Does anyone know the date that the 4/6th Rajputana Rifles left Egypt as well as date and location it arrived in the the Sudan? Based on other evidence, they probably moved by river steamer down the Nile. Also, any details of its command and location from its arrival until February 7th, 1941 would also be appreciated. I have a variety of dates related to the 5th Indian Brigade: 5th Indian Brigade road party (vehicles). Left Egypt January 4th, 1941 and arrived Atbara on the 9th. 1st Royal Fusiliers boarded paddle steamers Britain and Nubia at Shellal, near Assouan on December 29th, 1940 and arrived at Wadi Halfa on January 1st, 1941. 3/1st Punjab Regiment - No dates for this battalion either. If someone has these dates, that would be great.
The 4/6th Rajputana Rifles did not join the 5th Indian Brigade until February 1st, 1941 at Agordat. It obviously did not arrive at the same time as the 5th Brigade HQ as well as the 1st Royal Fusiliers and the 3/1st Punjab Regiment. It was assigned the 4/11th Sikh Regiment on January 27th, 1941 to replace the 4/6th Rajputana Rifles until that battalion arrived. Again, I am looking to track the movements of the 4/6th Rajputana Rifles from when they left Egypt until they joined the 5th Brigade on February 1st, 1941. Thanks in advance for any help.
Could this be an option: Arnold Hague Ports database On the assumption Port Sudan was the only port that could be used back track and identify ships sailing independently, rather than convoys. This might identify a troopship and then search on the ship's name and the unit. A second option would be search on the port at the entrance to the Suez Canal. Given Port Sudan's location I doubt convoys visited there and at the time both Italian ships and aircraft were operating in the Red Sea. I have already tried unit + troopship to no avail.
That is a good idea and worth a try. I am not sure if the database tracks river steamers on the Nile, but I will check. I have used the database for Canadian convoys in the past, particularly between Halifax and St. John's, Newfoundland.
I tried the Convoy Web database but it does not cover river steamers on the Nile with the ports being Wadi Halfa and Shellal (Assouan).
I didn't think it would. At that time, the build-up to attacking the Italians in East Africa, was there shipping available? If a convoy had come in the "WS" series to Port Said / Suez I doubt there if space in ships was fully utilised.
I did use the Convoy Web database to track the movements of the 5th Indian Brigade on their return from East Africa. The brigade embarked on April 8th, 1941 on the Khedive Ismail, the Menelaus, the President Doumer, and the Slamat. It sailed on April 9th and arrived at Port Tewfik, Suez on April 11th. The brigade boarded at train on the 12th and moved to Maaten Baqqush. Rothy, it looks like you may have an extra document to add to your extensive list.
It is a useful reminder that when Italy declared war they had a flotilla based primarily at Massawa, in Eritrea; with seven destroyers, five or seven torpedo boats and eight submarines. Thankfully the flotilla is described as 'sat in port without venturing out', except in the final days five destroyers did venture out and were sunk on 3rd April 1941. One historian is cited by Andrew Stewart as noting: From: 'The First Victory: The Second World War and The East African Campaign' by Andrew Stewart. Massawa is 379 nautical miles from Port Sudan. From: Port of Massawa, Eritrea to Port of Sudan, Sudan sea route and distance The larger Italian destroyers could at cruising speed get to Port Sudan in a day and in theory at maximum speed in half a day. Calculated from speeds (with very probably British engines) on: Leone-class destroyer - Wikipedia Only did these destroyers venture out to attack a convoy on 21st October 1940, losing one ship after a cruiser arrived. From: Sauro-class destroyer - Wikipedia Incredibly four submarines left Massawa and reached Bordeaux, France in May 1941. From: Red Sea Flotilla - Wikipedia
After some research and help from forum member Rothy, here is the details of the move of the 4/6th Rajputana Rifles to the Sudan and Eritrea. This content is taken from the war diary. As I suspected, they rejoined the 5th Indian Infantry Brigade at Agordat on February 1st, 1941. I am impressed by the complexity of the move of the unit down the Nile and across the Sudan given the resources available. 1-11/1/41 - Battalion was reorganizing and re-equipping prior to its move to the Sudan via the Nile Valley route. For the move the Battalion was divided into three parties: (1) Carrier Party (2) Rail Party (3) Road Party. Two officers and 198 IORs joined from the Reinforcement Camp. 12/1/41 - 0855 hours - Jem. Harnath Singh and 28 IORs (Carrier Crews and M/C D.R.s) left Giza Station for Shallal and the Rail Party under command of Lt. Col. L.B. Jones left Giza Station for Shallal. At 1700 hours, the Road Party consisting of Major Greenwood, 3 BOs, 3 IOs, and 115 IORs left Abbassia by train for Aswan. 13/1/41 - 1030 hours - Rail Party arrived at Shallal and were joined by the Carrier crews. Rail Party and Carrier crews then proceeded to Wadi Halfa by Nile steamer. The Battalion was allotted three boats and three barges for the journey, the carriers and carrier crews being on separate barges. Allotment of boats and barges were as follows: (i) Meroe (2 barges) - ‘A’ and ‘D’ Companies under command of Lt. H.O. Holme (ii) Britain - ‘C’ Company under command of Lt. I.A. Knowles (iii) Lotus (2 barges) - ‘B’ and HQ Companies The Sudan, a fourth boat, was also in the Convoy and it carried 18th Field Company, S&M and personnel of Rear Brigade HQ. To the Sudan was attached a barge carrying our carrier Platoon. The whole convoy was under the command of Lt. Col. L.B. Jones 1530 hours - The Lotus started on its journey with the other boats in the convoy following at 500’ intervals. 14/1/41 - The Road Party detrained at Asswan and motored to and camped for the night at Shallal 2230 hours - Rail Party arrived Wadi Halfa and orders received for the Battalion to remain on board for the night. 15/1/41 - 0800 hours - The Road Party started its journey across the desert to Wadi Halfa. The Route rand east of the River Nile and the distance was approximately 320 miles. Orders received for the Rail Party to remain on board until the following ay when it would move forward on the rest of its journey in two trains, carriers and all MT with the convoy were disembarked and camped about 100’ for the boats under the trees. 16/1/41 - Rail Party plus Carrier Party moved in two trains from Wadi Halfa. The first train commanded by Lt. Col. L.B. Jones left at 1300 hours and the second train command by Lt. H.O. Holme left four hours later. The Carrier Platoon commander (2/Lt. E.W. Dixon) and the Carriers plus crews left on the second train with orders to detrain at Atbara. 17/1/41 - Rail Party in train. Road Party arrived Wadi Halfa 18/1/41 - 1815 hours - The first train arrived Gedaref and the second train arrived 2000 hours. Orders were received for the Rail Party to bivouac in an area near Greek Gardens, which was approximately 4 miles from Gederaf Station. The Rail Party marched with kit being carried by the Cape Transport Corps. The Road Party spent the day at Wadi Halfa in maintenance. 19/1/41 - Road Party left Wadi Halfa for Station Six, a distance of 120 miles. ‘A’ Company and the Battalion heavy luggage under command of Lt. H.O. Holme left Gedaref for Kashim-El-Girba, where ‘A’ Company unloaded the train and made a dump of all kit. 20/1/41 - 0700 hours - Road Party moved to Abu Hamid, a distance of 102 miles. Battalion scheme: The Battalion, less ‘A’ Company, carried out a short scheme, the purpose of which was as follows:- (1) Practice Battalion HQ in battle procedure (2) Practice Companies in the use of cover in new type of country. 21/1/41 - 1845 hours - Rail Party, less ‘A’ Company, moved by rail to Kashim-El-Girba and arrived the following morning at 0200 hours. 22/1/41 - Road Party arrived at Atbara. The Rail Party camped about half a mile from the station under the trees. 0700 hours - Companies went out for a two-hour route march under Company commanders and practiced different formations. 1030 hours - One Platoon ‘B’ Company move to Malawiya in transport supplied by 18th Field Company S&M. Col L.B. Jones was trying his best to get the Battalion up to Kassala as soon as possible in order to be able to take part in active operations, but owing to the lack of transport this was a difficult problem. 1900 hours - 20 men ‘B’ Company and part of Battalion’s heavy luggage move to Malawiya in transport supplied by 18th Field Company S&M. 2/Lt Cunningham reported 5th Infantry Brigade to take over duties of BIO in the absence of Lt. Murray, who was ill 23/1/41 - One Platoon ‘A’ Company and 35 men of ‘B’ Company moved to Malawiya in transport supplied by 18th Field Company S&M. 24/1/41 - One Platoon ‘A’ Company in transport supplied by the RAOC to Malawiya. The Sappers could no longer supply us with transport as they were ordered forward to Kassala. 25/1/41 - 2230 hours - HQ Company and one Platoon ‘A’ Company with the remainder of the Battalion kit moved forward to Malawiya leaving two Platoons ‘B’ and ‘D’ Company in Kashim-El-Girba under the command of Lt. Knowles to follow later. 2/Lt. Mordon left for Gedaref to arrange certain details regarding the move of the Battalion forward. From the 22nd January to 25th January Road Party waited at Atbara for flats to move vehicles. 21 vehicles left Atbara with Major Greenwood and 2/Lt. Fox 26/1/41 - 8 men of the Brigade Anti-Tank Company reported on return to the Battalion. Owing to the amount of work to be done at Malawiya, fatigues from the Battalion were used for loading and unloading trains, marking roads, etc. 27/1/41 - The remainder of the Rail Party at Kashim-El-Girba was lifted up to Malawiya by detachment from 4th Indian Division Transport. 1530 hours - ‘D’ Company under command of 2/Lt/ Mordon and the Battalion heavy luggage moved to Kassala in detachment 4th Indian Division Transport. Major Greenwood, 2/Lt. Fox, Jem. Niaz and 40 IORs with 21 trucks detrained at Qala-En-Naal and motored 92 miles to Show 28/1/41 - Remainder of Rail Party moved in 4th Indian Division Transport to Kassala. Order of march ‘A’, HQ, ‘B’ and ‘C’ Companies 0900 hours - 2/Lt. E.W. Dixon with 8 carriers and 40 IORs rejoined the Battalion. 1600 hours - Major Greenwood, 2/Lt. Fox, Jem. Hoshiar Singh and 40 IORs with 21 trucks rejoined the Battalion. 29/1/41 - 1430 hours - One Platoon ‘D’ Company under Jem. Ude Singh moved to Sabdurat Aerodrome to take over guard duties from the RA. 1630 hours - 2/Lt. Simpson, Jem. Jodha Ram and 88 IORs (15% reinforcements) were despatched Atbara Reinforcement Camp. 1830 hours - Orders were received for Battalion to move forward as soon as possible on 30th and 31st January in Cape Transport to Biscia [Eritrea]. 30/1/41 - 0700 hours - Carriers under the command of 2/Lt. Dixon set out for Biscia and camped enroute. 0900 hours - R Group, Administrative Group and ‘A’ Company moved to Biscia under the command of Lt. Col. L.B. Jones, where orders were received to moved forward and bivouac for the night in area between Berentu-Agordat road and Pt. 736 and arrived 1930 hours. 1230 hours - Pioneer Platoon and Quartermaster’s kit left Kassala in Cape Transport and spent the night enroute. 1700 hours - ‘B’, ‘C’ and the remainder of HQ Company moved in Cape Transport with Lt. Knowles and 2/Lt. Marston and bivouacked for the night near Sabdurat Aerodrome. 31/1/41 - 0700 hours - Major Greenwood, Major C.L.E. Drake-Brockman and ‘D’ Company moved to Biscia and spent the night at 25th Field Regiment HQ. 0800 hours - Lt. Col, L.B. Jones and Capt. R.E.G. Bartholomew reported (Brigade) HQ for orders. Orders received for ‘R’ Group and ‘A’ Company to rake over hill held by 4/11th Sikhs. 1100 hours - Col. L.B. Jones and Capt R.E.G. Bartholomew reported Gazelle HQ for further orders and ‘R’ Group and ‘ A’ Company moved forward to take over from 4/11th Sikhs (area approximately Pt. 707) and were in position by 1500 hours. 1615 hours - Message received to the effect that ‘B’, ‘C and remainder of HQ Company were on their way to take over from Skinner’s Horse who were holding small hills to our left. MOVEMENTS of ‘B’ & ‘C’ COMPANIES AND REMAINDER OF HQ COMPANY 31/1/41 - 1330 hours - Arrived Biscia and proceeded with guide to Pt. 736. On finding that Battalion HQ had moved, Lt. Knowles reported to 5th Indian Infantry Brigade HQ and was told to report Advanced Divisional HQ. At Advanced Divisional HQ, he was given orders to proceed to Gazelle Force, where he was informed by BM Gazelle Force HQ to bring companies up to Gazelle Force HQ. 1700 hours - Companies arrived at Gazelle HQ and were ordered to relieve Skinner’s Horse. Companies proceeded in lorries to Biscia Road and met 2/Lt. Marston, whose truck had broken down. He reported that one of the trucks with him had been hit by a piece of shell and that L/Hav. Hard Ram had been wounded. L/Hav. Hari Ram was evacuated to the ADS, where he died the following day. ‘B’, ‘C’ and remainder of HQ Company marched down the Biscia Road and relieved Skinner’s Horse in the dark. Position held was called Stone House - ‘C’ Company right and ‘B’ Company left. During the night active patrolling was carried out and signs of enemy evacuation were heard and lights seen. 1/2/41 - The Battalion succeeded in concentrating at Gibraltar, a rocky outcrop at the SW foot of Cochen by 1800 hours and bivouacked there for the night, intending to move into Agordat at first light. During the night, orders were received to take over Cochen from the 1st Battalion and to relieve the Camerons of their duties providing guards, carrying out salvage and clearing the battlefield.
