Description
East and Central Africa Medal, bar Uganda 1897-98, 905 Private Syed Ghulam, 27th Baluch Light Infantry, a scarce medal for the unusual services of the Indian Army in Uganda.
Officially engraved: “905 Pte Syed Ghulam, 27/Bo L.I.”
Confirmed on the medal roll, the additional typewritten medal roll also confirms he “Received (the medal) with clasp Uganda 1897-98”
Good preserved condition, better than average and the rim clear of bruises.
During 1897, in the middle of the “Scramble for Africa” a mutiny broke out in the “Uganda Protectorate” by Sudanese Troops, who were under the command of the British Empire.
This led to the import of Indian Soldiers, who were far from home in unfamiliar territory brought in to quell the mutiny, under the command of Colonel W.A. Broome.
It was a difficult war and one of the few times the Indian Army had been deployed outside of the British “East Indies” region, The trusty Indian Army having been called upon to help keep control of various parts of Africa in the 1890s period.
Another problem was that the Mutineers were well trained, the so called “Nubian” troops had been the Egyptian Garrison of Equatoria in the south of Sudan, under the leadership of Emin Pasha, following the threat of the self-proclaimed “Mahdi” Muhammad Ahmad, who concocted the infamous slaughter of Khartoum along with General Gordon, this left the Nubians to retreat south down to Lake Albert.
When Emin Pasha was rescued by the 1888 Henry Morton Stanley “Emin Relief” Expedition, the men had nowhere else to go, taking up on the offer of Captain Frederick Lugard in 1891 to sign up with the British and help them in the region as they attempted to cement the British Colonial Empires control over the continent of Africa.
However the years of poor treatment and grievances stacked up culminating in the 1897 Uganda Mutiny, at the time the Sudanese were hired as escorts to the 1897 Macdonald Expedition, but decided instead to abandon the column and take up arms against the British Empire.
The local commander James Macdonald spent months trying to stop the mutiny, but failed, which led to the arrival of the 27th Baluch Light Infantry from India, along with Pte Syed Ghulam, who finally put a stop to the mutiny.
Harry Fecitt MBE TD, wrote an article on this campaign for his section “Harry’s Africa” on Kaiserscross.com and it was also published in “Durbar”, the Journal of the Indian Military History Society, it can be read at this link:
http://www.kaiserscross.com/188001/234822.html
The Madras Weekly Mail, 3rd August 1899 published the following about the 27th Bombay Light Infantry in Uganda:
“THE 27th B.I. IN UGANDA
The following letter from Mr E.J.L. Berkeley, C.B., Her Majesty’s Commissioner and Consul-General, Uganda, to the Chief in India is published:-
I do not feel wholly certain that it may be within the bounds of etiquette that I should approach Your Excellency direct on the subject of the 27th Bombay Light Infantry, which regiment has been on service in this Protectorate for the last year; but I venture to hope that it may not be out of place that I should do so with the object of permitting myself to express to Your Excellency my high appreciation of the services rendered to the Uganda Protectorate by the regiment which is now on its return to India.
So far as I am aware, the 27th Bombay Light Infantry is the first regiment that has ever proceeded so far into the interior of Africa; both officers and men have suffered many severe hardships in distant parts of the Protectorate, but, despite every obstacle, the regiment has performed the task for which it was sent with a gallantry and success to which I gladly pay this brief tribute.
I should also wish to acquaint Your Excellency of the cordial relations which have existed throughout, between myself as also the staff of this Protectorate, and Colonel Broome and his officers.
I have to-day taken official leave of the 27th Bombay Light Infantry, on its return to India, and I trust that the occasion may justify this short reference to the remarks which I had the honour to address to the regiment at a parade this morning.”
The 27th Bombays were ambushed and attacked on numerous occasions by the locals, being lucky to only lose 20 men killed in the campaign.”
One such ambush was recounted in the news back home:
“THE UGANDA AMBUSCADE
INDIAN FORCE ATTACKED BY REBELS
Zanzibar, December 14th, An English traveller from Uganda brings news that Lieutenant Hannyngton of the 27th Bombay Infantry, and a detachment of his men fell into an ambuscade laid for them by Soudanese Mutineers at Kisalizi towards the beginning of October.
The Mutineers, who have been hiding near Lake Kioga, after being defeated by the British Forces, corssed the lake at night, and taking Lieutenant Hannyngton’s party by surprise, forced them into a retreat, with the loss of 13 men killed and a number wounded.
Lieut Hannyngton was wounded in 2 places, and the rebels succeeded in capturing 1500 Martini Cartirdges. It is believed htat their chief object was to obtain a fresh supply of ammunition. – Reuters.”
