REGENT FIGHTING IN NIGERIA

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIII, Issue 115, 13 May 1909, Page 7

REGENT FIGHTING IN NIGERIA

Reuters correspondent in. Berlin sends particulars of the engagement between -the united forces of the Anglo-German Boundary Commission and 1000 natives near Sonkwala, in Nigeria, last December. The British column, under Captain C. Heathcote, encountered great difficulty in its march, the track beine: completely blocked with trees, while the natives had also dug pits sometimes as much as a hundred yards long and plentifully bestrewn the route with dangerous spikes, which pierced the soldiers' feet. Eventually the column came to open ground, by which timo two of the soldiers had been spiked through the feet. When the natives themselves appeared in the open the Maxim gun unfortunately jammed and was out of action for some time. At this time the German column, under Lieutenant yon Stephani, who was subsequently wounded, was also in action. Al-

though hit in two places, the German officer with great gallantry himself brought his colutrn out of action, in which he was assisted by Captain Moore, R.E., who attached to the force. When.new of tin corporation ol the English an ' Geru-.an forces was received in Be■'lir the circur stances was very favoursliy commented on by the German newspapers.