Bani Bu Ali expedition facts for kids

The Bani Bu Ali expedition was a military action in 1820 and 1821. It was launched by the Sultan of Muscat and the East India Company against a tribe in Oman called the Bani Bu Ali. This expedition actually involved two separate campaigns. The first one, which included a small British force, was defeated. The second, with a much larger British army, won a big victory over the Bani Bu Ali. Units that fought in this expedition received a special award called the "Beni Boo Alli" battle honour.

Why it Happened

The Bani Bu Ali tribe lived in a strong village called Belad Bani Bu Ali in Oman. This area was part of the Sultanate of Muscat. The tribe was supposed to be under the Sultan's rule, but they didn't always follow his wishes. They also didn't respect the good relationship between the Sultan and the British East India Company. The Bani Bu Ali were known for attacking ships and stealing goods in the Arabian Sea. This is called piracy.

In 1819, the East India Company had already stopped piracy in the Persian Gulf by attacking a pirate base. After that, many states in the Gulf signed a treaty to stop piracy. But the Bani Bu Ali caused more trouble. They killed the pilot of a British ship that was carrying a British official near Rass al Junaiz. Because of this, it was decided that a small military force from India would go to Ash Sharqiyah in Oman. Their job was to help the Sultan control the Bani Bu Ali.

First Expedition (1820)

The first expedition left Bombay (now Mumbai) in October 1820. It sailed to Sur after stopping in Muscat. This small force had about 380 Indian infantry soldiers and four cannons. They were led by Captain Perronet Thomson. They joined the Sultan's army, which had about 2000 local fighters. Together, they marched inland towards Belad Bani Bu Ali, the tribe's main village.

On November 18, 1820, talks with the tribe failed. As the soldiers got close to the village, the Bani Bu Ali attacked them. The Arabs charged with spears and swords. The British force was almost completely destroyed. Most of the British officers (seven of them) and two-thirds of the soldiers (270 men) were killed. The Arabs showed no mercy. All the cannons were captured. The few survivors, including many wounded, went back to Sur. From there, they went to Muscat and then to Qishm, an island at the entrance of the Persian Gulf.

Second Expedition (1821)

The defeat of the first force was a big blow to Britain's reputation in Arabia. So, a second, much stronger expedition was put together. This new force had 6000 British and Indian soldiers, called sepoys. Major General Lionel Smith led them. They sailed from Bombay on January 11, 1821.

This force included a new company of engineers from the Bombay army. These were the Bombay Sappers and Miners. They were going on their first mission ever. They were led by Captain T. Dickinson and Lieutenant T.B. Jervis. Also with them was the 3rd Company of the Bombay Pioneers. This unit had recently helped stop piracy in the Persian Gulf in 1819.

The soldiers landed at Sur on January 27 and marched inland. On February 10, they fought off an attack. They reached Balad Bani Nu Hassan on March 2. The Bani Bu Ali bravely came out to fight in the open. They ignored the cannon fire from the British artillery. The Arabs fought fiercely with broad-swords and shields. They tried to break through the British lines, causing a lot of damage up close. But the British soldiers, with their bayonets, won the battle. The Bani Bu Ali left behind 500 dead or dying fighters. The British had 29 dead and 173 wounded. After a short cannon attack, the fort at Balad was taken. Later, the expedition returned to Sur and sailed back to Bombay.

The Bani Bu Ali were defeated, their main fort was taken, and Britain's reputation was restored.

Battle Honour

On February 11, 1831, the Bombay Presidency (a British administrative area in India) announced a special award. All units that had fought in the expedition were given the battle honour Beni Boo Ali. This included the Bombay Pioneers and the Bombay Sappers and Miners. Today, Beni Boo Ali is the first battle honour listed for the Bombay Sappers. This honour is considered a respected award.

The following units from the Bombay Army received this battle honour:

• 3rd Company, Bombay Pioneer Battalion - Bombay Sappers
• 1st/13th Bombay Infantry - The Grenadiers Regimental Centre
• lst/3rd Bombay Infantry - 1st Battalion Maratha Light Infantry
• 1st/5th Bombay Infantry - 2nd Battalion Maratha Light Infantry
• 2nd /4th Bombay Infantry - 1st Battalion, Rajputana Rifles - now 3rd Battalion, Brigade of Guards
• 2nd/18th Bombay Infantry (This unit was later disbanded)
• 1st/17th Bombay Infantry (This unit was disbanded in 1933)
• 1st Troop/The Horse Brigade, Bombay Artillery
• 5th Company/2nd Battalion The Foot Artillery, Bombay Artillery