This is the littleknown story of General William Earle and the Battle of Kirbekan fought between the British and the Mahdists in Sudan 1885.

Join my Supporter's Club.
https://www.thehistorychap.com/suppor...


Related videos:

The Gordon Relief Expedition
   • The Nile Expedition to rescue General...  

The Battle of Abu Klea
   • The Battle of Abu Klea 1885 | British...  

The Battle of El Teb
   • The Battle of El Teb 1884  Mahdist W...  

The Battle of Tamai
   • The Battle of Tamai 1884 | British M...  

The Second Suakin Expedition
   • The Second Suakin Expedition 1885 | T...  

Charles Gordon
   • General Charles Gordon (Part 1   Chi...  

The video was inspired by the statue of William Earle outside St. Georg'es Hall in Liverpool.
Earle, the son of a Liverpool merchant by the cracking name of Hardman Earle, was born in 1833.

Turning his back on the family business he joined the British army, serving in the Crimean War and the Egyptian Campaign of 1882, ending up with the rank of MajorGeneral.

In 1884, MajorGeneral Earle was put in command of the River Column during the Gordon Rescue Expedition in Sudan.

His (& the column's) only action was at the battle of Kirrbekan on the 10th February 1885.

Here his force, which included battalions from the South Staffordshire Regiment and the Black Watch, stormed three hills occupied by a Mahdist army.
Despite fierce resistance they took the hills and trapped the Mahdist army in a pincer movement.

During the battle, MajorGeneral William Earle was killed whilst leading his troops up one of the hills.

he was buried by the banks of the river Nile.
Back in his hometown of Liverpool, a statue was erected in his honour.
This statue to the Scouse General can still be seen outside St. George's Hall in the city centre.



#battleofkirbekan #generalearle #britisharmy

Chapters
0:00 Introduction
1:16 Gordon Relief Expedition
4:00 MajorGeneral William Earle
5:45 River Nile Column
8:19 Facing the Mahdist Army
9:44 Battle of Kirbekan
11:35 Bayonet Charge
12:55 British Victory
14:44 Death of General Earle
15:22 End of River Column
17:40 Coming Next
18:03 The History Chap

Sources used to produce this video include: "The Victorian Soldier in Africa" Edward M Spiers (Manchester University Press), The Daily Telegraph, Reuters, The Standard, Wikimedia Commons, Shutterstock.

Follow me at:
www.thehistorychap.com
Instagram:https://bit.ly/3iySrAj
Facebook:https://bit.ly/37IUfkH
   / thehistorychap  

My name is Chris Green and I love to share stories from British history. Not just because they are interesting but because, good or bad, they have shaped the world we live in today.

History should not be stuffy or a long list of dates or kings & queens.
So rather than lectures or Youtube animations, I tell stories that bring the past to life.

My aim is to be chat as if I were having a coffee or meal with you. Jean in Maryland, USA recently wrote: "Chris, is the history teacher I wish I had at school!"

Just for the record, I do have a history degree in Medieval & Modern history from the University of Birmingham.

Disclaimer: All opinions and comments expressed in the 'Comments' section do not reflect the opinions of Chris Green Communication Ltd t/a The History Chap. All opinions and comments should contribute to the dialogue. Chris Green Communication Ltd does not condone written attacks, insults, racism, sexism, extremism, violence or otherwise questionable comments or material in the 'Comments' section, and reserves the right to delete any comment violating this rule or to block any poster from the channel.