After occupying the port of Manga the Germans fought a small action at Patimbobo with a British scratch force to take control of the telegraph station and the river bridge on the branch line to Manga. A British sea landing to take Manga was bloodily repulsed. The Germans are advancing along the branch line to the port towards the railway Junction at Ntumbe....
---oXo---
A quiet day at Ntumbe junction; a train stops to let of a few passengers, then is soon off down the line..
Off on the spur line a short train manned by British troops move some ammo up to a location for a defensive position...
---oXo---
British forces have taken up positions to defend the vital railway junction. BSAP hold the larger hill to the left of the railway line..
An advance screen of BSAP Askari...
Indian Sikh troops hold the hill on the right of the line and the telegraph building....
The command of British forces receives a status report....
---oXo---
Meanwhile a German force approaches, comprising two field companies...
Otto von Tiddenheim, in command of the force, receives a report about the terrain ahead....
---oXo---
The German forces continue their advance...
soon they can glimpse Ntumbe junction in the distance
The mountain gun sets up and prepares to fire.....
The BSAP defenders on the hill stand to, as movement has been spotted in the mid-distance...
The askaris by the rail line can see part of the advancing German force.....
The German mountain gun and machine gun targeted the hill on the British left but to little effect....
The Germans infantry advance toward the hill and open fire
The screen of BSAP askaris came under heavy pressure and took casualties....
eventually the askaris retreated taking cover with the Sikh infantry on the British right....
The German attack on the hill has slowed down and the advancing infantry halt and take cover in the bush....
The Germans switch the focus of their attack to the British right flank.....
Things settled down to a 'shooting match' , both sides exchanging rifle and machine gun fire; with the German mountain gun laying down a somewhat ineffective fire to the British held hill to their front; then the mountain gun got the range and wreaked havoc.....
The mountain gun then switched targets to the hill held by the Sikh infantry...
The Germans advance to take the hill, the surviving British had retreated ....
The Sikh infantry and some remaining BSAP askaris fell back, onto the top of the hill have sustaining heavy casualties....
The Germans moved over the hill and engaged what was left of the British in the centre
Overwhelmed the remnants of the British defending force retreated up the road....
A win for the Germans, they now have control of Ntumbe junction
---oXo---
Notes:
1. Forces and losses :
- Germans : starting total 50, losses 17
- British: starting total 35, losses 26
closing in to attack the FFL......
Steady firing from the FFL drives off the camel mounted attackers, but more are coming in on foot....
A tight tussle on the edge of the town.....
The FFL repel the attackers who retire back to reform....
The second wave of attackers on foot, reach the defending FFL.....
The Spahis make their move.....
another attack repulsed by the FFL....
The Spahis follow through .....
and drive off the remaining attackers.....
