Mzee Ali and Mausers

[mthatcher61]

I have been reading Mzee Ali which as a biographical account of an askari in GEA. Last night I was reading an account of when Mzee Ali first joined the Schutztruppe, he was on a Safari with the original surveying team for the final leg of the central railroad ( Tabora to Ujiji). He recounts a tale of how he and 3 other askari on a 'recruiting' mission for porters surrounded a hostile village and with the aid of their Mauser rifles struck fear into the villagers which resulted in their surrender. The book does not give dates so considering that the last leg of the Central RR was completed in 1914, I would assume that this event would have had to happen at least a couple of years prior to 1914. Also it appears that Mzee Ali would have been a member of the Tabora Schutztruppe. Would they have been issued Mausers as early as 1912? I thought the Schutztruppe had only black powder guns at the beginning of the war. Can anybody clear this up?

[SteveE]

I believe all the Schutztruppe companies were armed with Mausers of various vintage. Some had been issued with the Gewehr 98 model by 1914 but I believe the majority were still using the Gewehr 71/84 and Jägerbüsche 71, it was these that gave up the cloud of smoke when fired and would have been the ones used in 1912.

You may be better asking the same question in the "Arms" sub forum where the rifle experts are more likely to see it.

Regards

Steve

[mthatcher61]

Thank you Steve. I was erroneously thinking that bolt action rifles werent the smoke producing weapons the Schutztruppe were desperately trying to upgrade to in the beginning of the war. Watching this video I can still see the power of the 71/84 and the tell tale black smoke that would give the position of the shooter away.

Mark

[Ithklur]

 Hello Mark

1914 the Schutztruppe consisted of 11 Feldkompagnien 

Only three of them were equipped with Mauser  G 98 

all others had the Mauser M1871  and some Gewehr 88 (but these only in very small numbers)

As SteveE mentioned, there were variants of the above, mostly the shortened Carbines

cheers

Olav

[bushfighter]

Mark

Greetings

I cannot add anything new but you would be interested in the book: Colonial Armies. Africa 1850 to 1918. By Peter Abbott, published by Foundry Books.

ISBN 1-901543-07-2.

Harry

[mthatcher61]

Thanks everybody. I've learned a bit more about the German mausers which helps me understand the Schutztruppe tactics and how they were dictated by the ordnance available. I really appreciate all the help. Doing a self study course on the War in Sub-Saharan Africa has really opened my eyes up to a lot on Africa and the Great War.