"Artillery in the Sudan, 1883-85 - Camel Drawn" Topic

My Sudan 1883-85 in 15/18mm project is slowly moving ahead, helped by the arrival of my commission sculpted Bashi Bazouks and impending arrival of my commissioned Bazingers and Shaiqia.

My attention is now turning towards the artillery fielded by the Anglo-Egyptian forces. Looking at the OOBs in the TVAG's Mahdist Wars Sourcebook, artillery/MGs seem to be either camel borne or camel drawn. The former is clear enough with the gun being broken down into components and carried on the backs of camels. But, what about camel drawn guns? I've searched the internet for pics etc. but can't find anything. To those far more knowledgeable than me, was this simply a matter of replacing the horses of a standard limber with camels or was an entirely different limber used?

Any assistance would be appreciated.

Kent

I can't say I've ever heard of "Camel drawn" guns in the Sudan.

The Naval Brigade Nordenfelts, Gardners, Gatlings, and light field pieces (with and without limbers) were all hand drawn by sailors.

Even the idea of getting a camel into harness seems unlikely, though it was apparently done generations earlier by the Khalsa, though not, I think, for drawing limber/gun combinations.

If I'm wrong--and especially if anyone does have an illustration of the practice in the Sudan--I'd very much like to know about it, too.

TVAG

Hi Patrick et al.

I got the term "camel drawn" from the OOBs in The Madhist Wars Source Book"…:-)…

My thoughts exactly. How would you get a camel in harness? However, was the Egyptian and RA hand drawn as well? I was aware that the Naval Brigade relied on its sailors but not sure of the other branches of artillery.

Get Go Strong Into the Desert by Mike Snook, it's a great book.

Camel bourne gun are mentioned several times, 7 pdr screw guns.
On the Acknowledgements page is a sketch of a Gardner gun pulled by mules.
Page 138 has a picture of an Egyptian mountain gun almost certainly carried by mules.
Page 148 has a picture of what looks like horses & limbers.

Alcibiades, are these Bashi's, Bazingers etc going to be available commercially? Just what I need to complete my Hicks Pasha field force!

Even the idea of getting a camel into harness seems unlikely

Actually quite common, see A large camel team in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, yoked three abreast, pulling a wagon. Dated to circa 1910

Druzhina
Illustrations of Costume & Soldiers

The Mahdist Wars Source Book does indeed reference a camel battery and it is also mentioned in Featherstone's Victorian Equipment book as well. Also, 15mm Bashi-Bazouks are desperately needed and I'm surprised no one has ever manufactured any!