John_Hartley Posted 6 October , 2009 Share Posted 6 October , 2009 Looking for a general history - a good read, rather than detailed research if you get my drift. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon_Fielding Posted 6 October , 2009 Share Posted 6 October , 2009 Tip and Run by Edward Paice - without a shadow of a doubt. Perhaps Mimi and Toutou Go Forth by Giles Foden' http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tip-Run-Untold-Tra...2623&sr=8-1 Cheers Simon Looking for a general history - a good read, rather than detailed research if you get my drift. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chrisharley9 Posted 6 October , 2009 Share Posted 6 October , 2009 Battle For The Bundu Lend you mine for a fiver Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushfighter Posted 8 October , 2009 Share Posted 8 October , 2009 The most concise account is: The First World War in Africa by Hew Strachan. In paperback by Oxford University Press. IBSN No: 0-19-925728-0 Harry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Philip Wilson Posted 8 October , 2009 Share Posted 8 October , 2009 John Byron Farwell's book 'The Great War in Africa 1914-18' provides a good overview. It was written in 1987 - ISBN 0 670 80244 1 with useful maps. Peter Shankland's book 'The Phantom Flotilla - the story of the Naval Africa Expedition 1915-16' is well worth reading, published in 1968 by Collins of London. Philip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 8 October , 2009 Author Share Posted 8 October , 2009 Thanks everyone. I'll start with the Strachan book and see where it takes me. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 9 October , 2009 Share Posted 9 October , 2009 John, best of luck with your reading, I hope you find it as interesting and in contrast to the Western Front. If you have any questions I am sure you will get a good response. Roop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athelstan Posted 12 October , 2009 Share Posted 12 October , 2009 You could always try 'Marching on Tanga' by Francis Brett Young published in 1917. It only covers a short period of time in 1916 when Brett Young was attached to the 2nd Rhodesians as a medical officer but it contains amongst the best descriptions of what it was like serving in East Africa including a hair raising episode when he was chased through the bush by German Askaris. It is still in print and second hand copies can be found easily. First editions are best as you get the original photos. Alternatively you can download a version from the University of California. Link below. Marching on Tanga For a general history I would go with the suggestion of Edward Paice's 'Tip and Run' but for a real Boys' Own style read, Charles Miller's 'Battle for the Bundu' takes some beating. Strachan's account is deadly dull by comparison. Hope this is of use. james w Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Theo Posted 14 October , 2009 Share Posted 14 October , 2009 Looking for a general history - a good read, rather than detailed research if you get my drift. John The memoirs of General Paul Emil von Lettow Vorbeck, the commander of the German forces in East Africa, is available free to read online or you can download it as a pdf http://www.archive.org/details/myreminiscenceso00lettuoft In his introduction he says that the book is based on his memory rather than any notes written at the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gibbo Posted 15 October , 2009 Share Posted 15 October , 2009 A word of warning before you buy the Strachan book. I'm sure that it's a reprint of the Africa section from his First World War: To Arms, which is meant to be Vol. 1 of a 3 volume wok, although the second seems to be a long time in coming. For the major fronts To Arms covers only 1914 but it takes some topics, including Africa, to the end of the war. It's excellent but, if you already have it, then I think that buying his African book is duplication. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 15 October , 2009 Author Share Posted 15 October , 2009 The Strachan book arrived this morning. Martin's right that the book is a reprint from "To Arms" (which I don't have) but has its own introductory chapter. It looks like a reasonable starting point for me but then I think I might want something with bit more "ooomph" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 15 October , 2009 Share Posted 15 October , 2009 It looks like a reasonable starting point for me but then I think I might want something with bit more "ooomph" You have plenty of suggestions for the follow up but Paice's "Tip and Run" or Miller's "Battle for the Bundu" would be my suggestions. Ross Anderson's "The Forgotten Front" would be another alternative but I didn't get on with his style of writing as well as with the other two. Regards Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 15 October , 2009 Share Posted 15 October , 2009 John, if you combine Francis Brett Youngs "Marching on Tanga" with Angus Buchanans "Three Years of War in East Africa" you have the benefit of having tewo men within yards of each other during the initial advance of 1916. There are so many books but no single book adequately captures the whole situation so ideally read a smany as your interest drives you to. The one volume of the Officail History is also very good, unfortuantely it was never completed. Roop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 30 December , 2009 Author Share Posted 30 December , 2009 Well, I've finished the Strachan book and I think the best I can say is that I now know more about the war in Africa than I did before. But it's a dry, cold book which treats the subject with a very broad brush. There's not a single description of any battle and I am really none the wiser as to how the fighting was conducted and how it differed from the trench warfare of the Western Front - except that there was a lot of movement. The casual reader might be forgiven if they actually concluded that no actual fighting ever took place - as there's plenty of mention of one side or another advancing a couple of hundred kilometres only to then find that the enemy has already retreated rather than engage. Lots of credit given to German commanders for fulfilling their objective to "stay in the fight" - intended to maintain a colonial presence after peace returned (failed). A book that will, no doubt, soon find it's way to the charity shop, I'm afraid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushfighter Posted 30 December , 2009 Share Posted 30 December , 2009 John Why not click onto Harry's Africa at: http://www.kaiserscross.com/188001/home.html and read a few of my short articles on actual fighting in Africa in WW1. (Blood, bayonets and bullets are all mentioned!) Harry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Hartley Posted 30 December , 2009 Author Share Posted 30 December , 2009 Cor blimey. You had an interesting service life, didnt you? J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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