120000 losses of carriers in DOA 1914-18 ?

Reichskolonialamt · Post by **Reichskolonialamt** » 20 Mar 2006 09:55

I hope most of you understand german text...
Can anyone help me with this question?

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Peter H · Post by **Peter H** » 20 Mar 2006 12:40

Hew Strachan mentions that the British recruited over a million carriers for the East African campaign from all over central Africa.The death rate was around 20%...an estimated 200,000 men.

I can't see why the German carrier death rate would be any higher at 20%,perhaps even lower with the use of locales.A death toll of 120,000 German carriers suggests that 600,000 East Africans served in this role with Lettow-Vorbeck 1914-18 .Too high.

Logistically two to three carriers were required for each soldier in mobile operations.An Allied force of around 160,000 soldiers opposed Lettow-Vorbeck in mid 1917.This would suggest they were supported by at least 320,000 carriers at any one time.At the same time Lettow-Vorbeck's force was 800 Europeans and 5,500 askaris,a total of 6,300 rifles.This would only require say 12,000 carriers.

A death toll of around 6,000 German carriers suggests around 30,000 Africans served in this role in DOA.This sounds about right.

The overall death toll of natives in DOA may have been 100-120,000 though--the disruption of war and disease and famine played its role.The Belgian askaris advancing from the Congo were also fairly brutual to to anyone that got in their way.

This as an example:

http://www.cmcguinness.net/chap8.htm

I can relate one barbarous episode, which is fastened on the Belgian Askaris beyond hope of denial. I was in the hospital at Dar-es-Salaam recovering from a severe attack of malaria, when a dozen or more East Indian matrons and maidens were brought into the hospital for treatment. The doctor gave me the full story of their attack by the savages attached to the Belgian troops. I saw some of the victims. The affair took place in an Indian settlement not far from Dar-es-Salaam.

Reichskolonialamt · Post by **Reichskolonialamt** » 20 Mar 2006 15:09

Peter H wrote:I can't see why the German carrier death rate would be any higher at 20%,perhaps even lower with the use of locales.A death toll of 120,000 German carriers suggests that 600,000 East Africans served in this role with Lettow-Vorbeck 1914-18 .Too high.

That´s my opinion too. I have do get this text of Dr. Moesta and analyse it. I can´t comprehend where he got these horrible numbers from. He estimeted them, this is fact - but why so high?
The mess is, that Dr Moestas sum was quoted 1942 by Arning, in the GDR by Stoecker and further in todays newpapers and anti-colonial books again and again....

And after all: Do loss real mean dead?

Utrecht · Post by **Utrecht** » 14 Aug 2006 11:43

A number of 100.000 - 120.000 deaths is ridicolous. As Peter H. wrote 6.000 is more believable.

The Germans fought most of the time some sort of guerilla war and the number of carriers they used decreased more and more. For example: when Von Lettow invaded Mozambique on 25 November 1917 he crossed the Rovuma with 2000 troops and only 3000 carriers. And when he surrendered his force consisted of 1300 Schutztruppe and 1500 carriers.

On the allied side much more carriers were used. Their logistic lines were long and sometimes 25.000 carriers were needed to supply 1000 soldiers in the field. In Spring 1917 about 175.000 carriers were in British/SA service.

In total two million Africans served in the war, most of them as carriers.

Other carriers: many animals fell casualty. The Allies lost 100.000 horses, oxes and mules (more than 60.000 in DOA), mainly due to the Tsetse fly.