Our battle this week was a Sudan scenario set up by Steve. The story, which received much coverage in the London press after the event, began when a group of officers arrived at base camp. They had been sent south from Cairo, with orders, direct from London, that "something must be done" to reach the city of Khartoum. The ranking officer was Brigadier Reginald Stowell Peregrine Bloodnok; "Birdy"to his staff. After consulting the maps at headquarters the solution seemed obvious to Bloodnok, make straight for Khartoum across the desert using the wells to resupply with water. The officers at base camp pointed out the logistical difficulties this would entail and that such an enterprise was unlikely to escape the attention of the Dervish forces in the area. Bloodnok's response was that steamers would arrive tomorrow afternoon with troops that had extensive training in the deserts around Cairo and the plan was to depart at dawn the following morning before local sympathisers could send reports to the Dervish forces.
Therefore, at the appointed time the 'flying column' set out for Khartoum. It comprised three detachments of mounted infantry and five detachments of cavalry accompanied by a field gun and a machine gun. Their departure was of course common knowledge among the locals and the news soon reached the ears of Emir Khat. After 3 days the column was nearing the Allah's Tears well.
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| The well and the small settlement surrounding it |
Bloodnok was not going to approach the well without scouting ahead. He deployed his small force with Captain Archibald Thynne's mounted infantry in the centre, accompanied by the field gun. To the left were Captain St John Bannister's three cavalry detachments and on the right, Captain James Moriarty's cavalry with the machine gun. Whilst Thynne's infantry waited, Bannister and Moriarty sent forward scouts to check for any evidence of Dervish forces in the area. Bannister's scout moved onto a low hill directly in front of the well but saw nothing. Signalling it was safe to advance he moved to his left to check more dead ground. On the right the scout crested a low ridge and immediately saw a unit of Dervishes massing to advance. As he turned to warn Moriarty's command two Dervish sprang from behind the rocks and pulled him from his horse. A tide of Dervishes swept over the ridge and towards Moriarty's leading unit, the 23rd, Duke of Albermarle's Lancers.
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| Bannister's command, Royal Scottish Lancers with Prince George's Hussars and the Welsh Horse |
Moriarty had his hands full. Before the appearance of the Dervishes to his front another unit had broken cover on his right and were bearing down on the Prince David's Lancers. He had ordered the machine gun to unlimber and cover the flank of Prince Davids and then moved forward to get a better appreciation of the threat. Before he knew it, he was embroiled in the melee as his men fought for their lives. Outnumbered, the cavalry thrust with their spears and then in the press, changed to their swords. Moriarty had managed to shoot two assailants with his revolver but as he reached for his sword he received a spear thrust to his thigh. A trooper helped him to the rear of the melee, but Moriarty ordered him to return to the fight.
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| Prince David's Lancers in melee |
To their left, the Duke of Albermarle's Lancers were also struggling. They had lost heavily in the first rush by the Dervishes and Bloodnok sensed that they may break. Telling Thynne to move his men forward, Bloodnok galloped forward to try and steady the Duke of Albermarle's.
Thynne deployed the 3rd (Middlesex) to cover the advance of the other two units of mounted infantry, the 15th (Radnorshire) and the 84th(Clackmannanshire). The Middlesex were soon exchanging volleys with the Dervish riflemen ensconced in the buildings around the wells and their fire seemed to be having some effect. Encouraged, the 15th moved quickly towards the wells, dismounting before entering the settlement. Once reformed they began a steady advance which was checked when a unit of Dervish broke cover and charged towards them. A closing volley downed most of the front rank of the Dervish but this did not stop them and soon the 15th were fighting for their lives. The 84th had moved left but as they crested a rise they came under fire from a Dervish field gun. This inflicted little damage and the 84th quickly moved into the buildings to the left of the 15th.
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| The end of Brigadier Bloodnok |
On the left, Bannister's scout had spotted another unit of Dervishes. He signalled to Bannister, with an estimate of their numbers and direction of advance and then moved further to the left. Bannister halted the Royal Scottish Lancers and ordered his other two regiments to move further to the left to outflank the Dervishes waiting in ambush. They did not have the chance to take up their positions as a crowd of Dervish swarmed over the rise and headed towards the Lancers. Accepting the challenge, the lancers charged and crashed into the enemy mass. As the melee swayed back and forth the Hussars and Welsh Horse moved into position. They were just in time as the lancers were being overwhelmed. As the few remaining lancers broke off and attempted to save themselves, the Hussars crashed into the Dervish flank. The Dervish were unable to withstand this new impact and turned to run, only to be hacked down by the vengeful cavalry.
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| The Hussars cut through the Dervish infantry |
Away on the right, Bloodnok was unaware of Bannister's struggles, he had problems of his own. A message from Moriarty arrived saying that he may have to fall back as his command was in danger of being overrun. Bloodnok turned his field glasses on the melee further to the right just in time to see Prince David's Lancers disappear under an avalanche of Dervish infantry. Very few of the lancers survived and among the dead was Moriarty, fighting to the end. Distracted by events on his right, Bloodnok was too slow to react to the shouted warning as a group of Dervish infantry broke through the Duke of Albermarle's and headed for the command group. Bloodnok and his staff tried to fight off the attackers, but Bloodnok's horse took a spear in the flank, reared and fell trapping his rider beneath him. Before he could get free Bloodnok was assailed by three Dervish and died under their attack. What was left of the Duke of Albermarle's broke contact and routed to the rear. All that remained of the Imperial right flank was the machine gun team.
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| The Dervish cavalry arrive |
Unaware of events to their right, the mounted infantry fought on. The 84th were exchanging volleys with a unit of Dervish among the buildings on the far left and gaining the upper hand. Although battered, the 15th were managing to hold their own against their assailants. Further back, the Middlesex had driven off their opponents and were contemplating advancing in support of their comrades when a shout of 'Ware cavalry' was given. Out of the desert appeared 3 units of Dervish cavalry. Two made straight for the Middlesex, whilst the third moved into the settlement. The Middlesex were supported by the field gun and their combined fire destroyed the first unit, but the second one charged home on the infantry. To the right the machine gun had fired to great effect against the remnants of the Dervish infantry which had wiped out Moriarty's command, eliminating that threat for good.
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| The Hussars come to the rescue |
Bannister's command now resumed the attack. The Hussars buoyed by their success now charged the Dervish field gun which had fired on the mounted infantry. Not wishing to take on the cavalry, the gunners quickly took to their heels and the Hussars entered the village. Here they hit the flank of the Dervish fighting the 15th and wiped them out. Hardly pausing to re-organise they then charged the Dervish cavalry which was entering the settlement. These too were overcome, but when further Dervish infantry swarmed out of the buildings, the Hussars decided that discretion was the better part of valour and fell back. What of the Welsh Horse? They had moved even further to the left and were just about to turn and enter the settlement when they were charged by a unit of Dervish infantry which suddenly appeared on their flank. Caught unformed and at a great disadvantage they had no chance and only a few remnants of the unit made it back to safety.
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| The Welsh Horse are ambushed |
Bannister gathered the remnants of his command and fell back towards the centre. Here he was met by Thynne who told him of the deaths of Bloodnok and Moriarty and pointed out that he, Bannister, was now in command. Looking about him Bannister assessed that his only course was to withdraw, the supply camels were intact and with luck, sufficient water remained to enable the survivors to cross the desert back to base camp. He ordered Thynne to order the 15th and 84th to fall back and for the Middlesex and field gun to cover the retreat of the mounted infantry. The machine gum would cover the centre until the retreat began.
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| The last stand of the 'fighting Middlesex' |
The 15th and 84th, plus the remnants of Bannister's command gathered and then began their return journey, but there was still one more disaster to befall the Imperial force. The Middlesex, you will remember had been charged by the remaining Dervish cavalry unit. They fought gallantly, but, not being in square, were outflanked and overrun. The field gun, with it's crew working like demons fired round after round into the Dervishes but the wave of cavalry swept over the gun and made for the machine gun. However, here they met their match and the machine gun's fire proved too much and the remains of the cavalry fell back to the wells.
Limbering up the weary machine gun crew quickly made off to catch up with the remains of the force, leaving the field to the enemy.
Another enjoyable scenario from Steve, with plenty of interest.
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