prote ction ▁troops ). ▁However , ▁after ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁war ▁by ▁mid - 1 9 1 5 , ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁rec ruit ▁an ▁army ▁of ▁around ▁ 6 , 0 0 0 . ▁Al lied ▁forces ▁on ▁the ▁other ▁hand ▁in ▁the ▁territ ories ▁surrounding ▁K amer un ▁were ▁much ▁larger . ▁French ▁Equ atorial ▁Africa ▁alone ▁could ▁mobil ize ▁as ▁many ▁as ▁ 2 0 , 0 0 0 ▁soldiers ▁on ▁the ▁e ve ▁of ▁war ▁while ▁British ▁Niger ia ▁to ▁the ▁west ▁could ▁raise ▁an ▁army ▁of ▁ 7 , 5 5 0 . ▁ ▁Oper ations ▁ ▁In vas ion ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁At ▁the ▁out break ▁of ▁war ▁in ▁Europe ▁in ▁early ▁August ▁ 1 9 1 4 , ▁the ▁German ▁colonial ▁administration ▁in ▁K amer un ▁attempted ▁to ▁offer ▁neutral ity ▁with ▁Britain ▁and ▁France ▁in ▁accord ance ▁with ▁Articles ▁ 1 0 ▁and ▁ 1 1 ▁of ▁the ▁Berlin ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 8 8 5 . ▁However ▁this ▁was ▁rejected ▁by ▁the ▁Al lies . ▁The ▁French ▁were ▁eager ▁to ▁reg ain ▁the ▁land ▁c eded ▁to ▁Germany ▁in ▁the ▁Tre aty ▁of ▁Fe z ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 1 . ▁The ▁first ▁Al lied ▁exped itions ▁into ▁the ▁col ony ▁on ▁ 6 ▁August ▁ 1 9 1 4 ▁were ▁from ▁the ▁east ▁conducted ▁by ▁French ▁troops ▁from ▁French ▁Equ atorial ▁Africa ▁under ▁General ▁Joseph ▁Ga ud érique ▁A ym er ich . ▁This ▁region