Portugal in WW1

[meninobesta]

Hello,

there was some posts about the Portuguese army in other topics, and in order not to diverge the other subjects I'll create this one to add some bits of information about the Portuguese forces in the great war.

I must admit that I don't have that much knowledge about the facts but my father has a lot of literature on the subject that I'll try to bring to this topic, time permitting

Although Portugal did participate in the world war, it's presence was more due to politic reasons in order to defend the republic (that was formed only in 1910) and it's colonies.
The trick was to declare war on Germany and stand besides the winning countries in order not to loose it's over seas territories, which was something that could certainly happen because of the friction between Portugal and England over African territories that happened in the turning on the century.
In order to enter the war Portugal even had to give some German ships to the allies that were at the time stationed in Lisbon, So you can imagine what were the allied country feelings about this political manouver
In order to mark it´s presence on the war an Expeditionary Corps was sent to Flandres to aid the allies in the western front. The troops were ill prepared, ill equipped and often not resupplied and they did more digging than shooting.
The most known battle that they have joined was La Lys, a German counter offensive in 1918 which ended in the corps destruction, even though history tells that the Portuguese fought as good as any other force involved in that battle.
In the end most of the prisoners and wounded were left forgotten until after the war, time when the Portuguese Republic managed to bring them back home, the few that returned didn't receive much of a warm welcome from the state, their sacrifice was never truly recognized.
In Africa Portuguese also fought the Germans mainly in Moçambique with really bad results, too much ground to defend and too few troops to do the job.

So this is an overall view of Portuguese participation in the war, not a very brilliant one I must admit

now regarding the uniforms here is the info on the Funcken books:



About the Fluted helmets:

I read a little bit more about it and it reminded some things that my father already told me about the issue but I've forgotten:
when Portugal joined the conflict this was the issued helmet for the troops on the western front. In Africa and the colonies the sun helmet and hats were issued (I can manage a book on that subject and I'll post the info on, later)
but regarding the fluted helmet: it was noticed that after the first combats that that particular helmet didn't gave as much protection as it was planned, so the helmets were replaced by by English mkI model. That's why we don't see that many pictures of the soldiers wearing them mostly because in 1918 (when the force entered heavy combat) most of them were already replaced by the English ones

as usual, hope you can understand my English and sorry if I was too political or wrong in the introduction text, this is some information that I've gathered and of course very subject to interpretation errors

[commissarmoody]

Not political at all dude, its pretty cool actually. I really don't know much about portugal's activities dearing the great war so its always nice to hear some thing new.
I know my great grandpa was a Caption in the AEF but I can never find any info on were or who he served with.

[Poliorketes]

Thanks for the info, I didn't knew about portugese in Flanders, only about the fighting in SE-Africa. I'd like to see some decent portugese colonial miniatures as they should look really good with their tropical uniform.

I'm not one of those to declare germany guilty of the great war, quiet the opposite, but with Portugal it is another question. Like the belgians or the greeks they would have had few choices. Had it stayed neutral and the war had ended not with central surrender but a treaty or even a central victory the portugese african colonies would have been part of the bartering without anyone asking them. Even if the war had been adverted they would have come under pressure as not only the british but the germans too wanted their colonies and the result might have been both superpowers sharing them between each other.

[Aaron]

Thanks for enlightening me! I have long known of the existence of the Portugese corps in Flanders, but I never could puzzle out exactly why they were there!

commisarmoody, have you tried getting a copy of your ancestor's military records? You can do it through here: http://www.archives.gov/veterans/ . As long as you don't mind a little paperwork.

[duhamel]

I could not answer with certainty the Portuguese expeditionary force, but I think there is a military cemetery near Aire sur la Lys. (for cemeteries, there are many others near me: Canadian, German, Indian, English etc. ... I'm Artois: 

[NurgleHH]

Hi,
interesting. My girlfriend is from vinhais, but now living in germany. Last year I went to the castel in Braganca and saw the tables of soldiers who dies in france. But no one really nows the story of portugues soldiers in WW1. The fought in the british lines, I think. Isn't it?
And want kind of uniforms did they wear?

Greetings Dirk

[Plynkes]

And want kind of uniforms did they wear?

In addition to Meninobesta's picture further up the page I can offer this:



And who knew Vladimir Putin was an officer in the Portuguese army in the Great War? 

[Fjodin]

WOW! It is possible to convert British figs into Portugals!

[meninobesta]

Hello,

usually every year in the first weekend of May there is a big wargames tourney and modelling exposition in Lisbon's Military Academy. There are also reenactors (usually from renaissance sword fighting and Napoleonic Portuguese Infantry and Caçadores, very nice chaps. we usually end up in the end of the afternoon talking to them and asking question about some tactics and equipment) and demonstration games.

some years ago I would only go there just to visit, but lately we were able to use the space for a big flames of war tournament, there are also DBM and other games being played. I must add that this event is one of the best to participate, taking into account on what's made in Portugal, we also get access to the officers mass for lunch

Two years ago (if my memory doesn't betray me) there was a La Lys game going on, I really don't know who were the guys playing it, and unfortunately I had some tourney games to play and could not watch this game with proper attention, but here are some pics that I've found in the internet. If I'm not mistaken the miniatures are from Renegade, most of them at least
http://www.ambushalleygames.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1507

[ushistoryprof]

Thanks for the info meninobesta, my grandfather was from Portugal and it's nice to see some attention give to Portugal's effort in the Great War.

[commissarmoody]

Thanks for enlightening me! I have long known of the existence of the Portugese corps in Flanders, but I never could puzzle out exactly why they were there!

commisarmoody, have you tried getting a copy of your ancestor's military records? You can do it through here: http://www.archives.gov/veterans/ . As long as you don't mind a little paperwork.

Thanks! I will check it out.

[Hywel Dda]

"I'm not one of those to declare germany guilty of the great war, quiet the opposite, but with Portugal it is another question. Like the belgians or the greeks they would have had few choices."

Not to get political but I don't really undertand what this means. And to be honest I hardly see how the Germans can be innocent of the Great War - an agressive militarist state that was itching for war and whose behaviour in Belgium showed it up for what it was

[former user]

well, this is a bit political actually, since modern scholarly views diverge a bit on this issue, but generally tending towards a multi-causal explanation.
here merely the wiki entry to this complicated topic
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Causes_of_World_War_I

German occupation in Belgian was ferocious, no question, but this is hardly linked to who started the war, or the "atrocious character of the german population of that time" (sarcasm intended) or the imperialistic government.
IMHO

This might escalate into a political flaming, so let us keep it to the very interesting portuguese contribution

[commissarmoody]

I blame the illuminate 

[Hywel Dda]

well, this is a bit political actually, since modern scholarly views diverge a bit on this issue, but generally tending towards a multi-causal explanation.
here merely the wiki entry to this complicated topic
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Causes_of_World_War_I

German occupation in Belgian was ferocious, no question, but this is hardly linked to who started the war, or the "atrocious character of the german population of that time" (sarcasm intended) or the imperialistic government.
IMHO

This might escalate into a political flaming, so let us keep it to the very interesting portuguese contribution

Fair enough but generally speaking I think its fair to to say that invading Belgium is a pretty good starter for 10 in terms of actually starting a shooting war - and it was not me who posted what is a pretty political statement "I'm not one of those to declare germany guilty of the great war, quiet the opposite" in the first place after all, with all due respect to Poliorketes