The Italians were opposed by a British contingent of about 4,000 soldiers consisting of the Somaliland Camel Corps ( commanded by Colonel Arthur Reginald Chater ) , elements of the 2nd ( Nyasaland ) Battalion King 's African Rifles ( KAR ) and the 1st Battalion Northern Rhodesian Regiment , the 3rd Battalion 15th Punjab Regiment , and the 2nd Battalion , Black Watch .
At the start of August the newly promoted Brigadier Chater commanded a contingent of about 4,000 soldiers comprising the lightly armed Somaliland Camel Corps , the 2nd ( Nyasaland ) Battalion King 's African Rifles ( KAR ) , the 1st Battalion Northern Rhodesian Regiment ( KAR ) , the 3\/15th Punjab Regiment and 1st East African Light Battery ( four 3.7 inch howitzers ) . They were joined from Aden on 7 August by the 1\/2nd Punjab Regiment and 8 August by 2nd Battalion Black Watch .