While this advance was in progress, the enemy brought his big naval gun into action, shelling very heavily the main road, behind the hill whence the Battery had opened fire. During this bombardment, one of his shells pitched almost at the feet of Colonel Rose, who was sitting under the lee of the hill with the Adjutant, Captain Pye, by his side, and with an orderly standing near. Both Captain Pye and the orderly were killed instantly, and Colonel Rose was flung backward from this seat to a considerable distance, but was otherwise unharmed.
At one o’clock a heavy counter-attack began on Gold Coast Hill, and upon a small ridge in advance of that position, which was held by Lieutenant Shields with 30 rifles and one machine-gun; and the violent shell, howitzer, rifle and machine-gun fire concentrated upon these points quickly caused many casualties.
By this time the remaining companies of the Regiment, under the command of Major Goodwin, were in reserve upon Banda Hill, and upon the hill to the north-west of it, which had originally been occupied by Captain Poyntz in the course of his advance; and half of A Company, led by Captain Wheeler, was sent forward in support of the Pioneers. They were shortly followed by Lieutenant Piggott with one of B Company’s machine-guns, who took up a position on the right flank of the crest of Gold Coast Hill. Lieutenant Piggott was almost immediately wounded, but he contrived none the less to continue in the firing-line.
At 2.30 p.m. Captain Poyntz was dangerously, and Captain Wheeler severely wounded, leaving Captain Harman—who had himself been slightly wounded—alone to command the main position, with Lieutenant Shields and Lieutenant Piggott, the one on the ridge in advance, the other on the right flank of the crest of the hill.
Shortly afterwards Lieutenant Kinley with one machine-gun and Lieutenant Taylor with the rest of A Company came up in support; but Lieutenant Taylor was severely wounded almost at the moment of his arrival on the crest of the hill.
About 3 p.m. the enemy again opened heavy shell fire upon Gold Coast Hill, once more causing many casualties; and Major Goodwin went forward with the remainder of the reserves—about 50 rifles of B Company, under Captain Shaw—who took up a position to the right of Lieutenant Piggott’s machine-gun post.
For two and a half more hours the Gold Coast Regiment clung to the position which it had occupied, and in which it had sustained such heavy and continuous losses since 11 o’clock in the morning; but at 5.30 p.m. the 40th Pathans began to relieve it. The relief was effected without serious loss just before darkness fell, and the Gold Coast Regiment took up outpost positions for the night between the hill, which ever since has been known by its name, and the main road from Mtumbei Juu to Kibata.
It was estimated that the enemy fired 180 high explosive shells from his naval gun from the time the hill was occupied until dark; and the men were throughout terribly exposed, as the concentration of his rifle and machine-gun and occasional howitzer fire was such that they were unable to dig themselves in. Effective retaliation was impossible, yet the behaviour of the men throughout the day was magnificent. Those who were in occupation of the hill clung to it during more than six hours with dogged resolution. Those who successively advanced to their support, moved forward with alacrity, and never showed a trace of wavering or hesitation. It was about as severe a test as any to which a body of native troops could be subjected, but the Regiment passed splendidly through the ordeal, the severity of which may be judged from the following casualty list.
During this day—December 15th, 1916—the Regiment sustained no less than 140 casualties. It lost 2 officers killed and 7 wounded; 1 British non-commissioned officer wounded; 26 soldiers killed and 87 wounded; and 5 gun and ammunition carriers killed and 12 wounded,—approximately 15 per cent. of the men engaged, and nearly 50 per cent. of the officers.