Battle of Ngomano
Map: Northern Mozambique, 1917-1918
Der "Durchbruch" der Schutztruppe Deutsch-Ostafrika über den Rowuma Mitte November 1917. Darstellung von Carl Arriens
The border river Ruvuma in the south of German East Africa, the scene of small skirmishes with the Portuguese (c. 1917)
Historical Overview
The Battle of Ngomano or Negomano was fought between Germany and Portugal during the East African Campaign of World War I. A force of Germans and Askaris under Paul Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck had recently won a costly victory against the British at the Battle of Mahiwa, in present-day Tanzania and ran very short of food and other supplies. As a consequence, the Germans invaded Portuguese East Africa to the south, both to supply themselves with captured Portuguese materiel and escape superior British forces to the north.
Quick Facts
Schutztruppe
- Commander: Lettow-Vorbeck
- Strength: ca. 1.000
- Casualties: gering
Portugal
- Commander: João Teixeira Pinto †
- Strength: ca. 1.200
- Casualties: ca. 200
Strategic Context
Capturing supplies and evading into neutral/enemy territory.
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Historical Locations
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