Cameroon campaign (First World War)
1916 – 1917
From the first clashes in 1916 to the final fighting in 1917, find the full chronology of this conflict below, with the forces engaged, commanders and consequences for France in each battle.
Era : Contemporary Era
- 1916 Surrender of Mora Victory
The German garrison of Mora, entrenched on an impregnable hill since 1914, finally capitulated for lack of food and ammunition. This last German bastion in Cameroon was neutralized after several months of blockade.
- 1916 Capture of Garoua Victory
Garoua, an important German bastion in northern Cameroon, was encircled and taken after several weeks of siege. French troops operating from Chad, in coordination with the British from Nigeria, forced the surrender of the German garrison. This victory marked the beginning of the end of German colonial resistance in the region.
- 1916 Surrender of the Banyo Fortress Victory
The Banyo fortress, the last German strongpoint in western Cameroon, was stormed by French troops under Major Ribes. After several weeks of reconnaissance and military pressure, German forces, understrength and demoralized, surrendered. This operation completed Allied colonial conquest of Cameroon.
- 1917 Battle of Laï Victory
The battle of Laï opposed a French column stationed south of Chad to a German unit still operating in the Cameroon border zone after the official fall of the German colony in early 1916. The encounter was brief but intense; the German garrison attempted to regain a foothold in the strategic Logone region. The French repulsed the attack and definitively secured the town.