IN THE CAMEROONS.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 March 1916, Page 7

IN THE CAMEROONS.

MOUNTAIN FIGHTING. HOW A STRONG GERMAN POSI-, TION WAS TAKEN. An officer serving with' the Nigerian Forces under Brigadier-General I'. H. G. Cunliffe, which captured Banyo in Cameroon (about 85 miles east of the Nigerian border) on October 24 last, and also, on November (i, a fortified position on a mountain to the south of Banyo, has furnished an account of these operations in communications addressed to Sir Frederick I/ugard, Go-vernor-General of Nigeria. The following is an extract: — Our plans have worked out admirably. The two columns under Major Mann and Brigadier-General Cunliffe, advancing on Banyo respectively from Gashaka and Kontsha, arrived before that place practically at the same time. The- cap- 1 ture of Gaudau Pass by Major Mann's column was a fine performance. Not only did he have to surtnount difficult physical obsfacles, but the surprise and the successful rout of the enemy holding the pass created a great moral effect on the garrison of Banyo, and no doubt materially affected our success in forcing the passage of the Genderu Pass. The enemy Opposing our advance, hearing of the capture of Genderu Pass and fearing their line of retreat on Banyo would be cut off, put up but' a feeble resistance. After le'aving Dodo a perfect barrier of mountains lay in front of us. Climbing up a steep and narrow ,mountain path, it took us from 4.40 a.m. till late in the afternoon before we reached the 1 crest of the plateau. There we found an admirably prepared enemy ..position which could never have been forced except by a wiie turning movement. The next few days' advance was across n 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 driven back with iio loss on our side. The whole garrison of Banyo (consisting, we heard, of 23 Europeans and 200 rank and file and three maxims) then took up their -position on a Tange of rocky hills some three 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 broad. It contains several strongly brick-built comfortable bungalows, offices and stores, with a pretentious towered and battlemented entrance gateway. Encircling tile fort is a deep ditch, bordered by a hedge of prickly pineapples. Outside are two or three more brick buildings, .stables and sheds, mud barracks for the soldiers, and last but not least, a good vegetable garden. Most of the furniture, glass windows and doors had been removed from the bungalows, but Rtill we found them very comfortable. The native chiefs came in to pay their respects, and were ostentatiously profuse in their professions of loyalty to us a,nd their delight at our arrival. DOGGEP UPHILL FIGHTING. From Banyo the enemy's position on the mountain looked grim and stupendous. huge rocky boulders standing out prominently right up to the very top, and the sides of the mountain bristling with strongly built aangars. We began our attack early on the morning of November 4. The infantry, advancing from different directions, covered by the fire from our three guns, worked their way up slowly and doggedly foot by foot, climbing over rock 3 and tearing their way through the thorny scrub and long grass, under a heavy rifle fire and maxim, gun fire from the enemy's "sarigars" and concealed snipers among the rocks. By evening most of the companies had managed to struggle halfway up the hill, there getting what shelter they could from the incessant fire of the enemy, aided by the light of fireballs and rockets. Officers 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 more. Our troops having got directly under the first line of "sangars," the enemy, In addition to rifle and maxim gun fire, started rolling down rock 3 and throwing'dynamite bomhs. . 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 imneratively necessary on these occasions, fortunately a convoy arrived on the afternoon of. the sth, bringing with it 200 more .rounds of gun ammunition, which, hurriedly sent out, enabled the .guns to fire somewhat more rapidly til! the upward advance' of the infantry and their proximity to the summit rendered it too dangerous to continue their fire. Darkness sot in early that evening—at 5 p.m, Heavy clouds rolled up from the west, and an hour or two later a terrific thunderstorm 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 broke on the morning of the fltli, but as only intermittent firing was going on success seemed assured, and sure enough, as the mist dispersed, a white (lug could be seen on the top of the hill and oijr men siljtintly silhouetted against the sky-line.

FINE WORK BY NIGERIANS. It had been a dour and stubborn fight. The Germans occupying such a strong and well-prepared position, believing, 110 doubt, that the place was invulnerable, had put up a strong resistance and contested every yard of ground. Our men, however, would not be denied. They fought magnificently and were well and gallantly led and handled by their company officers.. The pegple of Nigeria ought to feel proud in producing such good soldiers, as it was a task which would have tried the finest troops in the world. The enemy, completely demoralised by the determined advance of our men despite heavy losses, had during the night of flip "ith-Cth broken up into small scattered parties and fled in several directions. Owing to the "darkness of the night, the noise of rain and thunder, and their knowledge of the intricate nature of the country, the majority of the enemy parties had managed to work their way down the hill s without being intercepted by our infantry, only, however, t» run up against the detached posts <jf our mounted infantry, who

were guarding all roads in the vicinity. These enemy parties then fired a few wild shots and scattered into the long grass which covers the whole country, and here it is difficult to follow up and capture them. On the top of the mountain an extraordinary sight presented itself. .Scattered in all directions were broken furniture, burst-open trunks and tin boxes, blankets, bedding, cloths, tins of food, n'oken bottles of wine and beer, smashed up rifles, gramaphoncs, telescopes, and a medley of every conceivable sort of thing. There were two fine cementbuilt reservoirs of water, vegetable garden, caves converted into granaries and filled with mealies and guinea corn, cattle, pigs and sheep browsing about, and chicken galore. This was very clear and conclusive proof of the conviction of the Germans that the mountain was impregnable, and that they meant to hold it indefinitely and continually worry us. This action has had a most encouraging effect on our men, and is a splendid experience for tliem., Brigadier-General Cunlifi'e had a parade of all troops 011 November 7, and it was a real pleasure to see their black grinning faces and hear them cheering. v