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Search results for Harry Fecitt.
Medo and Mbalama Hill, Portuguese East Africa, 12 - 24 April 1918
/world-war-i-articles/medo-and-mbalama-hill-portuguese-east-africa-12-24-april-1918/
In late November 1917 Colonel Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck and his men crossed the Rovuma River from German territory into Portuguese East Africa (today named Mozambique). The Schutztruppe was now a carefully selected force of about 300 Europeans, 1,700 Askari and 3,000 followers. The British did not directly pursue the Germans because supply lines, dep…
The Advance Beyond Kilimanjaro German East Africa (now Tanzania), March 1916
/world-war-i-articles/the-advance-beyond-kilimanjaro-german-east-africa-now-tanzania-march-1916/
Whilst the 2nd East African Division under Major General M J Tighe prepared to fight the battle of Latema-Reata Nek, General Smuts also had other formations on the move in early 1916. From the north Indian Army Brigadier General J M Stewart's 1st East African Division advanced from Longido with the task of blocking any German withdrawal along the M…
Dunsterforce: The Fighting in North-West Persia During 1918
/world-war-i-articles/dunsterforce-the-fighting-in-north-west-persia-during-1918/
The start of the Russian Revolution in the Spring of 1917 heralded the decline of Russia as an effective member of the alliance that was fighting the Central Powers who were led by Germany and Turkey. By December of that year revolutionaries had seized power in Russia and had signed a separate peace with the Central Powers at Brest-Livotsk. This re…
The Hong Kong and Singapore Mountain Battery in Egypt, Sinai and Palestine
/world-war-i-articles/the-hong-kong-and-singapore-mountain-battery-in-egypt-sinai-and-palestine/
In 1847 the British authorities in Hong Kong began using Indians as gun lascars, or general workers, because the climatic conditions were unsuitable for white soldiers, and also because Indians were much more economical to employ and to administer. The practice spread throughout the British possessions in the Far East and by 1908 all the gunners we…
Indian Volunteers in the Great War East African Campaign
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In August 1914 the Volunteer units of the Indian Defence Force were recruited from white and mixed-race members of the civilian community whose expectations were that they would only be used operationally within India for local or home defence. However, on the declaration of war, several members of Volunteer units wished to serve overseas and their…
The King's African Rifles at Kibata, German East Africa December 1916 to January 1917
When the Great War commenced in August 1914 "A", "B", "C" and "E" Companies of the 1st (Nyasaland, now Malawi) Regiment of the King's African Rifles (KAR) were deployed on border duty in British East Africa (BEA, now Kenya). These four companies remained in BEA and were constantly involved in operations against parties of German raiders who were at…
Fighting For The Rufiji River Crossing: The British 1st East African Brigade in action German East Africa, 1 to 19 January 1917
In September 1916 the British theatre commander in East Africa, General J C Smuts, had been forced to halt his advance when he reached the Mgeta River. The reason for this halt was the collapse of the British logistical support system that was dependent on undernourished and overworked African porters, many of whom dropped dead on the job or succum…
November 1918 in East Africa
/world-war-i-articles/november-1918-in-east-africa/
At the end of September 1918, the German commander Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck had made a clean break from his Allied pursuers in Portuguese East Africa (now Mozambique) and had crossed the Rovuma River back into German East Africa (now Tanzania). The German force had suffered around 15% attrition in recent battles and was losing more men to a bronchia…