In this conquest France played a large part, just as was the case in
the conquest of Togoland, with her Senegalese Tirailleurs, the famous
Tirailleurs, so much decried and discussed before the war, who were to
win the admiration of the English generals under whose orders they
fought.
It is appropriate to cite here the order of the day of the commanding
officer of these troops, because it shows us a side of the colonial
wars, about which little has been said:
An English detachment under the command of Lieutenant
Thomson having been strongly repulsed in an attack on the
post at Kamina, was reinforced by a group of the Senegalese
Tirailleurs made up of a sergeant, two corporals, and
fourteen Blacks. From the beginning of the encounter at
eleven o'clock, the mixed detachment found itself exposed to
a lively fire from positions that were solidly established
and supported by mitrailleuses. After the artillery had
commenced firing Lieutenant Thomson, considering that the
preparation was sufficient, bravely led his troop on to the
attack. This courageous initiative failed under a severe
fire from fifty meters of German trenches. Lieutenant
Thomson fell mortally wounded.
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