A BRITISH DISASTER.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 213, 5 September 1912, Page 8

A BRITISH DISASTER.

FIGHTING ON THE AJBYBSnCIANEGTPTIAN FRONTIER, EXPEDITION AGAINST THE A2TOAKS. The latest details of Major Leveeon'e expediton against the Anuake, saye Reuter, show that the enemy was enctumtered in the long grass on the verge of a forest. The British advance guard was cat off and practically wiped out, its commander, Captain Lichtenburg, and four officers and 37 men being killed, while the main body was hotly engaged ■with the enemy at close quarters for nearly three hours. The expedition, consisting of 350 officers and men and 420 carriers, was despatched in December to; punish the Anuaks, who had been raiding friendly tribes. It encountered terrible hardships, being at one time 27 hours without any water. The men were so exhausted that patrols had constantly to be sent out to reecue stragglers who had fallen unconscßms in the bush. The ground was very badly cracked and baked as hard as iron by the sun. This, after rain, turned into glutinous mud. Men sprained their ankles, and horses' legs were broken in the great fissures. The objective of the expedition was Adongo, in the heart of the Anuak country, and a place -which had never been visited by white men. Finally, at daybreak on March 15, the smoke of the Anuak forest villages was seen. The ?raas and bush increased in density right up to the edge, of the forest, where the enemy was posted. A halt was called soon after six in the morning, as the Anuaks, numbering about 2,000, were seen some thousands of yards ahead pouring out of the forest and advancing on the column. The advance guard, composed of mounted infantry under Captain Liehtenburg, D.5.0., of the 18th Hueeare, moved rapidly to the left, apparently with the idea of attacking the enemy's right, and soon disappeared among the bush and high grass. Almost immediately, the main column was attacked all along the front, and large numbers of the enemy poured round the left between the main force and the mounted infantry, thus completely cutting off the advance juard. Heavy and aocuraie firing was now opened "by the enemy. The Anuake advanced at the double upon the main body, dropping on the knee to fire and making cover well. The. enemy appeared to be well in hand, md words of command i:« Abyssinian, "Vrabic aad Turkish were heard. Captain Sinahan (Royal Irish Fusiliers) was <illed while leading the 13th Sudanese vhen they charged and drove the enemy irom the field. The advance guard had been surrounded in the high grass «nd practically vjped out by the concealed Annake. Four ifißoers, in "addition to Captain lichten>urg, and 37 men were found Jying dead, while many were wounded.