984 replies to this topic

[bushfighter]

 Bridge 27 ambush area s1.jpg   37.58K   0 downloads

Hill slope above Bridge 27

Instead of leaving the train before the bridge, which was dominated by a slope above it, Captain Stokes de-trained his party in the vicinity of the bridge.

[bushfighter]

 Bridge 27 ambush area (5) s5.jpg   34.43K   0 downloads

Railway line adjacent to Bridge 27

A Schutztruppe ambush party was waiting on the higher ground and it severely shot-up Captain Stokes' group.

[bushfighter]

 IMG_0360 Graves of Maj Stokes & men who fell at Bura.JPG   30.28K   0 downloads
(Copyright owned by Queen's Lancashire Regiment Museum)

The men killed in both Owen Almond's action and the ambush of Captain Stokes' group were buried at Bura.

They were:
Captain R.G. Stokes
2/Lieutenant O.E. Almond
9046 Lance Corporal C. Dennis
10329 Private J. Noon
10158 Private G.T. Gill
9802 Private C. Butcher
9461 Private J. Cochrane
20607 Private P. Gilbert
10271 Private T. Kenny
10198 Private T.J. Watkinson
9232 Private F.W. Hilton
10119 Private C. Green
9479 Private A. Slade
9474 Private A.T Carter

Severely wounded were:
10561 Private Burke, 8676 Private Connor and 9854 Private Hall.

Slightly wounded were:
9705 Private Godley and 20612 Private McMahon.

The Missing were:
9032 Lance Corporal Meadley, 4496 Private Lyon, 10286 Private Ward and 9273 Private Johnson.

In both engagements 1708 rounds were expended and 14 rifles were lost, whilst from Owen Almond's action 2 rifles and 219 rounds were captured.

[bushfighter]

 LNL graves Voi.JPG   47.22K   0 downloads

After the war the graves were relocated to Voi CWGC Cemetery and some of them are shown above.

9032 Lance Corporal Meadley re-joined the Battalion at El Arish in Egypt in April 1917.

He had been released by the Schutztruppe in German East Africa but because he was paroled he was not employed on operational duties.

(9273 Private Johnson was also released and paroled and in June 1917 he confirmed Lance Corporal Meadley's account of Owen Almond's action and the subsequent journey into captivity in German East Africa.  Private Johnson had been severely wounded in the head, the Schutztruppe tried to leave him behind, but he kept catching them up.)

[bushfighter]

James & Carl
Greetings
Please would you mind "lifting" your very interesting GSWA comments from this thread, deleting them, and re-inserting them in a GSWA general comments thread.

I believe that this will be in the interests of everybody, and in particular it will be beneficial to those Members trying to get a grasp of the different theatres in Africa.

Regards     Harry

[Sepoy]

bushfighter, on 24 March 2011 - 12:06 PM, said:

Bridge 27 ambush area (2) s2.jpg
Railway lines at Bridge 27 dated 1913

During operations to the south of the bridge 2/Lt Owen Almond (ex-RSM and commissioned after displaying excellent conduct at Tanga) ambushed a German party killing 3 Europeans and around 30 enemy Askari and porters.

Owen Almond then led a charge into the killing ground where he was killed himself in a bayonet fight

Having read this post with interest, as I have a post card showing Pte Butcher who was KiA in this action (previously attached to the post), I have noticed that 2nd Lieutenant Almond's medals (1414 -15 Star; British War Medal; Victory Medal and Long Service and Good Conduct Medal) are included in the Dix Noonan Webb, Medal auction of 11th May, 2011 lot 591.


Sepoy

[bushfighter]

To support SteveE's contribution to the use of Armed African Scouts in thread:
http://1914-1918.inv...howtopic=163012

here is a summary of the use of Armed African Scouts posted to the 2nd Bn The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment between October 1915 and January 1916:

ARMED AFRICAN SCOUTS OF The 2nd LOYAL NORTH LANCASHIRES
2LNL War Diary entries

26 Oct 15.  Lt Col Jourdain inspected 40 Armed African Scouts raised at Nairobi by 2/Lt Grierson for the Bn.

1 Nov 15.   2/Lt Grierson with 40 Armed Scouts arrived at Bura.

25 Nov 15.  At 1300 hrs an alarmist message from Maktau that a large party of Germans were south of Mile 35.  Sent a party of Armed Scouts to old King’s African Rifles post on Mashoti Hill to stay out there till dark.

1 Dec 15.   2/Lt Grierson with last of Armed Scouts returned.

6 Dec 15.  Started sending 5 Armed Scouts daily with each morning railway patrol.

7 Dec 15.  No 2 Coy with Armed Scouts left on patrol to south.

8 Dec 15.  20 Armed Scouts in party sent to Maungu.

11 Dec 15.  Sent out Armed Scouts 12 miles to south to look for tracks.   40 Armed Scouts listed on Bn strength.

16 Dec 15.  Sent out 2/Lt Grierson with Armed Scouts to follow tracks and find line of retreat (of German raiders after an attack on the rail line near Mile 34).

18 Dec 15.  Two platoons out to the east (on ambush patrol) with 10 Armed Scouts.

23 Dec 15.  20 Armed scouts in party sent to attack Kinsharo.

29 Dec 15.  About 1700 hours several shots were fired from north of camp.  Sent out scouts.  Some men of 25 Royal Fusiliers from Maktau had lost themselves and fired to draw attention.

3 Jan 16.   Put out Armed Scout post to east of camp by day.

6 Jan 16.  The name of 2/Lt C.H.A. Grierson brought to the notice of the HQ Mombasa Area staff by CO 2nd Loyal North Lancashires:                          
“For good and successful work in raising and training 40 Armed Scouts for the Battalion between October and December 1915.”

8 Jan 16. 14 Armed scouts left with party for Samburu.

10 Jan 16.  Armed Scouts take part in attack on Ngurungani.

16 Jan 16. Armed Scouts allowed 10 pounds weight of baggage per man to be carried in Battalion 2nd Line Transport (on carts that were soon replaced by motor lorries).  (British soldiers were allowed 12.5 pounds weight and officers were allowed 40 pounds weight.)

[Rob1991]

Hi chaps,
I'm new to the forum and just thought I'd say hi. I'm doing a dissertation on the british units in the campaign and thus the loyal north lancs play a primary role. All these photos and discussion have been very useful in helping me immerse myself in this most fascinating of campaigns! cheers

[ShirlD]

Welcome, and you have chosen an excellent thread to immerse yourself in a lesser known but intensely interesting area of the Great War.
Good luck!
Cheers
Shirley

[bushfighter]

After advancing from Bagamoyo to Dar Es Salaam (post 761 +) the 2nd Bn The Loyal North Lancashire Regiment was shipped south to Kilwa Kivinje, landing there on 12th September 1916.

Kilwa had been selected as a new base area from where, hopefully, the Schutztruppe units in the River Rufiji area could be trapped and destroyed.

(See Sketch 53a on page 386 of the Official History)

 Kilwa Kivinje P1130285 (4).JPG   94.51K   0 downloads

Kilwa Kivinje beach

 Kilwa Kivinje P1130285 (5).JPG   86.99K   0 downloads

Kilwa Kivinje German Boma facing the beach.

Refurbishment activity is taking place.

 Kilwa Kivinje P1130285 (23).JPG   93.63K   0 downloads

Old cannon in front of the German Boma - will it survive the refurbishment?

[bushfighter]

 Kilwa Kivinje a.jpg   89.91K   0 downloads

Early German monument in Kilwa Kivinje

 Kilwa Kivinje b.jpg   69.84K   0 downloads

[bushfighter]

 Kilwa Kivinje P1130285 (14).JPG   94.1K   0 downloads

Apart from plastic refuse, Kilwa Kivinje is much as it was when the troops saw it in 1916

 Kilwa Kivinje P1130285 (20).JPG   93.74K   0 downloads

a char & wad shop

 Kilwa Kivinje P1130285 (15).JPG   96.39K   0 downloads

A dhow under construction

[bushfighter]

 Kilwa Kivinje P1130285 (25).JPG   85.79K   0 downloads

Kilwa Kivinje is full of crumbling old colonial buidings

 Kilwa Kivinje P1130285 (27).JPG   72.82K   0 downloads

the Germans withdrew without contesting the British landings

 Kilwa Kivinje P1130285 (55).JPG   94.65K   0 downloads

and the British rear-echelon elements would then have occupied the buildings

[bushfighter]

However Kilwa Kivinje (Kilwa of the Casuarina trees) was a poor port as the ships had to anchor three kilometres offshore.

The deep-water anchorage off Kilwa Kisiwani (Kilwa on the Island) was preferred.


 Kilwa Kisiwani P1130365 (64).JPG   74.75K   0 downloads

looking from Kilwa Kisiwani island to the end of the Kilwa peninsula


The tip of the peninsula was covered in mangrove swamps and thick bush.  
A double-company of the 61st King George's Own Pioneers hacked a track through the mangrove and bush and construction of a pier began.

[bushfighter]

 Kilwa Kisiwani P1130365 (12).JPG   92.27K   0 downloads

Approaching Kilwa Kisiwani island from the peninsula

The 2nd West India Regiment occupied Kilwa Kisiwani island on 7th September 1916.

[bushfighter]

 Kilwa Kisiwani P1130365 (1).JPG   75.71K   0 downloads

The present port on the end of Kilwa peninsula (the location is now named Kilwa Masoko) originally developed by the 61st King George's Own Pioneers.

Kilwa Kisiwani island is on the left horizon.

[bushfighter]

The British major units landed at Kilwa during September 1916 were:

Zanzibar African Rifles & Mafia Rifles 8th September 1916

2nd West India Regiment  7th & 8th Sep

2nd Loyal North Lancashires 12th Sep

2nd/2nd King's African Rifles  29th Sep

40th Pathans (less half-battalion at Lindi)  30th Sep

129th Baluchis  (less coastal detachments further south)  30th Sep

 Kilwa Kisiwani P1130365 (50).JPG   89.46K   0 downloads

The ancient Islamic ruins on Kilwa Kisiwani are now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

[bushfighter]

The British build-up at Kilwa continued during October 1916 with these major units and HQs:

HQ 3rd Infantry Brigade  6th October 1916

1st/2nd King's African Rifles  6th Oct

Detachments 129th Baluchis (from southern coast)  7th Oct

14th (Howitzer) Battery  9th Oct

8th Field Battery  17th Oct

Naval Gun Detachment (12-pounder)  21st Oct

 Kilwa Kisiwani P1130365 (77).JPG   83.46K   0 downloads

Kilwa Kisiwani beach opposite the peninsula

This was the probable landing place of the West Indians

[bushfighter]

During November 1916 these units and HQs disembarked at Kilwa.  Camp sites were created in the bush along the peninsula.

HQ 1st Division 13th November 1916

Gold Coast Regiment  19th Nov

Half-battalion 40th Pathans (from Lindi)  19th Nov

HQ 1st Division Royal Artillery  20th Nov

27th (Bengal) Mountain Battery, Indian Army (less No 3 Section)  22nd Nov

5th South African Field Battery  23rd Nov

2nd/3rd King's African Rifles  28th Nov

HQ 2nd Infantry Brigade  29th Nov

1st/3rd King's African Rifles  29th Nov

 Kilwa Kisiwani P1130365 (22).JPG   79.37K   0 downloads

The tower in Kilwa Kisiwani Fort.  Doubtless an observation post for both sides.

[bushfighter]

And in December 1916 these units arrived:

22nd Derajat Pack Battery (Mountain Artillery), Indian Army  17th December 1916

No 3 Section 27th (Bengal) Mountain Battery, Indian Army  20th Dec

 Kilwa Kisiwani P1130365 (74).JPG   92.2K   0 downloads

A knackered-looking Loyal North Lancashire sentry on Kilwa Kisiwani jetty, debilitated by climate and maturity

[Jean-Paul]

Great photos, excellent information on troop disposition in the Kilwa region, but the "piece de resistance" is being able to see the face behind both this most interesting thread.

Thanks.

Jean-Paul

[Carmania]

Excellent photographs and commentary on this often neglected area. Thank you bushfighter.

Aled

[bushfighter]

 Kilwa Kisiwani.JPG   33.51K   0 downloads

Taking a dip

26 Squadron RFC operated Voisins for a time from an airstrip at Kilwa Kisiwani.

I guess that this is the airstrip still in use at Kilwa Masoko, just north of the town at the end of the Kilwa Peninsula.

[Arisaig32]

Just like to thank you for the account of the M I C engagement which occurred on the 3 September 1915 involving the 2nd LNL Reg detailed in your Post 467, which I came across yesterday,  in which my Great Uncle James A S Cooper was killed. I had obtained some basic information but your account added valuable detail.

Many thanks

David

[KONDOA]

Top stuff Harry, my notes show the 14th Howitzer Battery leaving Zanzibar for Kilwa on the 11th September, however, this may not have included the guns which would be shipped later presumably.

Roop