Printer Friendly
The Free Library
14,458,148 articles and books
Member login
User name  
Password 
 
Join us Forgot password?

World War I: Joint Fires in the East African Campaign.


Current military thinking increasingly emphasizes "jointness" with leaders required to employ manoeuverist principles and "think outside the box." Some hold the view that these are relatively new developments--or at least have come to prominence only since 1945.

A study of a little known campaign in the First World War, far from the morass of the Western Front, puts this popular myth to rest. The innovative use of naval guns List of Naval Guns, listed below by country in caliber order. France
  • 380 mm Model 1935 naval gun
  • 340 mm Model 1912 naval gun
  • 330 mm Model 1931 naval gun
  • 305 mm Model 1906 naval gun
  • 305 mm Model 1893 naval gun
  • 240 mm Model 1902 naval gun
 as land-based artillery in the 1914 East African Campaign East African Campaign may refer to:
  • East African Campaign (World War I)
  • East African Campaign (World War II)
 is an example of joint fires Fires produced during the employment of forces from two or more components in coordinated action toward a common objective. See also fires.  that dispels the myth. One German commander, separated from his superiors by vast distances of time and space, was left with the freedom of action to prosecute a campaign in which he never was defeated, even though the British enemy consistently outnumbered his force. He was an artilleryman.

The Theatre of Operations Noun 1. theatre of operations - a region in which active military operations are in progress; "the army was in the field awaiting action"; "he served in the Vietnam theater for three years"
field of operations, theater of operations, theatre, theater, field
. Before the outbreak of war in 1914, Germany had several African colonies: Cameroon, Togo, German South-West Africa German South-West Africa: see Namibia.  (in the area of modern Namibia) and German East Africa German East Africa, former German colony, c.370,000 sq mi (958,300 sq km), E Africa. Dar es Salaam was the capital. German influence emerged in the area in 1884 when Carl Peters, the German explorer, obtained treaties over parts of the territory.  (in the area of modern Tanzania). This article primarily is concerned with the latter. Germany was ceded these areas as part of the 1885 Congo Act between Germany, France, Britain and Belgium. A free-trade zone free-trade zone

Area within which goods may be landed, handled, and re-exported freely. The purpose is to remove obstacles to trade and to permit quick turnaround of ships and planes.
 was established between the African colonies of the treaty signatories.

More importantly, the colonies agreed that during wartime, they would remain neutral. From the outbreak of war, the belligerent parties would have to refrain from hostilities in the neutralized territories and from using them as a base for warlike war·like  
adj.
1. Belligerent; hostile.

2.
a. Of or relating to war; martial.

b. Indicative of or threatening war.


warlike
Adjective

1.
 operations. [1]

German East Africa was vast, encompassing an area larger than France and Germany combined, a total of 384,000 miles. [2] A 3000-foot high plateau dominated its center. The northeast, toward British East Africa British East Africa, inclusive historical term for several former British dependencies, especially Kenya, Uganda, Tanganyika, and Zanzibar.
British East Africa

Territory under former British control, Africa.
 (modern Kenya) is primarily savannah Savannah, city, United States
Savannah, city (1990 pop. 137,560), seat of Chatham co., SE Ga., a port of entry on the Savannah River near its mouth; inc. 1789.
 with abundant wildlife. Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in the region, is in this area. Equatorial lands ring Lake Victoria, while the south is mainly highland. The campaign was fought mostly in typical "bush" country, ranging from open parkland to dense forests.

In many ways the theatre was a soldier's nightmare. One combatant described it as follows: "It's almost impossible for those unacquainted with German East Africa to realize the physical, transport and supply difficulties of the advance over this magnificent country of unrivalled scenery and fertility consisting of great mountain systems alternating with huge plains...the malaria mosquito everywhere...everywhere belts infested in·fest  
tr.v. in·fest·ed, in·fest·ing, in·fests
1. To inhabit or overrun in numbers or quantities large enough to be harmful, threatening, or obnoxious:
 with the deadly tsetse fly tsetse fly (tsĕt`sē), name for any of several bloodsucking African flies of the genus Glossina, and in the same family as the housefly.  which make an end of animal transport. In the rainy seasons, which occupy about half the year, the country becomes a swamp and military movements become impracticable." [3]

Indeed, nature proved as much a bane BANE. This word was formerly used to signify a malefactor. Bract. 1. 2, t. 8, c. 1.  to military operations This is a list of missions, operations, and projects. Missions in support of other missions are not listed independently. World War I
''See also List of military engagements of World War I
  • Albion (1917)
 as the enemy. In the disastrous British engagement at Tanga Tanga (täng`gə, –gä), city (1994 est. pop. 190,000), capital of Tanga prov., NE Tanzania, a port on the Indian Ocean. It is a commercial, industrial, and transportation center, connected by rail with the interior of Tanzania.  in 1915, African bees helped rout their invading Indian troops and also put a German machine gun out of commission. [4]

In 1914, the population of German East Africa was approximately eight million, mostly made up of the 53 native tribes. The white population was mainly German settlers and numbered 5,336. [5]

German Forces. To protect their interests, the Germans had garrisons in their colonies. In German East Africa, this was the Schutztruppe (Protective Force) of 216 Europeans, 2,540 natives (known as Askaris) and 45 European police. In 1914, the Schutztruppe was organized into 14 independent companies, each consisting of three platoons of 60 men per platoon. At its wartime height, the Schutztruppe never exceeded 3,000 Europeans and 11,000 Askari Askari is an Arabic, Turkish, Somali, Persian and Swahili word meaning "soldier" (Arabic: عسكري ‘askarī). .

Each company had German officers and two to four machine guns. Rifles were mainly of the 1871 pattern and fired black powder black powder
n.
An explosive mixture of saltpeter, charcoal, and sulfur, formerly used in firearms.
, a great disadvantage in the close fighting to come.[6]

The Schutzrruppe artillery firepower also was limited: 56 small-calibre, obsolete guns.[7] Two of the pieces dated back to 1873.

The German Commander. In 1914, Colonel Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck, aged 45, commanded the Sclzutztruppe. Originally trained as an artillery officer, he also had served with a marine battalion. Although he was nominally the senior commander, the Governor of German East Africa, Dr. Schnee, was the de facto [Latin, In fact.] In fact, in deed, actually.

This phrase is used to characterize an officer, a government, a past action, or a state of affairs that must be accepted for all practical purposes, but is illegal or illegitimate.
 commander-in-chief of the colonial armed forces. While Dr. Schnee hoped to keep his territory neutral in the forthcoming war in accordance with the 1885 treaty, von Lettow-Vorbeck believed this was not the best course of action for Germany. Realizing where the British center of gravity lay, he summarized his philosophy as follows: "My view was that we would best protect our colony by threatening the enemy in his own territory. We could very effectively tackle him at asensitive point, the Uganda Railway The Uganda Railway is a historical railway system linking the interiors of Uganda and Kenya to the Indian Ocean at Mombasa in Kenya. History
The line started at the port city of Mombasa in 1896 and reached Kisumu in 1901 on the eastern shore of Lake Victoria.
." [8]

In a letter to Governor Schnee, he further stated his case: "We have it in our power to hinder the enemy by sheltering our navy in its campaign against enemy transports and by keeping as many troops as possible pinned down in Africa. The Schutztruppe, under my command is ready to do anything in its power to help win the war."[9]

Realizing he was at the end of a long supply line from Germany and that most resources would be devoted to the European theatre, von Lettow-Vorbeck knew his only hope of success lay in skillfully conducting a guerilla campaign. This was directed at vital points, such as the Uganda Railway, the main British supply line between Nairobi and the port of Mombasa.

His campaign was a masterstroke mas·ter·stroke  
n.
An achievement or action revealing consummate skill or mastery: a masterstroke of diplomacy. See Synonyms at feat1.
 guerilla warfare. It was also one of the harshest campaigns with von LettowVorbeck admitting that on occasion, "A wounded man Wounded Man in English, 傷追い人 (Kizuoibito) in Japanese, is a seinen manga written by Kazuo Koike and drawn in a Gekiga style by artist Ryoichi Ikegami.  was relieved of his gun, shot through the head and left to the lions, hyenas or the vultures,"[10]

The Konigsberg. It was into such a theatre that the German light cruiser A light cruiser is a warship. The term is a shortening of the phrase "light armoured cruiser", describing a small ship that carried armour in the same way as an armoured cruiser; a protective belt and deck.  Seine Majestat Schiff or SMS (1) (Storage Management System) Software used to routinely back up and archive files. See HSM.

(2) (Systems Management Server) Systems management software from Microsoft that runs on Windows NT Server.
 (translated as His Majesty's Ship) Konigsberg made her voyage into destiny. Neither her crew nor von Lettow-Vobeck could possibly realize the impact she would have on one of the most successful guerilla campaigns of the 20th century.

Built in 1905, the coal-powered Konigsberg displaced 3,400 tons and had a crew of 320. Her captain since April 1914 was Fregatrenkapitan (Commander) Max Loof. At best speed, she could make 24 knots and was faster than any Royal Navy vessel she encountered.

This vessel was a particularly welcome asset that proved invaluable as a commerce raider, attacking allied shipping lanes. Her armament consisted of two torpedo tubes and 10 105-mm (4.1-inch) guns, the latter having a range of 12,700 yards." [11]

The Konigsberg originally had been sent to German East Africa as part of a colonial exhibition A colonial exhibition is a type of international exhibition that was intended to boost trade and bolster popular support for the various colonial empires during the New Imperialism period, which started in the 1880s with the scramble for Africa.  to be held in the colony's capital, Dar es Salaam Dar es Salaam

Largest city (pop., 1995 est.: 1,747,000), capital, and major port of Tanzania. Founded in 1862 by the sultan of Zanzibar, it came under the German East Africa Co. in 1887.
. She arrived in port in June 1914, two months before the outbreak of war. Up to this point, the German naval presence in the area had been rather unimpressive, and the arrival of the new cruiser meant that an older ship, the gunboat gunboat, small warship for use on rivers and along coasts in places inaccessible to vessels of larger displacement. In the U.S. Civil War both sides used as gunboats, on the Mississippi and other rivers, any boat that had an engine and had room to mount a gun.  Geier, could be detached to lower priority duties with the Far Eastern Squadron under Admiral Graf von Spee. [12]

With war imminent, the Konigsberg did not linger long in port where she would be vulnerable to Royal Navy attacks. She departed the colonial capital at the end of July.

War in East Africa. War was declared on 5 August 1914. Almost immediately, the Konigsberg established her reputation as a serious threat to Allied supply lines to India and the Far East. The next day, she captured the British steamer City of Winchester Winchester is a local government district in Hampshire, England, with city status. It covers an area of central Hampshire including the city of Winchester itself, and neighbouring towns and villages including New Alresford, Colden Common and Bishops Waltham. , the first such vessel to be captured by a German man o'war in the conflict. [13] But the British had not yet seen the worst

In a daring raid on a British anchorage at Zanzibar in September 1914, the Konigsberg attacked and sank the HMS Pegasus HMS Pegasus is the name which has been given to nine ships in the British Royal Navy. Pegasus was a winged horse in Greek mythology. These ships included:
  • Pegasus
. In many ways it was an unequal contest: the British ship was 17 years old and much slower and less heavily armed than her German adversary. In the first victory by a German cruiser against a Royal Navy counterpart, Pegasus was sunk with no damage to the Konigsberg or injury to her crew.

The British recovered the four-inch guns of the Pegasus from her wreckage, mounted them on improvised carriages and drew them by Packard trucks, thus providing the British land The British Land Company PLC (LSE: BLND) is one of the largest property development and investment companies in the United Kingdom. It converted to a Real Estate Investment Trust when REITs were introduced in the United Kingdom in January 2007.  forces "instant" artillery.[14] (The British were as poorly provided with war materiel ma·te·ri·el or ma·té·ri·el  
n.
The equipment, apparatus, and supplies of a military force or other organization. See Synonyms at equipment.
 as their German counterparts.)

The Land Campaign. The East African campaign began poorly for the British. The Western Front was seen as the decisive theatre, and East Africa was relegated to the status of a sideshow See Windows SideShow. . Certainly, Allied commanders in East Africa could not expect reinforcements.

Poor intelligence, low morale and troops of dubious quality did not help the British in the disastrous rout during their attempted landings at Tanga in 1915, which ultimately were aborted. As one British officer remarked later, "The chaotic state of affairs here is heartbreaking. No reserve, no discipline, lack of courage in leaders, thousands of unreliable troops and no offensive spirit. I wish to heaven I could get out of it all and fight in the trenches.[15]

After a series of reverses, Lieutenant-General Jan C. Smuts, a South African, was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Forces in East Africa in early 1916. These forces numbered approximately 27,500 and had 71 pieces of artillery and 123 machine guns. A lawyer by background, Smuts had commanded successfully against the British in the Boer War Boer War: see South African War.  (1899-1902) and conducted a successful campaign against the Germans in South-West Africa South-West Africa  

See Namibia.
 in 1914.

Sink the Konigsberg. By April 1915, with the defeat of von Spee's squadron at the Battle of the Falklands and the destruction of the German raider SMS Emden, the Konigsberg was the only German surface vessel deployed outside the North Sea, and as such, posed a grave threat to British commerce routes. Her destruction became paramount.

To that end, British naval headquarters issued the following order: "The Admiralty have ordered [the cruisers] Chatham, Dartmouth and Weymouth to act as a detached and separate squadron.., to be exclusively employed hunting Konigsberg, and direct that on no account are ships to be diverted from their sole object, namely the capture of Konigsberg." [16]

By that time, the Konigsberg had taken refuge in the Rufiji River Delta south of Dares Salaam sa·laam  
n.
1. A ceremonious act of deference or obeisance, especially a low bow performed while placing the right palm on the forehead.

2. A respectful ceremonial greeting performed especially in Islamic countries.

tr.
 to escape the British and take on boiler repairs as there was no convenient friendly port available. German supply ships attempted to replenish her twice. Although both ships were sunk, enough supplies of coal, weapons and ammunition were recovered to maintain the Konigsberg as a threat.

At one point, two battleships The list of battleships includes all battleships since 1859, listed alphabetically. The list also contains battlecruisers which share most of the characteristics of a battleship or have otherwise been referred to as battleships. , 10 cruisers and 12 lesser ships of the Royal Navy
''For a list of ships of the Royal Navy, see List of Royal Navy ships.
Ships of the Royal Navy by J. J. Colledge is a historical reference work providing brief entries on all recorded ships in commission in the Royal Navy from the 15th century, giving
 were searching for the Konigsberg. [17] British efforts to destroy the Konigsberg were hampered by the fact that the Rufiji River was too shallow for many Royal Navy deep draught vessels. The only British ships capable of negotiating the river were two monitors, the HMS Mersey and HMS Severn.

The two monitors originally had been destined des·tine  
tr.v. des·tined, des·tin·ing, des·tines
1. To determine beforehand; preordain: a foolish scheme destined to fail; a film destined to become a classic.

2.
 for the Brazilian Navy but luckily had been put into British service in 1914. These vessels, each armed with one 128-mm and two 152-mm guns, drew only five feet of water. They quickly were dispatched from Britain, arriving off East Africa by June 1915.

Working in concert with seaplanes, which adjusted the fire of their guns, the two ships launched a series of attacks on the cornered Konigsberg. In the process, the valiant raider destroyed one of the seaplanes, but she was engaged in an unequal struggle. After suffering extensive damage, Commander Loof ordered his ship destroyed with a torpedo head and her guns thrown over the side on 11 July 1915. [18]

"Destroyed but not beaten..." Thus began the report Loof wrote after the destruction of his ship. For his valiant efforts he was awarded the Iron Cross, First Class, and was promoted to Kapitan zur See (Captain of the Sea). The other members of the crew received the Iron Cross, Second Class.

Lieutenant-Commander Schonfeld, a retired German naval officer NAVAL OFFICER. The name of an officer of the United States, whose duties are prescribed by various acts of congress.
     2. Naval officers are appointed for the term of four years, but are removable from office at pleasure. Act of May 15, 1820, Sec. 1, 3 Story, L.
 and plantation owner in German East Africa, conceived a bold plan that was to bring immortal fame to the guns and the crew of Konigsberg. He suggested they salvage her guns for von Lettow-Vorbeck's forces to use on land.

So under the noses of the Royal Navy that failed to interdict interdict (ĭn`tərdĭkt), ecclesiastical censure notably used in the Roman Catholic Church, especially in the Middle Ages. When a parish, state, or nation is placed under the interdict no public church ceremony may take place, only certain  the salvage operations, the Germans retrieved the 10 105-mm guns from the bottom of the Rufiji River, transported them more than 124 miles to Dares Salaam (via some of Schonfeld's plantation vehicles) and mounted them on gun carriages by mid-August. [19] Employing this simple bit of ingenuity, the Germans expanded and modernized the Schutztruppe artillery holdings. In the process, they added 180 men from the Konigsberg to von Lettow-Vorbeck's force. Indeed, as the British Admiralty admitted, it was "a priceless acquisition." [20]

The guns of Konigsberg were dispersed around German East Africa: five went to Dares Salaam for the defence of the port; two to Tanga north of the capital to repel any repeat Allied landing attempts there; two to the port of Ujiji on Lake Tanganyika at the western end of the railway from Dares Salaam; and one to Mwanza on Lake Victoria. [21]

In addition to the ammunition salvaged from the Konigsberg and her supply ships, ammunition was manufactured in Dar es salaam. [22]

Those members of the ship's company not tasked to act as gun crews were formed into the "Konigsberg Company" and deployed in the south and the southwest of the colony. The company was commanded by Loof's First Officer, Kapitan-Leutnant (Lieutenant-Commander) Georg Koch.

The Konigsberg guns did not see action until March 1916 in fighting around Moshi on the border with British East Africa. One of the guns repelled several British attacks. As part of von Lettow-Vorbeck's strategy to fight a guerilla campaign, German forces could not become involved in pitched battles. In this instance, the Konigsberg gun was destroyed before it could be captured. [23]

In further fighting in the same area, British commanders paid tribute to the German naval gunners who had employed their guns so skillfully: "The enemy's positions were well chosen. In addition to the 4.1 inch (105-mm) gun to the south of the [River] Ruwu, which when it was not directed on the Mounted Brigade, as turned on the attacking infantry, there was a second 4.1-inch gun mounted on a railway track, some distance south of the river which kept up a continuous fire on the dust caused by the advancing infantry and later by the vehicles working in rear of the advancing troops." [24]

Von Lettow-Vorbeck remarked on the same action, "It may be assumed that part of the severe casualties, which the English stated to have amounted on this day to several hundred among the South African Europeans alone, were caused by this gun." [25]

The Allies Close In. When General Smuts took command of the Allied effort, the Allies' fortune started to take a turn for the better. The Belgians conducted an offensive against the Schutztruppe from their own colony to the northeast. With the two railways in German East Africa now threatened, one gun under the command of Lieutenant-Commander Schonfeld was deployed to cover Tabora along the railway. Nevertheless, the Allied offensive gained enough momentum to gain control of two-thirds of the German colony by the end of July 1916.

At this stage, nine Konigsberg guns remained: five in Dares Salaam, two at Ujiji, one at Mwanza and one in the Burungi mountains. [26]

By August, the British landings at Dar es Salaam reduced the number of guns to four. At the last minute, Loof removed one of the remaining guns defending the port.

The Konigsberg guns performed sterling service in helping to defend the capital. For example, while under the command of Lieutenant Wenig, the guns conducted shoot-and-scoot tactics to deceive the enemy into believing the Germans had many more guns than they did.

By this time, von Lettow-Vorbeck's forces had been severely depleted de·plete  
tr.v. de·plet·ed, de·plet·ing, de·pletes
To decrease the fullness of; use up or empty out.



[Latin d
 but not defeated. In addition to the four Konigsberg guns, his forces had 16 smaller field guns and 73 machine guns and numbered 100 Europeans and 7,300 Askari. [27] Von Lettow-Vorbeck maintained confidence, however, that his strategy was correct. When referring to Smuts' call for his surrender, von Lettow-Vorbeck said the call demonstrated that "...he [Smuts] had reached the end of his resources." [28]

To maintain freedom of action, von Lettow-Vorbeck realized he must keep his own supply lines open. British landings south of Dar es Salaam near Kibata in September provided the opportunity to draw more Allied forces away from the critical northern railways. Employing a Konigsberg gun and another field gun, he fired 300 rounds against the British at Kibata. He achieved his goal, commenting later that, "Our vigorous actions at Kibata forced him [the British] to move from Kilwa against us and to leave the rest of the country and our supply system in peace." [29]

For his efforts in tying down the Imperial Forces, von Lettow-Vorbeck was awarded Germany's highest decoration, the Pour le Merite (the "Blue Max") in 1916.

The Portuguese Factor. While von Lettow-Vorbeck believed he held the Imperial Forces at bay, in March 1916 a new consideration arose with the Portugal's entry into the war. The Portuguese declared war on Germany, perhaps hoping to cash in on British gains and citing supposedly "numerous barbarous acts" committed by German troops on Portuguese East African soil. Hoping to gain territory on the border with the German colony, lands the Portuguese had long coveted cov·et  
v. cov·et·ed, cov·et·ing, cov·ets

v.tr.
1. To feel blameworthy desire for (that which is another's). See Synonyms at envy.

2. To wish for longingly. See Synonyms at desire.
, their hopes for a speedy victory were quickly dashed.

The Portuguese invaders crossed the River Rovuma on the border and were routed near Lindi in actions somewhat reminiscent of the abortive abortive /abor·tive/ (ah-bor´tiv)
1. incompletely developed.

2. abortifacient (1).

3. cutting short the course of a disease.


a·bor·tive
adj.
1.
 British landings at Tanga in 1915. Again, one of the Konigsberg guns played a central role. It was part of a force that included three Askari companies as well as two European companies, all under Loof's command. "The Portuguese were severely defeated on the 28th of November, mainly by gunfire from a Konigsberg gun, and scattered into the jungle, leaving to the Germans four 76-mm mountain guns and seven machine guns with much ammunition." [30]

This action was typical of the way in which the Germans fought in East Africa. The Schutztruppe conducted a guerilla campaign expecting no supplies or reinforcements from Germany and holding to the higher intent that they should continue to draw Allied resources away from more decisive theatres. By the end of the year, only three Konigsberg guns remained; the other guns had been destroyed or overrun after first being rendered inoperable inoperable /in·op·er·a·ble/ (in-op´er-ah-b'l) not susceptible to treatment by surgery.

in·op·er·a·ble
adj.
Unsuitable for a surgical procedure.
. [31]

By early 1917, the entire German East African coast from Tanga and Dar es Salaam south to Lundi was in British hands. The Imperial Forces expanded westward into the interior.

In August, the Germans, taking advantage of the interior lines, capitalized on their previous success and harassed the British at Lindi with one of the Konigsberg guns.

Von Lettow-Vorbeck, who had been promoted to major general in June, commented on this action, "The exact location of his trenches gave us the advantage of being able to get the range for the 10.5 centimeter gun of the Konigsberg, which was with Wahle's force. This was also done with good results; at any rate the enemy eventually evacuated his trenches on the following day and retired." [32]

Knowing he must preserve his own force while tying down the Allies, von Lettow-Vorbeck invaded Portuguese East Africa Portuguese East Africa: see Mozambique.  in October with a force that included the Konigsberg's last gun. [33] Lieutenant Wenig, who had employed the guns so well at Lindi, commanded the invasion force. The force included 300 whites, 1,700 Askaris and 3,000 carriers.

The foray into Portugese territory provided a treasure of weapons and supplies for von Lettow-Vorbeck's forces, including modern rifles. As he reported, "...[we] were able to discard our 1871 pattern rifles almost entirely." [34]

Sadly, Loof did not participate in the final year of battles because he surrendered with his force in November.

The Final Year. Buoyed by success, von Lettow-Vorbeck felt confident enough to continue the fight, sending forces back into German East Africa and, from thence thence  
adv.
1. From that place; from there: flew to Helsinki and thence to Moscow.

2. From that circumstance or source; therefrom.

3. Archaic From that time; thenceforth.
, into Northern Rhodesia. For the final year, he continued to engage in hit-and-run tactics, constantly harrying the British who were never able to engage him in pitched, decisive battle.

On 11 November 1918, an armistice Armistice

(Nov. 11, 1918) Agreement between Germany and the Allies ending World War I. Allied representatives met with a German delegation in a railway carriage at Rethondes, France, to discuss terms. The agreement was signed on Nov.
 was proclaimed in Europe, ending hostilities. In East Africa, however, the Germans continued their fight against the Allies; von Lettow-Vorbeck only heard about the Armistice on 13 November. Ten days later at a ceremony in Abercorn, Northern Rhodesia, von Lettow-Vorbeck surrendered his force to the British. Special provisions had been made for his forces in the armistice document.

The final Konigsberg gun under Lieutenant Wenig had been destroyed. His force numbered 135 Europeans, 1,168 Askaris, 1 Portuguese mountain gun, 37 machine guns and 1,168 rifles, all captured from the Allies. [35]

In a campaign where von Lettow-Vorbeck's forces never exceeded 12,000 men, the Allies had fielded some 300,000 men, including 137 generals. [36] The British never defeated von Lettow-Vorbeck. As he summarized, "Yet in spite of the enormously superior numbers at the disposal of the enemy, our small force, the rifle strength of which was only about 1,400 at the time of the armistice, had remained in the field, always ready for action and possessed of the highest determination." [37]

One Writer commenting on the entire East African Campaign, analyzed Allied and German aims and results as follows: "The [Imperial] East African Force was brought into being and the campaign undertaken with the object of conquering German East Africa. In that it was successful. It was continued to bring about the destruction or capture of the remnants of German forces under General von Lettow. In that it was unsuccessful. It cannot be denied that von Lettow had achieved the end he had set himself to do." [38]

Fittingly, the Schutztruppe and Konigsberg veterans were treated to a victory parade through the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin upon their return home in 1919. As one author referred to them, they were truly "the Germans who never lost."

Lessons for Today. Modern Field Artillerymen can learn several lessons for today.

Thinking "Outside the Box." When faced with the possibility of having to give up the ship, as the Konigsberg's crew in the Rufiji, perhaps many would be forgiven for thinking they had no further contribution to make to the war. Not so in the case of Lieutenant-Commander (Retired) Schonfeld, who immediately realized the value of the destroyed cruiser's guns to the German cause.

It was also ingenious when von Lettow-Vorbeck dispersed the guns across the entire colony, rather than concentrating them in one place. This achieved two aims. Dispersing the guns supported his guerilla strategy, which emphasized hit-and-run, harassing attacks against potential weaknesses rather than standing for battles against a numerically superior enemy. The latter type of engagement was one the Germans could never hope to win--the type of engagement in which they probably would have lost all their artillery in the first battle.

Second, by spreading his artillery throughout the theatre of operations, von Lettow-Vorbeck often deceived the British as to the true size and strength of his forces, thus causing them to devote an inordinate amount of resources to their destruction. As General Smuts admitted, "The Konisberg, though destroyed, yet made her voice heard over that vast country, for her 10 big naval guns, pulled by teams of 400 stalwart natives each, accompanied the enemy armies in all directions, and with other naval guns and howitzers smuggled smug·gle  
v. smug·gled, smug·gling, smug·gles

v.tr.
1. To import or export without paying lawful customs charges or duties.

2. To bring in or take out illicitly or by stealth.
 into the country made the enemy in many a fight, stronger in heavy artillery than we were." [39]

Transparency of Fires. Fires are becoming effects-based with less emphasis on the delivery platform. Recent US Army experiments with effects control centres (ECCs) have endorsed this concept. [40] Attaining the desired effects from a naval gun platform was certainly in the minds of those responsible for giving the guns of Konigsberg a new life as land-based artillery.

Mounting the 16-inch guns of the now decommissioned Iowa Class battleships on land carriages is, perhaps, not the best way forward. But recent initiatives by the US Navy to develop the DD-21 Zumwalt Class land attack destroyer is a program all fire s coordinators should follow with interest. [41] Further, naval plans to develop a 155-mm advanced gun system (AGS AGS American Geriatrics Society. ) for the DD-21 with a range of 100 nautical miles (182 kilometers), firing unitary and armour-defeating munitions mu·ni·tion  
n.
War materiel, especially weapons and ammunition. Often used in the plural.

tr.v. mu·ni·tioned, mu·ni·tion·ing, mu·ni·tions
To supply with munitions.
, including dual-purpose improved conventional munitions (DPICM DPICM dual purpose improved conventional munitions (US DoD) ), are also of interest to the Army and Marine Corps. [42]

Jointness as the Way Forward. Hand-in-hand with effects-based fires comes the realization that joint forces will conduct future operations and provide the fires to support those operations. Admittedly, von Lettow-Vorbeck had little choice in employing the crew of the Konigsberg as ground troops. But he recognized the crew's expertise in long-range, accurate Fires and the high morale that comes from shared operational experience; he swiftly converted the sailors into a decisive element of the Schutztruppe. This could not have been easy, as Loof and von Lettow-Vorbeck did not always agree on tactical or strategic matters.

Today, inter-service rivalry often inhibits the adoption of a true spirit of "jointness" that will be required in future operations. The US Marine Corps (USMC), a force inherently joint by nature--Marines have their own aircraft and routinely work closely with the Navy--are thus well-placed for the future. The recent creation of the US Joint Forces Command (formerly US Atlantic Command) is a step in the right direction.

The United Kingdom has taken jointness to what one can argue is its ultimate logical end by examining the possibility of using standard 155-mm modular-charge ammunition in a naval role. [43]

Redlegs everywhere must work together to develop joint--ultimately combined--fires tactics, techniques and procedures (TTP TTP (thymidine triphosphate): see thymine. ) of the future, keeping in mind it is the effects, not the platforms, that matters.

"The future just ain't what it used to be." [44] Senior leaders in the USMC have predicted that future wars will be more the "stepchild step·child  
n.
1. A child of one's spouse by a previous union.

2. Something that does not receive appropriate care, respect, or attention: "Demography has a reputation for being the stepchild of . . .
 of Chechyna" than the "son of Desert Storm." [46] Certainly, the operations in which our armed forces find themselves increasingly committed bear this out: the Balkans, Somalia, East Timor, Sierra Leone. Conflicts now are more of an internecine in·ter·nec·ine  
adj.
1. Of or relating to struggle within a nation, organization, or group.

2. Mutually destructive; ruinous or fatal to both sides.

3. Characterized by bloodshed or carnage.
 nature within states rather than "traditional" wars between nations. Moreover, these are actions in which the opposing forces are of a paramilitary or terrorist nature vice professional armies.

Just as von Lettow-Vorbeck's troops who, armed with expedient artillery, made themselves a force to be reckoned with in tropical Africa against a technologically superior force, so might the terrorist or paramilitary of the future give a Western digitized army more than "a run for its money." Such a low-tech force will operate in a new kind of jungle--increasingly urban--and conduct guerrilla tactics with machine guns in the back of a pick up truck--operations similar to those in Somalia. In short, we must be prepared to deal with the Schutztruppes and Konigsberg guns of the future.

Joint fires and, for that matter, "lateral thinking" are not often associated with fire support during the First World War. The exploits of the Konigsberg and her crew in support of German operations in East Africa provide a sterling example of the employment of joint fires in a campaign that was ultimately successful in its aims. Fire support coordinators should learn the lessons of history as we define the joint fires doctrine of the future.

Major Peter J. Williams, Royal Canadian Artillery, won First Place in the US Field Artillery Association's 2001 History Writing Contest with this article. He is the Chief Gunnery Instructor at the Royal Canadian Artillery School in New Brunswick, Canada. His previous assignment was as the Canadian Exchange Officer at the Royal School of Artillery The Royal School of Artillery is the principal training establishment for artillery warfare in the British Army. It is located at Larkhill Garrison, on the south edge of Salisbury Plain in the UK.  in the United Kingdom. He commanded D Battery, 2d Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery The Royal Canadian Horse Artillery is the name given to the regular field artillery units of the Canadian Army. The RCHA is the senior unit of the Canadian regular forces, with a history dating back to the birth of Canada as a nation.  (2 RCHA RCHA Royal Canadian Horse Artillery ) in Petawawa, Ontario, Canada, in support of the Royal Canadian Dragoons. He also served as the Operations Officer of 2 RCHA as well as Battery Captain of and Forward Observation Officer in D Battery, 2 RCHA. He was a member of the UN Force in Cyprus, the UN Angola Verification Mission and the NATO NATO: see North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
NATO
 in full North Atlantic Treaty Organization

International military alliance created to defend western Europe against a possible Soviet invasion.
 Stabilization Force (SFOR SFOR Stabilization Force
SFOR Security Force
SFOR Sustainment Forces (US military) 
) in Bosnia. He holds a Master of Arts in History The Master of Arts in History (MA) covers the full range of human experience: the arts and sciences, politics and the spread of political ideas, economic and technological change, and the development of communities and cultures.  from the Open University in Milton Keynes, the United Kingdom.

Endnotes:

(1.) Leonard Mosley, Duel for Kilimanjaro: The East African Campaign 1914-18 (London: Weidenfeld and Nicholson, 1963), 16.

(2.) Brigadier-General J.I.W. Crowe, General Smuts' Campaign in East Africa (London: John Murray, 1918), x.

(3.) Ibid.

(4.) Mosley, 68.

(5.) Ibid., 35.

(6.) Major JR. Sibley, Tanganyikan Guerilla: East African Campaign 1914-1918 (London: Ballantine, 1973), 18.

(7.) Crowe, 25.

(8.) General Paul Von Lettow-Vorbeck, My Reminiscences of East Africa: The Campaign for German East Africa in World War One (London: Hurst and Blacken black·en  
v. black·ened, black·en·ing, black·ens

v.tr.
1. To make black.

2. To sully or defame: a scandal that blackened the mayor's name.

3.
, 1920), 21.

(9.) Mosley, 25.

(10.) Von Lettow-Vorbeck, 97.

(11.) Edwin P. Hoyt, Jr., The Germans Who Never Lost (London: Leslie Frewin, 1968), 21.

(12.) Ibid., 12.

(13.) E. Keeble Chatterton, The Konigsberg Adventure (London: Hurst and Blackett, 1932), 38.

(14.) Crowe, 42.

(15.) Colonel Richard Meinertzhagen, Army Diary 1899-1926 (London: Oliver and Boyd, 1960), 117.

(16.) Chatterton, 47.

(17.) Hoyt, 81.

(18.) Ibid., 148.

(19.) Ibid., 163.

(20.) Mosley, 95.

(21.) Hoyt, 163.

(22.) Crowe, 32.

(23.) Mosley, 128. Von Lettow-Vorbeck's orders to his commanders in such cases were to, "Harass, kill, but, don't get caught!"

(24.) Crowe, 102.

(25.) Von Lettow-Vorbeck, 116.

(26.) Hoyt, 175.

(27.) Ibid.. 208.

(28.) Mosley, 153.

(29.) Sibley, 116.

(30.) General Sir Martin Farndale, KCB KCB (in Britain) Knight Commander of the Bath , History of the Royal Regiment of Artillery: The Forgotten Fronts and the Home Base 1914-1918 (London: The Royal Artillery Institution, 1988), 335.

(31.) Mosley, 173.

(32.) Von Lettow-Vorbeck, 205.

(33.) Hoyt, 234.

(34.) Von Lettow-Vorbeck, 277.

(35.) Hoyt, 236.

(36.) Von Lettow-Vorbeck, 325.

(37.) Ibid., 232.

(38.) Brigadier-General C.P. Fendhall, The East African Force 1915-1919 (London: H.F. and G. Witherby, 1921), 222.

(39.) Chatterton, 280.

(40.) The author has had the good fortune to participate in the future fires command and control ([F.sup.2][C.sup.2]) concept experimentation plan (CEP CEP congenital erythropoietic porphyria.

CEP
abbr.
congenital erythropoietic porphyria
) at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, in October-November 2000, in which a fires and effects coordination cell (FECC FECC Far End Camera Control
FECC Finnish Environmental Cluster for China
FECC Federal Emergency Communications Coordinator
FECC Fires and Effects Coordination Cell
FECC Federal Electronic Commerce Coalition
FECC Forward Error Correction Code
) was exercised using surrogate situational awareness (SA) technology. The FECC was responsible for coordinating both lethal and non-lethal effects for an interim brigade combat team The brigade combat team (BCT) is the basic deployable unit of maneuver in the US Army. A brigade combat team consists of one combat arms branched maneuver brigade, and its attached support and fire units.  (IBCT IBCT Infantry Brigade Combat Team
IBCT Interim Brigade Combat Team (US Army)
IBCT Initial Brigade Combat Team
IBCT Institute for Business Continuity Training
IBCT Ingénierie et Biologie Cellulaire et Tisulaire
) in small-scale contingencies (SSCs) as well as major theatre mar (MTW MTW Mission to the World (Presbyterian Church in America international mission)
MTW The Manitowoc Company, Inc (Stock Symbol)
MTW Medieval: Total War (computer game) 
) scenarios. Although one serial of the CEP remains to be run, the concept of the FECC was agreed by both maneuver commanders and fire supporters to be a highly worthwhile concept.

(41.) See Colonel James J. Kuzmick, USMCR USMCR United States Marine Corps Reserve  (Retired), and Captain Christopher P. McNamara, USN (Retired) "Land Attack From the Sea," US Naval Institute Proceedings (August 1999), 52-55.

(42.) Mark Hewish, "USN Aims for 'Maritime Dominance,'" Jane's International Defense Review, Vol. 3, No. 3 (October 2000), 57.

(43.) Richard Scott. "UK Studies Future Naval 155 mm Gun," Jane's Defense Weekly, (2 August 2000), 29.

(44.) A quote attributed to Yogi Berra.

(45.) Lieutenant General Martin Steele, "The Three Block War," Armed Forces Journal Armed Forces Journal (AFJ) is a monthly journal for American military officers and leaders in government and industry.

Founded in 1863[1], AFJ
 International (January 1998), 37.
COPYRIGHT 2001 U.S. Field Artillery Association
No portion of this article can be reproduced without the express written permission from the copyright holder.
Copyright 2001, Gale Group. All rights reserved. Gale Group is a Thomson Corporation Company.

 Reader Opinion

Title:

Comment:



 

Article Details
Printer friendly Cite/link Email Feedback
Title Annotation:creative use of artillery in war
Author:Williams, Peter J.
Publication:FA Journal
Geographic Code:60AFR
Date:Jul 1, 2001
Words:5175
Previous Article:Transforming the Force--From Korea to Today.(Major General (Retired) Robert H. Scales, Jr.)(Interview)
Next Article:Spanish Civil WAr: The German Kondor Legion A Firepower Force Package in Combat.
Topics:



Related Articles
50-Year Commemoration: Marine Artillery in Korea.(appeared in Marine Corps Gazette, November 1952)
V Corps Artillery.(Schwetzigen, Germany)(Brief Article)
The Right Fire Supporters in the Right Positions send the Right Message.(Brief Article)
Artillery and Australia.
Bombarding the Marianas: joint fires at the strategic, operational and tactical levels. (World War II).
On the German Art of War: Truppenfuhrung. (Book Review).(Book Review)
Mobilizing a transforming force: 32d Division Redlegs in The Great War.

Terms of use | Copyright © 2009 Farlex, Inc. | Feedback | For webmasters | Submit articles