Battle of Nsanakong facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Nsanakong
Part of the Kamerun campaign in World War I
Date 6 September 1914 Location Nsanakong, German Kamerun Result German victory
Belligerents
British Empire British Nigeria	German Empire German Kamerun
Commanders and leaders
Lieutenant Colonel C. T. Mair Captain Milne-Howe	Hauptmann Rausch Emil  †
Strength
~200	800
Casualties and losses
8 British officers 160 Nigerians (95 dead, 16 wounded, 49 captured)	113 (43 dead, 70 wounded)

The Battle of Nsanakong was an important fight during the Kamerun campaign of World War I. It happened between British and German forces. The battle took place in a town called Nsanakong, which is in what was then German Kamerun. British soldiers had taken control of Nsanakong on August 30, 1914. Just a week later, on September 6, German forces attacked. They pushed the British soldiers back across the border into Nigeria. This battle was a victory for the Germans.

Why the Battle Happened: The Background

At the start of World War I, British forces from British Nigeria tried to move into German Kamerun. This was part of a larger plan to take over the German colony. However, earlier attempts to enter Kamerun, like the First Battle of Garua and an attack near Mora, had not worked.

Further south, a British group from Ikom crossed the Cross River. They entered Kamerun and took over the small town of Nsanakong. This town was only about 5 kilometers (3 miles) from the Nigerian border. The British occupied Nsanakong on August 30, 1914.

The Fight: What Happened During the Battle

A week after the British took Nsanakong, German soldiers launched a surprise attack. It was very early in the morning, around two o'clock, on September 6, 1914. The German forces completely surrounded the village. They were well-armed with machine guns.

First Attack and British Defense

The Germans began their attack. The British soldiers fought back hard and managed to stop this first German push. However, during this intense fighting, the British used up almost all their ammunition. This left them in a very difficult spot.

Second Attack and British Retreat

Another German attack came just a few hours later, at five o'clock in the morning. This time, the Germans attacked from higher ground, giving them an advantage. Because the British had very little ammunition left, they could not stop this second attack.

To try and escape, the British soldiers decided to charge forward with their bayonets. This was a desperate move. Sadly, it did not go well for them. They lost about 100 men, which was half of their entire force. Eight of their eleven British officers were also killed. The Germans also suffered many losses, with 40 soldiers killed, including their commanding officer, Captain Rausch Emil. The few British soldiers who survived managed to retreat back into Nigeria.

After the Battle: The Aftermath

The British soldiers who escaped the battle faced tough conditions as they made their way back to Nigeria. German units followed them across the border. The Germans even took over a British outpost called Okuri, though they later left it.

This defeat at Nsanakong, along with other failed attacks by Allied forces along Kamerun's border with Nigeria, forced the British to change their plans. They had to stop attacking and focus on defending their own territory. The German forces felt much more confident after their victory. They even started sending patrols into British Nigeria, going as far west as Yola.