Page 27 - GAHS Journal Volume 9

GREYSTONES ARCHAEOLOGICAL & HISTORICAL SOCIETY JOURNAL VOLUME 9

and engaged the Mahdist riflemen with fire, but after a while, the
square began to become distorted in shape due to the uneven
ground with gaps opening up towards the rear caused by the
movements of the camels. Those wounded by Mahdist snipers,
after receiving first aid, had to be loaded on camels, further
distorting the integrity of the square. The officers at the front, who
controlled the movement of the square, did not give insufficient
consideration to the difficulties being experienced at the rear with
the result that gaps opened up at crucial points in the corners
and rear of it. Two hours later it became clear that the Mahdist
army was about to attack the front left corner of the square. The
square was wheeled to the right to move onto higher ground. A
large force of probably around 3,000 Mahdists, armed with
spears and swords, appeared from a nearby gully, charged the
square and managed to break into it. During the engagement,
the Gardner Gun jammed after seventy shots, due to sand in the
mechanism but before it was cleared the Royal Navy
detachment manning it were overcome by Mahdist spearmen
and all except two were killed.

Colonel Burnaby was injured, brought down from his horse
and killed by a spear to the throat while going to the rescue of
the naval party. Corporal McIntosh, a soldier from Colonel
Burnaby’s regiment, the Royal Horse Guards, rushed forward to
assist him, but together the two were overcome and killed.
Eventually the square, through volley fire and artillery firing
shrapnel shells, overwhelmed the Mahdist forces and drove
them back.

British casualties in this battle, which lasted fifteen minutes,
were 11 officers and 71 other ranks killed, and over 60 wounded.
There were about 1,500 Mahdist casualties.

In the afternoon the march on Metemmeh resumed,
continuing overnight with the Column being four miles from
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