LITTLE WAR IN SUDAN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVII, Issue 17475, 20 May 1920, Page 5

LITTLE WAR IN SUDAN.

PUNITIVE EXPEDITION. MURDERED BRITISH OFFICERS GUILTY TRIBES PUNISHED. . By Telegraph— Association— (Reeieved 10.5 p.m.) , Rcutor. CAIRO, May 18. : The Governor-General of Anglo-Egyp- ■ tian Sudan reports that Colonel Dar--1 well's force has conch* ted a successful > punitive expedition against the tribes 1 responsible for the deaths of Majors I Stigand and White in December last. ) The enemy's main force wa3 surprised. - The principal chief witft a considerable l force surrendered unconditionally. i f , In December last Majors C. H. Stigand, of the West Kent Regiment, and K. F. White, of the Essex Regiment, were killed in Southern Sudan. The following report was subsequently published Oil October 30" the Aliab, one of tho Dinga tribes, attacked the police post near Ucmbe, in lat. 5.50 north, long. 31.45 east, botween the Nile and ths Lau Rivers. The attack was repulsed, and the poet retired on the • Nil© with 12 killed. Major White, commanding the Equatorial Battalion, proceeded with another . company to make an extended reconnais- . sauce, and found the village® deserted. : On the night of November 15, however, ' he was attacked in his zariba by a oon--0 siderable force of Aliab, whom he sue- - ceeded in repulsing niter severe hand-to-hand fighting with heavy loci) to the ' enemy. Our los&yi were seven killed and , nine wounded. Major White was then * joined by a, half company of the same 1 battalion, wi\,h which wae Major Stigand, ;• Governor of Mongalla Province, and the t force proceeded to clour up the country. What ensued is unknowh, the telegraph 4 becoming interrupted, bat on December 13 a mutilated telegram received reported that an enemy force about 1000 strong had on December 8 rushed the advance '• guard of tho column, which was marching in open square through thick gniss 7ft high, and drove it back on the main , body, when there ensued hand-to-hand fiehting. in which Majors White and Stigand, as well as one native officer, 25 , other ranks, apd three carriers were " killed and 18 other tanks and 10 carriers r wounded. r Tlio enemy was driven off, and the column managed to withdraw tho woundec n and bageacre. The enony followed up ir considerable numbers for four days, bul beyond a night attack on tho Bth, which was repulsed, did not interfere with th< march of the column, which eventual 1; reached Tombe, five days' distance fron the scene of the fight.