The Great War in Africa 1914-1918

[Neil Burns]

Very readable book, certainly not dry by anyone's standards. Focuses more on the personalities and their idiosyncracies.

The maps are certainly usable and the text is very easy to follow. Paul von Lettow-Borbeck is given very favorable treatment while Jan Smuts is portrayed in a much less than flattering light. The Royal Navyis also pretty heavily criticized.

I had just finished Strachan's The First World War which gives a much more thorough account of the campaign in a political/military sense so following on with Byron Farwell's book gave me a much better feel for the characters (at times bizarre particularly Spicer-Simson!) that shaped the campaign.

Overall a pretty good read as it is portrayed as quite an interesting story. The lion's share of the book deals with Lettow-Borbeck's East African campaign but Togoland and the Cameroons are also covered. The Konigsberg is covered as is the Battle for Lake Tanganyika.

The book is very Anglocentric with the Belgians and Portugese portrayed as essentially bit players although the KAR and the Indian Army units get a good deal of coverage.

Mr. Farwell also covers the suprisingly civil nature of the conflict and the gentlemanly behavior exhibited by both sides.

Overall a pretty good read and certainly not boring.

Neil

[Tim Birch]

Sounds a readable book Neil, any coverage of the German South West Africa (Namibia) campaign?

Tim

[Neil Burns]

Hi Tim,

Not a lot on South West Africa maybe about 20-25 pages.

Take care,

Neil

[Simon_Fielding]

I've just finished his 1973 'Queen Victoria's Little Wars' - great read, very well written indeed.

Invaluable companion to the 'Flashman' books!

Simon