Company Sergt.-Major Belo Akure, D.C.M., M.M., in 1917. [From “With the Nigerians in German East Africa”, 1919]
The Nigerians experienced difficult conditions during the “winter” of 1916/17, while campaigning in the Rufigi River area, suffering sickness and food shortages.
The Nigerians experienced difficult conditions during the “winter” of 1916/17, while campaigning in the Rufigi River area, suffering sickness and food shortages.
Despite this, Belo Akure led his men by example, and his actions in March 1917 won him another medal. On a night patrol, with three privates, near Kibongo, they saw a group of about 50 native soldiers, led by two German officers, preparing for an attack.
He told his men to wait for him to shoot first before opening fire, then shot (and probably killed) one of the enemy officers. His small patrol then gave rapid fire, before retreating while Akure provided covering fire.
About a week later, Sergeant-Major Akure was with the 4th Battalion’s British Officer, Lieutenant Travers, on a patrol to try and ambush a German detachment.
Again it was their officer who was the main target, and this time Akure shot him in the leg, and then went out under fire to bring the German back as a prisoner, to the British base at Mkindu.
For these two acts of bravery, Belo Akure was awarded the Military Medal (“M.M.”). The details of Akure’s actions are recorded in a book, “With the Nigerians in German East Africa”, by another of the regiment’s British Officers, Captain W. D. Downes, which was published in 1919.
Writing about Akure, the Captain says: ‘I have several times seen this sergeant-major in action, and can honestly state that I have never seen a braver man.’ — with Ken Akure.
