Missing Gun from the SMS Königsberg

[CPT Bob]

Entebbe was the capital of the British Protectorate of Uganda from 1894 to 1962.
The 13cm gun was at Entebbe prior to 1936.
In 1941, Herr Jungblut (who was probably in his 60’s, if not older) published a book in which he recalls seeing a Konigsberg gun at Kampala in 1932.
The area now known as “Kampala” is the homeland of the Buganda, and they are cited on the Jinja plaque. I believe in the late 1920's-early 1930's it was not as "civilized" as we may think.
The “King’s African Rifles” captured the gun at Mwanza, and they did return to the base at Jinja.

[CPT Bob]

At the “Library of CPT Bob” is a 1953 edition of a Rand-McNally World Atlas. It shows Entebbe as the capital of Uganda.
At the “Library of Congress”, as part of the 1936 Matson (G. Eric and Edith) Photograph Collection, are two excellent photos of the 13cm Krupp Gun at Entebbe. The “Call Numbers” are: LC-M33- 8245 [P&P] & LC-M33- 8244 [P&P]

The Matsons, who visited the site and who took the photographs, wrote in their journal “Uganda. Entebbe. German gun on Park Square removed from the German cruiser Emden".

The first rule of a Reconnaissance Patrol is to report only what you see. The “Intel-guys” will figure out what you saw.

[gruntie]

The Entebbe field gun looks to be the same as the one(s) on display at Victoria Park, Guernsey, CI. 2 of them were buried in WW2, only retrieved in 1978.

[CPT Bob]

I look.....but I do not see.

Guns that were mounted with "Turrets" had six holes on both sides of the "Yoke" for attaching the Turret Mounting Brackets. Guns without Turrets had no holes on the right side of the Yoke and holes on the left mounted the Traverse Mechanism.

Barrels with Flanges had Turrets. Barrels withouth Flanges did not have Turrets. I believe we all agree on this.

I see the inverted barrel on the Stanleyville gun has a Flange, but the Yoke has No Holes.

This should "stir the pot" just a little! Ha!

[CPT Bob]

I was looking at "Bolt Holes" when I noticed the Stanleyville gun's yoke.

We need a "theory" to explain why a DAR Carriage, with a Yoke with no holes, but missing a barrel, was available to put the "Stanleyville Barrel" into.

If I took only the barrel and left the yoke, as in Kigoma, we reasoned that the barrel went to a Krupp carriage.

If I had a carriage and yoke with no holes, where was the barrel that was the "mate" to the yoke?

[CPT Bob]

I read my "homework"; in post #117, is clearly shows that the Goetzen barrel was fitted to a DAR carriage, replacing the barrel damaged at Kondoa.

[Chris Dale]

Hi Bob,

More good work there, showing that we've not solved the mystery yet. In fact everytime we think we're getting close another topic like this adds more questions.

Would this mystery be solved if when the 10 salvaged guns went to Dar for a re-fit they were dismantled and put back together as a mixed selection. So some barrels that were turreted on the ship were now in casing without flanges and vice versa? Does that help?

Cheers
Chris

[danebrog]

Ah - Sherlock Bob found another helpful detail ! Ganz Famos, Hauptmann Wagner!

tsk, tsk, tsk, Chris
what did I mentioned about imperial Germans? They NEVER interchange parts without REALLY, REALLY neccessary causes - even today the "technische Dienstvorschrift" is more holy than the bible. For this reason virtually intact Bundeswehr vehicles are "out of action" in Afghanistan, when the special emissions inspection is overdue

Goetzen Barrel (from Pivot/Turret) as replacement for Kondoa barrel (on DAR carriage) --> flange, but yoke without holes
Goetzen/Kondoa combination captured by Force Publique at Kologwe and went finally to Stanleyville
Mystery solved

[CPT Bob]

In Post # 40 (Bagamoyo), I identified Admiral Sir Edward Francis Benedict Charlton, Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope Station.

In Post #74(Kahe/Post #17), I incorrectly identified the rank and unit of Sir Arthur Reginald Hoskins. I believe this is correct: He was a Brevet Lieutenant-Colonel when he became the Inspector-General of the KAR August 1913. He held that position until September, 1914. He was a Brigadier General commanding the 8th Infantry Brigade prior to the battle at Kahe. After the battle, in April 1916, the BEF reorganized; he was promoted to Major General and took command of the 1st East African Division.
The presence of the Askaris, and the “rumpled” appearance of the Officers, indicate the photo was taken soon after the battle ended.

In both photographs, I failed to announce another “Identification”: Sir Horace Archer Byatt.

I try and explain his epaulets in the Bagamoyo photos by guessing that he was also a Naval Reserve Officer.

In 1916 he was appointed “Administrator” of British occupied German East Africa. In 1920 he became the first Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Tanganyika Territory, serving there until 1925. During his tenure, a gun was sent to London, the Kahe barrel was put on display and, I believe, the Fort Jesus gun and the Pretoria gun were delivered. The collection and disposition of all captured German soldiers, weapons and equipment was ultimately his responsibility. The troops were sent home, but what became of the stacks of rifles and parks full of cannons? Buried in the ground? Dumped off-shore? Melted-down as scrap?
I would guess that his official papers are archived somewhere in the UK.

Are there any volunteers for a “wild goose hunt”?

Bob

[Chris Dale]

tsk, tsk, tsk, Chris
what did I mentioned about imperial Germans? They NEVER interchange parts without REALLY, REALLY neccessary causes - even today the "technische Dienstvorschrift" is more holy than the bible.

You're right, Ollie. I thought it might be possible but that's because I live in a country where trains run late!

Cheers
Chris

[danebrog]

Are there any volunteers for a “wild goose hunt”?

With you as hunting guide? I am indeed VERY interested!!

[CPT Bob]

I believe the Elevation Locking Lever on the Pretoria gun indicates that it was fully functional. I doubt that such a detail would be added to a “Display Piece” constructed post-war.

I do contend that the two brackets were added post-war in order to stabilize the barrel for display.

Dr. Frankenstein, or Dr. Moreau? A railroad repair shop could have easily fabricated the Pretoria carriage. The shop in Tabora purportedly made at least one small cannon.

I also contend that the gun in the museum in DAR was fully functional. The ammunition was probably as unconventional as was the gun. Think of 18th Century paper cartridges, or Chinese fireworks, or a half-stick of dynamite!

Today, there are men in their shops, building compressed-air operated potato-cannons from plastic pipe or trebuchets for throwing pumpkins. If permitted, any one of them could quickly build a similar functional weapon.

[CPT Bob]

How durable were the guns?
How durable did they have to be?
Seriously, my friend, how many rounds do you expect to fire before a screaming native runs you through with a bayonet?

[danebrog]

The home made gun in the DAR museum resembles extremely to the "ras-cannon" built in the Boer war
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/e ... Cannon.jpg
At least there was another homegrown cannon built in DAR by a local farmer from "Mannesmann Rohre". (seamless steel tubes)

Necessity is the mother of invention

[Chris Dale]

The comparison of the "Captured G Guns" photo to the Tabora home made gun is very interesting. I wondered about that before, they are very similar right?

...and the gun in the Captured G Guns photo is a Kberg 88mm isn't it? It's clearly not the one we've seen before with a Dar carriage, so both 88mm's survived the war... one of the 88's was on the Goetzen... I would suggest the nearest place to Kigoma to get a carriage made would be Tabora (as with the functional/non-functinal gun made at Tabora). So when the 88mm came off the Goetzen it went to Tabora got this carriage and later ended up in the Captured G Guns photo in Dar... we should look at the story of the two 88s sometime too...

OK, so if the Pretoria gun was in use by the Germans like that and the carriage made at Tabora, then I'd expect it to be the Kigoma/Elephant Foot/Tabora gun... there were only three guns out West- Mwanza on its pivot stand is in Jinja and Goetzen/Korogwe on its Dar carriage was last seen in Stanleyville... so Pretoria is Tabora!

Which almost certainly makes Mahiwa Mombasa....

I think we're getting there ....though admittedly I have said that before and been wrong!

Cheers
Chris