Battle of Kirbekan

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Battle of Kirbekan
Part of the Mahdist War
Richard Caton II Woodville:The War in the Soudan, the battle of Kerbekan (c. 1900).jpg
Richard Caton Woodville, Jr.ː The War in the Soudan, the battle of Kerbekan (c. 1900)
Date10 February 1885
Location
Result British victory
Belligerents
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom Flag of the Mahdi movement in Sudan.svg Mahdist State
Commanders and leaders
William Earle   Musa abu higel
Strength
1,000 9,000
Casualties and losses
60 killed 2,000 killed

The Battle of Kirbekan took place during the Mahdist War. It was fought February 10, 1885, when the British Nile Column, about 1,000 strong, under General Earle, stormed the heights of Kirbekan, which were held by a strong Mahdist force, and totally routed them, with heavy loss.

Contents

Background

The British lost 60, among whom was General William Earle, killed. [1] It was the first appearance of the Egyptian Army Camel Corps under Bimbashi Marriott in action. [2] A brass plaque on the North wall of Lichfield Cathedral commemorates the death of Lieutenant colonel Philip Eyre of the First South Staffordshire Regiment in the battle.

A British map of the battle Battle of Kirbekan map.jpg
A British map of the battle

Forces

The British forces involved in the battle were: [3]

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References

  1. Thomas Benfield Harbottle, Dictionary of Battles, (New York, 1906)
  2. The Melik Society | Sudan Campaign Archived June 10, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  3. "Sudan Wars, 1884-1889". 2007-10-20. Archived from the original on 2007-10-20. Retrieved 2020-08-21.