NAHUNGU AND MITONENO
On the 27th September No. 1 Column broke camp at 5.30 a.m. and continued
its march to Nahungu from the east, the 2nd Battalion of the 2nd
Regiment of the King’s African Rifles forming the advanced guard, with
the Gold Coast Regiment in support. Simultaneously the Nigerians were
advancing upon Nahungu in two columns from the north. Very shortly after
leaving camp, the King’s African Rifles came into contact with the enemy
outposts. The latter fell back, and a ridge situated to the east of
Nahungu was occupied without any serious opposition, by the King’s
African Rifles, by the 27th Mountain Battery, and by the Headquarters
and two companies of the Gold Coast Regiment with the Battery. The main
road here runs east and west through fairly thick trees and underwood,
with the river flowing parallel to it a few hundred yards to the south.
The road ascends from a boulder-strewn hollow until the crest of the
ridge above mentioned, which is in the nature of a long hogsback along
the spine of which the road runs, is reached. It is overlooked on the
north-west by Nahungu Hill, a bush and tree-covered eminence which the
enemy had strongly fortified, and where a gun was now in position; and
it is also commanded from the south-west by Pori Hill, a similar
isolated eminence on the other side of the Mbemkuru to the left front of
the British, upon which another gun was in position. This piece was of
Portuguese manufacture—how obtained no man could say—and its fire proved
completely ineffective. The shrapnel burst in the right spot with
exemplary regularity, but thereafter pattered down through the trees
with less violence than hail, exciting much derision from the men
subjected to this innocuous bombardment. The gun at Nahungu Hill was
more formidable, but it was put out of action by the 27th Mountain
Battery at about 5 p.m.
The King’s African Rifles deployed along the crest of the hill, as soon
as its summit was nearly reached. The position which they took up was
roughly the segment of a circle, with its convex side toward the enemy,
and the road bisecting it at right angles. The Pioneers and I Company of
the Gold Coast Regiment reinforced the firing-line of the King’s African
Rifles, which was extended on both sides of the road; and Colonel Rose,
realizing that his left flank was exposed, posted a section of I Company
with one machine-gun under Captain McElligott, halfway down the hill to
the left rear of the firing-line, and there made them dig themselves in.
He also sent an officer’s patrol furnished by the Pioneer Company, under
Captain Buckby, down to the river to watch the movements of the enemy
from that direction. Meanwhile A Company under Major Shaw, and B Company
under Captain Methven, were held in reserve behind the shelter of the
rising ground, and a few hundred yards to the rear.
The moment the presence of the British was discovered, the enemy guns on
Nahungu and on Pori Hill both opened fire, and though the gun on the
latter did no damage, it was recognized that this hill commanded the
left of the Regiment’s position, and an officer’s patrol under Captain
Buckby, as has been mentioned, was sent to the river at 4 p.m. to watch
any movement that might be made from that direction. At 5 p.m. the
troops on the right got into touch with the Nigerians, but shortly
afterwards touch with them was again lost; and half an hour later the
Pioneer Company joined up with the firing-line of the King’s African
Rifles on the left. About the same time B Company, under Captain
Methven, was brought forward from the reserve and was halted in the
hollow at the base of the rising ground, on the crest of which the
fighting was going on.
Though it was hardly anticipated that B Company would be called upon to
take part in the action, Captain Methven sent out one native
non-commissioned officer’s patrol to supplement Captain Buckby’s patrol
which, earlier in the day, had been dispatched to the river on the south
of the position, and he also established a picket of ten men, under
Colour-Sergeant Naylor, to guard B Company’s left flank. At dusk he went
forward to this picket with ten more men to see how the former was
faring, and to tell them that they would have to remain for the night in
the shallow excavations which they had made. Just as he reached them one
of the men of the picket drew attention to a considerable commotion in
the bush in the direction of the river, and presently an irregular line
of men was seen to be scuttling through the trees and underwood. In the
uncertain light the impression at first formed was that they belonged to
the King’s African Rifles. One of them was carrying a machine-gun on his
shoulder, which he set up with extraordinary quickness, and forthwith
opened fire at Captain Methven, at a range of not more than thirty
yards. He missed him, however, and the men of B Company, who were
squatting down barely a hundred yards away, and who, clumped together as
they were, presented at that moment an absolutely fool-proof target,
were able to fling themselves flat upon the ground and to crawl into a
line, whence they opened a hot fire upon the advancing enemy over the
head of Captain Methven and his picket of twenty men.
Darkness was now falling, and the movement of the enemy presently
developed into a strong attack, the object of which was to outflank the
British left, and to work in to the rear of the positions on the ridge.
In this attempt he very nearly succeeded, and might well have done so
had it not been for the prompt action taken by Major Shaw, who, with A
Company, was a hundred yards or more further down the road than the spot
occupied by B Company. He rapidly deployed the men under his command,
having in the darkness practically to assign his place to each
individual, and he in an incredibly short time joined his line up with
that formed by B Company, thus presenting a united and continuous front
on the British left to the enemy’s determined and well-timed
counter-attack, upon which A and B Companies now poured a heavy and
sustained fire. The section of I Company which, with one machine-gun
under the command of Captain McElligott, had dug themselves in earlier
in the day on what was now the left of the enemy’s line of attack, also
came into action with great effect.
Meanwhile Captain Methven’s picket had been joined by both the patrols
that had been posted near the river, they having contrived to evade the
advancing enemy. The little party, however, had a very hot time of it.
From their rear, B Company was firing over their heads with machine-gun
and rifle. Ahead of them, less than fifty yards away, the enemy was in
considerable force and was busy with rifles and machine-gun; while the
men of the picket, exposed to this double fusillade, and being compelled
to lie as flat as they could to avoid British, no less than German
missiles, threw the bombs, with which some of them were provided, with a
wonderful recklessness that caused many to explode in a manner more
dangerous to their friends than to their opponents. The fire, too, was
very rapid, and its maintenance was essential if the picket were to
avoid being rushed and overwhelmed by the enemy; yet it presently became
evident that the supply of small-arms ammunition in the men’s possession
would speedily become exhausted. No one with the picket, except Captain
Methven, knew precisely where the Headquarters of the Regiment had been
fixed, or could undertake to strike it in the dark; so Captain Methven
decided to attempt to find it himself. It was a really desperate venture
to try to make one’s way through the scrub, with the enemy firing from
in front and B Company blazing away from the rear, but Captain Methven
crawled and crouched and ran, now on his feet, now on all-fours, tearing
his way through the underwood and scratching and bruising himself from
head to foot until, luck befriending him, he contrived to reach
headquarters. Here he procured some boxes of ammunition, and managed to
impress a couple of Mendi carriers, with whom, dragging a box of
ammunition in each hand, he returned to the picket by the perilous route
whereby he had left it. It was a gallant deed dashingly done, and it
saved the picket; and the prompt action taken by Major Shaw, combined
with the pluck and steadiness of the men of B Company, prevented what
might well have been an enemy success of some magnitude. On this
occasion Corporal Bila Busanga especially distinguished himself by his
steadiness and courage, and by the admirable manner in which he kept the
men together. As it was, the attack was beaten off at the end of an
hour; a perimeter camp was formed; and the night passed without further
incident.
Considering the character of the fighting, and the confusion caused at
dusk and in the darkness by the enemy’s attack upon the left flank, the
casualties sustained by the Regiment on this day were light. They
amounted to 1 soldier and 2 carriers killed, 21 men wounded, of whom 1
shortly afterwards died, and 13 carriers wounded.
Patrols sent out at dawn on the 28th September reported that, as usual,
the enemy had retired during the night; and Pori Hill was forthwith
occupied by a patrol of the Gold Coast Regiment under Captain
McElligott, and Nahungu Hill by the 2nd Battalion of the King’s African
Rifles. The rest of No. 1 Column moved forward and occupied the ground
between Nahungu Hill and the river.
Two officers’ patrols of the Gold Coast Regiment were sent out, one
along the road to the west, and one along the north, or left, bank of
the river. The former reported that a gun had been retired by that
route.
[Illustration:
CAPT. G. M. DOWNER. CAPT. S. T. LAMONT, M.C. LIEUT. D. BISSHOPP.
LT.-COL. R. A. DE B. ROSE, C.M.G., D.S.O. \CAPT. E. B. METHVEN,
M.C.
To face p. 140.
]
During the afternoon some officers belonging to the Nigerian Brigade,
with about fifty men of that corps, came across from their camp to the
north to call on the Gold Coast Regiment, they having now joined up with
General Hannyngton’s force. In the mess great cordiality prevailed, and
the incidents of the Nigerians’ big fight at Bweho Chini were discussed
with eager interest; but among the rank and file of the Gold Coast
Regiment this encounter created the greatest excitement and delight.
They had long known by report that a host of “their brothers” from West
Africa were co-operating with them in the fight against the common
enemy; but this was the first time that they had actually seen any of
them in the flesh. Many of the men composing both forces belonged to the
same tribes, spoke the same language, and had innumerable memories and
associations in common. Some may even have been personally known to one
another; and this unexpected meeting in the dreary waste places of
German East Africa with their kinsmen—men of the familiar types of whom
they had seen no representatives for more than fourteen toil-laden
months—held for the homesick men of the Gold Coast Regiment something of
the reassurance and comfort which is felt at the sight of the welcome
face of an old friend and by his warm hand-grip. Moreover, the rank and
file of both corps were comfortably convinced that but for the West
Africans the enemy would have had a comparatively easy time of it.
* * * * *
On the 29th September, A, B, and I Companies, under the command of Major
Goodwin, left camp at 8 a.m., the rest of the Regiment remaining at
Nahungu. This force had instructions to push forward to Mihomo, _viâ_
Kihindi; along the north bank of the Mbemkuru. This river is at Nahungu
about forty yards in width, but now, at the height of the dry season,
the actual stream was greatly shrunken and ran for the most part little
more than two feet deep, though here and there big still pools were
occasionally met with. The banks of the river are covered with fairly
high trees and bush. After the experiences in the waterless waste to the
west of Mihambia, the men of the Regiment had greeted the sight of
running water with enthusiasm, and during the preceding day had revelled
in a bathe, by means of which the accumulated dust and dirt of ten
laborious, parching days were at length scrubbed away.
The function assigned to Major Goodwin’s force was that of backing up
the South African Cavalry, which had last been heard of at Mihomo Chini;
and simultaneously an officer’s patrol of 20 men was sent out along the
southern, or right, bank of the river with instructions to keep in touch
with Major Goodwin if possible.
After advancing about seven and a half miles along the northern bank of
the river, Major Goodwin was held up by an enemy party of about 70
rifles and a machine-gun; and on this being telephoned through by him to
Headquarters, he was instructed to find a suitable position in which to
camp for the night. This he did about half a mile further on. Later in
the afternoon the enemy attacked this camp with about 80 rifles and 2
machine-guns. They were driven off without difficulty, but one man of
the Gold Coast Regiment was killed and two were wounded.
On the morning of the 30th September the remainder of No. 1 Column
marched from Nahungu along the north bank of the river to Major
Goodwin’s camp; and from the latter place, before the arrival of the
column, two officers’ patrols were sent out, one to Kihindi Hill and one
to reconnoitre the crossings over the river in the direction of Mitoneno
on the south bank. These two places are situated nearly opposite one
another, with the river separating them, at a distance of about nine
miles upstream from Nahungu.
When No. 1 Column arrived in camp, the enemy was found to be still in
position on the hills in front of the camp, and the 1st Battalion of the
3rd Regiment of the King’s African Rifles were sent to attack him. By
nightfall, however, the enemy had not been dislodged.
On the following morning the 1st Battalion of the King’s African Rifles,
supported by the 27th Mountain Battery, renewed its attack on the
enemy’s position in front of the camp, while the rest of No. 1 Column,
which had now been reinforced by the 129th Baluchis and one section of
the 22nd Mountain Battery, attempted a turning movement _viâ_ Kihindi
and Mitoneno. The patrol sent to Kihindi Hill on the preceding day had
left there a small picket of one officer and twelve men.
No. 1 Column marched at 6 a.m., the advance guard being formed of the
Pioneers and I Company of the Gold Coast Regiment, with the Regimental
Headquarters and the Stokes Battery. On reaching the main road, which
here runs to the north of the river and parallel to its course, the
picket at Kihindi Hill, which reported that the night had passed without
incident, was relieved, the relieving party being instructed to remain
on the hill till 5 p.m., at which hour it was to rejoin the column.
On reaching the river, patrols were sent out to scout the high ground on
the southern bank, and when this was reported clear of the enemy, it was
in due course occupied by the Gold Coast Regiment. These movements had
resulted in No. 1 Column having slipped in behind the enemy’s rear,
while his front was still being engaged by the 1st Battalion of the 3rd
King’s African Rifles and No. 27 Mountain Battery. He was not, however,
completely encircled, as a gap still existed toward the south, by means
of which he was able later to extricate himself from the dangers that
threatened him.
At 2.30 p.m. orders were received to push on towards Mitoneno by the
main path running from the east along the south bank of the river, and
the 2nd Battalion of the 3rd Regiment of the King’s African Rifles were
at the same time ordered to advance by a track leading along the right
bank. As Mitoneno was approached the King’s African Rifles became
engaged with the enemy, and the Pioneer Company of the Gold Coast
Regiment was pushed forward to get into touch with the right of their
line, to achieve which the Pioneers had to cross to the north bank of
the Mbemkuru.
At 4 p.m. it was ascertained that the enemy was in position on the south
bank also, and two sections of I Company, under Captain McElligott, were
sent forward to get abreast of the Pioneer Company and to attempt to
envelope the enemy’s left. At the same time the rest of I Company and A
and B Companies were brought up to be in a position to launch an attack
when the exact disposition of the enemy’s forces were more clearly
known, as, owing to the thick bush, the precise situation remained very
obscure. Half an hour later the rest of I Company, under Captain Dawes,
was sent forward to join up with the detachment under Captain
McElligott, on the right. The 129th Baluchis had in the meantime dug
themselves in to the right rear of the Gold Coast Regiment, and as a
consequence a large gap was left between I Company’s right and the left
flank of the Baluchis.
At 4.40 p.m. Captain Dawes reported that he was heavily engaged; that
the enemy were working round his right flank; and that he required
support. A Company was accordingly sent forward to his assistance, Major
Goodwin assuming the command of the firing-line.
The firing all along the front was now fast and furious, and the reserve
of small-arms ammunition with the Gold Coast first line was accordingly
sent forward, and an urgent message for more was dispatched to the
ammunition-column. It was then ascertained that the latter was a long
way to the rear of the column and that no further supply of ammunition
could be expected for some time to come. This rendered the position one
of considerable anxiety, for the firing continued to be very heavy.
Two sections of B Company, under Lieutenant Woods, were now sent forward
to reinforce and prolong Captain Shaw’s right. A little later a
detachment of the 129th Baluchis, a corps which at that time had been
almost depleted of its officers, were also sent to prolong the right;
but pushing too far forward, and losing their sense of direction after
they had come into contact with the enemy, they passed across the front
of the right extremity of the firing-line, and as a consequence they
suffered a number of unnecessary casualties. About 80 of them, however,
eventually joined B Company on the extreme right, and were later joined
by 40 more men of their regiment. The two remaining sections of B
Company, under Captain Methven, had a little earlier been sent to
reinforce the right, but very soon two sections, under Lieutenant Woods,
had to be sent back to fill a gap between I and A Companies.
The position with regard to small-arms ammunition was now very serious.
The transport-carriers had vanished to a man, and no word could be
gained of the ammunition column. However, 20 boxes of cartridges were
borrowed from the Baluchis by the Gold Coast Regiment and were taken to
the firing-line by the battery carriers—trained men who had stuck to
their duty—under the leadership of Captain Foley. Later, when at last a
supply was received from the long-lost ammunition column, Lieutenant
Baldwin, in charge of the carriers attached to that body, rendered great
service in bringing ammunition up and taking it forward to the
firing-line.
By 5.30 p.m. the Gold Coast Regiment had thrown the whole of its
reserves into the firing-line, and the Pioneer Company, which had been
sent to the left, was urgently recalled, but considerable delay
inevitably occurred before it was able to rejoin the rest of the
Regiment. On the arrival of the Pioneers, just as darkness was falling,
one section was at once sent to reinforce Captain Shaw, the remainder
being held in reserve.
At 6.15 word reached Colonel Rose that the King’s African Rifles on his
left had been withdrawn, and Major Goodwin was accordingly instructed to
draw in his left. The firing had now died down, only occasional shots
being heard. The firing-line was therefore drawn in; a perimeter camp
was formed; and the night passed without incident.
On the 2nd October, scouts sent out reported that the enemy had
retreated; and patrols from the Baluchis and the 2nd Battalion of the
2nd King’s African Rifles were dispatched to the west and the south-west
to try to pick up his spoor. The rest of No. 1 Column closed upon the
camp formed overnight by the Gold Coast Regiment, where it duly dug
itself in.
The casualties sustained by the Gold Coast Regiment in the fighting on
the 1st October amounted to 5 men killed, and 3 Europeans, 50 rank and
file and 10 carriers wounded.
On the 3rd October, the men of the Gold Coast Regiment enjoyed that, to
them, unusual experience—a day of rest. Ever since leaving the camp at
Narungombe, now more than a fortnight earlier, they had been incessantly
on the march or in action, and during that time they had had scant
leisure to devote to matters of even an essential character which merely
concerned their personal comfort. Now at last, during all the hours of
daylight, they were free to do as they chose, and to complete their
well-being the shrunken stream of the Mbemkuru exhibited in the midst of
this thirsty land the rare phenomenon of running water. The day of rest,
therefore was converted into a monster washing-day, the men revelling in
a succession of baths such as had not been enjoyed by any of them for
months, and thereafter, subjecting their clothes and other belongings to
an energetic washing and scrubbing and sun-drying till the whole camp
was one large _dhobi_-green. It was real refreshment after all their
labours and privations, and by evening the men, new-washed, cool and
comfortable once more, were in high spirits and were thoroughly ready to
resume their duties on the morrow.