Nur Hedik
Nur Hedik was the commander of the Somali Dervish movement's cavalry in the 1900s.[1] He was reportedly injured during the incident which killed the other Dervish military leaders, Shire Umbaal and Adam Maleh.
Prior to the breakout of hostilities, Nur Hedik's cavalry was estimated at 5,000 mounted horsemen, whilst upon the break-out of hostilities between colonial efforts and counter efforts by Dervish anti-colonialists in June 1901, Nur Hedik's cavalry swelled to 12,000 mounted men.
Since mobility was a key component of the Dervish strategy, Nur Hedik's cavalry was central to the conflict between the British and Dervish, the longest-lasting war[citation needed] of the Scramble for Africa.
Cavalry commander
The 12th of May 1907 intelligence report from the British Aden Colony describing Nur Hedik as commander of the Darawiish cavalry is as follows:[2]
Rumours of the desertions of Nur Hedik ( leader of the Dervish horse ) and his following are still current.
A 1910 intelligence report from the British Aden colony documenting a battle between Darawiish and native auxiliaries who were signatories to the Italians, Nur Hedik was described as one of three Darawiish commanders killed, alongside Adam Maleh and Shire Cumbaal:[3]
The Dervishes loss was undoubtedly severe, and included the following leaders: Adam Maleh, also Shireh Ambaleh, killed. Nur Hedig[sic], shot through both legs.
The Times news sources states that Nur Hedik was shot through both his legs.[3]
Qusuusi
The third person narrative using the native transliteration of Nuur Xiddig is used to describe Nur Hedik as a qusuusi, i.e. a counciller during a scaled back phase of anti-colonial resistance:[4]
15 sano ayaan qusuusidda Daraawiishta ka mid ahaa, 6 bilood markaa ka horna xaruntaan ka baxsaday, aniga iyo Cabdi Nuur Xiddig, xagga dalka iyo dadkaba aqoon baanu u lahayn [4] |
From the perspective of country and community, myself and Nur Hedik were well versed, and had been qusuusi (counsillers) for 15 years; nonetheless we defected from the government roughly six months beforehand |
| —[citation needed] |
Propaganda tool
The dervishes also used deception regarding their following during the wars with the three colonial powers Abyssinia, Italy and Britain:[5][not in citation given]
No one who knows the country believes the stories that the Mullah's people are deserting him. The reports are purposely spread by the Mullah himself. He has never been short of men since the beginning, but he has always given out reports of desertions."[citation needed]
On occasion, rumours were spread in the Dervish territories of 'Iid and Nugal that Nur Hedik, misspelled as Nur Nedik, had abandoned the Dervishes along with his cavalry, as reported by the British War Office, who refers to Nur Hedik as the overall commander of the Dervish cavalry.[1]
A universal rumour is current that Nur Nudik, a leader of the Dervish horse, has deserted with a number of men, ponies and rifles, to the Southern Mijjertain.
Demographics
Tribal
According to author and former colonial administrator Douglas James Jardine, the tribal demographics of Dervish or Darawiish cavalry commanded by Nur Hedik consisted of those from the Dhulbahante tribe:[6]
He achieved little success with the tribe as a whole, however, and finding that his Dolbahanta horsemen would not tarry so far in Ishaak territory ...
Numbers
Gumburu Cagaare battle between the 15th and 17th of April 1903; the Dervish cavalry commanded by Nur Hedik, was said to number at four thousand men. The battle was a complete victory of the Dervishes over the British, resulting in the deaths of several officers including Lt-Col Arthur Plunkett, captain Herbert Edward Olivey, Captain Herbert de Bohun Morris, captain Mckinnon, Lieutenant Gaynor, Captain Johnston Stewart, Lieutenant E.W. Bell, Lieutenant Francis Wheler, and Captain Herbert Charles Vesey:[7]
so it was said, by the Mullah in person, and numbering some 4,000 horse and 10,000 foot. From three sides the Dervish horsemen swooped down upon the square, firing from the saddle as they came. ... Again and again the Mullah's cavalry precipitated themselves into the square which stood firm, fighting with grim determination.
In April 1901 it was estimated that the Dervishes or Darawiish's cavalry wherein Nur Hedik had the helm,[2] prior to hostilities between colonizing forces and the Darawiish consisted of " some 5,000 men, mostly mounted on horses, with some 600 rifles".
June 1st, 1902, Docmo; it was estimated that upon the breakout of hostilities, the Mullah's forces was estimated at 12,000 mounted horsemen (1,500 with rifles) with 3000 on foot heading towards Baran from Docmo.[8]
Permanent stableyard
A permanent stableyard[citation needed] of Nur Hedik's horses was stationed at Damot, also called Docmo:[9]
the mobility of the British force had been seriously impaired by an outbreak of glanders that had destroyed half the ponies ; and consequently it was useless to attempt to deal with the Mullah's 3,000 horsemen at Damot.[9]
The purpose of this large stableyard was for reconnaissance or scouting of Eric John Eagles Swayne's troops:[9]
that 3,000 had been left at Damot to observe Swayne's Levy; but that the Mullah and the rest of the Dervishes had retired southwards to Erigo[10]
Raids
Several Dervish cavalry raids or incursions have been conducted against Abyssinian, Italian and British colonial forces wherein Nur Hedik was at the helm.[2][1] These include the following:
the tribes on our side lived in continual fear of a sudden onslaught. These fears were confirmed in June, when 1,000 of the Mullah's horsemen raided the Aidegalla in the Haud and carried off 2,000 camels.[12]
he had been severely defeated by the Abyssinians at Jeyd. Doubtless dreading lest this blow might be repeated, he determined, taking advantage of a heavy fall of rain, to pass through our lines of communication and move with the whole of his following, covered by a screen of horsemen, into British territory to the Nogal valley.[13]
Tactics
Anti-colonial
The tactics used by Nur Hedik when confronted with the far superior firepower of the British colonial army, was hit-and-run, exemplified by dispersion in all directions:[14]
The Mullah himself, with Haji Sudi, Sultan Nur, and some 500 horsemen, was encountered, and at first it seemed that he would attack the column's rear-guard, but, when the mounted troops were withdrawn from the front to oppose him, his horse-men broke into groups and, when pursued, adopted the tactics which were subsequently to become so familiar to us, and split up into small parties which made off through a score of practicable passes in the stony hills.[14]
Colonial
Since Nur Hedik's cavalry was a crucial component of the 'iid and Nugaal campaign, one of the main British colonial tactics was the evisceration of Nur Hedik's horses by dehydrating when blocking their access to wells:
On June 15th, 238 rifles and 300 spearmen, under the command of Major A. G. Sharp, Leinster Regi-ment, were established in the fort of Bohotle to guard the reserve of supplies and to prevent the Dervish horsemen from watering at the wells
— Douglas Jardine
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Mohamed Osman Omar The scramble in the Horn of Africa : history of Somalia, 1827-1977 (2001) New Delhi : Somali Publications , p404
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 The Scramble in the Horn of Africa, Mohamed Osman Omar · 2001, p406
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Affairs In Somaliland". The Times. London. 22 April 1910. p. 6 – via The Times Digital Archive.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Ciise, J.C. (2005). Taariikhdii daraawiishta iyo Sayid Maxamad Cabdille Xasan, 1895-1920 (in Bahasa Indonesia). CERD. Retrieved 2021-02-09. Search this book on
- ↑ "Mad Mullah Beaten", Evening Express, p. 3, 27 April 1903
- ↑ Mad Mullah of Somaliland, Douglas Jardine, p 43
- ↑ Mad Mullah of Somaliland, Douglas Jardine, 1923, page 104
- ↑ Mad Mullah of Somaliland, Douglas Jardine, 1923, page 77 "12,000 Horsemen \ Near Baran (i.e. the Baran in the south). Moving southwards from Damot."
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Mad Mullah of Somaliland, Douglas Jardine, 1923, page 78
- ↑ Jardine, 1923, page 77
- ↑ Douglas Jardine, Mad Mulah of Somaliland, page 63
- ↑ Douglas Jardine, Mad Mulah of Somaliland, page 46-47
- ↑ Douglas Jardine, Mad Mulah of Somaliland, page 120
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Douglas Jardine, Mad Mulah of Somaliland, page 64
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