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| Somaliland campaign | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of theScramble for Africa andWorld War I (1914–1918) | |||||||
 Aerial bombardment ofDervish forts inTaleh in February 1920 | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
| Supported by:
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Strength | |||||||
 28,000 |  ~25,000 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
200 British soldiers killed[3] | 4,000 dervishes killed | ||||||
| 100,000–150,000 Somali civilians killed[3] | |||||||
TheSomaliland campaign, also called theAnglo-Somali War or theDervish rebellion, was a series of military expeditions that took place between 1900 and 1920 in modern-daySomaliland. The British were assisted in their offensives by theEthiopian Empire and theKingdom of Italy.
During theFirst World War (1914–1918), theDervish leaderMohammed Abdullah Hassan received support for a time from theOttoman Empire and the Ethiopian emperor-designateLij Iyasu.[4][5] The conflict ended when the Britishaerially bombed the Dervish capital ofTaleh in February 1920.
Although nominally part of the Ottoman Empire,Yemen andthesahil, includingZeila, came progressively under the control ofMuhammad Ali,Khedive of Egypt, between 1821 and 1841.[6] After the Egyptians withdrew from the Yemeni seaboard in 1841,Haj Ali Shermerki, a successful and ambitious Somali merchant, purchased from them executive rights over Zeila. Shermerki's governorship had an instant effect on the city, as he manoeuvred to monopolize as much of the regional trade as possible, with his sights set as far asHarar and theOgaden.[7] Shermerki was later succeeded as Governor of Zeila by Abu Bakr Pasha, a localAfar statesman.[8]
In 1874–75, the Khedivate of Egypt obtained afirman from the Ottomans by which they secured claims over the city. At the same time, the Egyptians received British recognition of their nominal jurisdiction as far east asCape Guardafui.[6] In practice, however, Egypt had little authority over the interior and their period of rule on the coast was brief, lasting only a few years (1870–84).[8]
TheBritish Somalilandprotectorate was subsequently established in the late 1880s after the ruling Somali authorities signed a series of protection treaties granting the British access to their territories on the northwestern coast. Among the Somali signatories were the Gadabuursi (1884), Habar Awal (1884 and 1886),[9] and Warsangali.[10]
When the Egyptian garrison in Harar was eventually evacuated in 1885, Zeila became caught up in the competition between theTadjoura-based French and the British for control of the strategicGulf of Aden littoral. By the end of 1885, the two powers were on the brink of armed confrontation, but opted instead to negotiate.[8] On 1 February 1888 they signed a convention defining the border betweenFrench Somaliland and British Somaliland.[11]
TheMajeerteen Sultanate within the northeastern part of the Somali territories was established in the mid-18th century and rose to prominence the following century, under the reign of the resourcefulboqor (king of kings)Osman Mahamuud.[12]
In late December 1888,Yusuf Ali Kenadid, the founder and first ruler of theSultanate of Hobyo, requested Italian protection, and a treaty to that effect was signed in February 1889, making Hobyo an Italian protectorate. In April, Yusuf's uncle and rival,Boqor Osman, requested a protectorate from the Italians and was granted it.[13] Both Boqor Osman and Sultan Kenadid had entered into the protectorate treaties to advance their own expansionist goals, with Sultan Kenadid looking to use Italy's support in his ongoing power struggle with Boqor Osman over the Majeerteen Sultanate, as well as in a separate conflict with theSultan of Zanzibar over an area to the north ofWarsheikh. In signing the agreements, the rulers also hoped to exploit the rival objectives of the European imperial powers so as to more effectively assure the continued independence of their territories. The terms of each treaty specified that Italy was to steer clear of any interference in the sultanates' respective administrations.[14]
In return for Italian arms and an annual subsidy, the Sultans conceded to a minimum of oversight and economic concessions.[13] The Italians also agreed to dispatch a few ambassadors to promote both the sultanates' and their own interests.[14] The new protectorates were thereafter managed byVincenzo Filonardi through achartered company.[13] An Anglo-Italian border protocol was later signed on 5 May 1894, followed by an agreement in 1906 between Cavalier Pestalozza and General Swaine acknowledging thatBuraan fell under the Majeerteen Sultanate's administration.[14]
The first offensive campaign was led by the Haroun against Ethiopian encampment atJijiga in March 1900. The Ethiopian general Gerazmatch Bante reportedly repulsed the attack and inflicted great losses on the Dervishes, although the British vice-consul at Harar claimed the Ethiopians out of pride armed even children with rifles to inflate the size of their forces. The Haroun seized control over parts of the Ogaden but did not attempt to attack Jijiga again. Instead, he raided the non-DervishQadariyyah clans for their camels and arms.[15]
In 1901, the British joined with the Ethiopians and attacked the Dervishes with a force 1,500 strong. The Haroun was driven across the border into the Majeerteen Sultanate, which had been incorporated into the Italian protectorate.[15] The Ethiopians failed to get a hold on the eastern Ogaden and the British were eventually forced to retreat, having accomplished none of their goals. In this campaign, "borders were ignored by both British and Somali."[15]
Lt-Col.Alexander Cobbe of 1st (Central Africa) Battalion, King's African Rifles, was awarded theVictoria Cross for his action at Erego, on 6 October 1902.[16]
The British became convinced of their need of Italian assistance. In 1903, the ItalianForeign Ministry permitted the British to land forces atHobyo (Obbia). An Italian naval commander off Hobyo feared "that the expedition will end in a fiasco; the Mad Mullah will become a myth for the British, who will never come across him, and a serious worry for ... our sphere of influence."[17]
The relationship between Hobyo and Italy soured when Sultan Kenadid refused the Italians' proposal to allow British troops to disembark in his Sultanate so that they might then pursue their battle againstDiiriye Guure's[18] Dervish forces.[14] Viewed as too much of a threat by the Italians, Kenadid was exiled first to the British-controlledAden Protectorate, and then toItalian Eritrea, as was his son Ali Yusuf, the heir apparent to his throne.[19] In May, the BritishForeign Office realised the error, and had Kenadid's son appointed regent, just in time to forestall an attack inMudug by the Sultan's army.[20]
The expedition ended in failure soon after. The Haroun annihilated a British detachment nearGumburru and then forced anotherDaratoleh back to base. For trying to save a fellow officer during the fighting withdrawal three officersJohn Gough,George Rolland,William George Walker were awarded Victoria Crosses.[21] With 1,200–1,500 rifles, 4,000 ponies and some spearmen, he occupied theNugal Valley from Halin in the British protectorate to Ilig (or Illig) on the Italian-held coast. The main British force nearGalad (Galadi) under GeneralWilliam Manning retreated north along the lineBohotleh–Burao–Sheekh. This "old-established line" had already been breached by the Haroun when they invaded the Nugal.[22] By the end of June, the withdrawal was complete.
After the failure of General Manning's offensive, GeneralCharles Egerton was entrusted with a response. Following extensive preparations, he united his field force at Bacaadweeyn (Badwein) on 9 January 1904 and defeated the Haroun atJidballi the next day. The British and their allies from Hobyo harassed the Haroun along their retreat, and lost many of his camels and livestock throughout February.[23]
In early March, the second phase of operations began. The Ethiopians advanced as far as Gerlogubi but turned back in early April. TheItalian Navy bombarded Ilig in the winter to no effect. On 16 April, three ships of theEast Indies Station under Rear AdmiralGeorge Atkinson-Willes left Berbera planning to capture Ilig in cooperation with an advance overland.[24] The attack on Ilig took place on 21 April. A Royal Naval detachment, reinforced by three companies of theRoyal Hampshire Regiment, stormed and captured the forts at Illig, the ships' guns supporting the attack. The British lost 3 men killed and 11 wounded, and the Dervishes 58 killed and 14 wounded.[25] The naval detachment remained ashore for four days, assisted by an Italian naval detachment that arrived on 22 April. Control of Ilig was finally relinquished to Ali Yusuf of Hobyo.[26] Having defeated his forces in the field and forced his retreat, the British "offered the Mullah safe conduct into permanent exile at Mecca"; the Haroun did not reply.[20]
Following the end ofWorld War I, British troops once again turned their attention to the disturbances in British Somaliland. The Dervishes had previously defeated British forces at theBattle of Dul Madoba in 1913. Four subsequent British expeditions against Hassan and his soldiers had also failed.[27]
In 1920, British forces launched afinal campaign against Hassan's Dervishes. Although the majority of the combat took place in January of the year, British troops had begun preparations for the assault as early as November 1919. The British forces were led by theRoyal Air Force and the ground component included theSomaliland Camel Corps. After three weeks of battle, the Dervishes were finally defeated, bringing an effective end to their 20-year resistance.[27]
Meanwhile, the Ottoman commander outside Aden sent supplies to the so-called Mad Mullah's revolt against British
This letter is sent by all the Dervishes, the Amir, and all the Dolbahanta to the Ruler of Berbera ... We are a Government, we have a Sultan, an Amir, and Chiefs, and subjects ... (reply) In his last letter the Mullah pretends to speak in the name of the Dervishes, their Amir (himself), and the Dolbahanta tribes. This letter shows his object is to establish himself as the Ruler of the Dolbahanta
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