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Anglo-Egyptian War
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The Second Anglo-Egyptian War or the 1882 Anglo-Egyptian War occurred in 1882 between Urabi Forces, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
ng the Alexandria expedition of 1807 Britain sought to replace Muhammed Ali with a puppet ruler favorable to British interests. Britain invaded with nearly 5,000 troops on March 17, 1807, led by General Alexander Mackenzie-Fraser, and seized the city of Alexandria.
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Encyclopedia
The Second Anglo-Egyptian War or the 1882 Anglo-Egyptian War occurred in 1882 between Urabi Forces, and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.
Developments before war
During the Alexandria expedition of 1807 Britain sought to replace Muhammed Ali with a puppet ruler favorable to British interests. Britain invaded with nearly 5,000 troops on March 17, 1807, led by General Alexander Mackenzie-Fraser, and seized the city of Alexandria. British forces suffered severe supply difficulties and were forced to evacuate Egypt on September 25.
Urabi forces wanted to end Western influence in the country after huge debts had politically destabilised the Khedive.
European governments sought to restore stability in order to protect their private investments.
During the summer of 1882 an international conference of European nations met in Istanbul. Ottoman sultan Abdul Hamid boycotted it, and would not send troops to Egypt. No agreement was reached at the conference. The British then decided to engage alone, and the French then withdrew their navy regiment from Alexandria.
Beginning of War
A British fleet bombarded Alexandria from July 11-13, followed by British marines occupying it. Much of the city was destroyed by fires that broke out as a result of the bombardment. The British then installed the Khedive Tawfiq, who declared Urabi a rebel and took away his political rights.
Urabi response
Urabi then counteracted by obtaining a fatwa, which was authorized by Al Azhar shaykhs which stated that Tawfiq was a traitor who brought on the occupation of Egypt by a foreign nation and stated that he betrayed his religion. Urabi also ordered conscription and he declared war on the United Kingdom.
British Expeditionary Force
British army tried to reach Cairo through Alexandria but was stopped for five weeks at Kafr-el-Dawwar.
In August, a British army of over 40,000, commanded by Garnet Wolseley, invaded the Suez Canal Zone. He was authorized to destroy Urabi's forces and clear the country of all other rebels.
Its order of battle was:
British Expeditionary Force
1st Division (Lt Gen GHS Willis)
1st (Guards) Infantry Brigade (Maj Gen HRH The Duke of Connaught)
- 2nd Battalion, Grenadier Guards
- 2nd Battalion, Coldstream Guards
- 1st Battalion, Scots Guards
2nd Infantry Brigade (Maj Gen Gerald Graham)
- 1st Battalion, The Buffs (Royal West Kent)
- 1st Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria’s)
- 2nd Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria’s)
- 2nd Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment
Divisional Troops
- 19th Hussars (2 Sqns)
- 2nd Battalion, Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry
- A Battery, 1st Field Brigade, Royal Artillery
- D Battery, 1st Field Brigade, Royal Artillery
- 24 Field Company, Royal Engineers
- 12 Company, Army Commissariat and Transport Corps
- 1 Bearer Company, Army Hospital Corps (Half)
- 3 Field Hospital, Army Hospital Corps
2nd Division (Lt Gen Sir Edward Hamley)
3rd (Highland) Infantry Brigade (Maj Gen Sir Edward Alison)
- 2nd Battalion, Highland Light Infantry
- 1st Battalion, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders)
- 1st Battalion, Cameron Highlanders
- 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders
4th Infantry Brigade (Maj Gen Sir Evelyn Wood VC)
- 1st Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment
- 1st Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment (Princess Charlotte’s)
- 1st Battalion, South Staffordshire Regiment
- 1st Battalion, King’s Shropshire Light Infantry
Divisional Troops
- 19th Hussars (2 Sqns)
- 3rd Battalion, King’s Royal Rifle Corps
- I Battery, 2nd Field Brigade, Royal Artillery
- N Battery, 2nd Field Brigade, Royal Artillery
- 26 Field Company, Royal Engineers
- 11 Company, Army Commissariat and Transport Corps
- 2 Bearer Company, Army Hospital Corps (Half)
- 4 Field Hospital, Army Hospital Corps
- 5 Field Hospital, Army Hospital Corps
Indian Contingent (Maj Gen Sir Herbert Macpherson VC)
- 1st Battalion, Manchester Regiment
- 1st Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders
- 7th Bengal Infantry
- 20th Punjab Infantry
- 29th Baluch Infantry
- 7 (Mountain) Battery, Northern Division, Royal Garrison Artillery
- (plus their own Commissariat, Engineers etc.)
Cavalry Division (Maj Gen Drury Curzon Drury Lowe)
1st (Heavy) Cavalry Brigade (Brig Gen Sir Baker Creed Russell)
- Household Cavalry Regiment (1 Sqn each from the 1st Life Guards, 2nd Life Guards and Royal Horse Guards)
- 4th Dragoon Guards
- 7th Dragoon Guards
2nd (Bengal) Cavalry Brigade (Brig Gen HC Wilson)
- 2nd Bengal Cavalry
- 6th Bengal Cavalry
- 13th Bengal Lancers
Division Troops
- N Battery, 1 Horse Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery
- Mounted Infantry Battalion (formed from Mounted Coys of line infantry battalions)
- 17 Company, Army Commissariat and Transport
- 6 Field Hospital, Army Hospital Corps
Army Troops
- Naval Brigade
- Battalion, Royal Marine Light Infantry
- G Battery, 2nd Horse Brigade, Royal Horse Artillery
- F Battery, 1st Field Brigade, Royal Field Artillery
- H Battery, 1st Field Brigade, RFA
- C Battery, 3rd Field Brigade, RFA
- J Battery, 3rd Field Brigade, RFA
- T Battery, 3rd Field Brigade, RFA
- Royal Marine Artillery
- 1 Battery, London Division, Royal Garrison Artillery
- 4 Battery, London Division, RGA
- 5 Battery, London Division, RGA
- 5 Battery, Scottish Division, RGA
- 6 Battery, Scottish Division, RGA
Army Train
- A (Bridging) Troop, Royal Engineers
- C (Telegraph) Troop, RE
- Railway Troop, RE
- 8 Field Company, RE
- 17 Field Company, RE
- 18 Field Company, RE
- A Company, Queen’s Own Madras Sappers and Miners
- I Company, QOMS&M
- 8 Company, Army Commissariat and Transport Corps
- 15 Company, ACT Corps
- Auxiliary Company, ACT Corps
- 2 Bearer Company, Army Hospital Corps
- 1 Field Hospital, AHC
- 3 Field Hospital, AHC
- 7 Field Hospital, AHC
- 8 Field Hospital, AHC
Battle of Tel el-Kebir
This important battle was fought on September 13, 1882. The Urabi forces were routed and the capital was captured. Khedive power was then restored as the authority of Egypt.
Trial of Urabi
A khedivial court had initially sentenced Urabi to death. However the British intervened and the sentence was changed to exile to Ceylon. His associates were also put on trial.
British occupation
British troops then occupied Egypt until the Anglo-Egytpian Treaty of 1922 and Anglo-Egyptian Treaty of 1936, giving gradual control back to the government of Egypt. By 1936, Egypt had full 'independence', but the King remained something of a British 'puppet' figure, whilst the British retained control of the Suez Canal Zone, from which they withdrew in 1956 after 72 years.
See also
Sources
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