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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

German Artillery Used in Africa


Helen Bachaus

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Hi Folks,

Holger from Germany has sent me a few questions with photographs from his trips in Africa an of which I cannot answer. I'm hoping someone here on this forum can assist.

I've provide the questions as place before me in the message so you can appreciate what Holger is trying to request.

First message:

In 2004 I took some photos from a gun in Africa / Zambia / Chambeshi.

It was a part from the Lettow-Vorbeck memorial with a German field

gun C/73/88 or C/73/91. 7 pieces used in GEA from 1914-1917.

The calibre was 8,75 cm. On photo 06, you see the years 1890 and 1892.

I found the proofed history of 7 guns, but pictures only with wooden wheels.

I read in the Northern Rhodesian Journal, this gun have been captured

in Flandern / Europe, and brought as a souvenir to NR, but I could not

believe this really, because it was to old fashioned for war in Europe.

The Northern Rhodesia Journal:

http://www.nrzam.org.uk/NRJ/V2N4/V2N4.htm

My question was: Know somebody anything about this gun

or / and have seen pictures with this type of steel wheels?

(Perhaps It could be self made in the railway workshop in

Daressalam or the wheels taken from a steam tractor in GEA)

01 – 07 photos from the gun in Chambeshi

08 – 10 photos which show this type of gun in GEA

Memorial Plaque

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/He...lery/01_C73.jpg

Photos of Field Gun at Memorial

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/He...lery/02_C73.jpg

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/He...lery/03_C73.jpg

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/He...lery/04_C73.jpg

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/He...lery/05_C73.jpg

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/He...lery/06_C73.jpg

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/He...lery/07_C73.jpg

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/He...nArillery08.jpg

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/He...lery/09_C73.jpg

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/He...lery/10_C73.jpg

Second Message:

Beside you see photos from a German gun, taken

2002 in the National Museum of Tanzania in Dar es Saalam.

I have never seen this type of gun. Perhaps other knows more.

01 - 04 photos from the gun Dar

05 photo from a picture, about captured German guns

taken 1919 in Dar by the Britain. It looks a little like

the gun on the other photos. I could not take the calibre.

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/He.../01_unknown.jpg

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/He.../02_unknown.jpg

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/He.../03_unknown.jpg

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/He.../04_unknown.jpg

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/He.../05_unknown.jpg

Any Assistance to both Holger and I would be appreciated. Our Sideshows Yahoo group would also benefit from this important information too.

Best Wishes

Helen

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post-20901-1200216523.jpg

Helen and Ozz

Above are a couple of paragraphs from the Northern Rhodesia Journal that describe what was known about the German gun used in the surender memorial.

In the absence of any other information I would accept this as being the best you are going to get.

The fact that the gun came from Germany after the war does not mean that it had to be used in the war - it may well have been removed by British forces from a previous German barracks or HQ where it had been on display at the main gate or elsewhere.

Good Luck

Harry
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In relation to the first piece at Chambeshi- very interestingly it bears the arms of the Kingdom of Bavaria not Prussia.

Looking at the wheels and carriage I would suggest that they are probably a 'bodge for display purposes-I know of an example in Coonamble NSW where iron wheels -probably from an agricultural implement were fitted to a trophy gun after the original wooden ones rotted away.

The second gun is really peculiar. The original photographs appear to show narrow wood or metal wheels without the peculiar hooped spokes on the example in the museum. The trail appears to have been made out of angle iron. The carriage appears to have been reinforced at some stage with checker plate steel although the outline follows the original design closely.

I have never seen anything like the gun itself. The very thin barrel and external reinforcing rods give the impression that it may have been locally manufactured, possibly out of piping, and the breech mechanism is even stranger.A pity there is no accompanying ammunition!

Greg

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Hallo Ladies and Gentlemen :D

I believe the cannon to be a presentation piece, one of many, captured Military items,

sent to places to commemorate the Victory in WW1,

I can also confirm that the Crest with the Lion

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/He...lery/07_C73.jpg

and the motto "In Treue Fest" is indeed that of the Kingdom of Bavaria,

as well as the diamond "wappen" on the shield

representing the blue & white colours of the kingdom of Bavaria.

and can be found on many of the Bavarian Kingdoms medals.

post-18479-1200256886.jpgpost-18479-1200256810.jpg

post-18479-1200256928.jpg

Bavarian Veterans Assc badge.

Connaught Stranger. :D

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Hi Gents, Many, many thanks for your responses to my questions. The presentation gun is a very interesting addition to the memorial site.

I was wondering if anyone can further expand on the photographs of the German Field Guns in action!?! Well at least the two photgraphs in particular with German and Askaris.

God Bless

Helen

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