| Arthur Edward Aitken | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1861 |
| Died | 1924 (aged 62–63) (aged 72-73) |
| Place of birth | Rochford, Essex, England[1] |
| Place of death | Rome, Italy [2] |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |
Worcestershire Regiment 119th Infantry (The Mooltan Regiment) |
| Rank | Major General |
| Commands held | Indian Expeditionary Force |
Major General Arthur Edward Aitken (1861–1924) was a British military commander.
Born in Rochford[1] in Essex, by the time of the 1871 Census he was a 9-year old pupil at a school in Brighton, Sussex.[3]
He began his military career in 1882 as a cavalryman.[4] Following the outbreak of the First World War, Aitken led the first notable incursion into German East Africa at the head of Indian Expeditionary Force B,[4] and was defeated at the Battle of Tanga in early November 1914.[5]
The battle is often known as the "Battle of the Bees" for the swarms of bees that repeatedly interrupted fighting,[6] with both sides fleeing for cover. Aitken had been overconfident and not attempted any reconnaissance work in the area.
The German defence forces were led by Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck,[5] who held out until the end of the war.
Aitken's troops were routed and retreated.[5] There were delays in publishing the details in Britain.
Notes[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 General Register Office index of births registered in April, May, June, 1861 - Name: Aitken, Arthur Edward District: Rochford Volume: 4A Page: 176.
- ↑ Death registered at the Consular Office in Rome - Consular Deaths 1921-1924 Volume 15 "Aitken, Arthur E" age 62
- ↑ 1871 Census of Brighton, RG10/1087, Folio 92, Page 50, Arthur E Aitken, pupil, 13, 14, 15 Sillwood Place, Brighton.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Paice (2008), p. 40.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Chappell (2005), p.12.
- ↑ Farwell (1989), p. 171.
References[]
- Chappell, Mike (2005). The British Army in World War I: The Eastern Fronts. The British Army in World War I, Volume 3. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-401-9.
- Farwell, Byron (1989). The Great War in Africa, 1914–1918. New York: W. W. Norton & Company. ISBN 0-393-30564-3.
- Paice, Edward (2008). Tip & Run: The Untold Tragedy of the Great War in Africa. London: Phoenix. ISBN 978-0-7538-2349-1.
The original article can be found at Arthur Aitken and the edit history here.