GERMAN EAST AFRICA.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 December 1918, Page 3

GERMAN EAST AFRICA.

DIFFICULT CAMPAIGN. * fAUSTRALIAN & N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION] Received this day at 2.36 p.m.,) LONDON, Dec. 17. A despatch from General Van de. Venter, commanding in East Africa* graphically describes the tremendous difficulties under which the campaign was conducted. He says it may appear extraordinary -that Colonel Von Cettau, Vorbeck’s ■force -should so often succeed in evading tlie Anglo-Portuguese converging columns, but the Germans were well guided, and generally avoided the regular tracks. They moved by native paths through the heart of the bush over a. hundred thousand square miles of such husli between the Rovunia and the Zambesi rivers. Much of the country was terra incognita, The natives were unsubdued, or openly rebellious. In the campaign of 1916-17 it was shown to he practically impossible to round up the mobile enemy in such a. difficult terrain, and from the character of the German commander, it appeared improbable that a general surrender would take place until his force was .reduced hy an innocoucncss campaign which was therefore one of virtual extermination. These operations were even conducted through a heavy rainy season, and some idea of the heavy obstacles encountered were shown by the fact that the troops often had to force a way through such thick jungle that the roads were mere tunnels through the bamboo thickets and elpehant grass .