Military Map of German South West Africa

[Rory Reynolds]

The GSWA campaign is not very extensively covered so, for the few who have an interest in it, herewith a military map as at February 1915 of the major towns, settlements etc. It first appeared in the South African Railways & Harbours Magazine. I have circled the town of Otavi which is where the German surrender on 9 July 1915 took place, effectively ending the campaign. South Africa took over the administration of the territory from then on until the 1980's.

[aconnolly]

The website has a lot of great resources.  Many thanks for posting this Rory

Andrew

 

 

[HenryTheGerman]

Many thanks for posting, Rory! Very interesting. - But let me verify that quite a number of the stations and posts were not real military ones but police ones. The Germans distinguished between "Landespolizei" and military units. Differentiation started in 1894. In 1914 there were 7 police officers, 9 administrative officers, 68 police constables, 432 police sergeants, 50 contract policemen, 370 coloured police servants (in uniform and firearmed) and 155 police hands in service. There were 92 police stations except in the region Caprivi, Kavango, Ovamboland and Kaokoveld there the local ethnic authorities were enforced.

Regards

H.

[Rory Reynolds]

Danke Schon Henry! This map came from the Sooth African Railways Magazine. I'm glad you are able to correct any inaccuracies.

This little-known theatre of the war has always fascinated me.

Regards

Rory

[HenryTheGerman]

Hard to believe how primitive some of the military and police posts were: Have a look to the photographies being attached; I took them in 1990 already, so I apologize for the poor quality, The photo shows a post in the Karas mountain area on Farm Blinkoog, not too far away from Karasburg (formerly Kalkfeld) in the very South of SWA. The post consisted of a small cabin that was built from stones without zement or any other binder, with a roof made from hay and twigs and branches from thornbusches. A small stone wall run across the entrance of the house as a parapet. The cottage and an area of perhaps 1 hectare was surrounded by a fence from stones where the horses were kept. There was no water, no spring close to the post; wter had to be brought in by horses or by cart, up the steep hill.

In 1905 the Nama overwhelmed the post's garrison and killed all the 8 men. - Imagine how these men must have been living on that post, mmainly outside, only sleeping inside the little cabin, except one or two sentries who had to watch out for enemies ... !

 

[Rory Reynolds]

Wonderful photos - thanks for posting them. I should think, given the isolated spot, that the area still looks the same now.

Having no access to water must have been tricky for the men.