The Forgotten Front by The East African Campaign 1914-1918

Author:The East African Campaign 1914-1918
Format: epub
Published: 2014-10-20T16:00:00+00:00

THE SWITCH OF EMPHASIS TO KILWA

As General Smuts began to appreciate the difficulties of the Mgeta line, he decided to redeploy the bulk of First Division to the coast using the harbour of Kilwa as its base.103 This offered the opportunity to strike west along the line of the Matandu River before northward to the Rufiji as well as cutting off the main route to the south. However, while Kilwa Kisiwani had an excellent anchorage, it possessed no port facilities and it would be necessary to build-up the base before any advance in strength could be attempted. The leading troops landed there on 8 September and the remainder of the month was spent in developing its facilities and building up numbers. The first formation to be deployed was Brigadier General Hannyngton’s newly established 3rd EA Brigade and it was complete by the first week in October.104

Hannyngton was instructed to push rapidly inland in the hopes of cutting off the enemy forces further north. Hannyngton decided to act quickly. Early reconnaissance revealed that the village of Njinjo, some 68 km inland along the Matandu Valley, provided a jumping-off point for either a move north towards the Rufiji, or alternatively, south towards the food-producing areas of Liwale. However, a second and more direct route was found. Instead of following the Matandu inland, it was possible to cross that river following the track north-west to the Mtumbei Hills. The key to the area was the junction at the hilltop station of Kibata that dominated the local region. From there, a route ran through the hills straight to the major German supply centre of Utete. An advance through the Mtumbei Hills promised to be much shorter than the Matandu route, while they were also cooler and healthier than the coastal plain.105

For the Germans, the food situation remained critical and the growing of crops on the lower Rufiji was essential to their continued survival. Initially, the local commander, Captain Looff, decided to concentrate at Utete, leaving the area north of the Rufiji virtually bare of forces. Lettow immediately countermanded the order and appointed a new commander, Major von Boemken, while Looff was packed off to the south to counter the growing Portuguese threat. The Mtumbei Hills were also rich in food and Boemken and his four companies were ordered to march for Kilwa on the evening of 12/13 September. After a lengthy journey by river steamer and much marching, they reached Kimbarabara on the southern slopes of the Mtumbei Hills on 25 September.106

Further west was Njinjo, key to the Matandu Valley and an important magazine. Lettow had ordered the evacuation of the contents, but owing to faulty dispositions, a British patrol had reached it and destroyed the supplies. In response, a reluctant Boemken launched a half-hearted assault that was easily repulsed and then returned to Kimbarabara. This left the Matandu Valley open and Hannyngton’s troops occupied Njinjo without opposition on 7 October. The misfortunes were capped two days later, when reinforcements sent from Liwale were ambushed and scattered near Njinjo.

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