"Dervish on Camels during Anglo-Sudan War how did they fight?" Topic
9 Posts
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| OSL2000 | 06 Jul 2018 8:01 p.m. PST |
Forgive me if this has been asked before, but any insight on how the Dervish fought on Camels historically. Did they dismount or would they charge opposing cavalry and or infantry? Thanks |
| deflatermouse | 06 Jul 2018 10:04 p.m. PST |
As I am aware they were used similar to mounted scouts or mounted infantry in an extreme case.
Given camels were usually an expensive(relatively) and important animal, don't risk them.
I'm not able to find any use of camel mounted units in battles. Cavalry yes, foot yes and even guns but not read about any units of Ansar camels. |
| Shedman | 07 Jul 2018 5:51 a.m. PST |
I agree with deflatermouse Colonel Callwell's Small Wars Their Principles and Practice has a a couple of chapters on camels which are worth reading. His view is that camels are excellent at strategic movement and seizing terrain on a battlefield but otherwise useless in battle |
 Der Alte Fritz  | 07 Jul 2018 9:03 a.m. PST |
I know that the British Camel Corps fought dismounted. |
| Gone Fishing | 07 Jul 2018 10:17 a.m. PST |
I think I've seen some war artist sketches of one or two camel mounted Ansar charging with the foot hordes – but it's only a single mounted man amidst the hundreds on foot. They might be chiefs of some sort, or of course this might only be artistic license. But otherwise Deflatermouse and Shedman have it right. |
 chicklewis  | 07 Jul 2018 11:51 a.m. PST |
The only historical 'camel charge' of which I am aware was performed by the Tuareg against a French exploratory group in the central Sahara. Each camel had a spear-armed slave hanging on to the tail of the camel, running with Loooong strides behind. The French officer reportedly commanded his magazine-rifle-equipped-askaris "Right, just like at the firing range !!" Apologies, but I don't remember the date nor the name of the expedition. |
 ColCampbell | 07 Jul 2018 2:41 p.m. PST |
Hmmm, looks like I'm going to have to get some dismounted figures for my Mahdist and Tuareg camel units. Jim |
| Lion in the Stars | 09 Jul 2018 5:40 p.m. PST |
Well, the good news is that you don't need camel-holders! The Brits hobbled their camels, and I'm assuming that is in imitation of native practice. This means your Camel Corps fights at full strength, not 3/4 strength like Mounted Infantry. |
| Corporal Fagen | 11 Jul 2018 2:48 p.m. PST |
There was a mounted unit of camelry at Second El Teb |
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