The Mad Mullah |
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(1901-4) |
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| Africa: Somalia | Punitive Strike |
| British Indian (with Boer & Abyssinian allies) -vs- Somali | |
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The Somali's fought against British rule under their charismatic religeous leader, the self-styled Mahdi, Mahommed bin Abdullah: known to the British as 'The Mad Mullah'! Operations began in May 1901, and consisted of attempts to chase down the Mad Mullah and his dervishes: but no decisive actions were fought until 1902, when a British force was ambushed at Erigo, and only fought off the enemy after suffering heavy losses. The British suffered two set-backs in 1903, at Gumburu (where their advance guard was annihilated) and Daratole; but a reinforced force under Major-General Sir Charles Egerton inflicted a decisive defeat on the Somalis at Jidballi in 1904, ending hostilities until the resumption of dervish raiding in 1909. |
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