Battle to wading hereditary suppl.

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Situation

After the fights with the Onjati mountains collected themselves the Herero society southwest the Waterberges at the Omuramba - u Omatako, one about 200 m broad, dry Flussbett. When the pastureland was abgegrast there, the Hereros pulled into the area Hamakari/wading hereditary suppl., where there was sufficiently water and pastureland. With consideration of all well-known factors, including the water and pasture conditions, one can assume in this area about 25,000 to 50,000 Hereros had met. According to estimations was under it about 3,500 to 6,000 Krieger, who were armed with rifles to the majority. The remainder led the traditional weapon of the Hereros for close combat with the Kirri.

Lieutenant general Lothar von Trotha recognized here the opportunity to lead the crucial impact aimed at by it against the Hereros. With its departure at the beginning of of August 1904 seemed the time for acting required.

Initial position of the Germans

For the planned attack had from Trotha altogether 1,625 rifles, 30 cannons and 14 machine guns. Obviously its troop faced a in terms of figures several times superior enemy. The cannons and machine guns used by the Germans could obtain a strongly limited effect in the unclear, closely area existed with thorn shrubs only and adjust thus the numerical superiority of the Hereros not completely. The Hererokrieger was, contrary to that predominantly landstrange German soldiers, with the fight in this shrub area trusts and the climate used. Besides they had exact local knowledge, were in the possession of the water places and had the tactical advantage "„of the internal line "“. From Trotha against it had his troops on a front line of approximately 100 km to distribute. From a maintained encirclement or a boiler and/or a destruction battle therefore no speech could be. From Trotha planned rather to close by the employment from seven departments the prospective escape routes, in particular "„the Streitwolf way "“after southeast toward Omaheke, in order to strike by concentric attack the opponent in the area station Waterberg/Hamakari crucially. The tactical goals of the German departments were the following:

• Department of people man: Blockage of the ways northward, occupation of a signal station on that wading hereditary suppl., strength: 200 rifles, 2 cannons, 2 machine guns (flanking employment);
• Departments of Deimling and fiddlers: Blockage of the ways to the west, offensive procedure against Omuweroumue, the station wading hereditary suppl. and further on Hamakari, total strength: 658 rifles, 8 cannons;
• Department of Estorff: Blockage of the ways after northeast, offensive procedure against the station wading hereditary suppl., strength: 247 rifles, 4 cannons, 4 machine guns;
• Departments of mill rock, of the Heyde and Winkler: Blockage of the way after southeast toward Omaheke and offensive procedure against the water places of Hamakari. For the success of the entire battle plan cooperating of these three separately departments from each other anmarschierenden was crucial. Total total: 520 rifles, 16 cannons, 8 machine guns.

The key to the positions of the Hereros in the area wading hereditary suppl. were the water places of Hamakari, which sealed through thorn shrubs and Verhaue artificially put on were protected. General of Trotha with its staff followed the department mill rock, in order to be during the fights at the emphasis of the attack and thus at the prospective place of the decision. The strategic goal of the German battle plan read: Destruction of the hostile armed forces, capture as much as possible Nichtkombattanten and thus complete subjecting of the Hereros.

Guidance of the battle

The advance of the Germans to the positions of the Hereros took place on 10 August 1904. At the following night the German departments deploy to the attack. The tactical goals of the general of Trotha, mentioned above, were based on false estimates and led on German side to a consequence-fraught friction. Because of orientation difficulties the department of v. D yielded. Heyde with the night march by the thorn shrubs northward from the way. The department of Winkler knew therefore no connection to the department of v. D. Heyde manufacture and in the battle intervene. Considerably debt at this friction was the absence of native auxiliary troops, whose service would have been irreplaceable with the clearing-up. Thus it did not come to planned cooperating of the three departments of mill rock, v. D. Heyde and Winkler.

The Hereros used the difficulties on German side decided out. While they offered only delaying resistance against the department of Deimling anmarschierende of the west, the Hereros opposed with Hamakari with extreme obstinacy of the department of mill rock. The isolated department of v. D. Heyde was attacked in the unclear thorn shrubs north the Streitwolf way substantial. Using the advantage of the internal line, the Hereros in these two places with large supremacy could arise.

Here some excerpts from the official work of the general staff over the fights at the department of v. D. Heyde:

"„The fire fight had been inflamed here on the most violent, and it was shown that the small German crowd had in relation to a often superior enemy. Both wings were clasped, and numerous black shapes in the back of the Germans already emerged in the shrubs. "“

"„Ever more boldly the Hereros pushed forwards, loud "„Kajata "“and "„Assa "“roaring. "“

"„It succeeded to the before-piling up Hereros this time, up to 10 - 20 m to approach. The situation became extremely threatening. "“

"„At the cold-blooded fire of the death-courageous German riders also this attack of the enemy smashed. "“

Occasionally the departments of mill rock and v. D threatened. Heyde by the opponent to be run over and could maintain ground only with trouble. Finally it succeeded to the department of mill rock to take and hold against the violent counter attacks of the Hereros in the afternoon 11 of August the water places from Hamakari to.

Captain Bavarian describes the fight for the water places of Hamakari as follows: "„The sun lowest point already quite, and the whole atmosphere was fulfilled with dust and the smoke of the cannon and rifle fire. It prevailed dark thunderstorm tendency. By the pale dawn twitched and flashed the shrapnels and shells, which were in-sent in racing high-speed fire over visor and grain on 100 meters into the attacking black ones. Deafeningly the cannons thundered and ratterten the machine guns. At the second cannon four men had been wounded directly one behind the other, and the cannon was returned under largest danger. The ammunition caught on to become scarce. "“

Only when complete the fights ended with Hamakari. With the income of the there water places the German had succeeded in fighting for under most unfavorable conditions an important tactical success. The department of v. D. Heyde had been able to reject meanwhile the attacks of the Hereros. Since it could not advance however toward Hamakari and win the connection to the department of mill rock, it had to begin the retreat at the night following on it completely exhausted and without ammunition and water. So to wading hereditary suppl. could take storing Hereros off in the course of the 11. and 12 August with their cattle along the Streitwolf way toward southeast. Major von Estorff, the later commander, judged this development in such a way: "„It was a heavy miss that this break-through succeeded to the mass of the Herero, although in the escape "“.

Telegram of the general of Trotha to the emperor (excerpt):

"„Hamakari, 12 August. - The enemy, who fought with extraordinary tenacity, suffered, despite very turned list in the closest thorn shrubs, heavy losses. Thousands of cattle captures. Zersprengt and in the rear march in all directions understood, moves the bulk of the enemy eastward (toward Omaheke, note D. Verf.), where I it the departure with the united departments of Deimling, mill rock and v. D. Heyde will shift, whereby Estorff from the north participates. "“