Skirmish on Kito-Hill in March 1915 at GEA / BNR border

[Tanzania]

(At the end of the day this topic is also linked with questions. The history and background of this event is therefore more
detailed pictured, because I am convinced that every presented question offers also some new informations for others.
Further I am committed to anyone who would reply with useful answers, to do as much as possible preliminary work.)
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
SKIRMISH ON KITO-HILL / KITO MOUNTAIN IN MARCH 1915 AT GEA / BNR BORDER
Ten years ago I read in the booklet: »Das Offizierskorps der Schutztruppe für Deutsch-Ostafrika im Weltkrieg 1914-1918«
some informations about the German Lieutenant Gottfried Haun and his activities In the extreme southwest corner of GEA.
Lieutenant of the Reserve Gottfried Haun, since April 1913 managing secretary, deputy province Governor and commander of Police detachment Bismarckburg. After the beginning of the war employed by Schutztruppe. In September 1914 participate of the unit under the Medical officer Dr. Westhofen, who attacked and besieged Abercorn with 6 European, 52 Askaris and 300 Ruga-Ruga worriers. He died in British imprisonment at Kawimbe / BNR after combat on Kito Mountain at River Siafu (Ssafu!).
(Article form Michael Pesek about this attack on Abercorn with a detailed German combat report:
Bericht über ein Gefecht am Südende des Tanganyika, am Rumifluss am 11. 9. 1914
Online source: http://bwana-lettow.blogspot.com/2014/1 ... e-des.html )
Here a notice in the German newspaper that Haun have been wounded and captured after a raid against a British stock. Source: DOAZ (Deutsch-Ost-Afrikanische Zeitung) in Dar es Salaam, Jahrgang XVII, Nr. 24 vom 20. März 1915. Furthermore that Lieutenant Haun died in British captivity at Kawimbe / British Northern Rhodesia.
Online source: http://www.denkmalprojekt.org/2014/brem ... frika.html
In this map I found the first indication of a place called Kito and the location on the border of GEA and BNR. Online Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/ ... truppe.png
After a long search I encountered finally on this map that Kito is a Mountain / Hill and whether after all still not a place or village. With 2221 meters, the highest peak in surrounding areas and a good observation post for a camp; - at that time and nowadays.
Online source: http://www.bmarchives.org/items/show/100202568GPS position: https://www.gaiagps.com/map/node/576266 ... 43&zoom=15
Even the best German source for such detail events (Ludwig Boell), mentioned only in one sentence, that
there have been a ``unhappily skirmish´´ (I can remember only about this;- I don't have the book with me.)
On the surface, it seems to be that most of my questions have been answered with the text extract from Harry´s article below:
“Belgian Congolese military support for the Northern Rhodesia Police Northern Rhodesia 1914 - 1915
In late February 1915 McCarthy with a NRP patrol killed one Ruga-Ruga and captured 11 others. Three weeks later on 17th March he was camped on the Samfu River near the border along with 61 Belgian Askari, 2 European and 4 African NRP soldiers when a German force of 5 Europeans and 150 Askari attacked his camp. The Allies beat of the attack capturing one enemy European and killing another and also killing 3 Askari.
The Belgians lost 3 Askari killed. Private W. Bacon NRP was also killed. The captured German officer was the commander of the Bismarckburg police, Reserve Lieutenant Haun, and he was severely wounded. (After Haun’s capture Bismarckburg was reinforced by a platoon of the German 10th Field Company, which was enlarged with recruits until on 26th May it became the 29th Field Company.) ”Online source: http://www.kaiserscross.com/188001/363401.html
But at the end some detail questions / comments raised again from my side:
GENERAL THOUGHTS:
1.)
The whole police detachment Bismarckburg consisted basically of less than 60 Askari in March 1915. I also assume that not the whole platoon left Bismarckburg and a further reinforcements haven´t been sent out from Neu-Langenburg or other fronts at this time. But it´s possible that a few dozen additional German Ruga-Ruga attend this skirmish. So in my opinion the mentioned numbers of 150 enemy Askaris have been in the heat of the moment quadrupled by the opponent.
2.)
This is also my speculation: If really four other German Europeans attend this fight, Ludwig Boellwould have been able to mention this later in his records from the other four survivors. In general all small skirmishes have mentioned in an objective manner in this German source. And due to the fact that he already started with his notes during the war, reduced the risk that some of them died without message of this action. Furthermore there is not any other killed or died German European
mentioned on the 17th March in the records. Due to the less German European soldiers I have a good overlook about this area and counted from 1914 to 1916 only 17 active German Europeans. Coming to the point: I expected only Haun, 20 Askaris and a number of Ruga-Ruga warriors attacked the British camp, because they underestimated the threat and the threefold superiority of the opposite.
DETAILED QUESTIONS:
3.)
But where was now the place of the combat true? German and British sources mentioned different
locations. At the Safu (Also Ssafu or Samfu) and also Kito Mountain. The River Safu enters the well-known River Kalambo which opens into Lake Tanganyika, but runs far away from the Kito Mountain.
Hereto, also see: International Boundary Study No. 44, 1. March 1965, Tanzania-Zambia Boundary.
http://archive.law.fsu.edu/library/coll ... ibs044.pdf
4.)
Haun was captured on Kito or Safi on the 17. March. But both are minimum two day's march from Kawimbe. How he could die at the same day, if he really pass away on the same day? Are records from British hospital in Kawimbe available? I have heard about rumors National Archives offer this.
P.S:
This source mentioned a grave in Kawimbe. Because of the fact, that all British war graves from BNRare nowadays on Kansenshi Cemetery at Ndola / Zambia and a colleague from the Tradition society didn´t found Haun’s grave there, I expected that still this present grave in Kawimbe could be Haun’s?!
Many thanks in advance for any efforts. Cheers Holger

[danebrog]

some details about Lt. Haun i´ve found so far:

Haun, Gottfried, geboren 1885, Leutnant, 1910 wohnhaft in Deutsch-Ostafrika
source: http://www.adelskartei.de/176.htm (Offiziere des Königin Elisabeth Garde-Grenadier-Regiments 3)

Leutnant d. R. Gottfried Gustav Stephan HAUN, geb. Frankenberg, Kr. Kassel, gest. 17.03.1915, Kawimbe (Rhodesia)
source: http://www.denkmalprojekt.org/2014/brem ... frika.html

furthermore: http://www.auktionshaus-schlegel.de/tl_ ... ambara.pdf page 177:

Brief BISMARCKBURG 7.1.15 als Feldpost an die bekannte Kaufmannsgattin Devers in Daressalam. Rs. Ankunft
Daressalam 23.1.15 und Weiterleitung Tabora 26.1.15. Absender ist Leutnant der Reserve GOTTFRIED HAUN.
Er war von April 1913 bis Ende 1914 vertretungsweise Bezirksamtssekretär in Bismarckburg und gehörte dann zur
militärischen Abteilung Bismarckburg. Er fiel am 17.3.15 bei einem Gefecht am Fluss Ssafu südlich von Bismarckburg.
Seltener und historischer Beleg.

finally this small notice at https://www.facebook.com/ExServicemensL ... 2038586186
d. German War Graves at Old Fife - Situated 2 to 3km South East of Nakonde off the Old Malawi Road. They contain mostly graves of German Soldiers.

also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakonde_District
Places of Interest
• Zwangendaba, the famous king of the Ngoni was buried about 30 kilometres away from the main town centre. • First United Church of Zambia (UCZ) was built in Nakonde around 1914. • Graves of German soldiers that fought during the World War.

video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wws0frCThqk (probably of interest?)

[danebrog]

p.97 (112)
My Reminiscences of East Africa

The Police at Bismarckburg, under Lieutenant Haun of the Reserve, the capable administrator of the Baziots, had joined the Protective Force. Several skirmishes took place in hostile territory, and in this district also the enemy was, on the whole, kept successfully at a distance.

It was not till early in February, 1915, that several hundred hostile Askari invaded Abercorn, and some of them penetrated to near Mwasge Mission, but then retired.

Then, in the middle of March, Lieutenant Haun's force was surprised in camp at Mount Kito.by an Anglo-Belgian detachment. The Commander was severely wounded and taken prisoner, and several Askari were killed.

Kawimbe mission was operated by the London Missionary society
see also:
Guide to the Council for World Mission / London Missionary Society Archive
http://www.cwmission.org/wp-content/upl ... 4-1977.pdf

[danebrog]

Karonga/Malawi Schutztruppe war graves:
http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead.aspx? ... &order=asc

for Zambia there´s nothing to find regarding german burials
Hence Haun, Franken and the others are buried at your aformentioned locations

[Tanzania]

The last issue was solved:
http://21216.forumromanum.com/member/fo ... threadid=2
I will come back to the other later.
Thanks and regards Holger

[Tanzania]

LOCATION AND BACKGROUND OF THE SKIRMISH ON 17. MARCH 1915
Statement in British source:
“On 17th March McCarthy was camped on the Samfu River near the border . . . when a German force . . . attacked his camp.”
Statement in German source:
“Then, in the middle of March, Lieutenant Haun's force was surprised in camp at Mount Kito by an Anglo-Belgian detachment.”
If we compare the different statements, the clear location can´t be establish;- if it have been the border
River Safu, or the 2,000 meter high Kito Mountain in a greater distance. As well the reason for this fight isn´t clear. British sources mentioned: “The German attacked us”, and the Germans claimed the opposite.
To answer the question of the real location of the skirmish it can be assumed only, that it was on Mount Kito,
which is `in close vicinity´ to the River Safu. (Related to proportions of other greater distances in East Africa.)

ALTERNATIVE LOCATIONS OF LIEUTENANT HAUN`S GRAVE IN ZAMBIA
Currently only one location of Haun´s grave have been mentioned in Kawimbe, a small town with the still valid name, close at the border of Northern Rhodesia, and present Zambia. Because of the fact that Haun died in British captivity in Kawimbe and there is currently only one, not identified grave there, the chance are good to find something in this town. Also in this case danebrog add further references with alternative location, as an option for this search. The lower links are related all to the same location, are very interesting and absolutely new for me: the Zambian border town Nakonde.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakonde_District
First United Church of Zambia (UCZ) was built in Nakonde around 1914 Graves of German soldiers that fought during the World War.
https://www.facebook.com/ExServicemensL ... 2038586186
German War Graves at Old Fife - Situated 2 to 3km South East of Nakonde off the Old Malawi Road.
They contain mostly graves of German Soldiers.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201211131160.html
. . . Mass graves for German soldiers (???) can be seen at Old Fife, an old . . .
On my current To-Do-List for the next trip was anyway planned a loop into Zambia with the current places of interest: Saisi Post / Jericho (nowadays Nyembe), Kawimbe, Mbala and Zombe. Now it´s worth to add a new location: Nakonde.
IDENTIFICATION OF THE LOCATION OF THE FORMALLY OLD FIFE BOMA
The next question raised up, if I try to find the current position of `Old Five´ Boma. Generally a well-known name at that time and area and have been mentioned in the same breath like Abercorn, the present Mbala.
But 100 years ago Nakonde didn´t existed on any map and today you don’t find Fife in any current map.
At such a stage the search for the current detail location arranged more intensive than initially assumed.
“Old Fife - Situated 2 to 3km . . . of Nakonde off the Old Malawi Road.”
Source: https://www.facebook.com/ExServicemensL ... 2038586186
“ . . . . . Nakonde which was 50 kilometres from Fife. . . . . .”
Source: http://www.kaiserscross.com/188001/366822.html
“Accordingly, Major Forbes established in 1895 the station of Ikawa, now known as Fife, about nine miles east of the original African Lakes Corporation Station, now abandoned.”
Source: https://ia801408.us.archive.org/12/item ... no00go.pdf
And so one, and so one. . . .
You see here also, if we coming to the point in detail, the statements are confusing. But these details are absolutely essential because a search is a real nightmare if you are in the bush without further indications.
Currently the map which shows the greatest scale, but of course not enough.
The following homepages offers a wide range of Rhodesian maps, but only with very rough positions of Fife.
Maps of Northern Rhodesia and Zambia: http://www.greatnorthroad.org/maps/
Window on Rhodesia - the Jewel of Africa, Maps: http://www.rhodesia.me.uk/Maps.htm
“The Station for the Fife sub-district of the North Loangwa District was sited at the Ikawa stream on the Stevenson Road, close to Tunduma.”
Source: Memories of Abandoned Bomas No 12: Old Fife: http://www.nrzam.org.uk/NRJ/V3N4.html
This seems to be the best text indication for next geographical search, because currently I have not any idea where is Fife.

[danebrog]

The german war graves at Fife/Nakonde are probably from the attack at 1st Nov. 1918, when Lettows force went into Northern Rhodesia

The Allies had been surprised by Von Lettow's re-entry into German East Africa. The expectation now was that the Germans would march northwards towards their traditional recruiting areas. However Von Lettow achieved another surprise by moving south from the head of Lake Nyasa into Northern Rhodesia. Fife was attacked on 1 November but a garrison of the Northern Rhodesia Police Battalion had occupied the town just hours before and had quickly prepared defences. The Germans attacked at 1730 hours with light artillery support, driving in the British outposts. But the Northern Rhodesia policemen were themselves both tough and battle-hardened and they stood their ground in their hastily-dug trenches. The defence held and Von Lettow later recorded that during this action he had his narrowest escape from death during the war as British machine-gun bullets almost parted the hair on the back of his head. Not wanting to lose men unnecessarily the German commander shelled the Fife defences; he then broke contact and led his men deeper into Northern Rhodesia. - See more at: http://www.westernfrontassociation.com/ ... ecZkO.dpuf

Fife is located near the "Old Stevenson Road" alongside the TZ/Z border - todays an adventure in itself

regarding Abercorn I´ve found this: http://archive.cloud.cwgc.org/archive/d ... 799360.JPG

The only mentioned German casualty is a "Rudolf Zack", deceased 14.11.1899
could be interesting to find out if theres possible connection to Major a.D. Heinrich von Berg (+ 1.1.1899), who´s buried at Fife
(The Zamtec vid ist interesting, but most historical data is wrong)

[danebrog]

Found some small pieces in old publications:

The great plateau of northern Rhodesia, being some impressions of the Tanganyika Plateau
by Gouldsbury, Cullen, London : E. Arnold 1911, pp83:

In the province then known as the Chambeshi District, but now divided into the two districts of North Luangwa and Awemba—the only station which existed up to the year 1895 for any Government purpose was that of the African Lakes Corporation. This station was called Fife, and was subsidised by the Government with a view to establishing friendly relations with the neighbouring chiefs. The agent was, however, more successful in peaceful negotiations with the chiefs on the German than on the British side, and, moreover, his trading business did not permit of much travelling. At this time a great traffic in slaves was carried
on, and large caravans used to pass through the Chambeshi District from the Wemba country into German territory.

Accordingly, Major Forbes established in 1895 the station of Ikawa, now known as Fife, about nine miles east of the original African Lakes Corporation Station, now abandoned. A Collector was placed in charge at Ikawa, and a substation was founded at Nyala under charge of an Assistant Collector, close to where the famous Stevenson Road terminated.

From the Cape to Cairo; the first traverse of Africa from south to north by Ewart Scott Grogan, Published 1902, pg 47:

Ikawa is the first station of Northern Charterland, on the Tanganyika Plateau. Mr. Mackinnon, the collector, had gone to the Chambesi district to neutralize the political machinations of a fractious missionary. Nine miles further on is Fife, the A.L.C. station, and the oldest settlement on the plateau.

+ A.L.C. = African Lakes Corporation
SLAVE-RAIDERS IN NORTH-EASTERN RHODESIA
By T. W. BAXTER

Ikawa was on the Stevenson Road about nine miles south-east of Fife, the African Lakes Company station. Ikawa was later called Fife. Stationed here were one white policeman, Robert Young, nine Makua and about forty native police. There was also a Mr. Spencer on the station superintending the house building

[Tanzania]

(Dear danebrog, I will of course later come automatically back in detail to your other very interesting and useful links.)
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
IDENTIFICATION OF THE LOCATION OF THE FORMALLY OLD FIVE BOMA (Part II)
It seems to be that this question wasn´t new and I am not the first who asked about the location.(. . . without an answer!?)
“Back in 1911, there was a BSAC-settlement called Fife, somewhere between Abercorn and Fort Hill. Today, Abercorn = Mbala, and Fort Hill = Chitipa. Question: What is today's name of Fife? In case the place has been abandoned, what are the coordinates?” Source: http://www.greatnorthroad.org/bboard/me ... p?id=23548
British survey map from 1899 which shows clear: Fife, Mwenzo and Ikawa as three separate locations on the Stevenson Road.
Here are two impressions about the characteristics of this Stevenson Road at the end of the 19th century in Central Africa. . . .
Source: The Geographical Journal, No. 6, June 1899, Vol.XIII. The Nyasa-Tanganyika Plateau,
By Captain F. F. R. Boileau, R.E. pdf. 15 pages. http://www.rhinoresourcecenter.com/pdf_ ... 369362.pdf
Full version, pdf. 785 pages: https://ia800308.us.archive.org/13/item ... itgoog.pdf
What only made me suspicious however was, that different historic sources mentioned Old Five and others `only´ Fife. The easiest solution could be: In principle there is no difference between both, in this case the location Fife have been add only by the subjective adjective `Old´. But if we read the following different statements carefully, it becomes quite clear that really two stations with the name Fife have existed, but nonparallel. The original `Old´ Five was abounded, when the already existing station Ikawa was renamed in (New) Five, nowadays Nakonde. There have been no simultaneousOld Fife and New Fife, such as the German: Old-Langenburg and New-Langenburg.

Mwenzo is situated half way between Lake Nyasa and Lake Tanganyika . . . and just four miles from the A.L.C. Fife station. The Station for the Fife sub-district . . . was sited at the Ikawa stream on the Stevenson Road, close to Tunduma.
Isoka is the modern name for the Old Fife district. . . Ikawa was on the Stevenson Road about nine miles south-east of Fife, the A.L.C. station. Ikawa was later called Fife. Ikawa is . . . on the Tanganyika Plateau . . . nine miles further on is Fife, the A.L.C. station . . . He established in 1895 the station of Ikawa, now known as Fife, about nine miles east of the original A.L.C. station, now abandoned.
Another station was Ikawa, known from 1898 as Fife, the original Fife lying somewhat further to the north and first having been set up as a station of the African Lakes Company. (When I visited Ikawa in the nineteen-forties, there were only the graves of two early officials there, whereas at Fife there were the remains of houses and offices. It appears that the name Fife was used at two different places, a few miles apart).

CONCLUSION:
End of the 19th Century there are at the same time three British outposts in the north-eastern area of Northern Rhodesia
On the Stevenson Road: Fife (A.L.C. Station, 1894), Mwenzo (F.C.S. Mission, 1882) and Ikawa (B.S.A. Station, 1895).
Distance: Fife – Mwenzo = 4 miles / Distance: Mwenzo – Ikawa = 6 miles / Distance: Fife – Ikawa = 9 miles
Consequently for our search about WW 1 graves only the present Nakonde could be relevant. At the end, maybe the remark In Facebook is not entirely wrong: “German War Graves at Old Fife - Situated 2 to 3km South East of Nakonde off the Old Malawi Road.” (Stevenson road) The final search has now to be concentrate of the location of the Old Downtown Nakonde.
Old Russian Military map, Scale 1:200,000 at the end of seventies of the 20th century which shows also Mwenzo Mission and Nakonde (formally: Ikawa / formally Fife). It seems to be that the area of the western Old Fife is no longer inhabited.
Sources: https://mapstor.com/map-sets/country-ma ... rica&year=
http://www.africaexpedition.de/ausrustu ... abskarten/

[danebrog]

Happy New Year

the following links should clarify the naming convention:
RSCJ 1990 v.40, no. 4 (153), p.168–70 - BCA OVERPRINT WITH N.E. RHODESIA POSTMARKS 1893-1900

In 1893 Hugh Charlie Marshall, another Protectorate official, was despatched to the Tanganyika plateau, and instructed by Johnston to make his headquarters at Zombe, which was to be renamed Abercorn, the name originally given to the promised administrative station at the south end of Lake Tanganyika the existing post of that name being near Zombe and belonging to the African Lakes Company. Marshall's sole resources consisted of a small detachment of Indian soldiers, together with a supply of postal and revenue stamps. Another station was Ikawa, known from 1898 as Fife, the original Fife lying somewhat further to the north and first having been set up as a station of the African Lakes Company. (When I visited Ikawa in the nineteen-forties, there were only the graves of two early officials there, whereas at Fife there were the remains of houses and offices. It appears that the name Fife was used at two different places, a few miles apart).

https://www.google.de/url?sa=t&rct=j&q= ... WU&cad=rja

An interesting map:
http://www.philatelicdatabase.com/wp-co ... a-1935.jpg where we find: Ikawa = Old Fife, Isoka = Fife

Explanation for the second: Fife was destroyed by the Germans and was moved south to Isoka
source: http://www.postmarks.co.za/PH%20Norther ... abompo.htm

So there the ALC Station was founded in 1895 as Fife. 1898 the name was transferred to another station at Ikawa. Both were 9 Miles apart.
Had a look at Boells map, there Ikawa is opposite the German border post Tuduma
Fife is located roughly 9 kilometers to the North , between them we find the small town called
He wrote they attacked the police post at Fife (Ikawa)
When the Boma was destroyed, Ikawa became Old Fife and Isoka became Fife…..

[danebrog]

The ex-Rhodesians are of help. Found this on GNR

http://www.greatnorthroad.org/bboard/ar ... 07_Jul.php
Great North Road
Officially, the Great North Road within Zambia runs from Livingstone up to the Turnpike (junction with the Chirundu/Lusaka road), turns left until it reaches Kapiri, when it turns right, through Mpika and keeps going northeast until Nakonde (Fife) on the Tanzanian border. The road from Mpika to Mbala (Abercorn) does not form part of the 'official' GNR which is known as the T4 when one deals with the engineers at the Roads Department etc. But us plebs, call it the Great North Road.

http://www.greatnorthroad.org/bboard/me ... hp?id=8202
On 22 December a German force took up position at Sinyanta Hill, Nakonde, some 3.5 miles from Fife, to intercept a convoy. Captain Baxendale went out to engage them with 28 Northern Rhodesia Police, 36 BSAP and a machine gun . After two hours he was joined by Lieutenant C E Mills NR Rifles with 21 Europeans and 16 African police from the convoy escort. On learning that the convoy was safely into Fife, the enemy withdrew. Seven pools of blood were found in their position. The British returned to Fife having suffered two BSAP wounded. 56

Hence (Old)Fife = Ikawa = Nakonde

Knowing this a refined search discovered this:

was moved from Kanyala to Ikawa [Old Fife] near Nakonde in Isoka District.

https://books.google.de/books?id=REzV4l ... fe&f=false

The exact location of the Boma is unknown even for former Rhodesians
Regarding to this site: http://de.getamap.net/karten/zambia/northern/_ikawa/ the coordinates for Ikawa are 9°21'0" S, 32°45'0" E

[Tanzania]

Wish you also a happy and peaceful New Year

An interesting map:
http://www.philatelicdatabase.com/wp-co ... a-1935.jpg where we find: Ikawa = Old Fife, Isoka = Fife

Yes indeed interesting. First map where it was shown.

Explanation for the second: Fife was destroyed by the Germans and was moved south to Isoka
source: http://www.postmarks.co.za/PH%20Norther ... abompo.htm

The British destroyed 1916 Old Fife themselves, among other things to get a better field of fire; see below.

So there the ALC Station was founded in 1895 as Fife. 1898 the name was transferred to another station at Ikawa.
Both were 9 Miles apart . . . Ikawa is opposite the German border post Tunduma. . . . Fife is located roughly 9 km
to the North, between them we find the small town called (. . . ?) When the Boma was destroyed, Ikawa became Old
Fife and Isoka became Fife…..

. . . and today again renamed Isoka.
So, currently we have three locations. I have also two further positions for Fife; Katongo and Chinungu.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
IDENTIFICATION OF THE LOCATION OF THE FORMALLY OLD FIVE BOMA (Part III)
It seems to be that the endless story of; ``Where is Fife´´ has not yet finished and it looks like, that really even more
than three locations of Fife could have been subsisted in the northeast part of Northern Rhodesia. The reason is simple.
The term `Fife Boma´ was not only a temporary real physical location, it was also the synonym for a Government station and also the resulting function. In this case it happened temporally that the location of a place Fife still exist, whilst at the same time the Commissioner / Administrator carry out this duty and the function as `Boma Fife´ to another place.
The following parts have been recorded in different articles between 1954 and 1958 in the: Northern Rhodesia Journal
http://www.nrzam.org.uk/index.html#NRJ[ ... b]Memories of abandoned Bomas. No 12: – Old Fife Boma was near Tunduma. This information dates from 1909 to 1911. [/b] Also in 1911 came the amalgamation of North-Eastern and North-Western Rhodesia, when by rearrangement of Districts Fife went to the Tanganyika District and Chinsali to the Awemba. . . In 1916, when General Northey´s advance into German East Africa was imminent, I was transferred to Chinungu, the wartime Boma for Fife, to take over control from Jones (“Rope Sole”) who was going forward as Intelligence Officer with the Rhodesians . . . I was instructed to contact General Northey to obtain his views on the matter of the return of the Boma to its old site. I went to Fife, saw the General, who merely said, “Wait till we get well in “. . . In the early days of the war, the Boma first moved to Kantongo, about fourteen miles from Fife, where is stayed for several months; thence to Chinungu where I found it. Chinungu was on the left bank of the Kalungu River and, from the memory, I would say half a mile downstream from Chunga Ranch. The station was in helio communication with the military at old Fife with Abercorn via Nsunzu Mountain. . . The advance having progressed rapidly – I believe the German
Boma of Ithaka was evacuated before our people got there – we moved within a few weeks up to Fife. By that time all buildings
with the exception of the house formally occupied by the Assistant Native Commissioner had been demolished – the remaining
house have been turned into kind of fort. I presume buildings on the right bank of the Ikawa had been destroyed to give our
men a field of fire and the Magistrate´s house, etc., on the left bank to deny any shelter to raiding Germans. We built pole and
dagga houses, offices, etc., at the site formerly occupied by Magistrate´s house; the Civil Administration remaining there until
von Lettow´s incursion at the time of the Armistice in November, 1918.
On August 10th, 1904, I came in sight of Fife, an outpost called after the Duke of Fife who was then on the Board of Directors of the British South Africa Company. It was well laid out and very pretty but consisted of no more than the District Commissioner´s house, and his native messengers´ huts in regular rows at the back, and court house and office, nearby, all built with pole and mud and thatched roofs. Fife had good house for officials, and even judged by present-day standards the Offices were excellent. Other buildings were native court house, goal, double-storeyed, store, guest house and stables. In addition there was a small post and telegraph office with a square tower. The
African transcontinental telegraph line passed through the station on its route from Karonga to Abercorn and Ujiji. [/quote]

[Tanzania]

http://www.greatnorthroad.org/bboard/me ... hp?id=8202
On 22 December a German force took up position at Sinyanta Hill, Nakonde, some 3.5 miles from Fife, to intercept a convoy. Captain
Baxendale went out to engage them with 28 Northern Rhodesia Police, 36 BSAP and a machine gun . After two hours he was joined by Lieutenant C E Mills NR Rifles with 21 Europeans and 16 African police from the convoy escort. On learning that the convoy was safely
into Fife, the enemy withdrew. Seven pools of blood were found in their position. The British returned to Fife having suffered two BSAP
wounded.

Regarding the above mentioned interesting statements here some additional comments:
The following passage is interesting and an answer to the Article on the same homepage:
Memories of the 1914-18 Campaign; Part III, Northern Rhodesia Journal, No.3, Vol. III, 1957

Paragraphs 2 and 3
The Germans never made Forts at Old Fife. They had picket or patrol posts in German East Africa and Northern Rhodesia
for temporary occupation, and dug some trenches at the Chasela stream – a tribute of the Ikawa stream on which Old Five
was sited.
They had a fort, maybe two, at Kadabula (Katabula) situated in German territory, several miles from Fife, which was reputed
to have underground accommodation. These may be the Forts referred to by Captain Langham.
I was myself at Fife when Col. (then Major) Murray arrived and I lived there from shortly after General Northey´s advance into
German East Africa until late in 1918. The only Fort which ever existed at Old Fife was that made by our own people around
what has been the Assistant Native Commissioner’s house.

Yours, etc.,
G. STOCKES:

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
IDENTIFICATION OF THE LOCATION OF THE FORMALLY OLD FIVE BOMA (Part IV)
The background for this detail search of Fife is still to find the location of present buildings and graves of both opponents.
The Leitmotiv started with the `Skirmish on Kito-Hill in March 1915 at GEA / BNR border´, and the search for the location
where the German Officer Lieutenant Gottfried Haun and other victims was buried. One place can be the village Kawimbe with the still active Mission station. Another alternative is the present Tanzania-Zambia border area at Tunduma-Nakonde. Over the time the name changed from Ikawa, Old Fife Boma, then again to Kawa or Ikawa to the present Nakonde town.For a search on site it’s interesting, what has been the name at the time of burial; between 1915 and 1918, and the reburial of the graves in the nineteen-twenties of thirties of the last century. It seems to be that the British graves have been removed to other places inside present Zambia and Germans graves still remained there (Old Fife Boma / Ikawa / Nakonde) up today.
WHAT IS CURRENTLY KNOWN?
1.) The references mentioned graves from the Great War 1914-1918 at the Old Fife / Ikawa.
2.) This location could be limited to the surroundings of present Zambian border town Nakonde.
3.) Old Fife Boma and the later named Ikawa was located on both shores of the Stream Ikawa.
4.) The (old/new?) African transcontinental telegraph line passed through Old Fife Boma / Ikawa.
WHAT IS CURRENTLY UNKNOWN?
5.) If it is still possible, to find references in sources about the graves in Old Fife / Ikawa?
6.) Could the range of Old Fife / Ikawa further limited inside the urban area of present Nakonde?
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
SOME ANSWERS
To item 5.)
Regarding this question I found a source at the State Library in New South New Wales, Australia:
Registers of memorials at Abercorn, Ikawa, Livingstone and Salisbury, Rhodesia; Berbera and Bardera Fort,
Somaliland; and, Mont-Fleuri . . . / compiled and published by order of the Imperial War Graves Commission.
World War, 1914-1918 -- Monuments -- Zambia. http://library.sl.nsw.gov.au/search~S2? ... a&1%2C1%2C
They send me now a Membership card by post to Germany; - useless here in Saudi Arabia (Maybe at task for a real archivist.)
"Thank you for signing up for a Library card. To collect your card at the Library, take your receipt number and identification showing
your current address to the desk in the Library. If you have chosen to receive your card by post, allow up to 10 working days."
To item 6.)
The following map extract from 1947 show a place Kawa (Ikawa?) This point is southeast from the location of the border crossing at Tunduma. Also shown that African transcontinental telegraph line passed through this point. This part of satellite map showed the Ikawa Stream close to Nakonde, but not the total further course. http://www.geonames.org/177252/ikawa.html Also the search on this map for the Ikawa Stream which flow into the River Nakonde (?), didn´t provide new outcomes. http://www.mapcruzin.com/free-maps-moza ... 29_n_5.jpg
P.S.
A rare photo from early Ikawa can be ordered from the National Archives in UK.
2. Anglo-German Nyasa-Tanganyika boundary commission in 1898, Colonial OfficeSource: https://images.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ ... imageModal

[danebrog]

Told a friend of mine in GB to ask the CWGC directly for a copy of:
Registers of memorials at Abercorn, Ikawa, Livingstone and Salisbury, Rhodesia; Berbera and Bardera Fort, Somaliland; and, Mont-Fleuri cemetery, Seychelles / compiled and published by order of the Imperial War Graves Commission.
Will inform you as soon as I have further feedback from him

[Tanzania]

Sounds great. Thanks a lot; - asante sana; - shukraan jazilaan; - shikomo kwambiri. - -