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Auction: 7025 - Bechauanaland, Somaliland & Sudan, The John Inglefield-Watson Collections
Lot: 1416

Somaliland 1901-04, The Somaliland Campaigns Four expeditions had to be instituted against the "Mad Mullah" and his followers who were spreading death and destruction against the peaceful Somali. Indian stamps were used on correspondence Third Expedition, October 1902 - June 1903 1903 (May-June) series of 13 letters written by Major J.A. Houison-Craufurd to his sister in Scotland, ten are with their original envelope with each bearing a 1a.. The correspondence begins in India where he was extra-regimentally employed in a staff appointment. Much of his work at this time was concerned with the embarkation and disembarkation of troops. 1. 1903 (23 Jan.) envelope from Bombay. The contents state that he is still uncertain whether or not he will be going to Somaliland. 2. 1903 (30 Jan.) envelope from Bombay. The contents state that he has heard nothing about going to Somaliland to join his Regiment. He has heard from a member of the Regiment and they are scattered along the road between Berbera and Bothole, busy making the road and wells. 3. 1903 (7 Feb.) envelope from Bombay. The letter refers to the despatch of troops to Aden for the Boundary Commission with Turkey. 4. 1903 (14 Feb.) envelope from Bombay. 5. 1903 (28 Feb.) envelope from Bombay. The letter gives news that he is to receive orders very shortly to join his Regiment in Somaliland. 6. 1903 (9 Mar.) envelope with 1a. cancelled "B" in circle of bars and showing Sea Post Office c.d.s. on reverse. The letter is written on board the P.&O. mail steamer S.S. "Caledonia" in the Indian Ocean. 7. 1903 (18 Mar.) envelope with 1a. cancelled by Aden c.d.s. The letter, dated 16th March, reports that since arriving at Aden on 11 March he has been in quarantine on a "very small desert island" half a mile from the mainland. With him are about "30 post office sorters". 8. 1903 (18 Mar.) letter written at Berbera after arrival on S.S. "Falcon" on 17 March. He leaves later in the day to join his Regiment. He is going up to the RHQ at "Sheikh". 9. 1903 (27 Mar.) envelope with 1a. cancelled by "B" in circle of bars and showing Berbera c.d.s. on reverse. The letter, written at Upper Sheikh on 24th Mar., tells of his 3-day journey from Berbera, arriving on 21 March. 10. 1903 (10 Apr.) envelope with KE 1a. tied by "B" in circle of bars and showing Berbera c.d.s. on reverse. The letter was written on 2 April at Olesan, a fort near Kirrit, and was posted at Garrero on 3 April. It describes the journey from Upper Sheikh (26 Mar.) via Burao (27 Mar.), El Kadalaneh (29 Mar.) and Ber (29 Mar.) to Olesan (1 Apr.). 11. 1903 (11 Apr.) letter written at Bothole describing the conclusion of the journey and the Regiment´s tasks at Bothole. In addition to construction of the fort they are providing escorts for convoys taking rations to Brigadier General Manning´s column at Galadi and Dudub and a garrison at Damot. 12. 1903 (27 Apr.) letter written at Bothole mentioning the "disaster" to Lieutenant Colonel Plunkett´s column at Gumburu on 17 April and the action involving Major Gough´s "Bothole flying column" at Daratoleh on 22 April. 13. 1903 (7 May) envelope with 1a. tied by "base office/obbia" c.d.s. The letter, written at Bothole on 1 May, states that he is leaving Bothole on 2 May in command of an escort to a convoy of 700 camels to Brigadier General Manning´s column at Galkayu. A fascinating lot well worth careful examination Estimate £ 600-800 Note: Major Houison-Craufurd´s regiment, the 7th Bombay Pioneers (re-designated 107th Pioneers later in 1903), had been moved to Somaliland in January 1903. He eventually re-joined his regiment in Somaliland, arriving on 17 March 1903. He was invalided from Somaliland in June 1903.

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£420