Portuguese-East Africa – Maps and further sources

[Holger Kotthaus]

Portuguese-East Africa – Maps and further sources

 

This should be more or less an answer to my own question:

“Maps for Portuguese East Africa should still be also available?!? Any idea?”

 

Military Maps 1915/16 from GEA online

https://www.greatwarforum.org/topic/284846-military-maps-191516-from-gea-online/?tab=comments#comment-2932730

 

Personally, I always need maps when it comes to certain operations, not just in Africa. Distances

and the nature of the terrain are the basis for recognizing tactical connections and backgrounds

and for the understanding pure text passages. Furthermore, Maps are indispensable to prepare for

possible on-site visits. Even if the actions of the involved parties in Portuguese East Africa lasted

only 10 months, this period of time is an integral part of the entire East African campaign 1914-18.

 

There are also British Survey Maps for East Africa available from the years 1942-1946. At that time,

Mozambique was still a Colony. Therefore, in contrast to modern maps, the Portuguese names have

been preserved. This is an important factor to be able to make comparisons at all; yesterday - today.

 

It's not about the whole country, but only up to, at most, the Zambezi River. The following German map

therefore only shows this area of PEA: Rovuma to the Zambezi, and: Lake Nyasa to the Indian Ocean.

This map also serves as an overview, for the enlargements listed maps in 1:500,000, as the vertical

longitude and horizontal latitudes shown also form the sheet boundaries of the maps listed below.

These English overview maps also have the advantage over Old Portuguese maps, as well as later

the Russian maps on the same scale, that they are written in a language that is easier to understand.

The following maps are online available at the University of Texas Libraries

http://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/east_africa_500k/

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[Holger Kotthaus]

01 – SONGEA Sheet SC 36-6, 1:500,000

http://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/east_africa_500k/txu-pclmaps-oclc-6590061-songea-sc-36-6.jpg

 

02 – TUNDURU Sheet SC 37-4, 1:500,000 (missing)

 

03 – RUVUMA Sheet SC 37-5 + Part SC 37-6, 1:500,000

http://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/east_africa_500k/txu-pclmaps-oclc-6590061-ruvuma-sc-37-5-6.jpg

 

04 – VILA CABRAL Sheet SD 36-6, 1:500,000

http://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/east_africa_500k/txu-pclmaps-oclc-6590061-vila-cabral-sd-36-3.jpg

 

05 – MAHUA Sheet SD 37-1, 1:500,000

http://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/east_africa_500k/txu-pclmaps-oclc-6590061-mahua-sd-37-1.jpg

 

06 – PORT AMELIA Sheet SD 37-2 + Part SD 37-3, 1:500,000

http://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/east_africa_500k/txu-pclmaps-oclc-6590061-port-amelia-sd-37-2-3.jpg

 

07 – BLANTYRE Sheet SD 36-6, 1:500,000

http://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/east_africa_500k/txu-pclmaps-oclc-6590061-blantyre-sd-36-6.jpg

 

08 – CUAMBA Sheet SD 37-4, 1:500,000

http://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/east_africa_500k/txu-pclmaps-oclc-6590061-cuamba-sd-37-4.jpg

 

09 – NAMPULA Sheet SD 37-5, 1:500,000

http://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/east_africa_500k/txu-pclmaps-oclc-6590061-nampula-sd-37-5.jpg

 

10 – MOCAMBIQUE Sheet SD 37-6, 1:500,000

http://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/east_africa_500k/txu-pclmaps-oclc-6590061-mocambique-sd-37-6.jpg

 

11 – PORT HERALD Sheet SE 36-3, 1:500,000

http://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/east_africa_500k/txu-pclmaps-oclc-6590061-port-herald-se-36-3.jpg

 

12 – QUELIMANE Sheet SE 37-1, 1:500,000

http://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/east_africa_500k/txu-pclmaps-oclc-6590061-quelimane-se-37-1.jpg

 

13 – PEBANE Sheet SE 37-2, 1:500,000

http://legacy.lib.utexas.edu/maps/ams/east_africa_500k/txu-pclmaps-oclc-6590061-pebane-se-37-2.jpg

 

 

By the way; - The `Schutztruppe´ did not advance for the first time into Portuguese territory on

25. November 1917 and returned after 10 months back to GEA on 28. September 1918.

 

It is seldom mentioned that in spring 1917 a Detachment of the `Schutztruppe´ had penetrated for

months, deep into Portuguese territory. A combat patrol of the `Detachment Stuemer´ even reached

the city limits of Zomba via Lake Shirva in British Nyasaland, and another long-distance patrol had

arrived the coast of the Indian Ocean north of the Lurio River.(German Federal Archive, L. Boell)

 

On 16. April 1917, the Detachment of Major a.D. Willibald von Stuemer crossed the Rovuma border

river south of Tunduru and returned only after more than 4 months on 1. September 1917 back to GEA.

Strength: 3 1/2 Companies with 55 Europeans, 340 Askaris and 2 MG.

 

Further text sources will follow.

Cheers Holger

[Holger Kotthaus]

Update for PEA maps. Since I'm currently working intensively on the 10-month campaign in Portuguese East Africa,

I've found a few more maps that could certainly be also very helpful for others.

 

Below a further very good overlook map about whole Northern PEA & Southern GEA from a British perspective:

1.) Map of Central & East Africa – Norforce 1915-1918 – Scale 1:2,000,000 (with a very high resolution!)

Article Source: http://catalog.afriterra.org/viewMap.cmd?number=3739

Direct map Link: http://catalog.afriterra.org/zoomMap.cmd?number=3739

 

 

The War Office Archive offers a wide range of historical maps from PEA; - some based on captured German maps.
PEA Maps on British Library Website – WOMAT/AFR/BCA/15
(Select and push on of the red button, and afterwards on the left side, the middle (second from top) link.)
https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?mid=1cAf4fqJK_-_zq8e2hCeAyy3C0e4&ll=-13.167643195995284%2C36.795669354345634&z=8

I have selected and described those maps for you that are to be used for the time phase during the GW: Upon request,

maps can also be downloaded for non-commercial purposes. All maps are in very high, fantastic resolution available.

 

2.) Military Road Map, Scale 1:1,000,000 – 1917

Whole Northern PAE between Lake Niassa – Rovuma River – Indic Ocean, down to Ilha de Moçambique

http://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/Viewer.aspx?ref=womat!afr!moz!6!1_f001r

 

3.) Copy of German Sketch (with additions), Scale 1:1,000,000 – 1918

North-Eastern PEA, between Lake Niassa – Rovuma River – Lugenda River

http://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/Viewer.aspx?ref=womat!afr!moz!6!3_f001r

 

4.) Portuguese Nyasaland, Scale 1:1,000,000 – 1918

This map cover the eastern, right extension of map No.3.) and shows the area between Lugenda River - Rovuma River –

Indian Ocean.

http://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/Viewer.aspx?ref=womat!afr!moz!6!4_f001r

 

5.) Nanungu Area – P.E.A. Scale 1:500,000 – 1918

Area with the Msalu River in the centre; - South-Eastern of the Lugenda River

http://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/Viewer.aspx?ref=WOMAT!AFR!MOZ!5!3!1_f001r

 

6.) Malema – P.E.A. Scale 1:500,000 – 1918

This map cover the Southern area, as extension of Map No.4) with the Lurio River in the centre

http://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/Viewer.aspx?ref=womat!afr!moz!9_f001r

 

7.) Military Road Map Scale 1:1,000,000 – 1918

The Map include the area of Map No. 2.) with the southern extension down to the port city Beira; - So the whole area

during the campaign in PEA 1917-1918. Interesting, also Movement sequences of British and German units.

http://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/Viewer.aspx?ref=womat!afr!moz!5!7!2_f001r

 

8.) Not Named

Some Supplementary information around Nhamacurra

http://www.bl.uk/manuscripts/Viewer.aspx?ref=womat!afr!moz!7!2_f001r

 

 

Regards Holger

[rolt968]

Thank you for all this, Holger.

[Holger Kotthaus]

Hi rolt968; - I will follow also Luambala in this way.

 

How useful the above listed maps are is shown in the result below as an example of a battle sketch.

In the absence of these maps and other text sources, these locations would never be identifiable.

Own sketch, based on original AllTrails: https://www.alltrails.com/de/explore?b_tl_lat=-13.47067798731534&b_tl_lng=37.53358172193566&b_br_lat=-13.532100158740164&b_br_lng=37.65225834901443

 

Further background about Kireka / Nanungu and other places are, and will be shown here: https://forum.axishistory.com/viewtopic.php?f=73&t=263171&sid=60e5281dfd96f5ab639aa2f29af5629b

[rolt968]

Thank you for the map and the links. I am beginning to think that I should have another look at my late father's cousin's service with the King's African Rifles in WW1.

RM