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Auction: 23003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 288

(x) An Action at Malangali 1916 K.A.R. D.C.M. awarded to Corporal Chilingi, 1st Battalion, King's African Rifles

King's African Rifles Distinguished Conduct Medal, G.V.R. (666 Pte Chilingi. 1/K.A.R.), polished, pitting, minor edge bruising, nearly very fine

2 K.A.R. D.C.M.'s issued for the action.

K.A.R. D.C.M. London Gazette 25 September 1916, the original citation in the Nyasaland Government Gazette, 30 December 1916, states:

'At the engagement at Malangali on the 24th July, this man seeing a body of the enemy advancing, and fearing they might recapture the machine gun captured by Lieut. Borthwick's team, asked leave to charge, and fixing bayonets led the remainder of the team and drove back the enemy. The country being thick and broken he could not see the strength of the enemy and might well have been going to certain death.'

M.I.D. London Gazette 25 September 1917, the original citation states:

'In recognition of military operations in the Nyasaland Protectorate, East Africa.'

Chilingi was a member of the Angoni tribe from the village of Midima in the Nchen district. He enlisted on 8 January 1914 with the 1st Battalion, King's African Rifles and was posted for action in German East Africa.

Action at Malangali

1st King's African Rifles joined Brigadier General Edward Northey's Nyasaland-Rhodesia Field Force advancing into German East Africa in May 1916. Two columns advanced against Malangali were they found themselves opposed by two German Field Companies with some auxillary troops and sailors from Konigsberg as well as one of her infamous guns.

The British plan was to encircle the German's with one column under Lieutenant-Colonel Rodger advancing to their front while the other under Lieutenant-Colonel Hawthorne took them in the rear. Unfortunately the German forces were alerted by another column moving to their north and withdrew to the inaccessible Pakene rocks. Hawthorne came under artillery fire and advanced slowly while Rodger's attack stalled in the face of heavy fire.

The German's withdrew to the north, losing a Howitzer, 13 Germans and 19 of their Askari were killed and over 100 became casualties. As well as Chilingi, Corporal Gowani was awarded the D.C.M. and the Machine Gun officer Lieutenant E.K. Borthwick, attached to the 1st King's African Rifles won the Military Cross; sold together with copied research comprising London Gazette extracts, Hut Tax exemption form and attestation.

Subject to 5% tax on Hammer Price in addition to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium.

Sold for
£1,800

Starting price
£600