Part 8/12:
By nightfall, the British contingent loaded onto ships—including the flagship Kruger and two smaller vessels—and sailed away from the besieged city. A tense confrontation with the local Dictators ensued when they demanded the ships return to the fighting line, but Dunsterville refused, citing exhaustion and the need to preserve his force.
The evacuation was a partial success: fewer than 1,000 men held back an enemy force ten times their size for nearly a month, thanks largely to the formidable artillery and disciplined British units amid the chaos.