Battle of Tabora
Battle of Tabora | |||||||
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Part of the East African Campaign of World War I | |||||||
Belgo-Congolese troops of the Force Publique after the Battle of Tabora, 19 September 1916 | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Charles Tombeur | Kurt Wahle[1] | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
10,000 men[1] | 5,000 men[1] | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
1,300 | 400 (228 captured) |
The Battle of Tabora (
Prelude
Within the framework of the neutral Belgian Congo, the Force Publique could only adopt a defensive position. This changed on 15 August 1914 when German ships, stationed on Lake Tanganyika, bombed the port of Mokolobu (south of Uvira) and the Lukuga post a week later. On 24 September the Germans occupied Kwijwi Island, in this way taking control of Lake Kivu.[4]
After the conquest of
Battle of Tabora
The southern brigade commanded by
On the 7th, General Wahle launched another counterattack on the train station of Usoke, this time a naval gun was mounted on one of the railway wagons. Both sides suffered heavy losses, the train station was bombarded, the Force publique launched an attack, and the Germans were pushed back.[6]
When the last resistance in Usoke (west of Tabora) was broken, the Belgians advanced to reach the German defences of Tabora at Lulanguru on 8 September. The southern brigade led the offensive actions for the next 4 days, closing in on Tabora from the west. Wahle established his main positions at Itaga, north of Tabora. From 10-12 September the northern brigade encountered heavy German resistance in the hills of Itaga, where they suffered considerable casualties.[b][7][8] By this time Wahle's forces were reduced to 1.100 rifles and the desertion of his askari soldiers multiplied.[citation needed]
On 16 September the Germans intercepted a letter from Crewe for colonel
Aftermath
The Belgians liberated around 200 Allied
Notes
- ^ The Germans also made sure no trains and other equipment were left behind in the stations that were taken.
- ^ Brigade Nord, under lt. col. Armand Huyghé, took the hills, but Wahle sent reinforcements by rail pushing the Force Publique back the next day.
References
- ^ a b c d Tucker 2014, p. 1529.
- ^ 1916–1917 Tabora-Mahenge, The Congo and the war, klm-mra.be
- ISBN 978-0-7538-2349-1.
- ISBN 978-0-19-926191-8.
- ISBN 978-1-85109-964-1.
- ^ Stiénon, C. (1918). La campagne anglo-belge de l'Afrique Orientale Allemande. pp. 197–198.
- ^ Stiénon, C. (1918). La campagne anglo-belge de l'Afrique Orientale Allemande. pp. 155–157.
- ^ Delpierre, Georges (2002). "Tabora 1916: de la symbolique d'une victoire". Belgisch Tijdschrift voor Nieuwste Geschiedenis. p. 358.
- ISBN 0-19-926191-1.
- ^ WWI in Africa Archived 22 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine, be14-18.be
Bibliography
- Tucker, Spencer C., ed. (2014). World War I: The Definitive Encyclopedia and Document Collection (2nd ed.). Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-85109-964-1.
- Strachan, H. (2001). The First World War: To Arms. Vol. I. New York: Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0-19-926191-8.
Further reading
- Daye, Pierre (1918). Avec les vainqueurs de Tabora: notes d'un colonial belge en Afrique Orientale Allemande. Paris: Perrin.
- Delpierre, Georges (2002). "Tabora 1916: de la symbolique d'une victoire". Belgisch Tijdschrift voor Nieuwste Geschiedenis. 3–4: 351–381.
- Various (1929). Les campagnes coloniales belges, 1914–1918. II: La campagne de Tabora. Brussels: Service historique de l'Armée.