THIS DAY IN HISTORY: 29th March 1885

THIS DAY IN HISTORY: 29th March 1885 - A military contingent arrived in Sudan from New South Wales, Australia, to bolster the British army fighting a war against a rebellious Mahdist army resisting colonial domination in Sudan.

Sudan had been governed by an Egyptian administration since an invasion led by Muhammad Ali in 1819. Egypt was its self was a de facto British protectorate and its rule in Sudan was supported by the British. Because of heavy taxes and other forms of repression, the majority of Sudanese people experienced extreme hardship under the Egyptian administration.

Resistance came through the leadership of a Muslim cleric, Muhammad Ahmad who began attracting a large number of followers by advocating liberation of the land and protection of the faith. In 1881 Ahmad proclaimed himself Mahdi, redeemer of the Islamic world, and openly challenged Egyptian domination in Sudan. The Egyptian governor of Sudan ordered the arrest of Ahmad but attempts were unsuccessful. Ahmad instead led an army in a war that was initially fought against the Egyptians. But as the Mahdists, as they came to be known, gained ground a former Governor General of Sudan, Charles Gordon, returned to the country to lead British forces with the overt objective of crushing the Sudanese fighters.

Gordon was killed on 26th January 1885 in the battle of Khartoum. When news of the death of Gordon reached Australia the colony of New South Wales offered to send a contingent to Sudan to serve alongside the British forces.

The contingent set sail from Sydney on 3rd March 1885 but Australia's involvement in the Sudan conflict was short lived. By the time the contingent arrived in Sudan the war was all but over and Australian soldiers saw little action.

The British eventually decided to abandon attempts to defeat the Mahdists in May 1885, and after seven weeks the Australian troops set sail, arriving back in Sydney on 19th June 1885. Victorious Mahdi Ahmad became ruler of most of Sudan, but died in June 1885, soon after his victory. Sudan however maintained independent sovereignty for several years until 1898 when Egypt, aided by the British, reconquered Sudan. The British established a new Anglo-Egyptian administration, which effectively made Sudan a colonial dependency until independence in 1956. However, the colonial administration had sown seeds of division leading up to independence which would germinate into bitter conflict and hostility between north and south Sudan.

The battle of Khartoum was made into a movie in 1966 staring Charlton Heston with a distorted "Hollywoodise" perception of the history of Sudan. I have not posted the movie here (those with interest can do a separate search). Instead this video looks at history which underpins and impacts on present day Sudan:

Amma Fosuah
"Always bear in mind that people are not fighting for ideas, for the things in anyone's head. They are fighting to win material benefits to live better and in peace, to see their lives go forward, to guarantee the future of their children." Amilcar Cabral