Tulia

The Battle of Magiagi 1899 saw a combined British and American force take on German troops on the other side of the world on Samoa as both sides sought to extend control over nitrates required for fertilisers throughout the Pacific Ocean. A Royal Naval Officer by the name of Lieutenant Gaunt set up a unit of Native Samoan Islanders known as the Redcaps. They were given a red scarf to wear around their heads to help identify them on the battlefield - hence the name Redcaps. 33 American sailors joined 24 British Marines and the various Samoan allies to assault a village held by Germans and their local allies.
This picture shows that even Samoan women were willing to join in with the fighting. Tulia, pictured with her red scarf wrapped around her waist, actually captured a German Flag in the midst of heavy fighting to inspire the menfolk to exert themselves more fully. The battle came to something of a halt when newly arrived Samoan allies who had not got the memo on not decapitating their enemies raised their foes’ heads on poles to intimidate the German force who promptly began surrendering to the British and American troops in the hope of being protected from ‘local norms of warfare’.

magiagi

Samoa