IT Miniatures

20mm Senussi revolt

Lancashire games have forwarded a selection of models from their IT Miniatures, 20mm World War 1 range for review. These though are very different from the normal Western Front Tommy and Fritz selection. These are combatants from what some may think of as a sideshow from the main theatre of war, but which caused serious problems to the Allies, threatening the security of the Suez Canal, The Senussi Revolt.

The Senussi Revolt

On November 14th, 1915, Arab tribesmen, supporters of the powerful Senussi movement, opened fire at a British-Egyptian border post at As-Sallum. This relatively small ( the Turks provided uniforms and equipment for 7000 men, supplemented by others with their own weapons), but experienced force then advanced east to attack Sidi Barrani. This Arab revolt was planned and promoted by the Turkish government, who hoped that it would tie down British and Italian troops in North Africa.

IT's new Senussi range from Lancashire Games

The Commander of British Forces in Egypt, General Sir John Maxwell, was forced to divert troops from the Suez Canal to defend the Nile Delta from attack. Maxwell created a mobile formation, called the Western Desert Task Force, to combat the Senussi. It included an armoured car detachment (engaging in the first full scale military deployment of these vehicles), supported by a small number of camel-mounted units and several mounted Yeomanry Regiments this mobile force was rapidly ordered west to quell the rebellious tribesmen.

The Senussi were familiar with the desert terrain, and hardened by generations of tribal feuding to hit and run warfare. The Senussi were able to cause the Allies considerable problems, and eventually over 100,000 British French and Italian troops were engaged in tracking down some 10,000 tribesmen. In a series of running battles, including that at Wadi Majid on Christmas Day 1915 and at Halazin on January 23 1916, they inflicted hundreds of casualties on the British Task Force before melting away into the desert.

Scenery by S and A Scenics

On 26 February 1916, however, the Task Force captured the Turkish commander of the Senussi Division, Jafar Pasha, at the Battle of Agagiya. Without his leadership, the revolt quickly declined to almost nothing with the rebels coming to terms with the Allies in early 1917 .

The Figures

The models themselves are as usual from this prolific manufacturer well detailed, if not quite up to the finely detailed models of say the AB range of 15mms. However at the remarkably reasonable prices charged for them, these little beauties are an absolute bargain.

 The Senussi models feature tribesmen in long flowing robes, that may also be used for actions against the French Foreign legion or Italian Colonial forces.  Those wearing Turkish issue uniforms may also be used in the Palestine campaign, arab revolt or in later actions during the interwar years.

Opposing the tribesmen, the IT range now includes a range of  Sikh  troops to supplement the allies in the existing range. As can be seen from the accompanying photographs the models paint up extremely well, and come highly recommended.

D Carr

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