Private Robert Gosling and the 20th (Service) Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps (British Empire League Pioneers)

When you are an amateur military historian who is married to a genealogist, the grave of a soldier can sometimes start you both off on a trail to find out more about that person. Private Robert Gosling’s gravestone next to the wall of St Nicholas Church, Plumstead, is an example of this … and this is what we found.

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Private Robert Gosling originally joined the 20th (Service) Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps (British Empire League Pioneers) (Service Number R/19937) before transferring to the Motor Transport Division of the Army Service Corps on 12th February 1918. His ASC Service Number was M/376132, and his family home was 30 Speranza Street, which is less than half a mile from the church. He was awarded the Victory Medal and the British War Medal.

Robert Gosling was born in 1889 in Plumstead and was the son of Robert Gosling (approximately 1840 to 9th March 1912) and Mary Ann Kesteven (1849 to 1934). His father was a metalworker in the Royal Arsenal (he gives his trade as being a metal annealer) and Robert was also a worker in the Royal Arsenal before he joined the army.

Robert Gosling Snr. had been married before to Mary Ann Sowery, but she had died in 1880 and been buried in the churchyard of St Nicholas Church, Plumstead. At the time the family (seven children and Mary Ann's mother) was living in White Hart Place, Plumstead.

Mary Ann Kesteven had also been previously married to Thomas Potter (who was also a worker in the Royal Arsenal) and who died in 1883, and who was also buried at St Nicholas Church.

Robert Gosling Snr. was living with Mary Ann Potter at the time of the 1891 Census at 154 High Street Plumstead. By then they had two children, Ethel (born 1888) and Robert (born 1889). In 1901 were living in Saunders Road, which is around the corner from Speranza Street. By 1911 Robert Gosling Snr. was a Royal Arsenal pensioner, Ethel had left home, and Robert Gosling Jnr. was a boilermaker. Robert Gosling Snr. died in 1912 and was buried in the churchyard of St Nicholas Church.

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The British Empire League was set up in 1895 by Lord Avebury, Field Marshal Frederick Sleigh Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts, and Lord Strathcona and Mount Royal. Its primary purpose was to promote the unity of the British Empire. In April 1915 it raised the 17th (Service) Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps (British Empire League), and by August it had recruited so many additional volunteers that it was able to form the 20th (Service) Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps (British Empire League Pioneers).

The badge of the King's Royal Rifle Corps.

The latter battalion began its training in Green Park in Central London, and in February 1916 it moved to Wellingborough to complete its training with the 23rd Reserve Brigade. Towards the end of March the battalion was sent to France, where it joined 20th (Light) Division near Poperinge.

In May 1916 the battalion transferred to the 3rd Division, and it remained the division's Pioneer battalion until the end of the war. During that period it took part in the following battles:

• The Actions of the Bluff and St Eloi Craters
• The Battle of the Somme
• The Battle of Albert
• The Battle of Bazentin Ridge
• The Battle of Delville Wood
• The Battle of the Ancre
• The Battle of Arras
• The First Battle of the Scarpe
• The Second Battle of the Scarpe
• The Third Battle of the Scarpe
• The Battle of Arleux
• The Third Battle of Ypres
• The Battle of the Menin Road
• The Battle of Polygon Wood
• The German Spring Offensive
• The Hundred Days Offensive
• The Battle of Amiens
• The Second Battle of Bapaume
• The Second Battle of Cambrai
• The Battle of Lys
• The Battle of the Hindenberg Line
• The Battle of the Selle

The 3rd Division was chosen to form part of the Allied Occupation of the Rhineland and 20th (Service) Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps (British Empire League Pioneers) crossed into Germany frontier on 11th December, and reached Düren near Cologne on 19th December.

In February 1919 the battalion transferred to the 2nd Division, ceased to be Pioneers, and became a standard infantry battalion. The following month the British part of the Allied Occupation force was renamed the British Army of the Rhine and the 2nd Division was converted into the Light Division, with 20th (Service) Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corp​ (BEL) forming part of the 1st Light Brigade.

In November 1919 the Light Division was abolished and the 1st Light Brigade became the Light Brigade in the Independent Division. This division was broken up in early 1920, and on 9th February 1920 the 20th (Service) Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps (BEL) was disbanded.

Dominion of the Spear and Bayonet play-test

I recently decided to play-test Steve Parker's DOMINION OF THE SPEAR AND BAYONET RULES that I reviewed at the beginning of the month.

The first thing that I did was to create a suitable gridded battlefield on the back of one of my spare 30cm square 6mm-thick cork tiles. As my 15mm figures are mounted on 40mm-wide bases and none are deeper than 40mm, I decided to to make each of the sector grid areas 50mm x 50mm. The end result looked like this:

I then chose two armies from the army lists that are included in the rules.

Mahdist War (1881 - 1899 AD)

• Mahdist (1881 to 1899):
• 1 x Skirmishers (Baggara Arab cavalry armed with muskets and spears)
• 1 x Elite spearmen (Hadendowah Beja tribesmen)
• 1 x Elite line infantry (Jihadiyya riflemen)
• 1 x Ambushers (Ansar spearmen on foot)
• 1 x Skirmishers (Ansar with bows or old firearms on foot)
• Egyptians (1882 to 1885):
• 1 x Cavalry (Dragoons)
• 1 x Line infantry (Sudanese)
• 2 x Line infantry (Conscripts)
• 1 x Spearmen (Sudanese native levies or auxiliaries)
• 1 x Artillery (old cannons)

The Mahdist Army.

The Egyptian Army.

(The figures I used came from my 15mm Belle Époque collection.)

Background and Initial Positions

As the power of the Mahdists increased across the Sudan, the Egyptians decided to mount a punitive military expedition against them in the hope that it would stop a full-scale revolt in its tracks. They selected retired British Army Major Archibald Higgs to lead the expedition, and gave him the rank of Pasha. Having gathered his troops together at Jakdun Wells, he set off across the desert to find and fight the Mahdists.

Three days after setting out, the Egyptians were passing through an area of scrubland near a plateau when the Mahdists attacked them. (During the battle the Mahdists were the attackers and the Egyptians were the defenders.)

Turn 1

The Mahdist Baggara Arab cavalry skirmishers attacked the Egyptian Dragoon cavalry in the left sector. Both sides threw a D6 die and scored 4 and 2 respectively. As a result, the fighting was indecisive.

In reply, the 1st Egyptian line infantry attacked the Mahdist Ansar skirmishers in the centre sector. Both sides threw a D6 die, and scored 3 and 4 respectively. As a result, the fighting was indecisive.

Turn 2

The Mahdist Baggara Arab cavalry skirmishers attacked the Egyptian Dragoon cavalry in the left sector for a second time. Both sides threw a D6 die and scored 1 and 2 respectively. As a result, the fighting was indecisive.

In reply, the Egyptian Sudanese spearmen attacked the Mahdist Ansar ambushers in the right sector. Both sides threw a D6 and scored 3 and 4 respectively. As a result, the fighting was indecisive.

Turn 3

The Mahdist Baggara Arab cavalry skirmishers attacked the Egyptian Dragoon cavalry in the left sector for a third time. Both sides threw a D6 die and scored 3 and 5 respectively. As a result, the Mahdist Baggara Arab cavalry skirmishers were destroyed ...

... and replaced by the Mahdist Elite Jihadiyya.

In reply, the Egyptian Sudanese spearmen attacked the Mahdist Ansar spear-armed skirmishers in the right sector. Both sides threw a D6 die and scored 1 and 5 respectively. As a result, the Egyptian Sudanese spearmen were destroyed ...

... and replaced by the Egyptian Sudanese line infantry.

Turn 4

The Mahdist Elite Jihadiyya attacked the Egyptian Dragoon cavalry in the left sector. Both sides threw a D6 die and scored 3 (+1 for being Elite attackers) and 6 respectively. As a result, the Mahdist Elite Jihadiyya were destroyed ...

... and replaced by the Mahdist Elite Hadendowah spearmen.

In reply, the Egyptian 1st line infantry attacked the Ansar Arab skirmishers in the centre sector. Both sides threw a D6 die and both scored 6! As a result, both the Mahdist Jihadiyya and the Egyptian 1st line infantry were destroyed!

There were no Mahdist troops in reserve but the Egyptian 2nd Line Infantry were able to replace the Egyptian 1st line infantry.

Turn 5

The Mahdist Elite Hadendowah spearmen attacked the Egyptian Dragoon cavalry in the left sector. Both sides threw a D6 die and scored 5 (+1 for being an Elite attacker) and 2 respectively. As a result, the Egyptian Dragoon cavalry were destroyed …

… and replaced by the Egyptian Artillery.

In reply, the Egyptian Line Infantry attack the Elite Hadendowa spearmen in the flank. They throw a D6 die and score 5 (+1 for an outflanking attack). (Because the Elite Hadendowah spearmen were being attacked in the flank they were not able to fight back and did not throw a D6 die). As a result, the Elite Hadendowa spearmen were destroyed ...

... and the Mahdist force was defeated! Against the odds, Pasha Higgs had led a successful Egyptian punitive expedition against the Mahdists!

This battle took a lot less time to fight than it did to photograph and write about, and I can see myself using these rules to fight a simple campaign in a day at some time in the future.

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One thing that this simple type of battle lends it to is the narrative style of battle report. My play-test shows how the rules work, but does not impart the flavour or feel of the battle. What follows is the battle report I would have written (in the character of Higgs Pasha) had I wanted to include it in a campaign that was going to be recorded for posterity.

To his Excellency, the Governor of the Sudan

From Higgs Pasha

Sir,

In accordance with my orders to seek and bring to battle the forces of the so-called Mahdi, I assembled a small field force comprising a regiment of Dragoons, two battalions of Egyptian line infantry, a battalion of Sudanese line infantry, a battery of artillery, and a group of locally-recruited auxiliaries at Jakdun Wells.

I led my force into the desert, and after several days of fruitless searching, we approached a small plateau that seemed to dominate the surrounding area. I suspected that the Mahdists might have chosen it as a base as there appeared to be an abundant supply of water near the plateau’s base.

I sent the Dragoons forward, flanked by the by the one of the Egyptian line infantry battalions and the unit of auxiliaries. Almost at once, a large group of mounted Baggara Arabs appeared from cover and engaged the Dragoons, who gave a good account of themselves.

Seeing a host of Ansar spearmen behind the mounted Arabs, the Egyptian line infantry engaged them with somewhat ineffective rifle fire.

Whilst the two mounted forces continued fighting, the Sudanese auxiliaries attacked another group of Ansar that had suddenly appeared with more vigour than I would have expected of them, although the results were inconclusive.

The Dragoons finally prevailed, and the Baggara Arabs quit the field, only to be replaced by a force of Jihadiyya riflemen. By this time the Dragoons were exhausted, and the arrival of a such a fierce and aggressive enemy caused them to falter slightly … but they proved to be brave fellows and fought their new enemy with great vigour, causing them many casualties. The Mahdist unit withdrew from the fight, only to be replaced by some fearsome Hadendowah infantry.

At the same time, the Sudanese auxiliaries finally succumbed in their somewhat unequal struggle with the Ansar, only to be replaced by my steadiest unit, the Sudanese line infantry. Fighting in the centre was particularly fierce and saw both the Egyptian line infantry and the Ansar unit that was facing them mutually annihilated, but the other Egyptian line infantry unit stepped forward over the bodies of their fallen comrades to continue the fight.

This was none too soon as the hard-pressed Dragoons finally gave way, to be replaced by the Egyptian artillery battery. At this point the Egyptian line infantry proved themselves worthy of their reputation for dogged steadfastness. They enfiladed the Hadendowah with a devastating volley … and the Mahdist unit disintegrated. As only a unit of Ansar spearmen remained, victory was ours!

I remain, Sir, your obedient servant,

Archibald Higgs Pasha

Dominion of the Spear and Bayonet

Just over a month ago I wrote a review of Steve Parker's DOMINION OF THE SPEAR solo wargame rules. Since then, he has added DOMINION OF PIKE AND SHOT and now DOMINION OF THE SPEAR AND BAYONET. The latter enables players to fight Colonial battles set between 1800 and 1900 and uses the same basic design and game engine as his previous rules.

In his description of the rules, Steve states that:

‘Dominion of the Spear and Bayonet is a very, very simple set of solo wargames rules … allowing one to fight two Colonial armies … against each other in around ten minutes. They are written for the game to generate a plausible and – with some imagination – an amusing narrative. Although figures can be used, battles can easily be fought on paper (no measuring) using pen or pencil and two different coloured six sided dice. Armies consist of 3 to 6 units and a points system is included.’

There are five different types of unit:

• Line Infantry: These are infantry that fight in close formation and rely on firepower to destroy enemy units. It also includes Machine Guns.
• Ambushers: These are infantry or cavalry that attack enemy units by ambushing them.
• Skirmishers: These are infantry or cavalry who fight in a dispersed formation and rely on firepower or missile weapons to destroy enemy units. It includes European light infantry, natives or militia with firearms or bows, light cavalry with carbines or rifles, dismounted cavalry, and horse archers.
• Melee Units: These are infantry units that are armed with spears (Spearmen), bayonets (Bayonets) or cavalry. It includes infantry and cavalry that fight in close formation and rely on charging their opponents and fighting with melee weapons (e.g. spears, swords, lances, bayonets).
• Artillery: It includes all artillery (e.g. cannons, field guns, and rockets). Artillery is especially useful against troops in fortifications.

Examples of units include:

• Trained militia armed with muskets – Line Infantry (cost 2 points).
• Zulu veteran warriors – elite Spearmen (cost 3 points).
• Tribesmen firing from sangars – fortified Skirmishers (cost 3 points).
• British Highlanders infantry – elite Bayonets (cost 3 points).
• Best European infantry – elite disciplined Line Infantry (cost 4 points).

As in the previous rules, the battlefield is split into eight areas:

The booklet also includes a number of optional rules:

• Optional Artillery and Rocket Battery rules.
• Optional Alternative Activation rule.
• Optional Rallying Phase.
• Optional Unreliable Troops.

The book includes a play through of a battle between British Indian Army units (the British Chitral Relief Expedition) and Pathan tribesmen (Chitrali and other Pathani tribesmen) on the North-West Frontier, and this really helps the reader to understand how the game's mechanisms work.

The booklet also includes 122 army lists that cover the the following conflicts:

• The Second Anglo-Maratha War (1803 to 1805)
• The Bolivian War of Independence (1809 to 1825)
• The Argentine War of Independence (1810 to 1818)
• The Mexican War of Independence (1810 to 1821)
• Tecumseh’s War (1811 to 1813)
• The Fourth Xhosa War (1811 to 1812)
• The Creek War (1813 to 1814)
• The First Seminole War (1816 to 1818)
• The First Anglo Burmese War (1824 to 1826)
• The Padri War (Sumatra) (1821 to 1838)
• The First Anglo-Ashanti War (Ghana) (1823 to 1831)
• The Java War (1825 to 1830)
• The Second Seminole War (1835 to 1842)
• The First Opium War (1839 to 1842)
• The French Conquest of Algeria (1830 to 1903)
• The Mexican-Texan War (Texas War of Independence) (1835 to 1836)
• The First Anglo-Afghan War (1838 to 1842)
• The British invasion of Sindh (1843)
• The Franco-Moroccan War (1844)
• The Franco-Tahitian War (1844 to 1846)
• The First Anglo-Sikh War 1845 to 1846)
• The New Zealand Wars (1845 to 1872)
• The Mexican-American War (1846 to 1848)
• The Taiping Rebellion (1850 to 1864)
• The Anglo-Persian War (1856 to 1860)
• The Second Opium War (1856 to 1860)
• The Indian Mutiny (1857 to 1858)
• The French Intervention in Mexico (1862 to 1867)
• The Fenian Raids (1866 to 1871)
• The British Expedition to Abyssinia (Ethiopia) (1867 to 1868)
• The North-West Frontier Black Mountain Expeditions (1868. 1888, and 1891)
• The Russian Conquest of Central Asia (1866 to 1881)
• The Third Anglo-Ashanti War (1873 to 1874)
• The Aceh War (Indonesia) (1873 to 1904)
• The Great Sioux War (1876 to 1877)
• The Nez Perce War (1877)
• The Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878 to 1880)
• The Anglo-Zulu War (1879)
• The First Boer War (The Transvaal War) (1880 to 1881)
• The Belgians in the Congo (1880 onwards)
• The Mahdist War (1881 to 1899)
• The Tonkin Campaign (Northern Vietnam) and Sino-French War (1883 to 1886)
• The North-West Rebellion (1885)
• The Italo-Ethiopian Wars (1887 onwards)
• The Abushiri Revolt (Tanzania) (1888 to 1889)
• The Hehe Resistance (1891 to 1898)
• The Second Franco-Dahomean War (Benin) (1892 to 1894)
• The First Matabele War (Zimbabwe) (1893)
• The North-West Frontier Chitral Campaign (1895)
• The Conquest of Gaza (Mozambique) (1895 to 1897)
• The Cuban War of Independence (1895 to 1898)
• The North-West Frontier Tirah and Tochi Campaign (1897)
• The Spanish-American War (1898)
• The Philippine-American War (1899 to 1902)
• The Boxer Rebellion (1899 to 1901)
• The Second Boer War (1899 to 1902)

The booklet ends with suggestions for a very interesting Big Battle version of the rules and also includes a QRS (Quick Reference Sheet) on its back cover.

I have yet to try the rules, but I certainly hope to do so soon.

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DOMINION OF THE SPEAR AND BAYONET was written by Steve Parker and published in 2025 by Orc Publishing. It is available to buy online in PDF format from Wargame Vault for £4.40/$5.69.