First Battle of Garua

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First Battle of Garua
Part of the Kamerun Campaign in World War I
German officer fires gun in Garua.jpg
A German officer fires a gun from the defences at Garua during the Kamerun Campaign
Date29–31 August 1914
Location
Garua, German Kamerun and British Nigeria
Result German victory
Belligerents

Flag of the United Kingdom.svg  British Empire

Flag of the German Empire.svg Germany

Commanders and leaders
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Col. C. H. P. Carter
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Col. MacLear  † [1]
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Maj. Puckle  † 		Reichskolonialflagge.svg Cap. Kurt Freiherr von Crailsheim-Rügland
Strength
600 3 companies [2]
Casualties and losses
Europeans:
majority of officer corps
Nigerians:
250 [3] 		light

The First Battle of Garua took place from 29 to 31 August 1914 during the Kamerun Campaign of the First World War between German and invading British forces in northern Kamerun at Garua. It was the first significant action to take place in the campaign and resulted in the German repulsion of the British force.

Kamerun Campaign theatre of WWI that involved the British, French and Belgian invasion of the German colony of Kamerun from August 1914 to March 1916

The Kamerun Campaign took place in the German colony of Kamerun in the African theatre of the First World War when the British, French and Belgians invaded the German colony from August 1914 to March 1916. Most of the campaign took place in Kamerun but skirmishes also broke out in British Nigeria. By the Spring of 1916, following Allied victories, the majority of German troops and the civil administration fled to the neighbouring neutral colony of Spanish Guinea. The campaign ended in a defeat for Germany and the partition of its former colony between France and Britain.

German Empire empire in Central Europe between 1871–1918

The German Empire, also known as Imperial Germany, was the German nation state that existed from the unification of Germany in 1871 until the abdication of Kaiser Wilhelm II in 1918.

British Empire States and dominions ruled by the United Kingdom

The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It originated with the overseas possessions and trading posts established by England between the late 16th and early 18th centuries. At its height, it was the largest empire in history and, for over a century, was the foremost global power. By 1913, the British Empire held sway over 412 million people, 23% of the world population at the time, and by 1920, it covered 35,500,000 km2 (13,700,000 sq mi), 24% of the Earth's total land area. As a result, its political, legal, linguistic and cultural legacy is widespread. At the peak of its power, the phrase "the empire on which the sun never sets" was often used to describe the British Empire, because its expanse around the globe meant that the sun was always shining on at least one of its territories.

Contents

Background

On 25 August 1914 (three weeks after war had broken out in Europe), British cavalry from the West African Frontier Force crossed the border from Nigeria and seized Tepe, a German border post to the north of Garua. The post's occupation gave British forces a foothold in northern Kamerun, from which they could attack the many German forts that protected the region, including the ones at Garua.

Europe Continent in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere

Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Mediterranean Sea to the south. It comprises the westernmost part of Eurasia.

The Battle of Tepe on 25 August 1914 was the first skirmish between German and British forces during the Kamerun Campaign in of the First World War. The conflict took place on the border between British Nigeria and German Kamerun, ending in British victory and German withdrawal from the station.

Garoua City in North, Cameroon

Garoua or Garua is a port city and the capital of the North Region of Cameroon, lying on the Benue River. A thriving centre of the textiles and cotton industries, the city has approximately 436,899 inhabitants in 2018.

German defences at Garua

German trenches in Garua during the Kamerun Campaign German trenches in Garua.jpg
German trenches in Garua during the Kamerun Campaign

The Germans had constructed five modern forts at Garua, each of which were situated to give supporting fire to another if needed. [2] The earthworks included deep trenches and dugouts with overhead protection, ringed with barbed wire and manned by three companies of African Askaris under German officers and NCO's. Artillery would be needed to cause any significant damage to the fortifications. [1]

The battle

From Tepe, British forces under the command of Colonel MacLear turned southwards towards the stronghold at Garua. They arrived on 29 August and dug entrenchments around the German forts. [4] That night the British attacked the fortifications, charging over 400 meters of open ground. After suffering heavy casualties they successfully captured one of the five forts. The following day German forces counter-attacked, [5] pushing the British out. Nigerian troops reportedly fled, leaving British officers alone in the trenches. As the British force fled the Germans continued their counter-attack, pushing them out of Kamerun completely and pursuing them into Nigeria for days afterwards. The majority of the officers of the British units were killed, including the commanding officer, Colonel MacLear. Forty percent of the native Nigerian troops were lost. [4] The Germans suffered relatively minor losses in comparison.

Aftermath

The action at Garua, as well as battles in other areas along Kamerun's north-western border with Nigeria, turned out to be relatively successful for the Germans. They were able to repulse each British thrust that came at them during the opening days of the conflict, and even put themselves in position to threaten Calabar, the main port in eastern Nigeria. [6] The victory at Garua enhanced the morale of German Askaris significantly and stalled Allied advances into northern Kamerun until mid-1915, when the Second Battle of Garua resulted in British victory.

Calabar City in Cross River, Nigeria

Calabar is the capital of Cross River State, Nigeria. It was originally named Akwa Akpa, in Efik language. The city is adjacent to the Calabar and Great Kwa rivers and creeks of the Cross River.

Allies of World War I group of countries that fought against the Central Powers in World War I

The Allies of World War I or Entente Powers is the term commonly used for the coalition that opposed the Central Powers of Germany, Austria-Hungary, the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria during the First World War (1914–1918).

Second Battle of Garua A battle in 1915 during the First World War

The Second Battle of Garua took place from 31 May to 10 June 1915 during the Kamerun campaign of the First World War in Garua, German Kamerun. The battle was between a combined French and British force and defending German garrison and resulted in an Allied victory.

Notes

  1. 1 2 War Illustrated Deluxe p. 1178.
  2. 1 2 Strachan 2001, p. 522.
  3. ↑ Hilditch 1915, p. 15.
  4. 1 2 Reynolds et al. 1916.
  5. ↑ Buchan, 1922.
  6. ↑ Farwell, 1986, p.39

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References

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