▁ ▁In ▁September ▁ 1 9 1 4 , ▁the ▁Germ ans ▁had ▁m ined ▁the ▁K amer un ▁or ▁W ouri ▁est u ary ▁and ▁sc utt led ▁naval ▁vessels ▁there ▁to ▁protect ▁Dou ala , ▁the ▁col ony ' s ▁largest ▁city ▁and ▁commercial ▁centre . ▁British ▁and ▁French ▁naval ▁vessels ▁bomb arded ▁towns ▁on ▁the ▁coast ▁and ▁by ▁late ▁September ▁had ▁cleared ▁mines ▁and ▁conducted ▁am ph ib ious ▁land ings ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁isol ate ▁Dou ala . ▁On ▁ 2 7 ▁September , ▁the ▁city ▁surrender ed ▁to ▁Brig ad ier ▁General ▁Charles ▁Mac ph erson ▁Dob ell , ▁commander ▁of ▁the ▁combined ▁Al lied ▁force . ▁The ▁occupation ▁of ▁the ▁entire ▁coast ▁soon ▁followed ▁as ▁the ▁French ▁captured ▁more ▁of ▁the ▁territ ories ▁to ▁the ▁south - east ▁in ▁an ▁am ph ib ious ▁operation ▁at ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Uk oko . ▁ ▁War ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 9 1 5 , ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁German ▁forces , ▁except ▁for ▁those ▁holding ▁out ▁at ▁the ▁strong holds ▁of ▁M ora ▁and ▁Gar ua ▁had ▁with dra wn ▁to ▁the ▁mountain ous ▁interior ▁of ▁the ▁col ony ▁surrounding ▁the ▁new ▁capital ▁at ▁J au nde . ▁In ▁the ▁spring ▁of ▁that ▁year ▁German ▁forces ▁were ▁still ▁able ▁to ▁significantly ▁st all ▁or ▁rep ulse ▁assault s ▁by ▁Al lied ▁forces . ▁A ▁German ▁force ▁under ▁the ▁command ▁of ▁Captain ▁von ▁C rails heim ▁from ▁Gar ua ▁even ▁went ▁on ▁the ▁off ensive