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OTHER PLACES OF INTEREST IN NORTHERN ZAMBIA WITH HISTORICAL REFERENCE TO BNR 1914-1916 (Part I)
Even though the original theme have been slightly `expanded´, we want to try to approach at least geographical to this topic.
To make good use of our time until further information will be available let´s go back to the environment 200 km in the West.
The British map extract below; shows the historically places along the common boundary with
German East Africa and
is originate from: History of the Great War, Military Operations East Africa Volume I,
August 1914 - September 1916.
Please notice the positions of
Old Five and
Fife (
Ikawa) on
Stevenson Road at the same time on a British map in 1941:
Original Online source: (described above), Sketch 18, Page 622, http://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=m ... up;seq=668
The following list include ten historical places along the border BNR - GEA from East to West
1.) OLD FIFE / IKAWA / NAKONE
As already detailed explained, this place was original founded 1895 as
Ikawa by the British South African Company.
The current border station on the Zambian side,
Nakonde could be possibly the location of former (and maybe still
existing) graves of both opponents. The time period for German losses could be limited to 1915-16 and beginning
of November 1918. Furthermore a few relicts of this legendary
Old Fife should be found in the surrounding area.
Preliminary Google position: https://www.google.de/maps/@-9.3435854, ... a=!3m1!1e3
2.) MWENZO MISSION
Mwenzo Mission station was founded together with the first
Fife and
Ikawa to the end of the 19th century. Like most
field Missions in remote areas, Mwenzo hold also a hospital, which was important special during War times. It is
expected to receive there additional historical background informations. (Collection of present and historic photos:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/simonyyz/ ... 490887219/ )
Preliminary Google position: https://www.google.de/maps/@-9.3333019, ... a=!3m1!1e3
3.) BRITISH - IKOMBA
(There was also
German -
Ikomba across the border.) This B.S.A.C. founded Station was situated 60 km western of
Mwenzo and 1,200 meters southeast from the boundary post No. 565. For both parties the respective
Ikomba was an
important base and checkpoint in this remote area and starting point and scene of some skirmishes in 1915 and 1916.
Preliminary Google position: https://www.google.de/maps/@-9.1649132, ... a=!3m1!1e3
4.) SAISI POST / JERICHO FARM
After some raids by larger allied forces in the first months of 1915 into the
Mambwe area (*) the German Command
decided to send reinforcing in these remote areas and to try to eliminate this fortified starting-base on opposing side.
This place called by the British,
Saisi Post and by the Germans,
Jericho Farm, settled directly on the junction of the
River Saisi and
Rumi, which forms there the border between
German East-Africa and
British Northern-Rhodesia.
Later we have to split this into three different German waves of attack between May - August 1915.
[(*) = Mambwe ethnic and linguistic group (also landscape + villages)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mambwe_people]
Harry, our long-time experienced ``Grandmaster of sideshows´´ have had already looked into this subject:
1914 - 1915, Belgian Congolese military support for the Northern Rhodesia Police,
Northern Rhodesia, THE ATTACKS ON SAISI:
http://www.kaiserscross.com/188001/363401.html
Preliminary Google position: https://www.google.de/maps/@-8.9521612, ... a=!3m1!1e3
5.) KAWIMBE MISSION
The original location of the London Missionary Society was shifted in 1887 from
Fwambo to
Kawimbe and the first church
have been built in 1892. Due to the war started in 1914 the London missionary abounded the Station and turn back in 1916.
During this time the place have been used as military camp from Rhodesian-, South African-, British- and Belgian troops.
Preliminary Google position: https://www.google.de/maps/@-8.8375968, ... a=!3m1!1e3
6.) ABERCORN (MBALA)
Primary founded as
Zombe Boma in 1893 and renamed 1895 in
Abercorn, this place become the principal base in the
Northern part of new
British Rhodesia. When the war started the Command in
GEA took the initiative and attacked this
important outpost near the border in September 1914. The fortified
Boma of Abercorn was here the main stage of these
fights. The original Boma was demolished after the war, but some other old administration buildings still exists up today.
Preliminary Google position: https://www.google.de/maps/@-8.863873,3 ... a=!3m1!1e3
The following link points out some additional attractions which are related to our theme.
7.) KITUTA BAY
This bay on the south-eastern shore of
Lake Tanganyika, is 5 kilometres eastern of the
harbour Mpulungu. On 18th
November 1914 a small German navy detachment arrived with the vessels HEDWIG V. WISSMANN and KINGANI
and disembarked in the bay. The British vessel S.S. GOOD NEWS (1895), abounded onshore, have been destroyed.
The hull of the S.S. GOOD NEWS is alleged existing up today in the northeast edge of
Kituta (
Kitula -,
Chituta Bay).
Preliminary Google position: https://www.google.de/maps/@-8.7579183, ... a=!3m1!1e3
8.) KASAKALAWE
Kasakalawe is a place (also named as point-, hill-, bay- and village-) 4 kilometres west, south-west from
Mpulungu port.
The same above mentioned German landing party arrived one day later, on 19th November of this point and destroyed
the, also the on beach lying other British vessel T.S.S. CECIL RHODES. (1901). Further details later in separate report.
Preliminary Google position: https://www.google.de/maps/@-8.80925,31 ... a=!3m1!1e3
9.) ZOMBE
According to unconfirmed reports in
Zombe there are also trenches of the World War oriented towards the north.
Preliminary Google position: https://www.google.de/maps/@-8.7664867, ... a=!3m1!1e3
10.) OLD BRIDGE
Up to the 1.WW the connection between
Abercorn (BNR) and
Bismarckburg (GEA) existed by a straight track and the
there was an old steel bridge over the
Kalambo River which forms at this point the border. At beginning the war this
bridges probably have been destroyed. The Royal Engineers reconstructed in September 1916 this bridge during the
allied advance into GEA and the `Schutztruppe´ used this bridge on their way to
Bismarckburg after the end of war.
Preliminary Google position: https://www.google.de/maps/@-8.6050278, ... a=!3m1!1e3
Below the map with the current ten historical places of interest in present northern Zambia
Following the headline of this Forum: “
Information not shares is lost ”, provision is made for a later date
with an essay of every above mentioned location, together with a comparison of current conditions with
old photographs in a separate thread (***). Further proposals, corrections and additions are welcome.
(***).
JOURNEY INTO THE PAST ALONG THE BNR / GEA BORDER IN 1914-1916
. . . . Separated into:
. . . . I.) - Places in Northern Zambia with historical references to British Northern Rhodesia in 1914-1916
. . . . II.)- Places in South-West Tanzania with historical references to German East-Africa in 1914-1916
.
“Day by day and almost minute by minute the past was brought up to date. . . . All History was a
palimpsest, scraped clean and reinscribed exactly as often as was necessary” – G. ORWELL 1984