KONDOA Posted 30 November , 2006 Author Share Posted 30 November , 2006 Along this road in Kahe came Von lettows force reserve from the Rantzier Hill area beyond Himo River. The view is approx ENE with the railway behind the photographer and the mainstreet and direction of the British advance to the photographers left. Kornatski & Shultz formed the Gemran reserve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 30 November , 2006 Author Share Posted 30 November , 2006 This view taken near Kahe shows Baumann Hill. The position was turned by DeVenters mounted troops shortly after the Kahe action. This hill is typical of many in the area which allowed the German forces significant defensive postions. Much use of artillery and massed infantry attacks were necessary to dislodge a relatively small enemy force. Other Hills within a few miles are, Euphorbien Hill, Kifumbu, Unter Himo etc. all have similar defensive qualities. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 30 November , 2006 Author Share Posted 30 November , 2006 A panorama westwards showing Baumann Hill to the left and Kahe Hill to the right (north). Both positions captured by DeVenters mounted units in March 1916. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 30 November , 2006 Author Share Posted 30 November , 2006 A view southwardss along the Moshi - Tanga Line of the Usambara railway at Kahe. The station house is a British construction replacing the original German timber structure. and dates from approx 1930. The railways were sucessively re-engineered during British Protectorate period and the pressed steel sleepers show dates around 1958 and were made by Coalvilles. No remnant German railway architecture was found during my trip. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 30 November , 2006 Author Share Posted 30 November , 2006 View Northwards towards Moshi on the Usumbara Railway at Kahe. The foothills of Kilimanjaro can be seen in the background. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveE Posted 30 November , 2006 Share Posted 30 November , 2006 Fascinating. Keep them coming Roop!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 30 November , 2006 Author Share Posted 30 November , 2006 We now move temporarily to the western side of Mt Kilimanjaro and Meru to Mt Longido up near the Kenyan border . In 1914 this German outpost was held by Kraut who would play a greater role in the forthcoming war in East Africa. As part of the strategy for attacking Tanga in November 1914, Longido was subject to attack as a decoy for the Tanga actions. Unfortunately Kraut (who had been called to Tanga by Von Lettow but had not received the message) was still there so the British got worsted and suffered severely from thirst. Longido has the only waterholes in the area. In 1916 Longido again became important as the starting point of General Stewarts 1st East African Division on its march to cut off the German withdrawal from the Taveta Nek. Unfortunately Stewart arrived late and the Germans escaped to Kahe and beyond. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 30 November , 2006 Author Share Posted 30 November , 2006 This is a general view of the terrain enroute to Longido. There are no relics here as one would find in France or Belgium. Viewers unfamiliar with this theatre of war should imagine the effect the thorn scrub would have on horses and men. The road seen on previous photo was not there during the campaign . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 30 November , 2006 Author Share Posted 30 November , 2006 Panorama looking towards Longido facing the general path of Stewarts advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 30 November , 2006 Author Share Posted 30 November , 2006 Finally Longido Village where the waterholes were fought over by patrols from both German and British forces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 2 December , 2006 Share Posted 2 December , 2006 Sorry, Roop. I for one am interested in your Despatches but have not had time over the last few days to look at your posts. Hopefully with the weekend some of us will post some encouragement! Your posts have sparked an interest in the campaign, but being pretty ignorant of the scope of the campaign, I was hoping to read up a little this weekend before asking too many silly questions! Nil Desperandum! Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 2 December , 2006 Author Share Posted 2 December , 2006 Anyone with a miltitary interest will see why this campaign was extraordinary and as such the most dynamic and interesting. This is not the Western Front, 80 miles from home, regular leave, short spells in the front line with decent rations. This is hell of the worst kind where good men die for the worst reasons. These men deserve equal respect to those who were killed by machine guns before Beaumont Hamel on 1st July 1916. These men died from rotted kidneys, fever and delerium, some many years after the war. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crunchy Posted 2 December , 2006 Share Posted 2 December , 2006 G'Day Roop, I have just discovered this thread and found your narrative and posts very interesting. Fascinating stuff. Your photo's bring the narrative to life and one gets some sense of the difficulties this Force laboured under. As you quite rightly say, the men who fought in this campaign deserve to be remembered as much as those who fought in other more well known campaigns. I know little of it, but you have sparked my interest to read about it in more detail. I will start with the OH, but can you recommend other good histories? We are starting a military book club with a few of us old retired codgers where we read a book and then meet to discuss it. I see a good book on this campaign as one to start with. Congratulations. Superb effort. Regards Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 2 December , 2006 Author Share Posted 2 December , 2006 Hi Chris, One needs to go no further than the OH for a true picture of the 1916 operations. However, if a better "read" is required there are several about. "Battle of the Bundu" by Charles Millar would be good for satarters. Roop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crunchy Posted 2 December , 2006 Share Posted 2 December , 2006 Thanks Roop. Will look for it next week. Regards Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 2 December , 2006 Author Share Posted 2 December , 2006 The old German Boma in Arusha. Used by Deventers mounted brigades for stablin etc. The main building houses a small museum. The original rear barrack block was demolished in the 1950's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 2 December , 2006 Author Share Posted 2 December , 2006 The Boma is a lightly fortified building that acted as the district commisioners residence and offices. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 2 December , 2006 Author Share Posted 2 December , 2006 Today the inside of the Boma wall is laid to public gardens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 2 December , 2006 Author Share Posted 2 December , 2006 Lolkissali approx 35 miles across the waterless scruband south of Arusha. This position was important because it had the waterholes that would allow for DeVenters advance southwards to Kondoa Irangi A closer view of the craggy outcrop. This was defended by 500 German and Askaris. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 2 December , 2006 Author Share Posted 2 December , 2006 This panorama shows the general route of advance of Deventers force southwards from Arusha Boma to Lolkissali. Kilimanjaro is to the left horizon. A general view of Lolkissali from the west. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stebie9173 Posted 2 December , 2006 Share Posted 2 December , 2006 Just been using a modern map for my bearings and thought I would post it with references to Kondoa's picture posts. Steve. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 3 December , 2006 Author Share Posted 3 December , 2006 Thats good Steve, many thanks. The next move is to Kondoa Irangi so if you have another map section it would be appreciated. Roop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 5 December , 2006 Author Share Posted 5 December , 2006 There will be a short intermission as it is apparent that my flash stick is in the wrong county to where I am at the moment. More at the weekend. Roop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cahoehler Posted 9 December , 2006 Share Posted 9 December , 2006 Guys Something on Sir Jaap from another thread Details of Colonel later Honorary Lieutenant General Sir Jacob ("Sir Jaap") Louis van Deventer can be found at http://www.angelfire.com/biz4/bigbrian/sirjaap.html as well as searching for "deventer" on the London Gazette. Coen Brits was another larger than life character who needs to be fleshed out . . . . Carl Hoehler Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KONDOA Posted 11 December , 2006 Author Share Posted 11 December , 2006 Village en route to Kondoa - called Boabab of the Germans - boabab being a large tree and ideal as sniper positions as they are often hollow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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