German East Africa, King’s African Rifles Distinguished Conduct Medal, KAR DCM Rumbo April 1917

[Rusty Greaves]

I saw a recent listing in the most current Liverpool Medals of this uncommon German East Africa, King’s African Rifles Distinguished Conduct Medal, KAR DCM Rumbo April 1917. The description is acompnaoied by a high-resolution image of this award. I am ignorant of this medal, and hope I have posted this in a potentially appropriate GMIC Forum.

 

 

The description reads:

 

"King’s African Rifles Distinguished Conduct Medal, GV, 399 Sergeant John, 2/2 K.A.R. for his Gallantry at Rumbo on 18th April 1917. 

 

Awarded with the following citation:

 

“For conspicuous gallantry in the action of Rumbo on 18th April 1917.

He behaved with great bravery under heavy continuous machine gun fire at close range, and maintained excellent fire control throughout the day.

He was severely wounded towards the close of the engagement.

This NCO has always shown initiative and self reliance when in command of small patrols in the enemy’s country.”

 

Officially impressed: “399 Sjt: John 2/2 K.A.R.”

 

Polishing and contact wear as typically seen.

 

Sergeant John would also earn the 1914-15 Star Trio for his services, these being issued on 29th August 1923.

 

The award of the Colonial variety of the Distinguished Conduct Medal with “King’s African Rifles” reverse is extremely rare.

 

According to research done by Abbott and Tamplin for their book “British Gallantry Awards”, they found that the Ministry of Defence (Army Department) reported that only approximately 195 medals, and 8 second awards clasps were awarded between the years of 1906 and 1925. 2 for 1906 and the remainder after 1911, mostly for the First World War.

 

Harry Fecitt MBE TD wrote an interesting article regarding the services of the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Regiment (Nyasaland) of the King’s African Rifles during 1917 titled “From Rumbo to the Rovuma River”, as part of his writing “Harry’s Wars in Africa” which can be read here on Kaiserscross.com:

http://www.kaiserscross.com/188001/433401.html

 

He writes the following regarding the services of Sergeant John and his unit at the battle of Rumbo:

 

“THE ACTION AT RUMBO

 

By April 1917 German units were threatening Kilwa from the south-west and a British camp was established at Rumbo, with a forward post on the Ngaura River. The 40th Pathans were ordered to advance over the river and defeat the enemy troops positioned to the south; attached to the Pathans were two man-packed mountain guns of the Gold Coast Regiment escorted by 30 Gold Coast (now Ghana) infantry, a Royal Navy Lewis Gun (light machine gun) detachment, and 140 Askari and 2 machine guns from 2/2 KAR. The 22nd (Derajat) Mountain Battery supported the operation from Rumbo camp.

 

Major W.T. Gregg (Royal Irish Rangers) commanded the Askari who were drawn from Nos 1 and 3 Companies of 2/2 KAR. On 18th April Gregg crossed the river and advanced on his own through bush up a spur on the British left whilst the Pathans and Gold Coasters pushed down the main track across the river, which was at this time only knee deep. However rain was falling up-river.  As the fighting on the spur developed one of Gregg’s Askari, 2394 Private Saidi, received an African Distinguished Conduct Medal: 18/4/17 Rumbo. For gallantry and devotion to duty. This man succeeded in extricating a wounded British NCO from a position swept by enemy machine gun fire, and carried him to a place of safety.

 

The Pathans soon ran into a German defence occupying higher ground, and although the Indian infantry fought bravely an enemy counter-attack over-ran two of the Pathan machine guns, shooting down the gun teams. The German defenders were the 11th and 17th Field Companies commanded by Captain von Liebermann and Lieutenant Bueschel; the former opposed Gregg’s advance whilst Bueschel attacked the Pathans.

 

After their one field officer and the advance guard commander were killed confusion reigned amongst the Pathans as many of the sepoys were new arrivals, and a withdrawal was ordered. By this time the river was visibly rising and the Gold Coasters, supported by 50 of the 2/2 KAR Askari, had to fight hard against German attacks whilst the mountain guns were carried across the river. The Pathans lost another machine gun as they crossed. Panic-stricken porters dropped many loads of ammunition and supplies into the river or abandoned them on the enemy bank.

 

Downstream Gregg fought his own battle against 17 Field Company as he got the remainder of his Askari back across the river, and even then one wounded man, 23 Lance Corporal Lufani, had to be left on the enemy bank. Two more African Distinguished Conduct Medals were won. 399 Sergeant John was awarded his: For conspicuous gallantry in the action of Rumbo on 18th April 1917. He behaved with great bravery under heavy continuous machine gun fire at close range, and maintained excellent fire control throughout the day. He was severely wounded towards the close of the engagement. This NCO has always shown initiative and self reliance when in command of small patrols in the enemy’s country.  

 

464 Sergeant Yessow’s citation read: 18/4/17 Rumbo. For conspicuous gallantry in action. He has always behaved with marked gallantry in action, and particularly so at the action at Rumbo on 18th April. 

 

2101 Private Waziri Simba was awarded a Military Medal.

 

Gregg was one of the last to swim back across the river. During this fighting Major Denys Walter Reynolds (York & Lancaster Regiment) was severely wounded. The other 2/2 KAR casualties were 4 Askari killed and 12 wounded. Major William Thornton Huband Gregg was later awarded a French Croix de Guerre with Palms.”

 

Also for further reading here is an extract from the King’s African Rifles A Study in Military History of East and Central Africa, 1890-1945, by Lieut Col H. Moyse-Bartlett.

 

“ACTION AT RUMBO, 18th APRIL 1917 –

 

Rose was ordered to attack the enemy camp at Makangaga. He entrusted this task to Lieutenant-Colonel Tyndall of the 40th Pathans with a column of 450 rifles drawn from the Pathans, the Gold Coast Regiment, and Nos. 1 and 3 Companies, 2/2 K.A.R. The column assembled at Rumbo on 17th April. Leaving a detachment of Pathans and Gold Coast to hold the position there, Tyndall marched next morning, crossed the Ngaura, and climbed the high ground beyond. There he drove off a German picquet and soon afterwards came under heavy fire from the direction of his left flank.

 

A force of about two enemy companies was well established upon a spur, 700 yards from the road. The intervening terrain was covered with tall elephant grass and thick bush, but Tyndall thought it essential to postpone his advance on Makangaga until this threat to Rumbo and his own retreat had been removed. Dispatching the K.A.R. into the bush to work around the German right, he began a frontal attack with the Pathans. Several hours of firing did little but reveal the enemy strength, and Tyndall, realizing that success was beyond his powers, ordered a general retirement.

 

This was the signal for a determined counter-attack. The morale of the German askaris was high, and throughout the afternoon they pressed hard upon the rear and flanks of Tyndall’s force. The two pack guns were saved, but the Germans captured three machine guns and a quantity of baggage and ammunition. The action had been fought in heavy rain, which since the morning had flooded the Ngaura. The Pathans lost another machine gun in getting across, and the K.A.R., who owing to their detached position made the crossing lower down, were obliged to swim for it, casting away a good deal of their equipment.

 

In this reverse, 2/2 K.A.R. lost 4 Askaris killed and 1 Officer and 12 African ranks wounded.

 

Three days later, 2/2 K.A.R. moved to Rumbo and for the next two months was employed on incessant patrolling against enemy parties raiding the British supply dumps. This was the testing time when the battalion, after taking two severe knocks at Nambanje and Rumbo, outgrew the recruit stage and developed into an experienced and effective unit.

 

One more action was fought by 1/3 K.A.R. in the northern part of the 1st Division area before the district was evacuated and the battalion withdrawn. On 11th April, long before the floods had subsided, 1/3 K.A.R. was ordered from Utete Fort to the place known as Utete II, which lay about twenty-two miles to the south-west.

 

Utete II was reached on the 13th, and an enemy patrol was driven from the water-hole. The River Lugonya had become a fast, unfordable torrent, confining the enemy entirely to the left bank except for a bridgehead at Kiawe. There the road crossed the river by a bridge approached on either side by a causeway over the swampy ground. Not wishing to fight with their backs to such an obstacle, the Germans had constructed their main defences on the left or farther bank.”

 

 

 

Edited 16 hours ago by Rusty Greaves

[Megan]

The KAR DCOM was instituted in 1907, based on a Royal Warrant of 24 May 1894 establishing Dominion & Colonial issues of the Distinguished Conduct Medal. It was discontinued on18 June 1942, being replaced by the Distinguished Conduct Medal. It was awarded for distinguished conduct in the field by members of the King's African Rifles.

 

It was issued with Edward VII and George V obverses and a standard reverse inscribed KING'S AFRICAN RIFLES FOR DISTINGUISHED CONDUCT IN THE FIELD.

[VtwinVince]

Interesting topic, but posted in the wrong forum.