Tanks in Africa, Great War?

[Hammers]

Were there any?

[Plynkes]

Nope.

Edit: They had them in Palestine (Gaza), and those would probably have come via Egypt, so technically that should be a yes, as Egypt is in Africa.

[Hammers]

Nope.

Edit: They had them in Palestine (Gaza), and those would probably have come via Egypt, so technically that should be a yes, as Egypt is in Africa.

Well, yes, I expected something like that, but I was thinking of, as you so acutely foresaw, the SE and SW theatres.

While on topic: I read somewhere that the tsetse fly (tsetsefliege, Glossina Morsitans) put an effective stop to the use of cavalry in certain areas.

Which areas are we talking about? It seems they don't like cool air in high altitudes. My Osprey talks about South African riding bush patrols and there's that famous zebra camoflage horses.

[argsilverson]

According to my sources, it is true. The Allies that were prepared  to invade East Africa (against von Lettow troops) suffered numerous losses in their animals (either those for mounting or those carried over for food) due to tse-tse fly and other tropical diseases (such as the gnoux influenza).

One british author claims that a major factor that the Germans resisted for so long was that they a had 24 veterinaries in their army, while the Allies had only 2!!

If you want more info I'll try to post more details, since I do not have the relative book at hand. I am still in the office and the book is at home.

[Westfalia Chris]

Numerous Rolls Royce variants (both ACs and Tenders) were used in the southern theatres. I´ve seen several images of those, including one with stripped turret roof to improve ventilation.

No tanks, though

[Helen]

Hi Peder,

As the guys have pointed out only armoured cars down in the South West and East Africa.

Before I go on about the Tsetse Fly I want to pass this paragraph onto you from my book "Battle for the Bundu" by Charles Miller. I think that Poly in his next thrilling adventure could think about this guy in his story

Background - Battle of Tanga

Baumstark has thrown two of his companies forward into stemming the advance of the British/Indian troops, but many of the askaris, raw recruits who had never seen action, were now actually running from the fight and taking cover behind coco palms. At any moment the contagion of panic could sweep both companies into headlong flight. Trying to set an example, German company commanders and platoon leaders deliberately exposed themselves to the British/Indian fire. A cursing staff officer, Captain Alexander von Hammerstein hurled an empty wine bottle at one of the fleeing askaris.

Looking at a few of my books I can give you a quick overview of the Tsetse fly:

"Kariakor - The Carrier Corps" by Geoffrey Hodges

"Tsetse fly was a lethal danger to animals; and even though the open Serengeti between Maktau and Taveta was relatively free of it, the fly occurred in bushes up to about 3,500 feet. The Namanga road crosses a country which is high enough to be free of tsetse and suitable for ox-carts."

"My Reminiscence of East Africa" by General Paul Von Lettow-Vorbeck

"The great wealth of cattle in the neighbourhood of Arusha, on the Masai prairie, and near Kondoa-Irangi, showed me that the Tsetse fly, the principal enemy of African cattle, is comparatively rare in those parts."

"The South African Troops in East Africa" by General Smuts

"Fly was found in bush country wherever there was stagnant water and followed the game, and, during the campaign, the animals of the mounted units and transport."

"28,000 oxen died during the advance from Kahe to the Central Railway in 3 months. Later on in two months (September 15 to November 15) 10,000 horses, 10,000 mules, a further 11,000 oxen and 2,500 donkeys died."

"South of the (Central) Railway tsetse would preclude their employment in the field, (talking about mounted troops) as their horses would die at a rate which would put replacements out of the question."

Quote from Arg"One british author claims that a major factor that the Germans resisted for so long was that they a had 24 veterinaries in their army, while the Allies had only 2!!"unquote - I realise you don't have your books with you at the moment

From the book 'Great War in Africa" by Byron Farwell

"In mid-campaign there were 245 Royal Army Medical Corps doctors in East Africa and it was estimated that at least 200 more were needed. In the latter stages of the campaign Lettow-Vorbeck had only seven doctors, one of whom was actually a veterinarian."

Over on the next page it goes on to say" The Germans no longer had the facilities and the knowledge of the doctors and professors at Amani, but they still had a chemist with them and they continued to improvise a number of medicines and salves."

On a savouring note to end this subject for now. " The Germans had maps indicating the fly areas and the British were said to have seen these, but little use appears to have been made of them. Even today, at least half, and perhaps as much as two thirds, of mainland Tanzania is infested with tsetse fly, mostly the Glossina moritans, the cattle killer, but other types as well.

To many it seemed a bizarre place to fight a war: an untamed land of great beauty: of mountains, lakes and forests; teeming with wild variety of wild animals; and alive with noxious insects and baneful germs. When all the surviving combatants had returned to their homes; the bugs and bacteria remained in possession of the field. Unconquered. the true victors of the East African Campaign."

Helen

[Lowtardog]

On the TseTse fly, Now this is a tale of when I served in the RAF in Enviroinmental Health, so pull up a sandbag and swing that lantern

There are genreally 2 types of disease ftrom TseTse flies, for humans it is African Sleeping sickness or trypanosomiases, wilst for animals the version is Nagana.

One of the problems with eradicating the fly is the life cycle as the pupa is but for a short time carried in the adult female. This is unlike other Arthropoda such as Monsquitoes or sand flies etc who would lay eggs etc.

So finding and removing the larvae is difficult. The fly tends to live in brushland, undergrowth and will feed of animals early 19th century attempts to remove it were to clear bushland where they roosted or kill wild animals on which they could feed.

More modern measures (Which Helen would know better than I having more experience in hot climes :mrgreen: ) is the use fo Swing fogs to dose the areas in clouds of pesticide or the use of somethig called the Turb air Tot which again is effectively an industrial sprayer used to put residual presticide into the roosting areas of the fly.

More modern methods have been more along genetic lines with introducing irradiated males etc to wipe out or contorl the population.

What would have likely happened in the areas infested is that the populations would have over time moved away so these would be sparsely populated areas which would have likely had little strategic value perhaps?

 

[argsilverson]

On the tse-tse fly:

I 'll give 2 paragraphs, both taken from:

Hew Strachan "The First World War in Africa" [Oxford University Press 2004]

1,- [page 143] ... Tsetse fly annihilated the mounted brigade's mobility: of 3,894 horses issued to the brigade by 23 May, 1639 had died since March and 718 were unfit for service. ... Here is also the reference; Hordern, East Africa, i 278, 284.

2,- [page 149] ... Of 54,000 mules, donkeys, horses, and oxen put to work on the supply lines around and south of the central railway between June and September 1916, all but 600 fell prey to the tsetse fly.

Both refer to the British / South African etc forces.

In the above mentioned book there is also several interesting passages about the effect of the diet on the porters, dysentery to both tropps and african labour, weather effect and so on.