Battle of Mahiwa

Battle of Mahiwa
Part of East African campaign (World War I)
Indian mountain battery in action at Nyangao against Mahiwa
Date 15–18 October 1917 Location Mahiwa, Lindi, German East Africa Result Indecisive[1]
Belligerents
German Empire German East Africa	British Empire  India Nigeria  South Africa
Commanders and leaders
Paul Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck Kurt Wahle	Sir Jacob van Deventer
Strength
3,000 men[2]	5,000–6,000 men[2]
Casualties and losses
500–600 killed and wounded[2]	2,700 killed and wounded[2]

The Battle of Mahiwa between German and British Imperial forces was fought during the East African Campaign of World War I, when South African and Nigerian troops under Lieutenant General Jacob van Deventer engaged a column under German General Paul Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck, at Mahiwa in German East Africa. The Germans inflicted substantial casualties upon Van Deventer's army, forcing it to withdraw. However, the Germans lost a large percentage of their forces, and were ultimately forced to withdraw from their positions and continue their guerrilla war. The battle was noted by the British Official History as the "most disastrous day for the Nigerian Army since the formation of the force" and was called "the most savage battle in the history of African conflict-not excluding Omdurman or any engagement of the Boer War."