German SW Africa 1905-07

[stevebecker]

Mate,

This bloke showed up in your area and I wondered what he was doing there?

JENKINS Edward John

His AIF WWI documents show he claimed service in the Boer War (1st Kitchener's Fighting Scouts (1055) and with the Germans in South West Africa between 1905-07 against the Hottentoten

What was the British doing in German SW Africa, as he does not say?
Any ideas here

S.B

[Tanzania]

Hi Steve,

Unfortunately, I have no answer to your direct question.

At the time, however, it does not seem to have been entirely unusual that during uprisings in Africa
no consideration was given to origin, and everyone took up arms when necessary.

For example, the British elephant hunter James H. Sutherland and the Bur Wessel Potgieter fought
as war volunteers on the side of the `Schutztruppe´ during the uprising in German East Africa in 1905.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_H._Sutherland

Wessel Potgieter was killed in action on November 16th, 1905. His tombstone is still in Manda
(Wiedhafen) on Lake Nyasa / Tanzania.

Source: “Deutsch-Ostafrika im Aufstand 1905/06«, Kapitel: `Der Aufstand erreicht seinen Höhepunkt´,
Seite 143/144, Graf von Götzen, http://brema.suub.uni-bremen.de/dsdk/co ... ew/1794903

Wessel Potgieter .png

DEM ANDENKEN
DES AM 18.5.1879
ZU
HEILBRON ORANGE FREISTAAT
GEBORENEN UND AM 16.11.1905
IM GEFECHT BEI RUANDA ALS
KRIEGSFREIWILLIGER GEFALLENEN
BUREN
WESSEL POTGIETER
DIE ANGEHÖRIGEN DES
BEZIRKAMTS LANGENBURG

Cheers Holger

[stevebecker]

Mate,

Thanks for that.
He was born in Cape Town Sth Africa, and only came to Australia some time before the Great War.
So he was a volunteer to an unknown unit, to fight against the local natives.
I did think the Germans may have formed a volunteer unit or units for these men ?
Cheers
S.B

[Tanzania]

Hi Steve

So you know some backgrounds about JENKINS Edward John.
Unfortunately I am not so familiar in the South West Part of Africa.

Perhaps his information and experiences could even be used later in the
British Army intelligence handbook Military report on German South-West Africa?
https://www.ajol.info/index.php/smsajms ... iew/151025
file:///C:/Users/Expert/AppData/Local/Temp/151025-Article%20Text-396501-1-10-20170203.pdf

I did think the Germans may have formed a volunteer unit or units for these men ?

Maybe a colleague at the AHF knows more about it? Wish you luck.
Cheers Holger