RMLI - 1914 Cameroon Expedition

[Guest C729LEE]

Can anyone enlighten me on what the Royal Marine Light Infantry would be upto in the Cameroon in 1914, and what would "Landed for Special Service in German East Africa" mean to a layman like myself.

I have a 1914-15 star to John George Campbell Pangbourne, a Private in the R.M.L.I. His records say that he joined up Feb 1914 underage until 13.09.1914. Also, he was entitled to the V.M., W.M., and an L.S.&G.C.M. awarded in 1929. He served til 1942, so his records say.

Any help would be most gratefully received.

LEE

[Dolphin]

Lee

I'm rather guessing here, and would welcome correction from someone better informed, but I think that in 1914 Royal Marines may have been involved in the Allied landing at Douala in Cameroon on 25-27 September. Perhaps Marines also took part in the pursuit of the Germans after they fled north to Edea and Yaoundé in October and November.

There were a number of amphibious operations during the campaign against Colonel von Lettow-Vorbeck in German East Africa, especially in 1916: Tanga on 7 July, Pangani on 23 July, Sadani on 1 August, Bagamayo on 5 August, Dar es Salaam on 4 September, Kilwa on 7 September, Mikindani on 13 September and Lindi on 16 September. These may have involved Marines.

I hope this helps.

[Guest Northumberland]

German forces in their African colonies would have posed a strategic and economic threat to neighbouring British colonies such as Nigeria in the case of the Cameroons; that is why your relative's regiment would have found themslves there;

I found this on the web "Germans who were attacked by combined French and British armies were ousted from the territory despite putting up a strong fight which lasted from August 1914 to February 1916.

After the fall of the Mora fortress, the Germans took refuge in the island of Fernando Po (later day Bioko, Equatorial Guinea) along with their Cameroon allies to whom they made the promise of a return, in the near future, to their territory. Although they never came back to Cameroon as colonial masters, the Germans were such a source of worry to their English and French successors who remained on the look out for a German come-back till the end of the Second World War."

Professor Daniel Abwa

Department of History, University of Yaounde

[Guest C729LEE]

Dolphin, (nice name)

Fantastic, just the sort of info I needed. It has given me a thread to follow and will help my research. Bagamayo 15/08/1916 and its capture are mentioned on the register sheet I have a copy of. I will have to look into this more. Once again many thanks.

LEE in Lincs

[Guest C729LEE]

Northumberland,

Thanks for the info, it is an area I have not really covered in my research and all is most welcome. Once again many thanks.

LEE in Lincs.

[Dolphin]

Lee

Thanks for the thanks. I'm pleased to hear that my assistance was useful. Two books that you might like to look at are:

'Duel for Kilimanjaro' by Leonard Mosley (no ISBN in my edition); and

'Battle for the Bundu' by Charles Miller, ISBN 0 356 04915 9.

Cheers

Dolphin (nice aeroplane)

[Guest C729LEE]

Dolphin

I forgot that there was an aircraft of that name. I'm a bit of a Ju 188 fan, my old boy popped one in 1945 while a Gunner on Lancs. Fascinated by them ever since he told me to pull up a sand bag, 30 years ago.

Thanks for the info on the books, worth a look no doubt.

cheers

LEE in Lincs

[Desmond7]

best I can do ...

Out of Africa

SAMMY Moore, Waveney Avenue, of the Royal Marines, who has seen active service in the Cameroons, is at present home on furlough in Ballymena.Young Moore has been in the Marines upwards of three years and his many

friends in Ballymena were glad to see him again.

July 2, 1915

There is a nice condensed section on the campaign in Cameroon in Peter H. Liddle's 'The Soldiers' War 14-18'

[Guest C729LEE]

Thank you Desmond 7, I'll be having a look at this one shortly.

LEE

[Guest]

Royal Marines a Geo - History since 1664

 

Hi all, 

 

I found this dispatch which is very interesting. I have pinned it as a RM Action on my websit RM A Geo History ( https://www.breakfastatbabs.com/royal-marines-a-geo-history )

 

 

War Office, 31st May, 1916.

 

The following Despatch has been received by the Secretary of State for War from Major-General Sir Charles M. Dobell, K.C.B., Commanding the Allied Forces in the Cameroons:

 

General Headquarters, Cameroons, 1st March, 1916.

 

4. By the first week in October we had made good the country as far as Maka and the left bank of the Dibamba creek. The Japoma railway bridge, 900 yards in length, was broken in two places, but a fine feat was performed by the French tirailleurs in forcing this passage under a galling rifle and machine-gun fire. The Royal Navy and Royal Marine Light Infantry also materially contributed to this success.

 

5. During the latter half of October the small force under Lieut.-Colonel Haywood was continuously engaged with the enemy on the line of the Northern Railway, but had made such good progress that I was in a position to arrange for an attack on Victoria, Soppo, and Buea. As in previous operations I divided my force, part of which was moved by water to Tiko, part from Susa by Mpundu on the Mungo River, and the third portion supplied by the Royal Navy and Royal Marine Light Infantry moved by sea to Victoria. The opposition met with cannot be described as serious, but the country was very trying to troops; the energy with which our advantage was pushed appeared to demoralise the Germans, and by the 15th November we had secured Buea, with Soppo and Victoria. We inflicted considerable casualties on the enemy whilst, escaping very lightly ourselves.

 

https://www.naval-history.net/WW1NavyBritishLGDispatchesArmy1914-16.htm#29536

Edited 8 October , 2018 by Guest
New link update

[James A Pratt III]

on haititrust.org they have the book "Military Operations in Togoland and the Cameroons" The British official history