SOUTH AFRICA

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XLVIII, Issue XLVIII, 22 June 1915, Page 5

SOUTH AFRICA

THREE MONTHS OF' FIGHTING. MANY ENGAGEMENTS. ~ LONDON, June 19. The Press Bureau summarises the operations .in East Africa in March, April, and May. ' '' \t the end of February information was received that a German detachment of 300 Askaris, including a considerable portion of Europeans, under Captain Hexthausen, was marching northwards to invade British territory in the Mrunga district, east of Lake Victoria Nyanza. r _. , ** • - ""\ small-force of the King s African Rifles, with artillery and mounted scouts, under Lieutenant-Colonel Hick-son, was despatched to meet them. They were encountered on 9th March, and stiff fighting ensued. The Germans resisted. J "\flter several hours' fighting, often at close quartbvs, the enemy retiredsouth of the Mara River, disorganised and demoralised. Our casualties were 12 killed and 14 wounded. The enemy s losses in. native troops are believed to be heavy. , "On 11th March one of our armed steamers on Lake Victoria Nyanza engaged the German warship Muanza and drove it ashore disabled. "A detachment of Indians and the Kind's African Rifles attacked the German 3 post at Salaita on the 26th, and, despite the arrival of reinforcements, the enemv was driven off. Owing to the flight of 'native porters, we lost two machine guns. Our casualties were five killed, nine wounded, and seven missing. •"In an affair of patrols on 11th April near Noltraesh River. Major Walker, oi the Punjabis, was killed. -Between 9th and 22nd May two small expeditions were successfully carried out, one to clear the country south of the Simbe, and the other to capture the steamer Sybil, Njvhich had been wrecked earlier. "In the Nvair/a country. 30 miles 1 south of Simbaenti, we cleared out the ' enemv, who retired across the frontier. "The Svbil was refloated and docked.' Our casualties were five ik.illed and three wounded. The enemy lost 20."