A TEN-TO-ONE FIGHT

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIX, Issue 250, 21 October 1915, Page 7

A TEN-TO-ONE FIGHT

JAN AFFAIR IN THE CAMEROONS.

HEROIC STAND AGAINST

MACHINE-GUNS

'Unifier's jigency has received de*tiiils of a particularly plucky fi^ht on "the An^lo-German border of the Cameroon*, in which a 3ia.ndi'ul of untiro troops with three UCuropeans, armed only with rifles, attacked riml routed v Gorman force lon times ii.s <.'.wn size under 1G Euroipe:i!:s and po.^es.siujr four "Maxims. Tim c'ii:r.i;fiMnent lasted _ seven 3io:u\s, i:i !::•■ course of wliich tho

eiK'Jin- rued GO.OOO rounds, while on ■our sidt- only 200 round* }kt man jiveiv iircd. A tea tare ••A the afrnir ova:; Tim* hvc.'.'k jzalfantiy and ste:.i<!iaifss ci our niiivo force, which w«s « mi::. d one. Almost at tlio be^inhiii;j; or the i|'.chtin£ they lost their «n!v :•.■■> ;vhiif ii'aders. and t!io operations '::•■'! t-o iic carried on by the only yomisi>.!l:i^ Kuvopean, a politica.l of!ic::- arid i.ut a .soldier, quite unJiiiov.u to til-- native troo{)s. Tin- affai:- occurred at a little imvii s:t ti."j;*■■>! !)ctw<v.-n Oama and s'ula. vviicij- i!;r- British were ot-ciipy--sii'j: a liny ;:ir.[ fort about 100 ft in ciinmeUT. 'i'!:.> garrison undor the <'()!i;ui;:;id oi' ;i lieutenant and a c-clor-sciia'a:!. consisted of 3f> native gokli'Ts and cnnstabloK. In the fort ; \vas at'-.-. V.- J. F. .1. Fitzrxitrick, oi llhc- j,-')!ii;fal I.'tuicli. V SEViCN iiOi'RS' FKiliT.

.At «{•:»v/r? i.;:':'o emmy forces weiyi ; fn'i ii l:> '<;• ;:t-;.: ;-:K-!iinj.'. :u)d the Brif- : j.sli at or:~f rij'-u;v's fire. It was rsiib-jM"]Ui-:.iiy i;:i:.!il that the Germans1 ii'!vii;i!!ili. :■■• ch;vi* s(-.-tjc::s wvvc jind'.-r It' ivr-n;>:-.'iu ofiiwi--. v/!io had vitli t-ii'ii! '■'''■■'> inu'ulry, ■lO nioiiiiird JTifuiii ry, mk! iou'' 31:ixinis. Almost ini'iicHinti iv ii- lieutenant \r;:s shot: iliro'i'.rli t!" !|"ad r.nii killtvi. r.vA phorth ;i !'(■:■ ,vani-, t)it> w.;i !)!-<<• rjK'anL was ■ ,:tc!v n'oi!nd"d. \\'ith J>oih llh's:- lr-x '.!•■■ char!:/- of oix-r:i-tions deve! ■;. -' :;i;:n Mi Kit:-;:.';;•;'.•!.■. (tll(> |>;>iili»-al riiiCM)1. The fis^ht lasted for :.r>von hours, Uliu 'jacciy riii^od on Lu:ii si'-Ifs oi

the fort, and at one time got up to within 400 yards. The Maxim toe was very heavy, three of these guns being in" constant action. Although our mon had only rifles they evinced the greatest steadiness and pluck and stood up at loopholes full of confidence and spirit. ENEMY RETIRES.

Tr» face of the fire of tho Maxims, concentrated on a wall not exceeding 50 yards in length, besides the fire of the enemy infantry, and in spite of the constant passage of bullets through the loopholes, mil tho men stuck to their job, wiped the dust from their eyes, changed a damaged rifle for another, and carried on with marvellous cheerfulness and pluck. At noon tho enemy ceased fire and moved a portion of his force, his pickets still remaining in full view of the fort, and later in the afternoon another column of nearly 800 was seen in another direction. Probably by this time the enemy's ammunition was getting scarce, as he had fired some 00,000 rounds, while the British, too, had only 100 rounds per man left. It was fully expected, therefore, that tho enemy would charge with the bayonet, but although at one time they got quite close to the fort the German native troops could not be induced to go on, and the enemy finally retired after systematically looting the town and murdering four of the townsmen.,