CAPTURE OF GARUA.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IX, Issue 797, 18 August 1915, Page 5

CAPTURE OF GARUA.

WELL DIRECTED BOMBARDMENT. THE GARRISON DEMORALISED. Received this day, 9.50 a.m. London, Tuesday. An bfficer with the British force describes the surrender of Garua. He states we kept us a well regulated bombardment on three forts overlooking Gama, also an old fort in the plain below. The enemy at the outset replied with a lively lield gun lire which only wounded 1 three or four men. On Juno 10th tha enemy forte suddenly displayed the white Hag. The German commander offered to surrender on condition he was allowed to march out with the honours of war and rejoin the German forces further south. "Our commander demanded an unconditional surrender within two hours. The Germans agreed, but asked to be allowed to retain their arms and asked for a promise that the native inhabitants would be protected from rape, which was agreed to. Holding von Cranßelheim, the German commander, as hostage, we entered the town and took prisoners thirty-seven European and 270 native troops, four field guns, ten maxims, several hundrpcl rifles and, halt' a million cartridges, besides much material. The Germans Btato our melinitG and lyddite sheila demoralised the troops. One shell penetrated a bomb proof shelter and killed twenty. The defenders became mutinous and refused to man the forts. A number of cavalry seized horses and rifles and bolted. Many were dropped crossing the river, and some were killed by our pursuit. Garuu contains ten thousand inhabitants. The forts are exceedingly well built and eauipped. Two thousand labourers have been engaged for six months fortifying thß nlace. There were many bomb proof shelters of brick and cement, and plenty of well filled store rooms. The forts were protected with devices including road deep pits filled with spears sticking upright, dare fully covered with a layer of earth. It is an almost incredible thing we captured the place without tha loss of a single life.