WE MUST RISE AGAIN!!! On 12 January 1897, Rear-Admiral Harry Rawson, commanding the squadron at the Cape of Good Hope was appointed by the British Admiralty to lead an expedition to capture the Benin king and destroy Benin City. The operation was named the Benin Punitive Expedition, and on 9 February 1897 the invasion of the Benin kingdom began. The field commanders were instructed by their commander-in–chief to burn down all Benin kingdoms towns and villages, and hang the king of Benin wherever and whenever he was captured. The invasion force of about 1200 Royal Marines, sailors and Niger Coast Protectorate Forces, and composed of three columns; the Sapoba, Gwato and Main Columns. The Sapoba column, and the Main column reached Benin City after 10 days of bitter fighting but the Gwato column was routed at Gwato.
Posted on: Wed, 16 Jul 2014 08:24:33 +0000
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