.

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The Askari Memorial, Dar Es Salaam

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Africa calls so I'll safari for a few weeks.

But may I leave a puzzle?

Above you see an image of the Mombasa British Memorial and a CWGC casualty details.

What really happened to Percy Howell? (I have a guess, but what do you think?)

[KONDOA]

Good one Harry, have a good trip.

Roop