SPAIN French Operations in Morocco 1907-1908 · ALGERIA MOROCCO SPAIN Bou Denib French Operations in Morocco 1907-1908 Chaouia Beni Snassen Upper (Haut) Guir

ALGERIA

MOROCCO

SPAIN

Bou Denib

French Operations in Morocco 1907-1908

Chaouia Beni Snassen

Upper (Haut) Guir

Colomb-Bechar

Bou-Denib

ALGERIA

MOROCCO

Figuig/Beni Ounif

Menabha

French Operations, Southeastern Morocco, 1908

(French Forward Bases)

Dairs Saba

Menabha ALGERIA

MOROCCO

Menabha, Algeria 15 April, 1908 • Three French columns sent out to look for suspected harka of Moulai ou Lhassen, the leader of a religious rebellion begun in 1907. • French encampment (600 troops & cavalry) at Menabha overrun in surprise attack by 4,000 dissident tribesmen (Ait Izdig, Ait Segrushin, Ait Aysha) • Camp included Legionnaires from 24th Mounted 1RE, 2 RE • Losses were 19 Killed, 101 Wounded as well as weapons and supplies • Attack inspires more recruits to join the Lhassen harka

Bou Denib

ALGERIA

MOROCCO Ain Sefra

Menabha

Dairs Saba

Dairs Saba, Algeria • General Vigny, Commander of the Ain Sefra Territory, gathers leads reaction force of 5,000 to avenge French losses at Menabha but fails to find harka • 5 May: Vigny column attacks the zouia (headquarters) of Moulai ou Lhassen, the leader of the rebellion, at Dairs Saba but does not capture the holy man. • 8 May: French receive reports of large gathering of tribesmen at Bou Denib • Vigney moves his forces east to Bouanan pass for resupply then hooks back west to Bou Denib, arriving 13 May

Bou Denib

Guir River

Tazzouguerte

-------------The Djorf Hammada------------

French Operations, Haut Guir, May-Sep 1908

Ruines of Ksar De Farouz

Ksar De Beni-Ouzien

Palm Tree Oasis

Marabout De Si-Daoud-Youb

13-16 May, Bou Denib, Algeria • General Vigny arrives east of Bou Denib 13 May with 24th Mounted Co. (Legion), Algerian Tirailleurs, Chasseur’s D’Afrique and Artillery • Approx. 6,000 tribesmen defending palm forest & village • Initial attack on palmerie fails to dislodge defenders; multiple casualties in 24th Mounted, 1 RE. Artillery used to little effect . • 14 May, attack resumes. Ksar shelled. French advance succeeds and tribesmen seen fleeing north west to their camps about a mile west • 15 May French occupy village and Ksar

(Redoute not built yet!)

Legionnaire, 2RE Turco (Algerian Tirailleur)

Berber Dissidents

Map of Bou Denib from French Engineer Journal (Revue Du Genie - Février 1909)

May 15th to August 25th

French Command decides to position a garrison Bou Denib to facilitate operations in Morocco.

• Construction begins on a walled encampment on the flat land north of the Guir that will become the main base for the garrison (The Redoubt) • Construction also begins on a fortified position on a prominent Gara (hill) south of the river that over looks the entire area and can provide advance warning to the garrison (provisioned with a telescope) (The Blockhaus) • The existing Goum (local police) tower was reinforced with trenches, wire, widened firing ports, stronger doors and a repaired outer wall. (Goum Tower) • An officer and 80 (Legion & Turco) men were also positioned in the Ksar to stiffen up the local resistance (and as a subtle reminder that they recently swore peace with the French. (Ksar) • Communications between the Redoubt and the Blockhaus were established by Telegraph Optique as well as with Colomb Bechar through as series of relays starting at Bou-Anan. Telephones were used between the Ksar and the Redoubt.

PICTURES OF THE BOU DENIB AREA OF OPERATIONS

• The Ksar De Beni-Ouzien. This is the larger of two old walled towns (fortresses) located in the midst of the palm forest. (Slides 12-16) • Ksar De Farouz. This is a smaller walled structure to the south of the palm forest that has fallen into disrepair. (Slide 17) • Goum Tower. This tower was present before the French took over Bou Denib. It was reinforced and integrated into the French defensive plan. (Slides 18-21) • Marabout de Si Daoud-Youb. This was a prominent local structure (actually a tomb of a local holy man) located 200m east of the Ksar. (Slides 22-24) • Palmerie & River. This is the palm forest located all round the two Ksars. It is heavily irrigated and cultivated and crisscrossed with roads, walls, houses, bermns, and structures. It is also inhabited by many locals. (Slides 25-29) • The Redoubt. This was a hasty construction built in the months of May, June, July and August of 1908. It was not attacked in September but utilized to provide effective artillery support to the beseiged garrison in the Blockhaus. (Slides 30-43) • The Blockhaus (Pictures and description of this position as well as the combat that took place there is contained in Part 2) • The Village. The French garrison was relieved by COL Alix and the tribesmen were finally defeated on the 7th of September 1908. From then on Bou Denib had a permanent garrison and construction of a “model” town began. These pictures depict the town as it appeared after 1908. See Part 3)

Ksar De Beni-Ouzien, Bou Denib





Ksar De Farouz (South of Bou Denib)

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 - Septembre 1909)

Marabout (200m east of the Ksar)



Palm Forest (Palmerie) south of the Guir River

Palm Forest (Palmerie) at Bou Denib



The Palmerie and Oued Guir at Bou Denib

The Redoubt at Bou Denib (SW corner)

Machinegun Towers

Plan of the Redoubt at Bou Denib as of 12 July 1908.

Crenellated walls built 2.5m to 3.5m high.

The Redoubt at Bou Denib (notice the optical telegraph)

Interior of the Redoubt at Bou Denib









75mm Cannons inside the Redoubt at Bou Denib

“Poste De Telegraphie Optique”

This simple device allowed for communications across great distances in North Africa. It utilized a powerful light to signal code back and forth

between positions and sometimes between separate posts. It was utilized to great effect during the fighting at

Bou Denib.

Guarding prisoners taken 15 May 1908 at Bou Denib

SPAIN French Operations in Morocco 1907-1908 · ALGERIA MOROCCO SPAIN Bou Denib French Operations in Morocco 1907-1908 Chaouia Beni Snassen Upper (Haut) Guir

Documents