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IMPERIAL FIREPOWER
THE BATTLE THE BA

OF OMDURMAN

The battle fought between General Herbert Kitchener’s
Anglo-Egyptian army and the Muslim Mahdists at Omdurman,
in Sudan on September 2, 1898, was an overwhelming victory
for European industrial technology over a determined African TTLE OF OMDURMAN
army of superior numbers but limited firepower.

As Sirdar (commander-in-chief) dressed in white and flourishing
of the British-officered Egyptian banners, made a frontal assault on
army, Kitchener was entrusted the defensive perimeter. Their charge
with avenging the death of General across the open plain was met by the
Gordon at the hands of Sudanese fire of field artillery and gunboats and
Mahdists. The Mahdists were in revolt then, as they drew closer, of Maxim
against British-supported Egyptian guns and rifles. As infantry were to
rule, and had killed Gordon in 1885 find during the carnage of World
at Khartoum; tactically, Britain also War I, an advance into such density
wanted to deter the ambitions of of fire from these new weapons was
the rival French in Sudan. near-suicidal. Not a single warrior
Kitchener’s army of 8,000 British reached the defensive line.
and 18,000 Egyptian troops advanced
down the Nile, accompanied by river RIFLES AND DISCIPLINE
gunboats carrying supplies and heavy The majority of the Mahdist forces,
equipment and providing extra however, remained in concealed
firepower. The land forces were positions around the Anglo-Egyptian
equipped with field artillery as well camp. When Kitchener’s troops
as 40 Maxim guns, each capable of left their defensive perimeter and
firing 600 rounds per minute. The advanced over the body-strewn
infantry, meanwhile, carried the latest ground toward Omdurman, they
Lee Metford and Lee Enfield rifles, entered a trap. The 21st Lancers, with
rapid-fire bolt-action weapons with young war correspondent Winston
box magazines. Some of the riverborne Churchill in their ranks, inadvertently
guns were also provided with shells rode into the midst of several thousand
containing Lyddite, a new high Mahdists hidden in a dry streambed,
explosive that would later be used and suffered 61 casualties. Potentially
in World War I. more serious was the fate of General
The Mahdist leader Khalifa Abdullah Hector Macdonald’s infantry brigade,
al-Taashi waited at Omdurman, near caught in the open by some 15,000
Khartoum. About one-third of his Mahdists emerging from hiding, but
army of over 50,000 men had rifles, the 3,000-strong brigade held off the
though often without adequate or attackers with disciplined rifle fire
appropriate ammunition. The rest until reinforcements arrived.
relied on spears and swords, still Kitchener’s forces advanced
perfectly serviceable weapons at a relentlessly on Omdurman while it
time when European infantry still was bombarded with Lyddite shells.
practiced the bayonet charge. By the end of the day the remnants
On September 1, British cavalry of the Mahdist army had withdrawn,
scouts made contact with the Mahdist and the town was in British hands.
army. Kitchener took up a defensive Around 10,000 Mahdists died,
position on the bank of the Nile, with compared with only 48 Anglo-
his infantry in the center and cavalry Egyptian troops—a striking display
on the flanks. At dawn the following of the killing power of European
day some 8,000 Mahdist warriors, military technology.