ITLSU - Revenge at Camp El Juba, 1914

[Martin1914]

Another game of 'If the Lord Spares Us', in 10mm. This is an adaptation of the fictional scenario "Revenge at Camp El Juba" from the TooFatLardies 2009 Christmas Special. It is a continuation of the story posted in January. Unit losses (and unit removal) have been carried forward.

Set in WW1 Mesopotamia in December 1914, the British Command decided that a Turkish tented camp at the now, long lost and forgotten village of El Juba, on the Shatt al Arab, halfway between Basra and Qurna, could not remain as an obstacle to the planned advance upriver, nor be a staging post for an enemy return to Basra. Brigadier-General Wolesley (Eton) with an Anglo-Indian half-brigade successfully attacked El Juba, dispersing the Arab Militia defenders and capturing Lieutenant Colonel Hamid Bey, commanding the post.

(Photo1: Table looking east; Photo2: Table looking north) After a week in residence, the dead were buried, the wounded and prisoners ferried downstream to Basra, and Wolesley was developing defences for an enemy attack against him. Two small redoubts (Nos.1 & 2) are sited on the north ridge and village hill. He still commanded 1st Queen's Own Royal West Kents (Jolly Good Fellows – SR0; companies of 6,7,8,8 figures & captured MG) and 8th Rajputs (Havildar Heroes – SR2; reorganised into 3 companies of 6 figures) who suffered the brunt of the casualties in the previous attack. The only reinforcement is His Majesty's Gunboat Thor (strength 4) with its 3" gun (Navy Chaps – SR0) moored to the hastily built jetty beside the village. Thor also carries a cobbled together shore detachment of naval ratings (Jack Tars – SR1) who are not expected to conduct anything other than local defence of the camp and village if necessary.

(Photo3) The West Kents and Rajputs worked tirelessly on the new positions, eager to avoid occupying the fetid squalor of the camp, village, and old Turkish trenches. As Wolesley inspected this progress, many heard and turned towards an unexpected sound, and saw a flying machine with big black crosses on it, approaching from the north. In addition to provoking a joke about "Ali Baba" from one of his subalterns, Wolesley realised it was taking too much interest in his defences and ordered the speedy completion of the remaining work. He now expected callers. (Wolesley has a further 3 trenches to place at his discretion).

Observing from the Taube was a Colonel Achmid Bey (Young Turk), commander of the 37th Division, tasked with driving the British from Mesopotamia. Not without considerable influence and wealth, he employed his very own German pilot and aeroplane. He was also adventurous enough to take to the air himself in support of his vanguard, the 109th Regiment (Johnny Turks – SR2; 3 battalions). Little remained but a company of the routed El Juba Militia (Pasha Bashers – SR3) but together with a band of feisty marsh Arabs (Damned ********* - SR4), they could be useful. El Juba had to be taken to move on Basra. With his aerial insight into the enemy position, Achmid Bey started devising a cunning plan for an attack after dawn on the morrow.

(Photo4) He expected further enemy defensive positions on both the long and north ridges, but he had not reckoned on the full extent of Wolesley's entrenchment of the north ridge.

(Photo5) Also unexpected was Wolesley's forward deployment beyond his static defences to provide early warning of enemy movement by reducing the extent of dead ground in front of him. The British force was 'stood to' an hour before dawn, the men peering out into the desert darkness.

[Martin1914]

(Photo6) As daylight crept across the scene, many thought there might be no attack that morning, but with the now  familiar sound of an aero-engine there was a Hun in the Sun. The Taube was aloft early, and on its first approach the pilot immediately spotted the company standing patrol of Rajputs on the outer ridge.

(Photo7) Achmid Bey's plan was to approach under the cover of darkness. He would not attack the British whilst they were on the alert but allow them to relax into their daily routine. Using dead ground, he wanted to establish his Divisional Headquarters well forward with a base of fire on the outer ridge and with his circling German pilot confirm the enemy's dispositions. Ruthlessly, he'd ordered the Militia and Arabs to launch a feint attack along the river road as a distraction from a flanking attack by his Regulars. Yet his plan immediately started to unravel. There was no dead ground. The Rajput company easily spotted his approach, and it looked like the fire support position would be contested. There was delay as Achmid Bey's headquarters established itself to order 3rd Battalion to attack.

(Photo8) Redoubt No.2 on the prominent village hill drew the attention of the Hun in the Sun. Wolesley's Brigade Headquarters and the captured machine-gun were spotted here, their attention fixed on the north. The signallers who provided the necessary link to the troops on the north ridge, had no cover out in the open.

Despite being assigned to a support position, as the weakest company in the battalion, the Tommies of B Company, West Kents, grumbled. They had to hold the former enemy trench north of the camp. Then, out of nowhere, the shocking appearance of an aggressive horde of Arabs screaming "Allah akbar" charging through the low cover of the crop fields along the riverbank, meant they really were in the sh*t. In no time at all, the Arabs reached the trench and flung themselves at B Company.

(Photo9) It was a brutal, prolonged fight (3 rounds of close combat) with sword, knife, shovel, rifle and bayonet. Men swore, men screamed, men bled, men died. The West Kents clung on and finally made the Arabs withdraw with heavy loss, but the company almost ceased to exist.
(What chance the dice of fate? If victorious, where could the fleet-footed Arabs have gone next? Into the undefended camp and village to attack the Thor, or behead the British snake and slit Wolesley's throat in his hilltop redoubt?)

(Photo10) Surprised by the sound of battle behind them, C Company, holding the western end of the north ridge, about turned and opened enfilade fire on the withdrawing Arabs.

[Martin1914]

(Photo11) Adding further casualties and suppression, the Senior Naval Officer aboard the Thor opened direct, short-range fire with his 3" gun on the Arabs to his front. Brigade Headquarters was fully established at Redoubt No.2 and Wolseley, angered at B Company's losses, told his Brigade Major to send orders to the senior service requesting it continue to engage visible targets, and to land its naval detachment as reinforcements. With a wry grin he added, "and remember to say please."

(Photo12) Wolseley remained suspicious of enemy movement along the riverbank, and his headquarters spotted the Militia supporting the Arabs. The captured machine-gun changed facing to fire.

(Photo13) The Rajput company on the outer ridge followed its orders to hold for along as prudent and then retire to a reserve position. It fired on the Turkish battalion below it before leaving and then ran as fast as it could across the open.

(Photo14) Despite becoming the Thor's next target, the Militia fired on the Rajputs, cutting many of the sepoys down.

(Photo15) Being Indian Army, Wolesley had never encountered a modern equipped enemy before. He realised with "that bloody Hun" buzzing around, there was a new dimension to war. All his un-camouflaged positions would be easily identified and might as well be flying flags. The naval detachment disembarked at the jetty.

[Martin1914]

(Photo16) For the Arabs, it wasn't the battle they had been promised. There was no plunder, no easy victory against the Infidel. They had had enough and went home before they were all killed.

(Photo17) The 3rd Battalion took time to respond to its order change and put in its attack on the outer ridge. Cresting the rise, it saw the Rajputs in the distance.

(Photo18) The Indians reached the relative safety of the north ridge after a long run. They hesitantly took a breather.

(Photo19) The SNO on his own initiative decided that the emerging Turks were a better target then the Militia skulking along the riverbank and switched fire. The Turks were in the hard cover of the rock outcrops, but it still caused casualties and suppression.

(Photo20) Achmid Bey moved his headquarters towards the incoming fire. He needed to see the battlefield, and he sent signallers eastwards to support his envisaged plan.

[Martin1914]

(Photo21) The Taube continued to drop messages of observation. The north ridge was entrenched for some distance before ending with another standing patrol.

(Photo22) The retiring Rajputs were led past the sailors who had advanced to the trench north of the camp, to reinforce the remnant of the West Kents. At that point, the Rajputs' commanding officer realised he was needed by another of his companies at Redoubt No.1.

(Photo23) At the limit of his fuel, the German pilot risked identifying the last enemy position on the long ridge before flying back to base. He disliked Achmid Bey, but the money was good and dismissal would only result in another assignment in this hellhole.

(Photo24) Not surprising due to their experiences of the previous week, the Militia were unwilling to advance towards the enemy. Clinging to the low cover of the crop fields they remained within the crossfire of the captured machine-gun, the naval detachment, and C Company until they, along with their Turkish officer, were wiped out.

(Photo25) Achmid Bey knew the time to capitalise on his feint attack, now that it had been neutralised, was disappearing. The approach of his flank attack by two battalions of the 109th Regiment (determined by the Blank Card) had taken longer than expected. Through the Mirage the British defenders could see 'thousands of men' advancing from the north. 3rd Battalion held the fire support position but took time to respond to a new order to engage the enemy on the north ridge. They entered a protracted firefight with the C Company trench and the remaining Rajput company in Redoubt No.1. The suppression removal by actions of officers on both sides, together with showing a Stiff Upper Lip or handing out Turkish Delight, meant that neither gained the upper hand.

[Martin1914]

(Photo26) As the Turkish main body moved closer their true numbers were discerned. (The ruse of a dummy Blind was spotted). Yet without the leadership of its commanding officer, the Rajput company standing patrol decided it had done its bit and retired. The 2nd Battalion moved straight into the attack.

(Photo27) Having disembarked the naval detachment, the SNO decided to close the range for better effect on the Turkish machine-guns of 3rd Battalion. Navigating the shallows proved devilishly tricky. (Jace threw more movement dice than needed).

(Photo28) With the fire support in place, Achmid Bey moved his headquarters and signallers eastwards to be able to control his attack. 2nd Battalion took fire crossing open ground, but the 1st Battalion didn't move forward with them.

(Photo29) The rifle fire of the Turkish fire support remained fixated on the enemy to their front. The redirection of machine-gun fire onto the further defences of the north ridge failed to provide the necessary suppression to assist 2nd Battalion. Its officers shouted themselves hoarse as they pushed their men forward against the well-directed fire of D Company, and the Rajputs in Redoubt No.1. The overhead fire of the captured machine-gun in Redoubt No.2 proved less effective due to the lack of familiarity with the enemy Maxim's sights (Jace's dice throwing). The West Kents put in a final burst of dead close fire before the heavily suppressed Turks staggered into close combat.

(Photo30) It was touch and go (2 rounds of close combat) with loss to both sides before D Company with the commanding officer, forced 2nd Battalion to withdraw. Only now did 1st Battalion move forward after stern words from Achmid Bey.

[Martin1914]

(Photo31) At the other end of the battlefield, both Rajput standing patrols successfully reached the reserve positions south of El Juba and were given hold orders by Wolesley, thus creating a third line of defence in depth.

(Photo32) Achmid Bey's headquarters issued a flurry of orders. He sensed he'd reached the pivotal point in the battle. Any chance of success depended on the capture of the D Company trench. 2nd Battalion needed to recover and was told to hold. Stung into action, 1st Battalion's attack was re-directed along the north ridge using the ground as much as possible to reduce the effect of the defender's fire.

(Photo33) On the Turkish right flank, 3rd Battalion effectively lost the firefight and started to disperse, beaten by the direct fire of the Thor. Achmid Bey relied on bluff (his last dummy Blind) to bolster the fire support position.

(Photo34) Firing as they charged across a dip in the ridge, the two forward companies of 1st Battalion reached the enemy in relatively good order. Behind them, higher in a rocky outcrop, the rear company provided fire support.

(Photo35) Under the leadership of its commanding officer, D Company was more than up for another fight. Losses in the ensuing close combat were heavy, but the Turkish attackers were routed. The remaining Turkish officers, with tears of frustration in their eyes, returned to the third company and demanded it fulfil the unit's order to attack.

[Martin1914]

(Photo36) One last effort dashed itself against the rock of a reduced D Company, determined not to budge an inch. In its third close combat it forced the Turkish survivors to withdraw and won the day.

(Photo37) A despondent Achmid Bey realised that his vanguard had shot its bolt. There was to be no revenge at El Juba that day. Morale at headquarters dropped yet it performed its duty to save the 109th Regiment from destruction. 3rd Battalion was ordered to advance to join headquarters out of the ranged fire of the enemy gunboat. With its machine-guns it had the most firepower available to protect what was left of 1st and 2nd Battalion's retirement from the battle.

That was a tall order for the Turks with their command ratings and brittle unit size, even without the losses of the previous game.

After 23 game turns and seven hours of compelling play, discussion covered if an entrenched position could be successfully attacked without the support of artillery or massed machine guns. My planned phased assault had failed because I'd been unable to create momentum, concentration of force and the level of suppression at the point of main effort. Jace's forward deployment effectively won the game.

Jace added, "in attack the commander is overworked compared to the defending commander. If placed effectively, the defending commander doesn't need to move (signals bases move for him), hardly needs to change hold orders, and can focus on making units take their turn and reducing suppression. The attacking commander has no such luxury."

[kipt]

Great report and pictures.  Reads like an actual engagement.

[Duke Speedy of Leighton]

Brilliant report. Really atmospheric

[pierre the shy]

Great report as usual for your ITLSU games Martin 

I really like the Taube model, looks like a 3D print?...can you please tell us scale (1/144?) and manufacturer?

Thank you.

[Techno 3]

Great stuff ! 

[Steve J]

Brilliant report and lovely looking game too !

[Martin1914]

Thank you for your comments Gents. Much appreciated.

Peter - The Taube is a 3d print in 1/144 scale. I got it from Shapeways in the Netherlands in 2017. I don't think Shapeways is around anymore.

[pierre the shy]

Thank you Martin. There appears to be one available through a different 3D print supplier now.

[streetgang]

Beautiful table and great battle report, love the Taube. Glad to see ITLSU still being played. Are the figures 10mm? I couldn't tell of the Ottomans were old MM or 3D prints.

[Martin1914]

Hello Streetgang, thank you.
The Turkish infantry are Magister, the Arabs Lancashire Games, but the rest are Pendraken.

[Poggle]

Smashing report!    Nice to see some Mespot action.

[Martin1914]

Thanks Poggle.