Draft:The Defense of Gazi Village; British East Africa: September-October 1914

Askari troops British East Africa

Background

During the outset of the East African campaign of World War I, the German East African forces from Tanga (the Schutztruppe) under the command of Captain Baumstarck and Captain Boemcken probed north along the East African Coast. Both captains commanded a combined three field companies with Captain Baumstarck in command of the 16^th and 17^th and Captain Boemcken fielding the 15^th and some additional irregular forces. Both units numbered 300 men, four machine guns and 180 men, two machine guns respectively. The two companies encountered the Arab Rifles under the command of Lieutenant A.J.B. Wavell near Majoreni Village. The German East African force’s march north was halted, but Lieutenant Wavell was severely wounded, and the Arab Rifles retreated 20 miles northeast to Gazi Village. This probing assault to the North Alerted the British Colonial Military that Mombasa may be under threat of an attack, and so they strengthened their defenses at Gazi Village.

Prelude

               Due to the events of late September 1914, Major G.M.P Hawthorne, 1^st Regiment King’s African Rifles (1 KAR) was placed in command of 850 men from a variety of units including, the Arab Rifles, Reserve Company KAR, 29^th Punjabis, Jind Infantry, the Indian Volunteer Maxim Battery, and “C” company 1 KAR commanded by Captain W.G. Stonor. The unit commanded by Major G.M.P Hawthorne proceeded to prepare defensive positions in and around Gazi Village in preparation for another German assault North striking towards Mombasa.

Battle

               On October 6^th the Schutztruppe began their movement north and prepared to attack Gazi Village at dawn. On October 7^th, during the initial assault on the village, Hawthorne’s troops were driven from their outposts at Gazi’s Southern perimeter. They retreated through the plantations to the South of the village back to their prepared defensive positions. Around 12:00 PM “C” Company 1 KAR launched a counterattack on the enemy forces that had begun moving in from the South towards Gazi Village proper. The counterattack failed to suppress the enemy, as the Schutztruppe continued to advance towards the village. “C” Company 1 KAR was forced to return to their defensive positions for a moment before resuming with a second counterattack against the German East African forces led by Captain Baumstarck. During the assault, “C” Company lost all its officers wounded but continued to press on the counterattack rallied by Colour Sergeant Sumani. “C” Company was joined in their effort to repel the enemy by a company and a half of Jind Infantry from India.

Aftermath

               The second counterattack against the Schutztruppe forced them to call off the assault on Gazi Village. Over the following evening Captain Baumstarck’s troops withdrew, along with Captain Boemcken’s soldiers who appeared to have been held mostly in reserve over the course of the battle. Of the officers from 1 KAR that were wounded, Captain Stonor and Lieutenants R.S.J. Faulknor and J.M. Llewellyn were severely injured. Major Hawthorne remained only slightly wounded because of the battle.

               For his part in, “Leading his company in a charge after all his officers had been shot down and drawing off the enemy at the action at Gazi on 7^th October 1914,” Colour Sergeant Sumani was awarded the African Distinguished Conduct Medal.