French news - 1901

[Jefgte]

August 4th 1901

AT8 sloop patrolling, salute a strong Netherland fleet crossing Dover Strait.
Here are Armored Cruisers Drenthe & Flevoland
Protected Cruisers Middelburg & Antwerpen.
These ships, overloaded, enter in the Channel...

[Jefgte]

5 days later, the Dutch squadron, past Gibraltar, enter the Mediterranean sea.
August 10th
They call at Oran where troops disembarked for three days.
At the same time, four military trains pass the Belgian/French border.
They moved towards the south ...

[Jefgte]

August 10th
Avisos AT19 & AT20 leave Saigon.
They arrive in the Gulf of Aden on August 28

August 12th
Dutch military equipment, arrived in Marseilles by trains, are loaded on the transport Loing.

August 13th
AC Fleurus & La Marsailles
CP Duvallès & Dassonville
Troop Transport: Ville D'Algers & Ville D'Oran (1500 marines infantry each)
Material Transport: Loire & Yonne
Hospital ship: Alpes
Coiler Chaumont & Chambord
leave Toulon.
They include transport Loing from Marseilles.

On board of Fleurus cruiser, took place Admiral Anatole Triard de Tellière, The Wing Commander & General Eugene De Bumeau, commanding Marine Infantry.

[Jefgte]

August 15th
Off Bizerte, the French and Dutch fleets gather. Greetings are exchanged.
Vessels are set up on 3 columns. Transports are on the center column.
Commander George Harigesoken on the Drenthe frigate became head of the left column. Fleurus, Squadron Commander, became head of the right column.
The 16 ships will attain Port Said in 5 days.

August 22th
All ships enter Red Sea

August 28, with stifling heat, ships entering the Tadjoura Gulf.

[Jefgte]

OTL-In accordance with the agreements of September 21, 1884
France Chartered discussions with Sultana of Tadjoura to buy ports, harbor and anchorage of Obock Located near Cape Ras Bir with plain That extends from Ras Aly south to north Doumeirah for Maria Theresa thaler 10,000.

DJIBOUTI
On 28 August, reconnaissance detachments were sent ashore.
On 29 August,
With 1 day later, Avisos AT19 & AT 20 enter Tadjoura Gulf
Massive landing troops and material.
Start of the work for the harbor & a fortified line in the plain of Boulaos, at the entrance of the Cape Ras Bir.
Indigenous open fire on marines and were unfortunately shot down.
Some other flee.
The aftermath, a troupe of a hundred armed men approach and shot towards the fortified line.
Machine gun bursts before them deter them to continuing their action...

[The Rock Doctor]

While the Ottoman government has not officially commented on this matter, it is reasonable to assume the Franco-Dutch convoy picked up an Ottoman shadow upon leaving the Suez Canal.  Ottoman patrol forces will likely keep tabs on the convoy as it arrives at its destination, though there will be no interference with the landings.

[Tanthalas]

Jef asked me to make a few minor changes (add Dutch troops to it) and post this.  So here it is

The Battle of Boulaos - sept 3 1901
September 3, at dawn, a patrol signal an important colone of native heading the French and Dutch positions now well fortified with machine guns and 47mm guns.
Between 7 and 8 am, some thousands of men, 4000 to 5000, gather in the plain of Ambouli. The Alies find that they have three guns with them.
AT19 and AT20 sloops approach the coast to support the defense of the French & Dutch line with their 140mm guns.
The Natives dancing and shouting to impress enemy but French & Dutch keep their positions.
Suddenly the silence was housed in their ranks, the calm before the storm.
A heartrending cry sounds and the indigenous army rushed to the attack with terrible cries. Their guns opened fire.
The combined French and Dutch line ablaze, French guns open fire and machine gun crackle.
This is a huge wave, a howling human tide rushes to the assault of the Allied positions of nearly 300m.
The guns of 140 sloops quickly reduce enemie artillery to silence the 47mm guns and machine guns mow the front rows.
Losses are enormous, men fall by hundreds. but the wave still ahead.
The first French line is in contact with the mélée undertake.
To the east, commanded by Captain De Vesta, the line seems to resist but the center commanded by Captain Veiler is submerged, Marine infantry is overwritten.
The western part fell and broke. The Captain Varennes grave with his men.
The human tide always advances and reaches the two redoubts under construction but still operational.
The redoubts are surrounded but are a moving and devastating fire.
The third line quickly formed supporting redoubts of his fire.
The attack runs out and stops. Ethiopians are repelled and folds.
The view is distressing, thousands of dead and injured littering the battlefield.
During the action, Avisos made heavy fire on the enemy & approach the coast to be more efficient.
In the movement, AT20 touch a submerged rock and a significant leak occurs.
Cruisers anchored in the Gulf have not taken part in the battle.

[The Rock Doctor]

Sounds like a thoroughly unpleasant experience for all concerned...