Recommended books on German Colonies & Overseas Expediti

Peter H · Post by **Peter H** » 23 Nov 2005 01:05

Please list any books that you consider relevant to this section.

I suppose some indication that they are available in both English and German or only in German would be helpful.

If you buy through the below links you not only get the books you want but you also support the forum while shopping!
* AHF Bookstore
* Amazon.com (UK, Germany)

Chris Dale · Post by **Chris Dale** » 27 Nov 2005 14:04

Hi Peter,
Great idea! I've got a book reviews section running on http://www.germancolonialuniforms.co.uk , if anyone would like to review a book they think is useful please put a short review here (roughly less than 100 words) and I'll add it to the website (and give you full credit of course). It would be good to have a list of source books here and on the website.
The books I've reviewed and recommended so far are-
"Armies in East Africa 1914-18" Peter Abbott (Published by Osprey Men at Arms)...a good introduction
"The Battle of Tanga 1914" Ross Anderson (Published by Tempus)....some in depth analysis
"Escape from England" Gunther Plüschow (Published by Ripping Yarns)...the story of the only active pilot in Tsingtao 1914
"Blockade and Jungle" Nis Kock edited by Christen P Christensen (Published by Battery Press)...the story of the supply boats to East Africa
"The Prisoner of War Tokens of German South West Africa" by Gordon McGregor- one of the members of this forum! (Published by Namibia Scientific Society)...a short but very in depth study
"Like Hidden Fire" Peter Hopkirk (Published by Kondasha- available from Amazon)...the story of German activities in Afghanistan and Central Asia during WW1
"Official History of the War- Military Operations in Togoland and the Cameroons" Brig. General F.J. Moberley (Published by Battery Press)...a one sided but in depth study
"Die Deutsche Schutztruppe 1889/1918" Werner Haupt (Published by Dörfler)...an excellent German source
I've also recently got some other new books, a great one is "Lettow-Vorbeck's Soldiers" by Walter Dobbertin (Published by Battery)....120 photos taken in East Africa 1914-16
Let's get this thread going! What books have you got Peter?
Cheers
Chris

Peter H · Post by **Peter H** » 02 Dec 2005 04:40

Chris,

Battle For The Bundu: The First World War In Africa,Charles Miller

Tanganyikan Guerrilla,Roger Sibley

The Great War In Africa 1914-1918,Byron Farewell

Guerilla:Colonel von Lettow-Vorbeck and Germany's East African Empire,Edwin Hoyt

Regards,
Peter

Peter H · Post by **Peter H** » 02 Dec 2005 04:51

Contemporary accounts,periodicals from the era also aid visionally:

Peter H · Post by **Peter H** » 02 Dec 2005 04:58

I came across this most likely unattainable reference also:

http://www.german-militaria.de/details/d34319.html

Hauptmann Ludwig Boell,author of Die Operationen in Deutsch-Ostafrika.

Chris Dale · Post by **Chris Dale** » 02 Dec 2005 11:42

Peter H wrote:Chris,

Battle For The Bundu: The First World War In Africa,Charles Miller

Tanganyikan Guerrilla,Roger Sibley

The Great War In Africa 1914-1918,Byron Farewell

Guerilla:Colonel von Lettow-Vorbeck and Germany's East African Empire,Edwin Hoyt

Regards,
Peter

Hi Peter,
Would you care to write a short review of some of those books for the website?
Cheers
Chris

Peter H · Post by **Peter H** » 04 Dec 2005 02:50

Chris,

I'll see what I can do in the New Year--currently caught up in the Xmas season with my business.

Regards,
Peter

David C. Clarke · Post by **David C. Clarke** » 04 Dec 2005 03:50

"Battle For the Bundu" by Charles Miller was first published in 1974. It is 353 pages, with a complete bibliography and index as well as 17 pages of black and white photos. As far as I know, this was the first modern scholarly treatment, in English, of the Campaign for East Africa. It is very well-written and, IMHO, a pretty compelling account that focuses on von Lettow-Vorbeck's defense of German East Africa and the saga of the cruiser Konigsberg . It does provide a fairly good background to the German colonization of East Africa and the subsequent defense of it during WWI. One could say that it is a pro-German account and it doesn't dwell on the lengthy resistance of the African states to colonialization. But, that aside, once the story moves into WWI, the book is fairly even-handed. Also, the book covers the naval campaigns on Lake Tanganyika and Lake Nyasa, which is pretty difficult stuff to get hold of from any source.

Personally, I recommend it and even though it was one of the first books I read on this subject, it holds up very well.

Best,
David

Chris Dale · Post by **Chris Dale** » 06 Dec 2005 12:14

Hi David,
Do you mind if I use that write up you did on Battle for the Bundu in the book reviews section of my website? I'll credit you of course.
Cheers
Chris

David C. Clarke · Post by **David C. Clarke** » 06 Dec 2005 13:43

Hi Chris, of course, my pleasure. I had intended to reciew "The Great War in Africa" as well, but I seem to have misplaced my copy....

Best Regards,
David

Chris Dale · Post by **Chris Dale** » 06 Dec 2005 15:09

Thanks David- it's up online at http://www.germancolonialuniforms.co.uk now. Let me know if you find your copy of the Great War in Africa!
Cheers
Chris

David C. Clarke · Post by **David C. Clarke** » 06 Dec 2005 15:15

That's a really nice site Chris! Gee, more good stuff to read--this might not be so bad a month for me afterall!

Best Regards,
David

Chris Dale · Post by **Chris Dale** » 06 Dec 2005 16:13

Hi David,
Glad you liked the website...it's constantly being updated, enlarged and corrected...often with help from the forum members here.
Cheers
Chris

Jan-Hendrik · Post by **Jan-Hendrik** » 17 Dec 2005 15:04

Absolutly great regarding the Battles in Eastern Afrika is R.K.K. Lochners "Kampf im Rufiji-Delta" which combines the history of the land warfare with sea warfare !

Jan-Hendrik

joerookery · Post by **joerookery** » 24 Jan 2006 22:53

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/080144 ... s&v=glance

On page 246 of the Journal of Military History, January 2006. There is a review of the book "Absolute Destruction." The link above will take you directly to the book on Amazon.com There is an in-depth study of the war in Southwest Africa
and the Journal of military history review calls it brilliant.