The bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1916-03-31
STORY OF THE CONQUEST OF KAnERUN .
z COLONY ON THE WEST AFRICAN COAST
Germans Fight Fercey and nct Two Serious Defeats on the A.
ues-Terrory Taken From the Germans Africa Amounts to
10000 Square M|es-Brish Soldier Gives Some
Interesting Details Of the Campaign. s.

London.-Now that the German
Kamerun colony has been entirely
conquered and the remnants of the
Teuton forces, numbering $4,000, have
fed over the border into Spanish
Guinea and been informed the story OF
this far-off campaign can be told with
out reserve for the first time.
Although the forces engaged seem
small in comparison with the vast
armies of Europe, in some respects
the operations had magnitude. The
area conquered, 465,625 square miles
IL more than twice that of Germany in
Europe.
The Germans fought flercely for this
bit of West African coast and inflicted
two severe defeats on the allied forces
They defended the town Of Garoua
with great valor for five months, but
It was finally taken with the aid of q
gun of a size the Germans had not
thought it possible to transport so far
into the interior.
Now that the Kamerun is gone, the
only German African colony remain.
ing even partly in German hands is
East Africa. which is now being at
tackled by an expedition from British
South Africa. assisted by European
forces. Bonar Law. British minister
for the colonies. recently announced In
the house of commons that the terri
tory taken from the Germans in Africa
amounts to 100000 square miles.
Kamerun is bounded on the north
by British Nigeria, on the east by
French and Belgian territory and on
the south by the French Congo, while
1t encircles on the land side the Span
ish Guinea.
Early in the war the British
launched an expedition from Nigeria
and the French from French Eauato-
rial Africa. Both these attacks from
the north were beaten of by the Gar-
mans.
The French Colonel Largeau got as
far as the town of Kousseri. which
was heavily fortified and defended by
q large garrison. He was defeated
and, armed with two machine guns.
the Germans furiously took the often
sive and drove the invaders back
across the border.
The British, on their part, were no
more successful. They reached and
occupied the important city of Garoua.
and here the Germans attacked them
vigorously. The British were forced
to retreat, fighting all the time. until
they. too. were over the border.
Attack on All Sides.
It was now determined to attack the
colony on all sides simultaneously. No
less than eight expeditions were put
under way. OF these the most i'm
portant took the two northern routes
which before had resulted in disaster.
Two columns advanced upon the Ger
mans from the east. two from the
south, and two from the seacoast. One
of the latter expeditions landed in the
neighborhood of the port Of Douala,
while the other had for it's objective
Coco Beach, in the narrow strip of
German territory between Spanish
Guinea and French Congo. The OBJ
ject of the Coco Beach column and
the two forces invading from the
south was evidently to cut of the re-
treat OF the Germans from Spanish
territory, but. If this was the case.
they failed.
With increased forces the French
now drove the Germans from Kous-
seri in almost a rout. Then Lieuten-
ant Colonel Brisset, a famous French
African pioneer, set out south from
this place, having under his command
young native recruits with only few
white officers.
His objective was the town of Mora.
situated on high plateau. Several
fruitless attempts we're made to storm
the position. Then the Germans were
surrounded and, leaving small force
of besiegers, Lieutenant Colonel Bris-
set continued south toward the town
of Maroua. On his way he met a
German force coming to the relief Of
Mora and a fierce fight ensued. The
Germans were forced to retreat to.
ward Maroua, which was taken by the
French on December ~, 1914, but
without preventing the German com.
mander, Captain Won Duhring, from
escaping with his men in the direction
of Garoua.
The Germans now seem to have
concentrated their forces for q last
stand in the stronghold of Garoua,
which was besieged five months.
Colonel Brisset attacked first In
early January. 1915. He took up q
position about four miles from the
town and a few days later was re-
enforced by British soldiers under
Major Webb Bowen The latter had
seven companies Of infantry, one COM
pany Of mounted infantry, 75-milli-
meter naval gun, three mountain guns
Of the same caliber and fifteen ma
chine guns. Three months later fur.
Their British forces arrived.
The German position was found to
be immensely strong. On February
IL. 1915, the famous Captain GODDARD,
An African veteran. was killed, and
Colonel Brisset wrote to his father:
I'VE brought back the body of the
captain on stretcher in the morning
Of the 14th to the little village Of
Wango- Garoua, rendering him full
military honors. When the German