GALLANT NIGERIANS

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2705, 26 February 1916, Page 3

GALLANT NIGERIANS

GRIM FIGHTING IN THE CAMEROONS

AN OFFICER'S NARRATIVE

(From the "Morning Post.")

_ Telegraphic reports of the occupation of Banyo on October 24 by the Nigerian Forces, under BrigadierGeneral F. H. G. Cunliffe, and of the subsequent capture, on November 6, of a fortified position on a mountain to the south of that place, have already been lniblished. The Press Bureau now publishes a graphic account of these operations in communications addressed, by an officer serving with the British Force, to Sir Frederick Lugard, Gov-ernor-General uf Nigeria, from which the following extracts are taken: —

Our plans have worked out admirably. The two columns under Major Mann and Brigadier-General Ounliffe, advancing on Banyo respectively from Gashaka and Kontsha, arrived before that place practically at tho same time. The capture of Gandua Pass by Major Mann's column was a fine performance. Not only did he have to surmount difficult physical obstacles, hut the surprise and the. successful rout of the enemy holding the pass created n..great moral effect on the garrison of Banyo,. and no doubt materially affected our success in forc>ii)l tho passage of the Gendeni. Pass. The enemy opposing our advance, bearing of the capture of the Gandua Pass, and fearing their line of retreat on Banyo Would be cut off, put up a ■feeble resistance. Very fortunately for us,' for had we met With resolute resistance, our .casualties could not have failed'to be very heavy. '

After leaving Dodo a. perfect barrier of mountains lay in front of us.. Climbing -up a steep and narrow mountain path, it took ns from- 4.40 a.m. till-late in the afternoon before we reached the crest of the plateau. There we found an admirably prepared enemy position, which could never have been forced except by a wide turning movement. Die next few days' advance was across a series of open, rolling grass lands, totally -uninhabited; the few prepared enemy positions on isolated kopjes were successfully turned, and the parties of the enemy opposing us were driven back with no loss on our side. Eventw ally nearing Sanyo, we got into helio communication with Major Mann's column, and made a simultaneous entry into Banyo itself.

The whole garrison of Banyo- (consisting, we heard, of 23 European and 200 R. and F. and-three maxims) then took up their position on a range of rocky hills some thiee miles away; this range of hills culminates in a precipitous mountain, on the top of which was the main enemy position. The fort at Banyo is a large walled enclosure some 200 yards long by 120 yards _hroad ; It contains several strongly brick-built comfortable bungalows, offices, and stores with a pretentious towered and hattlemented entrance gateway. the fort is a deep ditch bordered by a liedgo of prickly pine-apples. Outside are two or three more brick buildings, stables, ind sheds; mud barracks for the soldiers, and last, but not least,, a good vegetable garden. Most of the furniture, glass windows, and doers had beon removed from the bungalows, but still we found them very comfortable. Tho native chiefs came in to pay their respects and were ostentatiously profuse, in their professions of lovaltv t" us and their delight at our arrival. From Banyo the enemy's position on tho mountain looted grim and stupendous: hueo rocky boulders standing out prominently conspicuous right un to tho very top. and tho sides of the mountain bristling with strongly-built "sanfn.rs." It. seemed hard to «sl- brave British officors to lead their men against such a formidable position, but both they and the troops were extremoly keen to have a try,

Tearing Thnir Way. : We commenced our attack early on tho morning of November 4. The Infantry, advancing from four different directions, covered by the tiro from our three guns, worked their, way slowly and doggedly foot by foot, climbing over rocks and tearing their way through tho thorny scrub and long grass, under a heavy rifle and maxim-gun fire from the enemy's "sangars," and concealed snipers among the rocks. _ . By the evening most of tho companies had managed to struggle half-way up tho hill, there getting what sholter they could from the incessant fire of the enemy aided by the light of fireballs and rockots. Oliicers and men, exhausted and drenched with rain, hung on determinedly to the ground gained. At dawn on the morning of the .sth they started climbing once didiy le r d and commanded by their company and section commanders. Our troops having got directly under the first line of "sangars," the enemy, in addition to rifle and maxim-gun fire, started rolling down rocks and throwing dynamite bombs. Theso latter, exploding with a terrific report, caused considerable consternation at first among the men till- reassured of their comparative harmlessness by their officers.

All that day our men gradually worked their way up, capturing a small stone redoubt and "sangar" here and there.

Owing to the paucity of gun ammunition the covering artillery fire could not afford the infantry the essential assistance so imperatively necessary on these occasions. Fortunately a convoy arrived on ; the afternoon of tho otli, bringing with it 200 more rounds of gun ammunition, 'which,' hurriedly sent out, enabled the guns to fire somewhat more rapidly till the upward advance of the infantry and their proximity to the summit rendered it too dangerous to confTnue their fire.

, Darkness sot in early that evening— a't 5 p.m. Heavy clouds rolled up from the west, and an hour or two later a ferrific thunder-storm burst over the mountain. Heavy firing and the explosion of bombs and fireballs still continued. There seemed reason to fear that owing to the exhaustion of our men from want- of sleep and violent physical exhaustion they would never succeed.

A misty morning prevented our seeing- what was happening as dawn broko on the morning of the 6th, but as only intermittent firing-was-going on, success seemed assured, and, sure enough,' ns the mist dispersed, a white flag could be. seen on the top of the hill, ami our men silhouetted against the sky-line. A Dour Fight. It had been a dour and stubborn tight. 'Hie Germans, occupying such a strong and well-prepared position, believing, no doubt, the place was invulnerable, had put up a strong resistance and contested every yard of ground. Oil!' men, however, would not bo denied. They fought maguificently, and were well and gallantly led and handled by their company officers. The people of Nigeria ought to feel proud in producing such good soldiers, as it was a task which would havo tried the finest troops in the world. Intelligence received and confirmed shortly afterwards informed us of the fact that the enemy, completely demoralised by tho determined advance of j our men -lesnite heavy losses, had, during the night of the sth-6th, broken up into small scattered parties and fled in several directions. Owing to the darkness of tho night, tho noise of rain and thunder, and their knowledge of the intricate nature of tho country. tb« majority of the enemy parties had

managed to worm their way down the hill without being intercepted by our infantry, only, however, to run -up against the detached posts of our mounted infantry, who wero guarding all roads in tho vicinity. These enemy parties, on running into our mounted infantry, fired a few wild shots and scattered into tho long grass which covers the whole country, and where it is difficult to follow up and capture them. Tho enemy's losses to date as far as can be ascertained aro two Europeans killed (including Captain Schipper, their commander), two wounded, and nine captured—total, 13. llank and file, 70 killed and captured. More are being brought in by ' degrees, not only by mounted infantry, but by the townspeople and native scouts. Only one Maxim gun has been recovered so far, but another is reported to have been found in tho grass, and it is hoped wo shall get all three before long. Rifles, equipment, and ammunition not couiitefl yet.

Our losses, too, have been severe — but less than it was feared they would lie. Captain Bowyer-Smith (Gloucester Regiment), one of our best and bravest Company Commanders, was killed the first day of the attack. Lieut. M'Kinnon (Coldstream Guards), Mounted Infantry, also a very valuable officer, killed on the ' morning of the oth by a party of fugitives from the hill "under four white men. Colour-Sergeant King, D.C.M., on old West African Frontier Force non-commissioned officer—a very brave and intrepid man, killed on the sth. Captain Seccombe (Nigerian Political Service) severely wounded in the neck. Lieut. Chartres slightly wounded in the leg. Rank and file, 51 killed and wounded. All wounded doing well. On tho top of the mountain on extraordinary sight presented itself. Scattered in all directions were, broken fnriiiture, burst, open trunks and tin boxes, blankets, bedding, clothes.- tins of food, broken bottles of wine and beer, smashed up rifles, gramophones, telephones, and a medley of every conceivable sort of thing. The Germans had built several good mud houses, with glass doors and windows, good furniture, carpets, pictures, etc., in thc-m. Signposts erected, pointing the way to .defensive posts ind picquots, two fine cementbuilt reservoirs of water, a vegetable garden, caves converted into granaries, and filled with mealies and guinea com. Cattle, pigs, and sheep browsing about and chickens galore. This was very clear and conclusive proof of the conviction of tho Germans that the mountain was impregnable,and their intention to cither make it a point d'appui :n case of a reverse of their troops in tho south, or, at any rate, a -position they meant to hold indefinitely and from whero they could continually worn' us..

_The food supply for troops and carriers will prove of great value.

Every possible anproaeh ur> the mountain is commanded by loop-holed "sa'lgars." and t.h<» wlwle defence of the position carefully thought out and arranged for. It is-c*ily-due to tbe defective shooting of the enemy that our losses have not been far heavier.