GERMAN EAST AFRICA.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12244, 16 February 1918, Page 5

GERMAN EAST AFRICA.

A COMPLETE VICTORY. GENERAL VAN DEVENTER. HONOURED. PIETEILM ARITZIU: RG, December 27. it is gratilying to bo able to announce) Unit Govmuu East Ah'ioa is now ours, and that the object of this long-drawn-cut struggle has at length boon accomplished. Of the enemy forces none remain in German East Africa, and General von Lettow is a fugutive. with 200 white and 1500 black troops, in the happy bunting ground u f Portuguese East AfricaTim rounding-up of the German fugitives should, of course, be 'Portugal's job, I suppose wo must allow for tbq tact that the Iberian Republic is at present in n state of upheaval, but in any ease "our ancient ally’’ is no match ior tbo Hun, not even for the fugitive Hun, and British forces are now chasing You Let-tow a good many miles south of the river Rovunm, which is the Porto-German boundary. The position, therefore, is that the campaign in German East Africa is ended, and that General van Deventer’s success is only incomplete in so far as he lias had to leave Gorman territory to enter tbo Portuguese province of Mozambique in cider jto round up the flitting German remnant. Like the bravo N’ervii, who wore exterminated by Ccesar. Von Lettow has declared, so it is said, that- ho will die rather than surrenderThe final smashing blow for the enemy was, of course, the enveloping of Commandant Tafcl’s western force of 2000 riilcs. This envelopment was due to the combined strategy of Generals Deventer and Northey. 'The latter attacked Tafel so strongly that ho was compelled to move down south, where he vainly strove to join up with Von Lettow. Instead ot doing this, Taf’d crossed the track of Deventer’s leading columns, and so, Ending no outlet, he surrendered unconditionally on November 27—-exactly a month ago. , The British successes in the operations during the month of November sealed the defeat of the German forces. During the' mouth wo captured 1212 European troops, 3101 Askari troops, three field gnna and 35 machine guns. During the two months of October and November the results wore that an area of 300 by 500 miles of enemy territory mas cleared of the enemy, and 51 machine guns captured, besides two lin guns, nine held gnus and one howitzer. Previous to his surrender Taf el bad destroyed thirty machine guns- and two small held guns. During; these operations the Belgians have been co-operat-ing with General Northey’,s force. German East Africa being now in complete British occupation, General Deventer has been able to demobilise a largo portion of his forces. Practically all the South African units are returning to the Union, and several have already done so. The Bth South African Infantry has leturned, and has been disbanded at Pretoria. The troops had a good deal to say about their 'second visit to German East. They say it has been nothing but fight, fight, fight, and fever, fever, fever, all the time, and with no respite. But I think the fever lias been far and away their worst enemy. They say it has been bush fighting all the way, and that most of the time they could not see twenty yards in front of them. The country is abaci malarial one, ami, although they wore on this occasion well looked after in the matter of food, they say they had a rougher time than in the first year of the campaign, and practically everyone had, fever at one time, or another. With severe fighting day after day through hill and bush, they simply wore

the Germans down. Snch is their re- f port. The. men of the Bth express I themselves as beiug keen on volunteer- I iug for service in Europe, but they will S take a long time to recuperate in order to bo fit. Tho colonel commanding the Bth Regiment boars tho appropriate army name of Atkins. He is a Tipperary mail, and commenced ins military \ career in the Cheshire Regiment, lie i served through the Boer War, and has 1 boon continually at it since the present world conflict began. Dar-os-Salaam has been for most of this month a happy huge camp of returned victorious troops. They all deserve rest and recuperation, and a reception of the best. Tho conquest of German East Africa, though accomplished at last, has not been marked by any dramatic finale, but, however long or short a time it may ho before we are able to capture or otherwise dispose of von Lettow and liis few followers now “ roaming in the gloaming,” it is a. matter of comparatively little importance. , There has been no official celebration in South Africa of tho conquest of Gorman East Africa. There should he some celebration considering tho leading part that South Africa has taken in it, but I presume the Government want to got von Lettow—alive or dead—before they ask tho people to celebrate the victory. There lias, however, been an early celebration at Durban,' which enjoyed a festal half-holiday nil on its own. His Majesty the King honoured the conquest of the last German African possession by conferring upon General van Deventer tho Knight Commandership of the Bath. ■j ...i.