British Infantryman vs Mahdist Warrior: Sudan 1884–98 (Combat, 58)

Description

A new study of the battles fought between Queen Victoria's infantry and the formidable Madhist Army in the Sudan, from the Gordon Relief Expedition of 1884–85 to the battles of Atbara and Omdurman in 1898. In the early 1880s, Britain intervened in independent Egypt and seized control of the Suez Canal. British forces were soon deployed to Egypt's southern colony, the Sudan, where they confronted a determined and capable foe amid some of the world's most inhospitable terrain. In 1881 an Islamic fundamentalist revolt had broken out in the Sudan, led by a religious teacher named Muhammad Ahmad bin Abd Allah, who proclaimed himself al-Mahdi, "The Guided One." In 1884, Mahdist forces besieged the Sudanese capital of Khartoum; Colonel Charles Gordon was sent to the city with orders to evacuate British personnel, but refused to leave. Although the British despatched a relief column to rescue Gordon, the Mahdists stormed Khartoum in January 1885 and he was killed. British troops abandoned much of the Sudan, but renewed their efforts to reconquer it in the late 1890s, in a bloody campaign that would decide the region's fate for generations. Written by leading expert Ian Knight, this fully illustrated study examines the evolving forces, weapons and tactics employed by both sides in the Sudan, notably at the battles of Abu Klea (January 16–18, 1885), Tofrek (March 22, 1885), and Atbara (April 8, 1898). Review: Outstanding deal. - Outstanding deal. Review: Badlands... - This thoughtful Osprey Combat series book explores the lethal encounters between British infantrymen and their Mahdist warrior counterparts in the Sudan during the period 1884-98. These years include the failed Khartoum relief expedition and Kitchener's later campaign to conquer the Sudan. The author focuses on the tactical details that determined the outcome of combat. The author provides a broad introduction to the region, followed by a detailed examination of three separate combats. The text is very nicely supported by period and modern illustrations and battle diagrams. The campaigns in the Sudan have been the subject of several longer books; the author does excellent service here in capturing a very useful summary. Very well recommended to students of the conflict.