The Gold Coast Regiment in the East African Campaign

by Sir Hugh Charles Clifford

On the left of Captain Methven, Lieutenant Baillie had been shot through both feet, and had contrived to drag himself back into an isolated patch of grass and scrub, in which he was now lying. Further to the left again, Lieutenant S. B. Smith alone survived unharmed, but though the grass here afforded a certain amount of cover for his section, his position was being outflanked and enfiladed by the enemy.

Meanwhile the rest of the Regiment had arrived at the summit of the hill leading down to the river crossing, and the Pioneer Company was sent forward to the relief of B Company, with Major Goodwin in command. The slope was descended, the river-bed was crossed, and the Pioneers took cover in such hollows in the surface of the hill near its base and right flank as they could find. It was in one of these hollows that Captain Methven presently met Major Goodwin, with whom the position was discussed; but it was evident that B Company, more than a third of whom were now casualties, could not be withdrawn, and that any attempt to reinforce their firing-line would only result in a useless sacrifice of life. All that could be done was for B Company to remain where it was, and to endure the terrible punishment to which it had been exposed for more than an hour. The fire continued to be so hot that many of the dead and wounded in the firing-line were being hit over and over again.

Lieutenant Saunderson was sent forward from the Pioneer Company to take over the section, at that time being commanded by Sergeant Yessufu Mamprusi, on the extreme left of the line; and very shortly after his arrival he attempted and led a desperate charge against the boma. His men loyally followed him, but the feat attempted was impossible of achievement, and their gallant young leader fell riddled with bullets within a yard of that impenetrable stockade of thorns. Here his body was recovered next day, having during the night been partially buried by the Germans, and several of his section lay dead around him. Sergeant Yessufu Mamprusi, however, who had himself taken part in the charge, led the survivors back to their former position, where they remained during the remainder of the afternoon. This non-commissioned officer, who throughout showed great coolness and courage, and who continued to command his men to the very end of the day, was himself wounded in three places.

Robert de Bedick Saunderson, who here lost his life, was just six-and-twenty years of age. He had been appointed an Assistant District Commissioner in the Gold Coast in January, 1915, served in Ashanti for a few months, and then was attached to the Gold Coast Regiment at Kumasi, being accounted “one of the lucky ones” by his brother officers, in that his application to be seconded for military service had been approved. In April of the following year he returned from leave, and was for a time employed in the Secretariat at Accra; but when in April, 1917, the second draft was dispatched from the Gold Coast to reinforce the troops in East Africa, Mr. Saunderson accompanied it, and was with the Regiment, except when incapacitated by sickness, until he fell at Lukuledi in the manner just described.

Meanwhile Lieutenant Foster, of whose lone-hand fight mention has been made in connection with the action at Ruwanga Chini, had crossed the river and made his way up the hill to the hollow on the northern slope of it where Major Goodwin was halted. His business, as usual, was to try to observe for the 27th Mountain Battery, to which he was attached, and which had now opened fire from the opposite hill upon the buildings in the boma, and upon the area between the big dwelling-house and the church. Here he learned from Captain Methven of the position in which Lieutenant Baillie was lying in a little patch of bush to the right rear of his section, most of whom were now casualties. To reach this spot about one hundred yards of burned stubble, in which not a square inch of cover was anywhere obtainable, had to be crossed. This area, throughout the afternoon, had been swept by the enemy’s rifles and machine-guns, which had the range to a nicety. Lieutenant Foster was warned by Captain Methven that it was almost certain death to attempt to reach Lieutenant Baillie, but this information had no deterrent effect, and Lieutenant Foster not only went out, but actually succeeded in bringing Lieutenant Baillie safely back to the dressing-station without either of them being hit. In any other war this gallant exploit would have won, as it surely merited, the Victoria Cross. As it was, the Military Cross was awarded to Lieutenant Foster for this signal act of heroism. Captain Gush, while dressing Lieutenant Baillie’s wounds, was himself shot through the arm.

The remainder of the Gold Coast Regiment had now moved down the hill, and had dug itself in at a spot on the slope above the river crossing; while the rest of No. 1 Column had halted on the crest whence, as has been noted, the 27th Mountain Battery had come into action. How far their fire was effective could not be ascertained, but it afforded the only relief that was to come to B Company during this trying afternoon, and about this time the enemy’s fire showed signs of slackening.

From the position which the Regiment had taken up Major Shaw was sent with three sections of I Company to occupy some high ground on the east and south-east, and to gain touch with Major Goodwin and the Pioneers. I Company was at that time the only company in reserve, and the left and right flanks of the Regiment were therefore very much exposed. No information could be gathered as to the whereabouts of the 1st Battalion of the 3rd King’s African Rifles, and the orders issued to Major Shaw were therefore cancelled, the left flank of the Regiment being made secure by posting A Company and three sections of I Company there to guard it.

This movement had hardly been completed before the enemy delivered a vigorous counter-attack upon the left of the Regiment’s position. It was carried out with great determination, but it was beaten off without difficulty by Major Shaw, and as the Askari exposed themselves much more recklessly than usual, it was thought that considerable losses were inflicted upon the enemy. Such beliefs were, however, throughout this campaign, for the most part mere matters of speculation and conjecture, for the enemy attached great importance to the removal of his dead and wounded, and generally left as little trace as possible of any misfortune that might have befallen him.

Toward dusk the enemy fire died down, and as soon as darkness had fallen the Pioneers, the two armoured cars, and all that was left of B Company were withdrawn from the position on the hill, which the latter had occupied for nearly four hours, and fell back to the slope across the river upon which the rest of the Gold Coast Regiment lay entrenched. The remainder of No. 1 Column lay encamped on the road about a mile further to the rear.

The casualties sustained on that afternoon were Lieutenants Woods and Saunderson and Colour-Sergeant Cuneen killed, and Captains Methven and Gush and Lieutenant Baillie wounded, while 10 of the rank and file were killed and 25 were wounded, and of the gun-carriers 2 were killed and 7 wounded—in all 15 killed and 35 wounded, many of the latter being hit more than once. The total casualties thus numbered 50 out of a total of about 160 men actually engaged. The enemy had set their trap with cunning and dexterity. It was one in which, given the circumstances of the advance, it was not possible for B Company to avoid being caught. A detachment of the King’s African Rifles succeeded in reaching the neighbourhood of the church during the afternoon, but the place was at that time being shelled by the 27th Battery so heavily that a withdrawal was considered necessary.