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Auction: 19003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 335

A rare and important Great War 'East Africa' M.C. group of four awarded to Major E. C. Irwin, 20th Duke of Cambridge's Own Infantry, attached 40th Pathans, late 20th Punjabis, who was decorated for gallantry when in command of his Company during a sharp rearguard action at Kiyombo on 25 February 1917, during which he was wounded; he was later killed in action at the head of his men at the Battle of Narungombe in July 1917

Military Cross, G.V.R.; 1914-15 Star (Capt. E. C. Irwin. 20/D.C.O. Infy.); British War and Victory Medal (Major E. C. Irwin.), light edge bruising to last, otherwise good very fine (4)

M.C. London Gazette 26 May 1917.

'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when in command of a patrol. He carried out a successful raid on a strong hostile position and accounted for twelve of the enemy.'

Eric Conway Irwin was born on 29 May 1882 in India, the second son of Lyndon Bolton Irwin and Florence Emily Winifred Walker of East Teignmouth, Devon. He followed in the military footsteps of his father who served as a Major in the Bengal Staff Corps, being commissioned on 8 May 1901 and appointed to the Indian Army on 15 November 1902. Promoted Captain, Irwin proceeded with the Duke of Cambridge's Own Infantry on active service with the Mesopotamia Expeditionary Force from 12 October 1914, being transferred to serve with the 40th Pathans in East Africa from 5 April 1916. The Regiment had previously fought with distinction during the Second Battle of Ypres where they suffered 320 casualties on 26 April 1915, followed by the Battles of Aubers Ridge and Loos. Being transferred to East Africa in December 1915, they were much in need of experienced leadership to replace the officers lost in the European Campaign, including the Commanding Officer, Lieutenant-Colonel F. R. Rennick, who fell near Hazebrouck on 26 April 1915, being shot through the head 150 yards south of Vanheule Farm - one of five C.O.'s who became casualties that afternoon in the Lahore Division (Magnificent but not War: The Battle for Ypres, 1915, refers).

Under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel J. W. Mitchell, the 40th Pathans landed at Mombasa and began to consolidate the individuals and drafts from 12 other regiments into an effective fighting force. On 9 April 1916 the Pathans moved across the border at Taveta and camped near Moshi on the lower slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro waiting for the seasonal rains to end. Likely joined by Irwin and 4 machine-guns originating from France, the men continued training and acclimatising to the harsh African conditions. At around this time disease started to take its' toll, with men going sick from malaria and suffering from 'jigger fleas' which had the thoroughly unpleasant habit of burrowing their way under toenails; the men quickly learned that the solution was to rub their feet nightly with kerosene oil and listen to the advice of the Kavorondo tribesmen who acted as carriers.

Marching down the line of the German Usambara Railway, the Pathans made contact with enemy forces at Mombo on 9 June 1916. The German Schutztruppe - as the local army unit was named - sprang a series of vicious ambushes before beating a hasty retreat, destroying bridges and ripping up the railway track in their wake. Transferred to security duty around Handeni, the 40th Pathans marched from Bagamoyo on 31 August and fought in the successful operation to capture Dar-Es-Salaam.

Kilwa operations - M.C.

On 30 September 1916 the 40th Pathans concentrated on the coast at Kilwa. Here an issue of clothing was made and eagerly received as many Sepoys had been without boots for several weeks and others were wearing captured German uniforms. Ordered to conduct an intense patrolling programme, Subadar Mehrab Din captured a German and an Askari and shot a prowling lioness. Around the same time Irwin raided an enemy post at Samanga and was awarded the M.C. (The 40th Pathans in Action In East Africa, January 1916-February 1918, by Harry Fecitt, refers).

In December 1916 the British outpost at Kibata was besieged by a strong German force armed with artillery. The 40th Pathans and the Gold Coast Regiment marched up to Kitambe to threaten the enemy's right flank, the former occupying what became known as 'Gold Coast Hill' until 22 December amidst a maelstrom of enemy fire and the ever-present strength sapping disease and extreme weather. Two machine-gun porters were killed and two others wounded, with a further 15 Sepoys wounded in action. More worrying in terms of casualty figures were the 10 men on average per day who were evacuated due to malaria - made more prevalent by the stagnant pools of filthy water left over from the rainy season and the lack of sanitation for over 1,000 men.

Half-rations and game hunting

The Pathans remained in the vicinity of Kitambe for a couple of months, liaising closely with the Calcutta Volunteer Battery of 12-pounder guns and the 22nd Derajat Mountain Battery. However the supply system failed leaving the Sepoys on half-rations during this time; regimental game-hunting parties scoured the area but without much success, although Subedars Gul Zaman and Mehrab Din did sometimes bring meat home which supplemented the 12 ounces of atta and 2 ounces of dhal per day. The men had to cook and eat any meat at pace for the lack of refrigeration, storage and - more importantly - salt, meant that it rapidly 'turned' and had the potential to immobilise large numbers of men through diarrhoea and stomach complaints in a short period of time.

To add to the hardships, in February 1917 the rains returned and the collapse of the bridge over the swollen River Matandu at Chemera (on the line of communication) only added to the difficulty of supply. To complete the isolation at Kiyombo a small stream, dignified by the name of the Nampili River, which surrounded the camp on three sides, rose and overwhelmed all the wooden bridges leading therein, so the camp piquets could not be relieved nor could convoys pass in or go out.

Enemy attack at Kiyombo

On 25 February, realising the position to be less than satisfactory, Irwin determined to leave Kiyombo and march towards Kitambi where the Headquarters of the Division and the Brigade were located, with the aim of camping upon the porous sandy terrain and replenishing rations. He did not get far, being heavily attacked by a superior force of the enemy who had likely originated from Ungara, to the north-west of Njimbwe:

'Four times the enemy charged to within 10 paces of Irwin's trench. Captain Irwin was slightly wounded, Jemadar Khan was missing and Havildar Mir Dast, severely wounded, was captured by the enemy. He succeeded in escaping, and with a bullet through his liver, crawled for several days through the bush and rejoined the Regiment' (The History of the 5th Battalion (Pathans), 14th Punjab Regiment, formerly 40th Pathans, by Major R. S. Waters, O.B.E., refers).

Irwin extricated his Company and effected an orderly withdrawal on Ngarambi, losing a further 10 other ranks wounded and 7 missing. He later marched into Kitambi where the men spent the next month recuperating and resting. However, whilst the health of his men improved, the mobility of his unit was dramatically impaired by severe horse sickness. All the transport mules died, including those of the 22nd Deerjat Mountain Battery, along with all the British Officers' chargers. Amid fears of contaminated water supplies the men constructed large fires outside the zariba, sick mules being led to the vicinity, shot, and their carcasses burnt.
Other problems involved the condition of the men's weapons. A draft of two Indian Officers and 170 Sepoys arrived from the 46th Punjabis in India, but the troops had not been issued with rifle oil since landing in East Africa; many of the rifle barrels were corroded because of the heavy rain and consequent mud. The lack of officers to check upon the men was made more acute with the loss on 28 March 1917 of 2nd Lieutenant John F. Gardener, 40th Pathans, who died at Kibata hospital of enteric fever. At that time the Pathans were down to only three fit British Officers including Irwin.
Lines of Communication and the defence at Mitole.

In May 1917 the medical authorities declared the 40th Pathans as 60% unfit for service and the remaining men were placed on Lines of Communication security duties. The attrition of manpower from the fight at Rumbo had taken a heavy toll on the Regiment, but they still faced regular engagements with the enemy including an early morning skirmish at Mitole where 90 hostile troops managed to crawl under the cover of ground mist and attack a Pathan lookout post. Captain Roland Richardson, 55th Coke's Rifles, attacked to the 40th Pathans, was awarded the M.C. for his gallant defence of the post and Naik Sahib Shah was decorated with the I.D.S.M. for the same action.
Two months later, 200 rifles of the 40th Pathans under Major Irwin, M.C., supported by Captain R. Richardson, M.C., were placed in No. 3 Column under the overall command of Lieutenant-Colonel A. J. Taylor, D.S.O., of the South African Infantry. The column departed Wungwi on 5 July 1917 charged with capturing the important water holes at Narungombe. Joined by the 3/3rd King's African Rifles and a section from a Stokes mortar battery, the Column was further reinforced by two companies of the 8th Battalion, South African Infantry, on 17 July 1917. Touch was made with two further Columns under Orr and Ridgeway, and together the three columns totalling approximately 1,700 men hacked their way through the thorny bush towards the enemy position which faced north across the Narungombe road. Despite the impressive show of strength, the Germans had much to be buoyant about; their defences numbered 2,000 men, with 48 machine-guns and a battery of guns captured from the Portuguese. The relief of the land also offered a considerable advantage, their easterly flank protected by impenetrable bush and bamboo thickets and westerly flank resting upon impassable swampy ground.

Battle of Narungombe

At 0700 hours on 19 July 1917, the British launched a full-scale frontal attack on the enemy defences. No. 3 column attacked on the left flank, but was on the receiving end of a vigorous counter-attack. During the confusion a gap developed between the King's African Rifles and one of the South African Companies, and Lieutenant-Colonel Taylor gave Irwin orders to fill the gap. The Pathans soon found themselves in a large hollow that was commanded by an enemy machine gun, which was later reinforced by a second machine gun on the hasty withdrawal of a South African Company. At around this time Major Irwin was killed outright, whilst Captain Richardson was severely wounded. Being nearly surrounded, the men were rallied by Subedar Gul Zaman and were forced to dig in but the attack of the German 17th Field Company was relentless, the Pathans recording a 25% casualty rate. A particularly distressing feature of the day was the firing of the dry bush where most of the casualties had occurred, and it is feared that large numbers of badly wounded men must have perished in the flames.

The Germans withdrew from their trenches during the night and the remaining Pathans were able to slip away and return to Regimental Headquarters at Ssingino. For his bravery that day, Subadar Gul Zaman was decorated with the Indian Order of Merit, 2nd Class, the citation stating:

'For conspicuous gallantry, great coolness and energy under fire on the 19th July 1917. When all the British officers had become casualties, he rallied his men and took them out of action. He is an excellent hard-working officer and has done hard work throughout the war.'

Irwin's body was later retrieved from the burnt scrub and he is buried in the Dar-Es-Salaam War Cemetery, Tanzania; sold with copied MIC, research and extensive war diary entries.

Sources:
High Noon of Empire - the diary of Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Tyndall, edited by B. A. James.
History of the 5th Battalion (Pathans), 14th Punjab Regiment, formerly 40th Pathans, by Major R. S. Waters, O.B.E.
Reward of Valor: The Indian Order of Merit by Peter Duckers.


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Sold for
£2,100

Starting price
£950