My Reminiscences of East Africa

ACCORDINGLY only Koehl’s detachment remained at Kasama, with instructions to follow us a day’s march behind. Early on November 13th I followed Spangenberg’s detachment with our...

WHILE employing the bulk of the Protective Force in the regions on the Northern Railway we could not afford entirely to denude the remainder of the Colony. In the interior it wa...

THE operations of the last few months had narrowed the area from which supplies for the troops could be obtained. The productive areas of Lupembe, Iringa, Kissaki and the lower...

EARLY in the morning of November 25th, 1917, our advance guard waded across the Rovuma, a little above the Ludjenda confluence; the main force of nine companies followed in the...

WHEN I landed at Dar-es-Salaam in January, 1914, I hardly suspected the nature of the task that was to confront me in a few months’ time. But during the past ten years the unive...

IN order to confirm the enemy in his mistake as to our objective I marched on 7th August along the road to Wamaka and pitched my camp three hours’ march north-east of Chalau, in...

MEANWHILE, the situation at Kilwa began to demand increased attention. We had there only weak detachments for protecting the coast, which consisted mainly of young, newly-enlist...

THE patrol of Captain Otto, who had been sent from Captain Tafel to me after the latter’s surrender, and gave me details about the events leading up to it, had arrived at Chirum...

CAPTURED English newspapers stated that it would be particularly painful to Germany to lose her beloved colonies, its “little chicks,” and that German East Africa was the most v...

AT that time we noticed the first parties of hostile spies, and captured some of them. They were “Shensi” (innocent-looking natives), who, as a proof of having really reached th...

ON May 23rd the rest of our transport and the main body of the troops were started off from Coroma camp on a track right through the bush to Koriwa. The bulk of our carrier colu...

ON 24th October, the Governor of Chiwata, which had become the centre of the Administration, arrived at my camp east of Lukuledi for a conference. I firmly stated my opinion tha...

AFTER the trains had left Lembeni I handed over the command of all the troops on the Northern Railway to Major Kraut. An independent administrative service was also organized fo...

IN face of the enemy’s orders we had captured I had to anticipate that within a short time comparatively strong hostile forces would be coming from Quelimane to attack us. The c...

DOCUMENTS which we captured later proved by figures that the enemy moved troops from Lake Victoria towards Kilima Njaro. So the battle actually did relieve other, far distant th...

IN order to oppose the troops of General Northey, who were advancing from the direction of New Langenburg, Captain Braunschweig had been dispatched from Dodoma at the end of Jun...

IN our rear, Major Fischer, who with five companies had been employed between Kilima Njaro and Meru, had evaded the enemy’s superior forces by moving on New Moshi, and had been...

OUR march from Kibata was on the first day carried out according to plan. On the following day I rode ahead with a few companions, in the expectation that the troops who had sev...

WHILE at Narunyu there was a lull in the fighting for several weeks, the enemy had shown considerable activity in the section of Portuguese territory occupied by Stuemer’s force...

EARLY in August, 1914, when on my way via the heliograph station of Kidodi towards Kilossa, a special messenger brought me a telegram from the Governor, to say I was to return i...

I ASK the reader to imagine himself in the position of a Commander, with insufficient means, exposed to attack by superior numbers, who has continually to ask himself: What must...

AT first, it is true, the anticipated intervention of the South Africans did not seem to be materializing; the English were evidently trying to subdue us with their own forces,...

IN this Manner We Were Fully Employed in the Camp at Pugu, when, on the morning of the 8th August, we heard heavy artillery fire from the direction of Dar-es-Salaam. According t...

HOWEVER, wherever these large ammunition depots might be, they had certainly not fallen into our hands. We had to start out on the search again. The whole strategic situation, a...

BY the time we kept Christmas in the Mission Church at New Moshi, and afterwards in our mess in the Railway Station, the military situation north of Tanga had become sufficientl...

IN August, 1916, Major Kraut had gradually retired from Kilossa on Mahenge, leaving only Schoenfeld’s division at Kidodi, on the Ruaha. Captain Braunschweig’s force was embodied...

THE danger threatening the Kilima Njaro country appeared to me to be by itself a sufficient reason for rapidly moving the troops back to the vicinity of New Moshi after the deci...

BUT we could not afford many halts. The military position imperatively demanded that we should pass quickly through the districts to the east of the centre of Lake Nyassa, which...

THE second patrol dispatched by us on the 31st October towards Fife had halted at Mount Rwiba. I had now to advance with the whole force towards Fife, in order to reach it befor...

EAST of Oldorobo the enemy now frequently showed considerable bodies of troops, amounting to 1,000 or more men, who deployed in the direction of the mountain at great distances,...

The lost English motor-cyclist. Armistice. By cycle to the Chambezi ferry. Conditions of the Armistice. Conference with the British Commissioner. Situation in Germany. The Armis...

Obstacles in the way of continuing the march to the South. The enemy’s operations and our own plans. Back across the Likungo. Marching in several parallel columns. A remarkable...

At Chalau. An English flag of truce. Approach of the enemy. Withdrawal across the Ligonja. At Ili. March to Numarroe. Preparing bread for the prisoners. A breakfast in the bush....

Supply questions. In the rain. Tobacco. At Nanungu. Building pontoons. Patrols across the Msalu River. News of events in Europe. A pause in the fighting. Patrols to the coast. T...

Reconnaissances at Tanga. Appearance of an English landing corps. Concentration of all available troops. First combats at Ras-Kasone. Reconnaissance in abandoned Tanga. The surr...

Hostile Masai attack on Lake Victoria. The _Königsberg_ on the Rufiji. Her glorious end. Another success near Kilimandjaro. Determined attacks on the English railway. Attack and...

Plans and considerations. Active attempts at reconnaissance by the enemy. Preparations for fighting. An attack on the hostile screen of patrols. Heavy losses. Fresh heavy attack...

On the Ruhuje and Ruaha Rivers. A hostile attack and its sudden cessation. The enemy’s mistake. Surrender of Major Grabert. Division of General Wahle’s force. The march to Tabor...

Crossing the river. The enemy’s camp at Ngomano. Assault on the Portuguese defences. The “Day of the old guns.” Rich booty. Continuing the march up the Lujenda. Looking for supp...

Our unfavourable position at Kilwa. Futile attacks by the enemy at Kissangire. Fat obtained from hippo and elephants. At Mpaganya. A pessimist sent about his business. Advance o...

Necessity for economizing men and stores. Care of the wounded. A wireless message from home. Raids in the Longido district. “A damned good piece of work.” Despatch of patrols to...

The march through the Pori. Camp at Ungwara. The troops lose their way. Useless mouths. Steps to remedy the threatening shortage of food. Reduction in the number of carriers. Re...

Departure for Korogwe. At Handeni. News from Germany. Obstacles on the road. The swollen river. On horseback and by light railway to Kimamba. Reconnaissance south of Kondoa. Lin...

Consultation with the Governor. Considerations. Departure from Lukuledi. Minor actions in the bush. Shortage of ammunition and its consequences. Continuous advance of the enemy...

Hostile reinforcements from the direction of Lindi. Flood of the Mbemkuru. German advance on Lindi. The enemy penetrates into the German camp at Lutende. A smart counter-attack....

Spies at work. The routes of the enemy’s advance. Possibilities of defence. The enemy attacks at Kitovo Mountain. The strong position on the line Reata-Kitovo. The _Königsberg’s...

Reflections on the duties and purpose of the Protective Force. Details of the defensive capacity of the Colony. Distribution, armament and training of the Force. Military employ...

The enemy advances on the whole northern front. Simultaneous attacks from the South. Slipping away and outflanking the enemy. Looking for the enemy’s weakest point. The smart pa...

On the road to Keriva. The sick and wounded. Camp on the Lurio. Müller’s detachment captures the Boma of Malema. Hostile forces approach from various sides. In a rich country. G...

Hostile attacks from the south-west. What will the enemy do? An attempt to surround us. The action at Mlali. Retreat to Kissaki. The moral effect of our retreat. The Boma of Kis...

Bombardment of the wireless tower at Dar-es-Salaam. Negotiations for capitulation by the civil authorities. The _Königsberg_ and the _Möve_. Capture of Taveta. Transfer of the m...

Arrival of news of mobilization. Participation in the war or neutrality? The strength of the Protective Force and the English casualties. The English Consul and his activity. Th...

On the march to Fife. The enemy in a fortified position. Fruitless bombardment and continuation of the march. Patrol fighting. Abundant supply of quinine captured. Studying the...

Advance of hostile forces at Jassini. Reconnaissance in view of a possible battle. Advance of the German Companies against the English positions. Surprise and surrounding of the...

Withdrawal of the troops to New Moshi. Work at Headquarters. Motor transport _versus_ carriers. Reconnaissances by motor. Supply and transport. Roads on the lines of communicati...

Several advances by the enemy. The fantastic armoured cars. The artillery combat. The South African troops. Alleged cruel orders by the enemy. Reinforcement of the enemy near Mo...

Where is the enemy’s ammunition dump? Looking for it. Awkwardness of long columns. Kokosani-Namekurra. Across the Lukungo. A success. At Namekurra. The fortified railway station...

Concentric advance of the enemy. At Ruponda and Likangara. The enemy’s uncertainty. Rumours. Action at Mahiva. A brilliant victory. Changing the plan of attack. The tactics of t...

Rapid march to the North. Across the Lujenda. A rest-day at Mwemba. Hostile spies. Distant reconnaissance by patrols. To Ssongea. Homesickness of the Samarunga. Pangire Mission...