Battle of Otavi | |||||||
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Part of South West Africa Campaign | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
South Africa | |||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Maj. Hermann Ritter | Gen. Louis Botha | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
1,000 10 machine guns | 3,500 | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
3 killed 8 wounded 20 captured[1] |
4 killed 7 wounded[2] |
The Battle of Otavi fought between the militaries of the Union of South Africa and German Southwest Africa on 1 July 1915 was the final battle of the South West Africa Campaign of World War I. The battle, fought between Otavi mountain and Otavifontein, was a delaying action led by the German Major Hermann Ritter. Ritter's forces intended to buy the main German force at Tsombe several days so as they could harden their positions there. In the end, Botha's forces were able to rout Ritter's troops, leading to an overall breakdown in the German lines that brought the campaign to an end.