Dul Madoba

Dul Madoba (Somali: Dulmadoobe) is a hill ridge 40 kilometres (25 mi) southeast of Burao in Somaliland. It was also the location of a famous battle in which the Dervishes won a victory against the British, and wherein Ibraahin Xoorane (English: Ibrahim Hoorane) killed Richard Corfield. A native Somali account of the battle is found in the poem Annagoo Taleex naal.

Ibraahin Xoorane and Corfield[]

Dervish veterans of the Dul Madoba battle have claimed that Ibraahin Xoorane (English: Ibrahim Hoorane) killed Richard Corfield: ^[1]

Koofil waxa hadal ugu dambeeyey ‘Bes! Bes! Bes!’ ujeeddaduna tahay ‘Iga daa’ ... Hase ahaatee waxa la weriyey inuu diley Darwiish la oran jirey Ibraahin Xoorane

Corfield's last words were 'bes, bes, bes,' by which was meant 'leave me'. Nonetheless, it was reported that the killing was carried out by a Darawiish by the name of Ibraahin Xoorane

The colonial version of events leading to the death of Richard Corfield at the hands of Ibraahin Xoorane (English: Ibrahim Hoorane) is as follows: ^[2]

Corfield, who throughout had been in the thickest of the fight, made a gallant effort to get the feed block out ; and it was then, about 7.15 a.m., that he was shot through the head and died instantly. As a well-known Somali remarked on hearing the news of his death, " Better a thousand Somalis had died than Corfield Sahib : for where shall we find another Corfield ?
— Douglas Jardine

The Darawiish artillery commander who provided cover for Xoorane to shoot was Axmed Xasan Aarey:

Qolo saddexaadna waxay sheegeen waxa diley Aaray oo rakuubkiisii iyo salabkiisiiba furtay

A third party statement states that the artillery fire by Aarey paved the way for the hit.

Prelude[]

The Dervish attack on Corfields battalion was initiated by 5 Dervish divisions, namely Shiikhyaale, Taargooye, Golaweyne, Miinanle and Ragxun each with its own commander whilst, the sayyids brother Yusuf led them collectively. The largest battalion, shiikhyaale was commanded by Ismail Mire.^[3] In the late 1960s, Ahmed Farah Ali idajaa interviewed a dervish veteran called ina Nur Boos. In the audio recorded interview, dervish veteran ina Nur Boos, states that the person who fired the bullet which killed Corfield was Xirsi Cartan, of the Jama Siad Dhulbahante. The veteran stated that dervishes suffered 350 fatalities and named the other dervish commanders as Abdi Nur Hedik and Warsame Cali Gulaydh, and Xersi Jeedlade, all Maxamud Garad Dhulbahante.

Battle[]

British camel troopers in 1913, between Berbera and Odweyne in British Somaliland.

The battle took place on 4 August 1913, between 110 men of the Camel Constabulary of British Somaliland and 300 Dhulbahante tribesmen, commanded by Colonel Richard Corfield, and some 2,750 well-armed Dervish followers of the emir of Diiriye Guure,^[4] namely Mohammed Abdullah Hassan, nicknamed by the British as the Mad Mullah. Thirty-six of the Constabulary including Corfield were killed in action and 21 were wounded. Many of the Dervishes were also killed or wounded.^[5]

References[]

^ Taariikhdii daraawiishta iyo Sayid Maxamad Cabdille Xasan, Jaamac Cumar Ciise · 2005 , PAGE 275
^ Battersby, Henry Francis (1914). "Richard Corfield of Somaliland".
^ Omar Isse, Jama (1976). Taariikhda Darawiishta. Daraawiishtu waxay u kala socotey shan madax oo kala ahaa Shiikhyaale, Taargooye, Golweyne, Miinanle iyo Ragxun... waliba wuxuu lahaa ammaanduule gaar ah, korna waxa magacu u saarnaa Sayidka walaalkiis Yuusuf
^ Omar, Mohamed (2001). The Scramble in the Horn of Africa. p. 402. This letter is sent by all the Dervishes, the Amir, and all the Dolbahanta to the Ruler of Berbera ... We are a Government, we have a Sultan, an Amir, and Chiefs, and subjects ... (reply) In his last letter the Mullah pretends to speak in the name of the Dervishes, their Amir (himself), and the Dolbahanta tribes. This letter shows his object is to establish himself as the Ruler of the Dolbahanta
^ Irons, Roy (4 November 2013). Churchill and the Mad Mullah of Somaliland: Betrayal and Redemption 1899-1921 p.156. ISBN 9781783463800.

Bartholet, Jeffrey. It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World, Newsweek, Oct. 12, 2009, pp. 43–47.
Battersby, Henry Francis Prevost. Richard Corfield of Somaliland (1914), ASIN: B000WFUQT8.
Jardine, Douglas. The Mad Mullah of Somaliland.
Skoulding, F.A. With 'Z' Unit in Somaliland, RAF Quarterly 2, no.3, (July 1931), pp. 387–396.

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[1] Taariikhdii daraawiishta iyo Sayid Maxamad Cabdille Xasan, Jaamac Cumar Ciise · 2005 , PAGE 275

[2] Battersby, Henry Francis (1914). "Richard Corfield of Somaliland".

[3] Omar Isse, Jama (1976). Taariikhda Darawiishta. Daraawiishtu waxay u kala socotey shan madax oo kala ahaa Shiikhyaale, Taargooye, Golweyne, Miinanle iyo Ragxun... waliba wuxuu lahaa ammaanduule gaar ah, korna waxa magacu u saarnaa Sayidka walaalkiis Yuusuf

[scr-4] Omar, Mohamed (2001). The Scramble in the Horn of Africa. p. 402. This letter is sent by all the Dervishes, the Amir, and all the Dolbahanta to the Ruler of Berbera ... We are a Government, we have a Sultan, an Amir, and Chiefs, and subjects ... (reply) In his last letter the Mullah pretends to speak in the name of the Dervishes, their Amir (himself), and the Dolbahanta tribes. This letter shows his object is to establish himself as the Ruler of the Dolbahanta

[5] Irons, Roy (4 November 2013). Churchill and the Mad Mullah of Somaliland: Betrayal and Redemption 1899-1921 p.156. ISBN 9781783463800.

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