Missing Gun from the SMS Königsberg

[Tanzania]

Hi Henry,

I could identify the described locations by your textural explanations, but has currently some problems to compare this with your GPS position.

The Google Maps position of the Mahiwa Catholic church. It´s very easy if you found the exact position of your photo and click there two times.
https://www.google.de/maps/place/10%C2% ... 39.2637117

A Google Earth perspective could complete afterwards the picture of this Gun, and we can compare this with the maps and textual sources.

Further what is RHS trench?

Cheers Holger

[Kallag]

I see that the medals of Kapitan Max Looff have been made available for purchase.....what a fantastic offer. Wish I had the money.

Hope a Museum becomes the new owner though; it may then be displayed for all to see..

See: https://www.ebay.com/itm/WWI-Imperial-P ... SwjJtapaLl

[Kallag]

It has been a while.

I have come across this image of the Kahe gun published in The Illustrated London News of Oct 14 1916.

There are three (and possibly four) round objects located beneath the carriage deck, each with three holes in it.

Any ideas about what these objects might be ??

There are also some 'uprights' in the left backround which I have not seen in previous images of this gun.

Greetings
Kallag

BL_0001578_19161014_029_0005,1.jpg

[Chris Dale]

Hi Kallag,
Thanks for sharing that photo (and Loof's medal sale). The photo is interesting, could the round objects be the wheels that went on the rails?
Cheers
Chris

[Kallag]

Thanks Chris.
Here is a somewhat better close-up.

IMG_5688,1.jpg

[danebrog]

Greetings Earthlings

Would think of some kind of ammo drums/boxes

Graf_Goetzen_Kanone.jpg

[Chris Dale]

I think you may be right Danebrog!
Cheers
Chris

[OldBill]

I came across a photo similar to the above some years ago, but on a TB (B110?) and while I could see it was full of ammo, I THOUGHT it was a leather or canvas bag. These photos clear that up nicely! The pic above btw is from the SS Graf Von Goetzen I believe. Been reading up on her and watched a video night before last. The officer in the photo wit the bino's is very recognizable.

[Gen.Lagus]

I have with great interest read some of your posts regarding the mystery of the missing guns from SMS Königsberg, especially the ones taken by the Belgians. It surprises me that the two guns could just disappear without a single witness or public knowledge to their fate or whereabouts.

I found a more recent image of Cpt Bob:s postcard from page 3 regarding the postcard from 1923 showing an artillery piece outside a building. The building apparently belonged to the Belgian colonial administration in Congo and was located near the military camp of the Force Publique and next to the river port.

"Gebouw van de vroegere koloniale administratie in de benedenstad van Boma, vlak naast het vroegere militaire kamp van de Force Publique en naast de rivierhaven. "

or as translated from google translate into English

"Building of the former colonial administration in the lower town of Boma, next to the former military camp of the Force Publique and next to the river port."

Here is a link with the building in it in more recent times.
http://www.congoforum.be/en/congodetail ... e=selected

[Chris Dale]

Thank you for that tip, every litle bit of information helps!
This website has information on that gun at Boma, which apparently went to Stanleyville and was lost in the 1970s- www.stanleyville.be/canon_place.html
The other gun presumably captured by Belgian forces was at Itaga, near Tabora. Please let us know if you find any clues on that one...
Cheers
Chris

[danebrog]

once upon a time in a capital far, far away

WW1-ARTILLERY-CAPTURED-GERMAN-at-DAR-ES-SALAAM-_2.jpg

WW1-ARTILLERY-CAPTURED-GERMAN-at-DAR-ES-SALAAM-_1.jpg

[Chris Dale]

Wow! Is that three of them together in Dar Es Salaam????
Can you scan the photo any bigger to try to see some details?
Cheers
Chris

[danebrog]

Ah, you noticed it?
Surprises with these guns are seemingly more the rule than the exception - quite amazing after all the research work

unfortunately the pic has no better resolution - came from an ebay auction
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/WW1-ARTILLER ... Sw3ZBamGL4

[Chris Dale]

Here's a bit better resolution. I can see the one closest has Krupp carriage and wheels, also it's barrel is roped down. It may be Wenig's gun which lost its elevation mechanism- just a guess. Tricky to tell the others as the limber is in the way...

Thanks for the link.
Cheers
Chris

[danebrog]

One of them must be a DAR carriage...would guess it's the one in the middle. Must have a close look at my archive when back at home for the possible origin of the third one. The story remains interesting