Bou Denib Part 1 - Mon Legionnaire
Bou Denib Part 1 - Mon Legionnaire
Bou Denib Part 1 - Mon Legionnaire
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SPAIN<br />
Chaouia Beni Snassen<br />
MOROCCO<br />
<strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong><br />
ALGERIA<br />
French Operations in Morocco<br />
1907-1908<br />
Upper (Haut) Guir
Dairs Saba<br />
<strong>Bou</strong>-<strong>Denib</strong><br />
French Operations, Southeastern Morocco, 1908<br />
MOROCCO<br />
ALGERIA<br />
Menabha<br />
Colomb-Bechar<br />
Figuig/Beni Ounif<br />
(French Forward Bases)
Menabha, Algeria 15 April, 1908<br />
• Three French columns sent out to look for suspected harka of Moulai ou Lhassen,<br />
the leader of a religious rebellion begun in 1907.<br />
• French encampment (600 troops & cavalry) at Menabha overrun in surprise attack<br />
by 4,000 dissident tribesmen (Ait Izdig, Ait Segrushin, Ait Aysha)<br />
• Camp included <strong>Legionnaire</strong>s from 24th Mounted 1RE, 2 RE<br />
• Losses were 19 Killed, 101 Wounded as well as weapons and supplies<br />
• Attack inspires more recruits to join the Lhassen harka<br />
Menabha<br />
MOROCCO<br />
ALGERIA
Dairs Saba<br />
<strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong><br />
Dairs Saba, Algeria<br />
• General Vigny, Commander of the Ain Sefra Territory, gathers leads reaction force<br />
of 5,000 to avenge French losses at Menabha but fails to find harka<br />
• 5 May: Vigny column attacks the zouia (headquarters) of Moulai ou Lhassen, the<br />
leader of the rebellion, at Dairs Saba but does not capture the holy man.<br />
• 8 May: French receive reports of large gathering of tribesmen at <strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong><br />
• Vigney moves his forces east to <strong>Bou</strong>anan pass for resupply then hooks back west to<br />
<strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong>, arriving 13 May<br />
MOROCCO<br />
Menabha<br />
Ain Sefra<br />
ALGERIA
Tazzouguerte<br />
Guir River<br />
French Operations, Haut Guir, May-Sep 1908<br />
-------------The Djorf Hammada------------<br />
<strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong>
(Redoute not built yet!)<br />
Ksar De Beni-Ouzien<br />
Palm Tree Oasis<br />
Ruines of Ksar De Farouz<br />
Marabout De Si-Daoud-Youb<br />
13-16 May, <strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong>, Algeria<br />
• General Vigny arrives east of <strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong> 13 May with 24 th Mounted Co.<br />
(Legion), Algerian Tirailleurs, Chasseur’s D’Afrique and Artillery<br />
• Approx. 6,000 tribesmen defending palm forest & village<br />
• Initial attack on palmerie fails to dislodge defenders; multiple casualties<br />
in 24 th Mounted, 1 RE. Artillery used to little effect .<br />
• 14 May, attack resumes. Ksar shelled. French advance succeeds and<br />
tribesmen seen fleeing north west to their camps about a mile west<br />
• 15 May French occupy village and Ksar
Turco (Algerian Tirailleur)<br />
<strong>Legionnaire</strong>, 2RE
Berber Dissidents
Map of <strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong> from French Engineer Journal (Revue Du Genie - Février 1909)
May 15 th to August 25th<br />
French Command decides to position a garrison<br />
<strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong> to facilitate operations in Morocco.<br />
• Construction begins on a walled encampment<br />
on the flat land north of the Guir that will become<br />
the main base for the garrison (The Redoubt)<br />
• Construction also begins on a fortified position<br />
on a prominent Gara (hill) south of the river that<br />
over looks the entire area and can provide<br />
advance warning to the garrison (provisioned with<br />
a telescope) (The Blockhaus)<br />
• The existing Goum (local police) tower was<br />
reinforced with trenches, wire, widened firing<br />
ports, stronger doors and a repaired outer wall.<br />
(Goum Tower)<br />
• An officer and 80 (Legion & Turco) men were<br />
also positioned in the Ksar to stiffen up the local<br />
resistance (and as a subtle reminder that they<br />
recently swore peace with the French. (Ksar)<br />
• Communications between the Redoubt and the<br />
Blockhaus were established by Telegraph Optique<br />
as well as with Colomb Bechar through as series<br />
of relays starting at <strong>Bou</strong>-Anan. Telephones were<br />
used between the Ksar and the Redoubt.
PICTURES OF THE BOU DENIB AREA OF OPERATIONS<br />
• The Ksar De Beni-Ouzien. This is the larger of two old walled towns (fortresses) located in<br />
the midst of the palm forest. (Slides 12-16)<br />
• Ksar De Farouz. This is a smaller walled structure to the south of the palm forest that has<br />
fallen into disrepair. (Slide 17)<br />
• Goum Tower. This tower was present before the French took over <strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong>. It was<br />
reinforced and integrated into the French defensive plan. (Slides 18-21)<br />
• Marabout de Si Daoud-Youb. This was a prominent local structure (actually a tomb of a<br />
local holy man) located 200m east of the Ksar. (Slides 22-24)<br />
• Palmerie & River. This is the palm forest located all round the two Ksars. It is heavily<br />
irrigated and cultivated and crisscrossed with roads, walls, houses, bermns, and structures.<br />
It is also inhabited by many locals. (Slides 25-29)<br />
• The Redoubt. This was a hasty construction built in the months of May, June, July and<br />
August of 1908. It was not attacked in September but utilized to provide effective artillery<br />
support to the beseiged garrison in the Blockhaus. (Slides 30-43)<br />
• The Blockhaus (Pictures and description of this position as well as the combat that took<br />
place there is contained in <strong>Part</strong> 2)<br />
• The Village. The French garrison was relieved by COL Alix and the tribesmen were finally<br />
defeated on the 7 th of September 1908. From then on <strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong> had a permanent garrison<br />
and construction of a “model” town began. These pictures depict the town as it appeared<br />
after 1908. See <strong>Part</strong> 3)
Ksar De Beni-Ouzien, <strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong>
Ksar De Beni-Ouzien, <strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong>
Ksar De Beni-Ouzien, <strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong>
Ksar De Beni-Ouzien, <strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong>
Ksar De Beni-Ouzien, <strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong>
Ksar De Farouz (South of <strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong>)
Goum Tower (facing South toward Blockhaus)
Goum Tower (facing South toward Blockhaus)
Goum Tower (facing North toward Redoubt)
Goum Tower Plan (diagrams from French Engineer Journal (Revue Du Genie -<br />
Septembre 1909)
Marabout (200m east of the Ksar)
Marabout (200m east of the Ksar)
Marabout (200m east of the Ksar)
Palm Forest (Palmerie) south of the Guir River
Palm Forest (Palmerie) at <strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong>
Palm Forest (Palmerie) at <strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong>
Palm Forest (Palmerie) at <strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong>
The Palmerie and Oued Guir at <strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong>
The Redoubt at <strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong> (SW corner)
Plan of the Redoubt at <strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong> as of 12 July 1908.<br />
Machinegun<br />
Towers<br />
Crenellated walls built 2.5m to 3.5m high.
The Redoubt at <strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong> (notice the optical telegraph)
Interior of the Redoubt at <strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong>
Interior of the Redoubt at <strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong>
Interior of the Redoubt at <strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong>
Interior of the Redoubt at <strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong>
Interior of the Redoubt at <strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong>
Interior of the Redoubt at <strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong>
Interior of the Redoubt at <strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong>
Interior of the Redoubt at <strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong>
Interior of the Redoubt at <strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong>
75mm Cannons inside the Redoubt at <strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong>
“Poste De Telegraphie Optique”<br />
This simple device allowed for<br />
communications across great<br />
distances in North Africa. It<br />
utilized a powerful light to<br />
signal code back and forth<br />
between positions and<br />
sometimes between separate<br />
posts. It was utilized to great<br />
effect during the fighting at<br />
<strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong>.
Guarding prisoners taken 15 May 1908 at <strong>Bou</strong> <strong>Denib</strong>
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