| CAPT. G. M. DOWNER. | CAPT. S. T. LAMONT, M.C. | LIEUT. D. BISSHOPP. |
| LT.-COL. R. A. DE B. ROSE, C.M.G., D.S.O. | CAPT. E. B. METHVEN, M.C. | |
| To face p. 140. | ||
During the afternoon some officers belonging to the Nigerian Brigade, with about fifty men of that corps, came across from their camp to the north to call on the Gold Coast Regiment, they having now joined up with General Hannyngton’s force. In the mess great cordiality prevailed, and the incidents of the Nigerians’ big fight at Bweho Chini were discussed with eager interest; but among the rank and file of the Gold Coast Regiment this encounter created the greatest excitement and delight. They had long known by report that a host of “their brothers” from West Africa were co-operating with them in the fight against the common enemy; but this was the first time that they had actually seen any of them in the flesh. Many of the men composing both forces belonged to the same tribes, spoke the same language, and had innumerable memories and associations in common. Some may even have been personally known to one another; and this unexpected meeting in the dreary waste places of German East Africa with their kinsmen—men of the familiar types of whom they had seen no representatives for more than fourteen toil-laden months—held for the homesick men of the Gold Coast Regiment something of the reassurance and comfort which is felt at the sight of the welcome face of an old friend and by his warm hand-grip. Moreover, the rank and file of both corps were comfortably convinced that but for the West Africans the enemy would have had a comparatively easy time of it.
On the 29th September, A, B, and I Companies, under the command of Major Goodwin, left camp at 8 a.m., the rest of the Regiment remaining at Nahungu. This force had instructions to push forward to Mihomo, viâ Kihindi; along the north bank of the Mbemkuru. This river is at Nahungu about forty yards in width, but now, at the height of the dry season, the actual stream was greatly shrunken and ran for the most part little more than two feet deep, though here and there big still pools were occasionally met with. The banks of the river are covered with fairly high trees and bush. After the experiences in the waterless waste to the west of Mihambia, the men of the Regiment had greeted the sight of running water with enthusiasm, and during the preceding day had revelled in a bathe, by means of which the accumulated dust and dirt of ten laborious, parching days were at length scrubbed away.
The function assigned to Major Goodwin’s force was that of backing up the South African Cavalry, which had last been heard of at Mihomo Chini; and simultaneously an officer’s patrol of 20 men was sent out along the southern, or right, bank of the river with instructions to keep in touch with Major Goodwin if possible.
After advancing about seven and a half miles along the northern bank of the river, Major Goodwin was held up by an enemy party of about 70 rifles and a machine-gun; and on this being telephoned through by him to Headquarters, he was instructed to find a suitable position in which to camp for the night. This he did about half a mile further on. Later in the afternoon the enemy attacked this camp with about 80 rifles and 2 machine-guns. They were driven off without difficulty, but one man of the Gold Coast Regiment was killed and two were wounded.
On the morning of the 30th September the remainder of No. 1 Column marched from Nahungu along the north bank of the river to Major Goodwin’s camp; and from the latter place, before the arrival of the column, two officers’ patrols were sent out, one to Kihindi Hill and one to reconnoitre the crossings over the river in the direction of Mitoneno on the south bank. These two places are situated nearly opposite one another, with the river separating them, at a distance of about nine miles upstream from Nahungu.
When No. 1 Column arrived in camp, the enemy was found to be still in position on the hills in front of the camp, and the 1st Battalion of the 3rd Regiment of the King’s African Rifles were sent to attack him. By nightfall, however, the enemy had not been dislodged.
On the following morning the 1st Battalion of the King’s African Rifles, supported by the 27th Mountain Battery, renewed its attack on the enemy’s position in front of the camp, while the rest of No. 1 Column, which had now been reinforced by the 129th Baluchis and one section of the 22nd Mountain Battery, attempted a turning movement viâ Kihindi and Mitoneno. The patrol sent to Kihindi Hill on the preceding day had left there a small picket of one officer and twelve men.
No. 1 Column marched at 6 a.m., the advance guard being formed of the Pioneers and I Company of the Gold Coast Regiment, with the Regimental Headquarters and the Stokes Battery. On reaching the main road, which here runs to the north of the river and parallel to its course, the picket at Kihindi Hill, which reported that the night had passed without incident, was relieved, the relieving party being instructed to remain on the hill till 5 p.m., at which hour it was to rejoin the column.