Aden Protectorate: First World War 1914-1918

Many people may be unaware that a long campaign was fought in Aden by the British against the Turks during the 1914-18 war. On 2 July 1915 an army comprising about 4,000 Turks and Arabs crossed the Aden border and advanced on Lahej, whose ruler was loyal to the British and asked for help. A military column was sent to his assistance. After a disastrous march, in which most of the column collapsed from thirst and exhaustion and were only saved by the Aden taxi drivers, who had followed behind the column, picking up exhausted and seriously ill soldiers and returning them to Aden. Eventually a small group of 250 men reached Lahej and of these eighty were sick. This party was far too late and small to contest the Turkish advance and could only withdraw again before superior forces, leaving the unfortunate sultan behind to die in the ruins of his palace.

The Turkish advance continued southwards until on 7 July 1915 they captured Sheikh Othman and then continued the advance until stopped on the north side of the Khormaksai golf course and remained until the counter-attack on 21 July 1915. This attack forced the Turks back some miles beyond Sheikh Othman to a point where the line finally stabilised and remained more or less firm until the surrender of the Turkish Army in Aden on 3 November 1918.

During the conflict a number of Field Post Offices and Base Offices were used in Aden:

FPO 60 PERIM
FPO 100 KAMARAN
FPO 323 ADEN CAMP
FPO 324 SHEIKH OTHMAN
FPO 330 LAHEJ (later moved to Hubill)
FPO 392 KHORMAKSAR
Base Office ADEN
Base Office ADEN IEF (Note: IEF at bottom of cancel reads anti-clockwise.)