Birds -- Tanzania; World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- Tanzania
It was real guerilla warfare. From rock to rock one could see men dodge,
while puffs of smoke puffed in and out from behind scores of rocks, and
from many a tree-clump bottom. The enemy were here using the old ·450
rifle and black powder and lead bullets, hence the prominence of the
smoke-puffs. On the whole front all was visible, even the enemy’s single
piece of artillery, which was plainly seen in position by the river-side
in the low flat ground north of the town, and which the Mountain Battery
guns in a short time knocked out of action, before turning their
attention to the enemy machine-guns, which were not so easy to deal with.
In the afternoon we worked down the last of the hill-slopes under
constant fire of our foes, and, toward evening, gathering our tired
limbs under us, a charge was ordered. Across an open meadow we doubled,
cheering lustily; through swamp and river, almost neck-high in water,
and, finally, up the hill-side opposite, and on to the lower hill-top of
the enemy’s coveted position commanding the town; there to lie, panting
breathlessly, picking off the fleeing enemy that we could see dodging
among the rocks in endeavour to reach the higher hill, across a ravine
and to the west of us.
Meantime the Loyal North Lancashires, who had made a wide flank movement,
were advancing in on the higher hill from the west; and ere darkness set
in we were in full possession of the chief positions.
Had there been more daylight, it is possible that we should have taken
the town this day, for the enemy were on the run; but darkness overtook
us, and night gave the enemy opportunity to reorganise.
We camped for the night on the hill, chilled, and blanketless, and
foodless; for no supplies followed us as it was a short undertaking. In
the early part of the night, the force which had made a demonstration to
the south of the town were landed on the beach near to us, and joined our
force.
At daylight a fighting line was formed across the flats, from the hills
to the lake; and an advance began toward the town in face of steady
rifle and machine-gun fire. The river we had crossed yesterday had swung
southward and ran parallel with the lake, and here again proved an
obstacle, and many of us got thoroughly wet crossing and recrossing it.
Also, in the morning, in the heat of the early fighting, a thunderstorm
burst and heavy rains fell, while we lay in the grass drenched to the
skin for an hour or two, and rifle locks choked with sand and moisture.
For a time firing ceased on both sides; to resume again as it cleared.
Bit by bit, we pushed on across the flat, to be held up for a time before
the entrance to the town; and then, breaking the opposition down, to
enter the town without further resistance on the heels of the fleeing foe.
[Sidenote: WIRELESS STATION DESTROYED]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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