The early stage of the struggle for German East Africa is lucidly
summarized in The Sphere for May 8:
The fighting in British East Africa (immediately north of
the German colony) may be said to have really begun toward
the end of September, 1914, when the Germans made a
determined attempt to capture Mombasa, the commercial
capital of British East Africa and the terminus of the
Uganda Railway.
Previous to this, somewhat half-hearted attempts had been
made by them to wreck the railway line at various points,
destroy the telegraph, and occupy Voi and Mombasa. The
Germans, who were in strong force, were, however, for
various reasons, unable to cut the railway or even to
destroy the bridge across the Tsava River, and they were
beaten back both at Voi and the post at Taveta.
The attack on Mombasa itself was repulsed at Gazi, some
twenty-five miles to the southwest. The German plan of
action was to move up the road from Vanga to Mombasa,
arriving at the latter place somewhere about the time the
Koenigsburg was expected to arrive and bombard it from the
sea. The Koenigsburg was, of course, prevented from doing
this by the proximity of British warships, and the land
attack was also frustrated.
The Germans were held at Nargerimi by a mere handful of
Arabs and King's African Rifles--about 300 men all
told--until the arrival of the Indian troops strengthened
our position and the enemy was beaten back to his original
lines.
The next big actions were the British attack on Tanga and
Jassin very early in November; this was the direct outcome
of the German attack on Mombasa. Tanga is a post of
considerable importance in German East Africa, and lies
midway between Zanzibar and Mombasa. It is the seaport of an
important railway line which connects it with Moshi, lying
among the foothills of Kilimanjaro (18,700 feet) and which
taps most of the intervening country.
The force dispatched for the attack on Tanga consisted of
4,000 Indian Imperial Service troops, 1,000 Indian regulars,
together with 1,000 white regulars. The force took no kit of
any kind except rations. It was disembarked from the
troopship near Tanga, and then moved against the position.
The day the British attacked, however, 1,000 Germans had
been rushed up from Moshi and then took up a position to the
right of the town. With them were great numbers of
quick-firing guns of various sorts. This unexpected
reinforcement made the capture of Tanga almost impossible by
the forces present. During the fight many casualties were
incurred on both sides.
As regards the advance against Tanga and Jassin, the German
forces which had previously advanced on Mombasa were, up to
as recently as January, maintaining themselves in the valley
of the Umba River. To drive them from their positions a
column of 1,800 men, composed of Indians and King's African
Rifles, with artillery, was dispatched.
After gaining Jassin and leaving a garrison of 300 men, the
post was attacked and subsequently surrendered to a force of
2,000 Germans. The minor operations along the
Anglo-German frontier include the attack on Shirati--a
German post on the southeast shore of Lake Victoria
Nyanza--on Jan. 9.
Fighting also took place near Karunga in March, and on this
occasion the German force was driven back in disorder and
with heavy loss into their own territory, while Kisu--which
had been captured by the Germans--was reoccupied after the
defeat of Karunga. On Jan. 10 the large Island of Mafia, off
the coast of the German colony, was taken by the British and
is being administered by them.
[Illustration: SIR CECIL ARTHUR SPRING-RICE
British Ambassador to Washington. Present When J.P. Morgan was
Assaulted by Erich Muenter, Alias Holt]
[Illustration: J.P. MORGAN
Whose Life was Recently Attempted, because of his relations with the
Allied Governments in the Supply of War Munitions.
The lower picture is of Erich Muenter, Alias Frank Holt, His
Assailant. Photograph taken Immediately after his Arrest.]
[Illustration: German East Africa and the fighting which has taken
place.]
The history of the war in this region is brought up to date by a
British Press Bureau statement issued on June 30:
Further details are now to hand of the operations which have
been taking place west of Lake Victoria Nyanza. It will be
remembered that the general scheme for the attack on Bukoba
was to be a simultaneous advance on the part of two forces,
one starting from the line of the Kagera River, south of
Uganda, the other starting on steamers from Kisumu.
The junction of the two forces was successfully
accomplished, and the attack took place on June 22. During
the action the enemy received reinforcements which brought
his force up to 400 rifles, and he made a most determined
resistance, the Arabs especially fighting most bravely. They
were, however, heavily outnumbered, and eventually the whole
force broke and fled, utterly demoralized.... Our troops
distinguished themselves greatly, both in the arduous march
from the Kagera and in the subsequent fighting. A telegram
was sent on June 28 from Lord Kitchener to Major Gen.
Tighe, commanding the troops in British East Africa,
congratulating him on the success of the operations.
[Illustration: Conquered German African Territory.]