Battle of Salaita
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| Battle of Salaita | |||||||
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| Part of the East African Campaign (World War I) | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 South Africa |
 German Empire |
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| Commanders | |||||||
| Wilfred Malleson | Georg Kraut | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 6,000 men
41 machine guns 18 field guns |
2,300 men (approx) | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 138 dead, wounded or missing | Unknown | ||||||
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The Battle of Salaita, sometimes known as the Battle of Salaita Hill, was the first large-scale engagement of the East African Campaign to feature South African troops. The battle took place on February 12, 1916, as part of the three pronged offensive into German East Africa launched by General Jan Smuts, who had been given overall command of Entente forces in the region.
Salaita was targeted due to its importance to the Germans as a communications centre and railway link. Its close proximity to the border with British East Africa, and the fact it was thought to be defended by a small detachment of just 300 men without artillery also marked it out as an initial objective for Smuts' offensive.
The advance into German East Africa was conducted by the 2nd South African Division, commanded by Brigadier General Wilfred Malleson. Malleson had little combat experience, having served on the staff of Field Marshall Kitchener and as part of the British military mission to Afghanistan prior to the outbreak of the First World War. Brigadier General Beves' 2nd South African Infantry Brigade and the First East African Brigade were designated to attack Salaita, totalling 6,000 men including an attached Indian Artillery Brigade. Despite British intelligence suggesting the contrary, Salaita was heavily defended by approximately 1,300 men under local commander Major Georg Kraut. Furthermore, unknown to Malleson there were six Schutztruppe field companies—numbering roughly 1,000 men—in the surrounding area.
[edit] The Battle
The Entente assault began on the morning of February 12 with a preliminary bombardment of German positions. However due to incorrect intelligence the German secondary trenches at the summit of Salaita Hill were targeted instead of the front line, which was further down the slope. The barrage therefore alerted the defenders to the coming attack without disrupting their ability to oppose it. A further setback for Malleson occurred two hours into the assault as, when his men were 2,000 metres from Salaita, German artillery began firing.
Beves deployed his brigade with the 7th South African Infantry Regiment (Lt Col J C Freeth) leading the assault, with the 5th (Lt Col the Hon J J Byron) and 6th (Lt Col G M J Molyneux) Regiments holding the left and right flanks respectively. The men were arrayed in a loose skirmish formation. The South African Regiments succeeded in smashing through the German line, but were stopped and then forced to withdraw after suffering casualties from machine guns. As they retreated to their starting positions they were flanked and attacked by a German relief column from the nearby town of Taveta, led by Captain Schultz. Following this encounter the force moved further north to Serengeti, having suffered 138 casualties.
As a result of the battle, General Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck—commander of German forces in East Africa—reinforced his units in the Kilimajaro area ready to meet further attacks. Almost half of the German forces under Lettow-Vorbeck's command were eventually redeployed to the region (800 Germans and 5,200 Schutztruppe).
[edit] References
- Hew Strachan, 'The First World War in Africa' (Oxford University Press, 2004), pp. 129
