Imperial Camel Corps

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Imperial Camel Corps Brigade
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Imperial Camel Corps Brigade
A posed photograph of Australian, British, New Zealand and Indian Camel Corps troopers
ActiveJanuary 1916 – May 1919
Country British Empire
BranchArmy
TypeBrigade
RoleCamel-mounted Infantry
Size4,150 men and 4,800 camels
Part ofEgyptian Expeditionary Force
Equipmentcamel
EngagementsFirst World War
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Clement Leslie Smith VC
Insignia
Battalion Insignia

The Imperial Camel Corps Brigade (ICCB) was a

First World War for service in the Middle East
.

From a small beginning the unit eventually grew to a brigade of four

field ambulance
, and an administrative train.

The ICC became part of the

Sinai and Palestine Campaign, and in the Arab Revolt
. The brigade suffered 246 men killed. The ICC was disbanded in May 1919 after the end of the war.

Formation

Background

Australian camel company

The advantages of camels in a desert environment are well known, and the

Gallipoli Campaign. The Indian princely state of Bikaner supplied the first camels as the Bikaner Camel Corps already used camels. These camels were later only used as draught animals and the lighter Egyptian camel became the mount chosen for carrying troops. The camels could cover an average distance of 3 miles (4.8 km) an hour, or 6 miles (9.7 km) an hour trotting, while carrying a soldier, his equipment, and supplies.[2]

The camel companies consisted of a small headquarters and four

machine-gun section of fifteen men with three Lewis guns; the company headquarters also received extra staff. All this increased company strength to 184 men. The four companies were expected to operate as independent units that travelled by camel but then dismounted to fight as infantrymen. Following the practise of cavalry and mounted infantry units, one man of each group of four held the camels when the team was in action, which reduced a team's firepower by a quarter. However it was soon discovered that camels were not as nervous as horses when faced with artillery and rifle fire, and one man would look after twelve to sixteen camels once the troopers had dismounted.[2]

In March 1916 six new companies were raised from British yeomanry regiments. Then in June another four Australian companies were raised from reinforcements intended for the Australian Light Horse regiments. Reinforcements from New Zealand intended for the New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade formed two companies, one created in August and the second in November.[3]

Brigade

The Hong Kong and Singapore (Mountain) Battery

The Imperial Camel Brigade was formed on 19 December 1916,

Brigadier General Clement Leslie Smith VC.[6] The brigade originally comprised three battalions, 1st (Australian), 2nd (British), and 3rd (Australian), plus supporting units.[nb 2] Each of the battalions had an authorised strength of 770 men and 922 camels. A battalion comprised four companies and a headquarters. The 4th (ANZAC) Battalion was raised in May 1917, but instead of increasing the brigade fighting strength, it was decided one battalion would always be resting and refitting, while three battalions served at the front.[5][7]

To complete the brigade structure and supply added firepower, the brigade received some other units: the 265th (Camel) Machine Gun Squadron, with eight

signal section, the Australian (Camel) Field Ambulance, and the 97th Australian Dental Unit, which with only four men was the brigade's smallest unit. The brigade included the ICC Mobile Veterinary Section, and the brigade's logistic units were the ICC Brigade Ammunition Column and the ICC Brigade Train, which carried enough supplies for five days. The total brigade strength was around 4,150 men and 4,800 camels.[5][9]

Operational history

1916

Battalions

Imperial Camel Corps at the Battle of Magdhaba

In March 1916, after two months of training, the first camel patrols left their depot at

Senussi Campaign was largely over by then, but the patrols were to show the Senussi that the British were watching them, and to protect the border areas.[3]

Around the same time long-range patrols, each of about thirty men, went into the south and south-east of the Sinai desert to detect any Ottoman incursion into the area. When the patrols discovered Ottoman outposts, the brigade organized a company-strength raid against the outposts. The ICC undertook similar patrols in the north to protect the rail and water lines, which were vital for any British attack.[10]

Brigade

The

Sinai Desert in August, winning the Battle of Romani. In support of these operations in December the brigade moved into the Sinai; their first large battle came during the Battle of Magdhaba on 23 December, two days after the brigade was formed.[4][10]

1917

On 9 January 1917 the ICC was involved in another victory during the Battle of Rafa, which forced the Ottomans to withdraw the Sinai outposts towards Gaza. This also reduced the need for independent camel patrols across the Sinai; in May the EEF consolidated the now-surplus companies into a new unit, the 4th (ANZAC) Battalion.[10]

The intensity of operations grew and the ICC were next involved in the capture of the Turkish force at Bir el Hassana,[nb 3] the defeats during the First Battle of Gaza in March, and the Second Battle of Gaza in April and a raid on the Sana redoubt in August. They then had a break to refit. Subsequently, they participated in the victories in the Battle of Beersheba, the Third Battle of Gaza, and at the Battle of Mughar Ridge during October and November. By the end of the year the advance had crossed the Sinai and entered Palestine.[10]

1918

River Jordan to attack Amman
April 1918

Early in 1918, the ICC moved to the area of the

First Battle of Amman was unsuccessful; after three days of battle the British were unable to break through the Ottoman defences around the city and had to withdraw. The 4th (Anzac) Battalion did succeed in capturing Hill 3039 overlooking the city and managed to hold out for twenty-four hours in the face of artillery and infantry attacks, until ordered to withdraw.[10]

During the

Second Transjordan attack on Shunet Nimrin and Es Salt, the camel brigade were assigned the western defence of the Jordan River ford at Umm esh Shert defending the left flank of the 4th Light Horse Brigade. The camel brigade was unable to support the light horsemen, which were attacked on the left flank and forced to withdraw.[11]

When the EEF advanced out of the Sinai and into Palestine, the change in terrain led to the disbandment of the ICC. In June 1918, the Australian troops were used to form the

T.E. Lawrence in the Arab Revolt, and in July 1918 carried out operations sabotaging the Hejaz railway line. However, no reinforcements were assigned and the six remaining companies were reduced in strength to two before they were eventually disbanded in May 1919.[12] Brigadier-General Claude Stuart Rome took over as Colonel of the corps in June 1918.[13]

Aftermath

Memorial to the Imperial Camel Corps, Victoria Embankment Gardens, London

Over two years of service cost the ICC 240 deaths: 106 British, 84 Australians, 41 New Zealanders, and nine men from India.[12][14] A memorial to the Imperial Camel Corps was unveiled on the 22 July 1921, on the Thames Embankment in London. On one side it is inscribed with the names of all the members of the corps who died during the war, while on the front is the sentiment;

To the Glorious and Immortal Memory of the Officers, N.C.O.s and Men of the Imperial Camel Corps – British, Australian, New Zealand, Indian – who fell in action or died of wounds and disease in Egypt, Sinai, and Palestine, 1916, 1917, 1918.[12]

The monument also lists all the battles and engagements fought by the corps;

Order of battle

The strength of the brigade/corps in the field was around 3,380 men and 3,880 camels, with one battalion resting.

Notes

  1. ^ A full list of the corps' battles and engagements is in the aftermath section.
  2. ^ The second battalion was also known as the 2nd (Imperial) Battalion.[5]
  3. aeromedical evacuation
    .

References

  1. ^ Clayton, p.205
  2. ^ a b c "Cameliers and camels at war". New Zealand History online. History Group of the New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. 30 August 2009. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  3. ^ a b "Formation and expansion". New Zealand History online. History Group of the New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  4. ^ a b Falls 1930 Vol. 1 p. 252.
  5. ^ a b c d e "Organisation". New Zealand History online. History Group of the New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  6. ^ "J06062". Australian War Memorial. Archived from the original on 8 July 2012. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  7. ^ a b "Imperial Camel Corps". First World War, 1914–1918 units. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  8. ^ "Camel artillery". New Zealand History online. History Group of the New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 24 January 2012.
  9. ^ "Camel artillery ready to fire". New Zealand history. Retrieved 17 January 2012.
  10. ^ a b c d e "New Zealand companies". New Zealand History online. History Group of the New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 17 January 2011.
  11. ^ Falls 1930 Vol. 2 pp. 368, 375
  12. ^ a b c "End". New Zealand History. Retrieved 16 January 2012.
  13. ^ "Camel Corps". Regiments.org. Archived from the original on 12 July 2006. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
  14. ^ a b "Statue: Imperial Camel Corps". London Remembers. Retrieved 17 January 2012.

Works cited

Further reading

War diaries
  • AWM4/11/1/1: February 1917 unit diary
  • AWM4/11/10/1: 1st Company, ICC.
  • AWM4/11/11/1: 2nd Company, ICC.
  • AWM4/11/2/1-11/2/16: HQ Imperial Camel Brigade.
  • AWM4/11/6/1-11/6/4: 1st Battalion, ICC.
  • AWM4/11/8/1-11/8/5: 3rd Battalion, ICC.
  • AWM4/11/9/1-11/9/5: 4th Battalion, ICC.
Books

External links
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