984 replies to this topic

[PaulTudge1916]

Hello fellow East Africa Campaign researchers

I am preparing a manuscript on the activities of the Loyal North Lancashires in East Africa 1914 - 1918 & I am trying to name as many Loyals as possible who served in:

2nd Bn Loyal North Lancashire Regiment (in theatre & on recuperation in South Africa)
"Logan's Battery" (No 1 Light then No 6 Field Battery)
The Loyals Machine Gun Companies
259 Machine Gun Company, Machine Gun Corps
The Mounted Infantry Company
Cole's Scouts & other local units
"Zulu Company" (1 EA Div Signals Company)
Ammunition Trains
Lines of Communication duties
Staff duties
The King's African Rifles (on attachment)
Indian Army units in theatre (on attachment)
West African Frontier Force units in theatre (on attachment)
As prisoners in German East Africa

I am using war & personal diaries, museum documents, journal articles, regimental & general histories, London Gazette entries & CWGC lists but I would really appreciate any other information, however brief, or advice from yourselves.
Regards
Harry Fecitt
(ex-1 LOYALS 61-63)

Harry

There is a large brass memorial plaque in Preston Parish church that lists every casualty from the 2nd Battalion L.N.L.REG.  I have photographed it in the past and could send you a copy if you like.  There are also a few newspaper articles including photos of casualties and a couple of group photos taken in Africa in the old Preston Guardian, on microfilm in the Harris reference library in Preston.

Good Hunting

Paul

Paul

[PaulTudge1916]

Harry,
Just a snippett re. a casualty you have probably obtained from other sources:

9679 Private Thomas EVANS, 2nd L.N.Lancs killed at Tanga 4 Nov 1914 (and commemorated there).  Born Llandudno, enlisted Preston Lancs, next of kin resident Holyhead, Anglesey.  

He's the only E.African casualty of that regt. who has connections with Anglesey- but that's solely due to his SDGW entry.  He was ignored as far as Anglesey local memorials, rolls of honour & press coverage go, so perhaps he and/or his next-of-kin wasn't that local a person?

I have also checked the online list of men on Llandudno war memorials (to be found under the Conwy County Council website): there is one Thomas Evans listed on the main town memorial, but since a "Thomas Evans, Pte.  R.Welsh Fus."  also appears on the memorial in Holy Trinity Parish Church, Llandudno, I wonder whether this LNLancs man has any commemoration in North Wales.

If you discover more about this casualty, I'd be pleased to know, since at least I'll include him in my ongoing roll of those with Anglesey connections who died in the First World War.

Cheers,
LST_164

Hi

9679 Private Thomas Evans is listed on a large brass memorial plaque dedicated to all the 2nd Loyals casualties.  It is in the Parish Church, Church Street Preston.

Regards

Paul

[bushfighter1]

 Arty_Posn._Re_laying.JPG   51.31K   7 downloads

Hello Harry,

No I have not seen Ryder's diary, I shall seek it out now you have highlighted it. The signal stations were quite a feat to establish and maintain.

I didnt get to Mombassa having landed at Kilmanjaro . I had heard that they were there but  am pleased with your photos which certainly show the guns as described. Another Konigsberg gun is in Pretoria.

The Pegasus guns of 10th Heavy Battery RMA were used at Kondoa and were positioned on North Hill. They later joined the 2nd Div on its trek to Dodoma and thence Morogoro although along with the 11th Howitzer Battery (11th Hull HB Lx) ran out of fuel so stayed for a long time on the central railway before demobilising from East Africa.

Roop

Roop
I think this is a Pegasus Gun but you will know best.
It's from the 2LNL Photo Album in QLR Museum, Preston.
Regards
Harry

[bushfighter1]

Roop
I think this is the same Pegasus gun, from the same source.

Can you identify the towing vehicle?
Regards
Harry  Towed_Arty.Something_wrong.JPG   57.69K   8 downloads

[bushfighter1]

Harry

There is a large brass memorial plaque in Preston Parish church that lists every casualty from the 2nd Battalion L.N.L.REG.  I have photographed it in the past and could send you a copy if you like.  There are also a few newspaper articles including photos of casualties and a couple of group photos taken in Africa in the old Preston Guardian, on microfilm in the Harris reference library in Preston.

Good Hunting

Paul

Paul

Paul
This is really good information, especially about the Harris Library.  When I'm back in UK I'll visit.

Yes please an image of the brass memorial plaque.

Regards
Harry

[KONDOA]

I believe it to be a REO ( R. E Olds) or it could be a Daimler, depending which RMA battery the picture actually depicts.

Roop

[SteveE]

SteveE
You will be very interested in the European Bn shown marching very much at ease down a track, clearing bush, fortifying a camp & practising stand-to.
Cherry Kearton will have moved from 25 RF to Aviation Photography Duties by now, but he has included his old Bn in the film.

Harry

Thanks for thinking of me (again!).  I was aware of the short film (about 10 minutes all told I believe) at IWM with some images of the 25th Royal Fusiliers.  Did enquire how much it would cost to put it onto DVD some time ago, cost was too prohibitive at the time so it's another thing on my IWM 'to do list' sometime.

Steve

[bushfighter1]

Hello Lads
Thank you very much for the information received so far - I await the remaining pieces offered with interest.

For the next month or so I will be in East Africa visiting CWGC locations & following operations from 1914 to the invasion of GEA.

If you would like an image of anywhere special then please send an email.

Regards
Harry  2nd_Bn_Loyal_North_Lancashire_Regimental_Colour___Cap_Badge_002.jpg   18.32K   6 downloads

[KateJ]

Harry, if you're in the area, I'd really be grateful for a photo of my grandfather's cousin's grave.  This is his details

Name: KEMP
Initials: H J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: British South African Police
Date of Death: 28/05/1916
Service No: 164
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: 2. A. 18.
Cemetery: NDOLA (KANSENSHI) CEMETERY


Many thanks


Kate

[bushfighter1]

Harry, if you're in the area, I'd really be grateful for a photo of my grandfather's cousin's grave.  This is his details

Name: KEMP
Initials: H J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: British South African Police
Date of Death: 28/05/1916
Service No: 164
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: 2. A. 18.
Cemetery: NDOLA (KANSENSHI) CEMETERY
Many thanks
Kate

Kate
Sorry but I did not get that far south, as I moved around in Kenya & the Tanga area of Tanzania.
But there will be more opportunities ahead.

One useful thing I achieved was to interest a leading Nairobi Safari company, Africa House, in offering Battlefield Safaris in East Africa & they are working on the details now.

This should make accessing the old battlefields in East Africa much more of a practical proposition for folks fitting a safari into a fortnight's holiday.  With Virgin starting to fly to Kenya air fares should become competitive.

I'll post some images soon.
Regards
Harry

[KONDOA]

Harry,

Pleased to know your trip was sucessful and await photos eagerly. The old battlefields are a costly excercise for budding tourists though other than in the border region.  Tourists for that purpose are few, there is far too much background info to absorb for the normal safari taker. Plus tourism will surely destroy what remains.

Promised info to be posted to you in next two weeks having now located it again.

Roop

[bushfighter1]

 The_Nyiri_Deseret_below_Kilima_Njaro.jpg   21.4K   2 downloads

Harry,

Pleased to know your trip was sucessful and await photos eagerly. The old battlefields are a costly excercise for budding tourists though other than in the border region. We have a truck operating out there but tourists for that purpose are few, there is far too much background info to absorb for the normal safari taker. Plus tourism will surely destroy what remains.

Promised info to be posted to you in next two weeks having now located it again.

Roop

Roop
Thanks.
You make some points.

However when you're in the old Nyiri Desert ( which British forces could never enter unobserved as the enemy OPs on Kilima Njaro soon spotted their dust ) and you see over 500 elephant in a morning, then you know that this is just how it was in 1915 and 1916 - heat, bush, dust, thirst, animals & the mountain overhead - and you want other enthusiasts to see this too.

Luckily the National Park system has kept the terrain as it was.  I looked at the ground with an old infantryman's eye and I was amazed at the number of military positions and trench systems still visible today.
Harry

[bushfighter1]

NAIROBI SOUTH CEMETERY

Near the main stadium in the city.

The graves here are all from the Great War, & many Loyal North Lancashires & Royal Fusi  Nairobi_South_Cemetery.jpg   45.56K   5 downloads  Nairobi_British__Indian_Memorial_descriptive_slab_Nairobi_South_Cemetery_mar07.jpg   21.08K   3 downloads  Storry_Adams_Bradley_Kirkbright_Knighton_LNL_Nbo_S.jpg   27.49K   2 downloadsliers are commemorated here.

The British & Indian Memorial is the carved slabs running along the left-hand wall.

[bushfighter1]

NAIROBI BRITISH & INDIAN MEMORIAL
 Robinson__Justice_RF_Nbo_S.jpg   24.51K   1 downloads  Nairobi_British__Indian_Memorial_descriptive_slab_Nairobi_South_Cemetery_mar07.jpg   21.08K   2 downloads  Emmett_IMD__LNL_Nbo_S.jpg   21.45K   2 downloadsSurgeon Emmett survived Tanga but was killed in action at Mbuyuni.

[bushfighter1]

 Usoga_postcard_1.jpg   67.69K   6 downloadsUSOGA
(For SteveE)  In the Nairobi Railway Museum I found a postcard of the "Usoga" at Bukoba - she carried Royal Fusiliers there during the raid, & also Loyal North Lancashires & Logan's Battery to Karungu early in 1915.

[bushfighter1]

 Usoga_at_Kisumu.jpg   44.59K   2 downloads  Usoga_detail_4.jpg   46.94K   4 downloadsBut when I got up to Kisumu I found, to my delight, the faithful old "Usoga" patiently waiting to take on troops, mules, guns, carriers & supplies.

[bushfighter1]

"Usoga" close ups.
During the early years of the Great War Lake Victoria was used by the ships on it to transport troops, civilians & produce economically & quickly.
Towns were linked only by footpaths and  Usoga_detail_2.jpg   29.92K   4 downloads  Usoga_detail_3.jpg   59.08K   3 downloads the Lake was the highway, used by both sides & so tactically important.

[bushfighter1]

KISUMU CEMETERY
The British  Kisumu_Cemetery_WW1_graves.jpg   71.9K   3 downloadsGreat War graves are scattered but well maintained.

[bushfighter1]

GERMAN GRAVES IN KISUMU CEMETERY  German_graves_from_the_Battle_at_Kisii__in_Kisumu_Cemetery..jpg   48.64K   3 downloads
The remains of the German troops who were killed or who died of wounds during the Battle of Kisii were later re-buried in Kisumu Cemetery.

[bushfighter1]

 Sunset_on_Lake_Victoria.jpg   20.71K   3 downloadsLAKE VICTORIA
The stern of the "Usoga" where young military chaps would sit & watch sunsets on the Lake

 Usoga_detail_1.jpg   67.72K   4 downloads

whilst hordes of mosquitoes pumped fever into their bloodstreams, often with fatal results.

[KONDOA]

Great stuff Harry, keep em coming.

Roop

[bushfighter1]

 Nairobi_African_Memorial.jpg   48.58K   6 downloads
NAIROBI AFRICAN MEMORIAL
The memorial commemorates the massive African sacrifice made during the WW1 East African Campaign.

Soon after arrival in British East Africa the Loyal North Lancashires were fighting on operations alongside the King's African Rifles, employing armed African scouts within the Bn, & using many unarmed carriers particularly in the Machine Gun sections.

The thousands of carriers employed centrally to move supplies suffered appallingly from disease, thirst, neglect & starvation.  About 60,000 are accepted as having died but probably the real figure is nearer 90,000 for operations throughout East Africa.  Fortunately many missionaries, male & female, attached themselves to the carriers to provide support.  A leader was the Bishop of Zanzibar whom the Loyal North Lancashires met when the Bn advanced from Bagamoyo to Dar Es Salaam in German East Africa.

[bushfighter1]

KAJIADO CEMETERY
This small neat cemetery contains one Loyal North Lancashire & two Royal Fusilier graves.

Kajiado is on the Magadi soda works branch railway line, & the town was the railhead for military operations in this region.

This is Masaai territory.
 Kajiado_Cemetery2_mar07_438.jpg   61.83K   3 downloads

[bushfighter1]

KAJIADO LANDSCAPE
In late 1914 & early 1915 most Loyal North Lancashire soldiers saw service in this region.
They dug defensive positions to prevent a German advance from Arusha
 Kajiado_area.jpg   34.09K   4 downloads.

Companies occupied Kajiado plus Lone Hill & Namanga on the GEA border, & also Longido across the border.
One company patrolled with Lord Delamere's Masaai Scouts northwest of Lake Natron.

Over 170 bullocks were based at Kajiado to haul carts of supplies to the rifle companies.

[KONDOA]

Thats good,

I was just the other side of Namanga in November near Longido.

Roop