Royal Naval Expedition to Lake Tanganyika

[Waddell]

20 hours ago, michaeldr said:

 

“Served his gun with great coolness while attacked by 3 E. A. on patrol in North Sea, despite the fact that he has had very little sea experience. Later he spent many hours patching up the engines (which had been put out of action by enemy) for which great credit is due … To be mentioned in Gazette for services on above occasion. [This officer has been mentioned in despatches in London Gazette 17.11.17]

Thanks, gents. Not a bad effort for someone who "knew almost nothing about the workings of the internal combustion engine". I think the book does the man a disservice.

Scott

 

[KizmeRD]

I’m turning up rather late to this particular thread, but anyone who has more than a passing interest in the Lake Tanganyika Expedition would do well to read Edward Paice’s book ‘Tip and Run, the untold tragedy of the Great War in East Africa’ 

https://archive.org/details/tiprununtoldtrag0000paic

The book is well referenced and does an excellent job of providing a well-rounded assessment of Spicer-Simson’s antics and achievements on the lake, and frames it all in the context of everything else happening out in East Africa at the time. 

Paice describes the publication in 1968 of Peter Shankland’s ‘The Phantom Flotilla’ as a rather lurid and often inaccurate account largely based on the tale woven by the expeditions doctor. The result was a rather grotesque caricature of Spicer-Simson which was perpetuated by other subsequent accounts that drew uncritically on Shankland as a source.

MB