Hope yet for the Graf Götzen on Lake Tanganyika

Discussions on all aspects of the German Colonies and Overseas Expeditions. Hosted by Chris Dale.
User avatar
Marcus
Member
Posts: 33963
Joined: 08 Mar 2002, 23:35
Location: Europe
Contact:

Hope yet for the Graf Götzen on Lake Tanganyika

#1

Post by Marcus » 29 Aug 2011, 18:56

Image
Ships don't come with much more historical ballast than the MV Liemba. The steamer still shudders and belches its way across Lake Tanganyika every Wednesday and Friday, a century after it was built as a warship in Germany.
In its time it's been a pawn in the colonial scramble for Africa. It's been scuttled and then raised again from the deep. It may have been the model for the warship sunk by The African Queen, a steam-powered launch in the film of the same name, starring Katharine Hepburn as a prim spinster and Humphrey Bogart as the rough captain.
And now it's a ferry on Africa's longest lake, invariably packed with hundreds of people plus their jumble of bundles and baskets as it churns the water between Kigoma in Tanzania across the lake to Mpulungu in Zambia.
But for how long? Such is the ramshackle, dented state of the vessel that the company which runs it has asked the German government to help with refurbishment. The basis of the appeal is that this is a piece of German history. The steamer that serves the citizens around Lake Tanganyika was once the Kaiser's gunboat.
A spokesman for the Marine Services Company told the BBC: "We have requested that Germany help in its rehabilitation. This is because of financial constraints but we have not had a concrete commitment."
The Liemba started life as the Graf Goetzen in 1913 when she was built as a warship in Papenburg on the River Ems in northern Germany. It is said that the Kaiser himself ordered the construction to further his imperial ambitions.
The Graf Goetzen was then transported in parts, in 500 crates, from Hamburg to Dar es Salaam on the coast of East Africa - and from there over mountains to Lake Tanganyika where Germany, Britain and Belgium were all engaged in colonial jostling.
Britain did not take the presence of the vessel easily. As the Admiralty put it: "It is both the duty and the tradition of the Royal Navy to engage the enemy wherever there is water to float a ship."
So London decided to send two gunboats and by an equally difficult route.
[...]
Colonial rivalry and conflict then ensued, and, in the face of a British attack, the Germans abandoned the port of Kigoma, scuttling their ship, the Graf Goetzen, to stop it getting into British hands.
The Goetzen then remained at the bottom of the lake for nearly 10 years until she was raised to the surface. Amazingly, the engines still functioned after minor repairs - possibly because the German engineers who had done the scuttling were the ones who had taken it out from Germany... and they took care to encase the engines in grease so that their baby could one day live and steam again.
It is not clear who raised it, perhaps the Belgians or perhaps the British - but whoever did it, the old German gunboat ended up in the hands of the British.
Clearly, a vessel of the Royal Navy could not be named after Count Gustav Adolf von Goetzen, who was a German explorer and governor of German East Africa. So the ship was renamed as the Liemba - which is how she has stayed ever since.
And so may she stay for much longer if she can be renovated. The request for financial help has fallen between the governments of Lower Saxony, in which the ship was built, and the federal government in Berlin.
The president of Germany has added his voice. The ship, said President Christian Wulff, had a "singular history" and performed an "indispensable service" to the people of East Africa. The government of Tanzania joined the clamour for salvation.
A study has been done by the German authorities but it is thought to have concluded that the costs might well be higher than actually building a new ship. But would a new ship be quite the same as an ancient steamer, dented and bulging with history?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-14677418

/Marcus

User avatar
Chris Dale
Host - German Colonies
Posts: 1955
Joined: 21 Apr 2004, 15:48
Location: UK
Contact:

Re: Hope yet for the Graf Götzen on Lake Tanganyika

#2

Post by Chris Dale » 30 Aug 2011, 00:31

You beat me too it Marcus! I was just logging in to post the same story.

Let's hope the old boat can be saved, if not afloat then in a museum.

Cheers
Chris


User avatar
Xavier
Member
Posts: 3259
Joined: 12 Nov 2002, 03:01
Location: South of the Texas Border.. :)

Re: Hope yet for the Graf Götzen on Lake Tanganyika

#3

Post by Xavier » 30 Aug 2011, 02:14

hopefully wil be put on land before it sinks full of souls..
them ( owners) want it rebuilt so it can still be "worked"!!
Xavier
Der Autodidakt

ErichvN
Member
Posts: 11
Joined: 17 Dec 2012, 04:37

Re: Hope yet for the Graf Götzen on Lake Tanganyika

#4

Post by ErichvN » 17 Dec 2012, 06:21

I very much hope they can keep her alive, I'm not sure but she might be the last WWI German warship afloat.

However I'm not sure she was designed originally as a warship her main gun was one stripped form the SMS Koenigsburg, Graf von Goetzen was originally built for passenger and cargo transport of the lake not actual combat.

User avatar
Maxschnauzer
Financial supporter
Posts: 5992
Joined: 24 Jan 2014, 08:36
Location: Philippines

Re: Hope yet for the Graf Götzen on Lake Tanganyika

#5

Post by Maxschnauzer » 20 May 2014, 10:54

Schiffreisen Magazin has a fine illustrated article on the unusual history of this ship here: http://www.schiffsreisen-magazin.de/17- ... tzen-2.htm
Cheers,
Max

User avatar
Tanzania
Member
Posts: 925
Joined: 04 Jun 2009, 14:59
Location: Benghazi / Libya

Re: Hope yet for the Graf Götzen on Lake Tanganyika

#6

Post by Tanzania » 26 May 2014, 17:36

Hello Maxschnauzer,
A comprehensive report about this legendary steamer; - thanks for posting.

The Captain of Götzen on this photo shows Oberleutnant zur See der Reserve Theodor Siebel

Image

Sources:
»TUNAKWENDA«, Walter Rehfeldt, Druckerei Broschek & Co. Hamburg 1938.
»Die Operationen in Ostafrika, Weltkrieg 1914-1918«, Ludwig Boell, Verlag Dachert, Hamburg 1951.
»Das Offizierskorps der Schutztruppe für Deutsch-Ostafrika im Weltkrieg 1914-1918«, W.-E. Maillard & J. Schröder.
“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

Kallag
Member
Posts: 33
Joined: 02 May 2013, 21:00

Re: Hope yet for the Graf Götzen on Lake Tanganyika

#7

Post by Kallag » 08 Nov 2014, 15:17

Both the 10,5cm and 8,8cm Konigsberg guns shown in the footage here: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-29895341

Kallag

User avatar
Tanzania
Member
Posts: 925
Joined: 04 Jun 2009, 14:59
Location: Benghazi / Libya

Re: Hope yet for the Graf Götzen on Lake Tanganyika

#8

Post by Tanzania » 09 Nov 2014, 13:33

Hello Kallag,

many thanks for posting this very interesting link.

The relative known photo of the 10,5-cm-SK was shown by (02:51 min.)

But the very nice photo of the 8,8-cm-SK was absolutely new for me. (02:55 min.). It shows the gun on the bow
of the vessel in an earlier stage. Later, after the arrival of the 10,5-cm-SK, the gun was positioned at the stern.

Furthermore, the first mentioned source at the end of the film »Kapitänleutnant Gotthold Brocks Collection«
(04:14 min.) was also new for me and interesting. I suspected the photo of the 8,8-cm-SK is from this collection.
Kapitänleutnant Gotthold Brocks was during the War in GEA member of the Navy-MÖVE-section. He was shown
on the photo below (left to right), together with Vizesteuermann d. R. Edel and Marine Ingenieur Walter Bockmann.

The photo was taken in autumn 1915 in Kigoma at Lake Tanganyika; the harbour of the GOETZEN.

Image
Source:
http://www.ub.bildarchiv-dkg.uni-frankf ... g&format=1
Bildnummer: 016-1286-05 – CD-Code: CD/5060/1611/1148/5060_1611_1148_0006



PS:
Vizesteuermann d. R. Edel is also shown on the other photo with the 10,5-cm-SK, as crew member on the GOETZEN.

Image . . Image . . Image



Regards Holger Kotthaus
“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

User avatar
Chris Dale
Host - German Colonies
Posts: 1955
Joined: 21 Apr 2004, 15:48
Location: UK
Contact:

Re: Hope yet for the Graf Götzen on Lake Tanganyika

#9

Post by Chris Dale » 09 Nov 2014, 16:12

Thanks Kallag for the link and Holger for the missing information...

That is indeed a great photo that I'd not seen before either.

Cheers
Chris
Attachments
88mmGoetzen.jpg

User avatar
Tanzania
Member
Posts: 925
Joined: 04 Jun 2009, 14:59
Location: Benghazi / Libya

Re: Hope yet for the Graf Götzen on Lake Tanganyika

#10

Post by Tanzania » 02 Apr 2016, 06:12

.

First photo of the `GOETZEN´ after the commissioning on 9. June 1915



Still without the first weapon equipment:
(1 x 8,8-cm-Krupp Schnellade-Kanone L/30 on M.P.L. C 89 and 2 x 3,7-cm-Gruson-Hotchkiss Revolver-Kanone)

Image

Source: Mémoires du. CONGO et du Ruanda-Urundi n°21 - Mars 2012, page 7, pdf.
http://memoiresducongo.be/wp-content/up ... vue_21.pdf




Bob mentioned this source already in the Koenigsberg-gun topic:

The long journey of the Liemba. The incredible story of a ship from Lake Tanganyika. Michael Berg.
http://www.run-liemba.de/sites/default/ ... 014._0.pdf




Here is also one original article from 1947:

S.S. “Liemba” by Col. L.B. Cane, In: Tanganyika Notes and Records, June 1947, No. 23 (46-48)
http://e-library.costech.or.tz/greensto ... ir/doc.pdf
L. B. Cane, S.S. Liemba. In: Tanganyika Notes and Records, 1947, S. 31
(Mentioned at Wikipedia: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liemba_%28Schiff%29)
(Seems to be, that the server have currently problems)

.
“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

User avatar
Tanzania
Member
Posts: 925
Joined: 04 Jun 2009, 14:59
Location: Benghazi / Libya

Re: Hope yet for the Graf Götzen on Lake Tanganyika

#11

Post by Tanzania » 18 Apr 2016, 18:16

.

THE S.M.S. GOETZEN AND THE T.S.S. CECIL RHODES AS OPPONENTS ON LAKE TANGANYIKA? (Part I)




About the Goetzen / Liemba, which becomes in the meantime one of the most legendary steamer was widely publicised and
therefore well-known. Only about the activities themselves during the 1.WW is very little known. There is no explicit reference
of any combat mission between the 9. June 1915 and the 26. July 1916. It may be questioned also, if this Ship ever fired a
real shoot. And this during a time period where it should be a matter of urgency to interfere into the fights around the Lake.

Only one event appeared occasionally in which the Goetzen was involved and could be described as an `act of war´, against
a `defenceless and harmless old British Steamer´, abounded onshore at the southern, British-Rhodesian edge of this giant lake.




Up today I haven’t read a better detailed and more comprehensive report of the Goetzen / Liemba as that from Michael Berg.

Source: http://www.run-liemba.de/sites/default/ ... 014._0.pdf
The long journey of the Liemba. The incredible story of a ship from Lake Tanganyika, Michael Berg, M. A, pdf. 33 pages.
. . . . .The Goetzen’s only “act of aggression” took place shortly after it was taken into service at the beginning of July 1915,
when it towed the British steamer Cecil Rhodes from its position in Kassakalave at the southern end of Lake Tanganyika
and sunk it in deep water.
[Sources No. 56]
The twin-propeller steamer, which had been driven ashore by a storm, had a similar displacement to the Hedwig von
Wissmann and had already been the target of an expedition under the leadership of Lieutenant Commander Kendrick on
19/20 November 1914. Whilst on that occasion a steamer, no longer serviceable and laid up nearby, and two steel boats
were destroyed, consideration was being given to the idea of provisionally restoring the well-preserved Cecil Rhodes and
towing it away after building a launchway. However, a surprise attack by the enemy on 20 November forced the expedition
to blow up the steamer and retreat. . . .

[Sources No. 56] Kurt Assmann: Der Krieg zur See 1914-1918, p. 189 and Sarah Paulus e-mail dated 30. 8. 2013 after
appropriate evaluation of the inventory number RM/8, archive number 368 and inventory number N 103, archive number 84
in the Bundesmilitärarchiv (Federal Military Archive), Freiburg: The sinking of the British wreck by the Goetzen is apparently
confirmed by document copies from the Bundesmilitärarchiv Freiburg. At the beginning of July 1915, Zimmer sailed to
Bismarckburg on account of a discussion with Wahle. On 4 July he anchored with the Goetzen off Kasakalawe. On the
same day, or shortly thereafter, the wreck of the Cecil Rhodes was pulled off the beach and towed into deep water,
where it sank a short time later.




The question is now, what really happened, at that time on this Sunday the 4th July 1915 in the Kasakalawe-Bay!?

Years ago I expressed already my concerns in the German forum-marinearchiv that this occurred in the described way.
http://www.forum-marinearchiv.de/smf/in ... 91.15.html Now I would like to address specifically this point in a more detailed listing of facts.



Let’s structure the next different aspects of this investigation into:

I. . . .The S.M.S. `Goetzen´ and the T.S.S. `Cecil Rhodes´

II. . . Statements and sources as evidences for this event

III. . .The attempt to refute these statements and evidences

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

.
“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

User avatar
Tanzania
Member
Posts: 925
Joined: 04 Jun 2009, 14:59
Location: Benghazi / Libya

Re: Hope yet for the Graf Götzen on Lake Tanganyika

#12

Post by Tanzania » 20 Apr 2016, 19:03

.

THE S.M.S. GOETZEN AND THE T.S.S. CECIL RHODES AS OPPONENTS ON LAKE TANGANYIKA? (Part II)




I. . . .The S.M.S. `Goetzen´ and the T.S.S. `Cecil Rhodes´


THE GERMAN S.M.S. GOETZEN

Fortunately the history of the Goetzen have been almost reprocessed in the last years, so it’s hardly to add something else.




THE BRITISH T.S.S. (Tanganyika Steam Ship) CECIL RHODES (Part I)
The " Cecil Rhodes " Steamer.

A special train conveyed a numerous party of guests, on Saturday, from Liverpool-street to Wyvenhoe, to witness the
launch of a historic little vessel. The Cecil Rhodes is the first iron steamer intended for the navigation of Lake Tanganyika,
and her primary business, when launched on that great Central African sheet of water, will be to assist in the work of laying
the wires which are to form a section of Mr. Cecil Rhodes' Cape to-Cairo telegraph undertaking
. She is built of Siemens-
Martins steel, galvanised, and her dimensions are: Length 80ft, beam 14ft., and depth 7ft. As the little vessel sat on the
waters o£ the Come after a successful launch, she presented the appearance of a very handsome steamer of solid and
substantial construction. In order to transport the Cecil Rhodes to Lake Tanganyika it will be necessary, as soon as she has
completed her trial run, to take her altogether to pieces. Hull, boilers, and machinery have all to be packed into parcels of
from forty to sixty pounds weight each. In this form she will be shipped Chinde, East Africa, from which port the packages
will be conveyed to the mouth of the Zambesi riven and thence transported by native porters to Lake Nyassa
.

Source: The British Newspaper: The Church Weekly from London mentioned on Page 16, Friday the 24th November 1899,
https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/35619213/


Image

Source: http://www.wivenhoehistory.org.uk/conte ... tanganyika


Associated with the transport of goods for the mines of Katanga, was the transport of materials for the African Transcontinental
Telegraph Company (ATT)
. Founded in 1892 and funded by Cecil John Rhodes, the ATT attempted to construct a landline from
Rhodesia to Cairo. Apart from funding the construction of the telegraph line, the ATT also funded the further development of the
Stevenson Road that linked Lake Malawi to Lake Tanganyika.
The District Notebook for Isoka noted that: The original employment most popular was in transport of loads from Karonga. In 1901
there was a phenomenal demand for labour owing to transport of ATT material. This demand for labour only became greater when
in the course of 1901 the TCL steamship, S.S. Cecil Rhodes, had to be manhandled in pieces from Karonga on Lake Malawi to
Lake Tanganyika along the Stevenson Road
.
Frank Melland, who had only just arrived in Africa to take up a position in Northeastern Rhodesia, provided a graphic description
of the transport of the Cecil Rhodes and the role of human labour in this endeavour: The next day [31 July 1901] brought us to
Chomba Hill – a long steep incline, leading on to the plateau, where we fell in with Boyd of the TCL. Who was taking up waggons,
each drawn by 100 men, the first to get up the hill: They were carrying machinery for the ‘Cecil Rhodes’ a steamer being built on
Tanganyika
. Indeed, so large was the demand for labour that there was a labour shortage and higher wages had to be paid. A
contemporary report stated: The demand for labour was phenomenal, owing to the ATT Telegraph material transport and the
T.C.L. Cecil Rhodes SS material
.

Source: “Forged the Great War”, People, Transport, and Labour, the establishment of Colonial Rule in Zambia 1890-1920,
page 51, Jan-Bart Gewald, African Studies Centre, African Studies Collection, vol. 61
https://openaccess.leidenuniv.nl/bitstr ... sequence=2

After carrying out trials it was then taken to pieces, shipped to East Africa and transported to Lake Tanganyika by native
carriers in man-loads. Here S.S. Cecil Rhodes was reassembled and launched for a second time in October, 1901, the
whole operation, which was carried out by Michael ... Flying the green and red Cape-to-Cairo flag designed by Robert
Williams himself, this ship carried the whole of the construction material for Rhodes' northern telegraph from Abercorn to Ujiji.

Source: Robert's people: the life of Sir Robert Williams, 1860-1938, by Robert Hutchinson and George Martelli. London,
Chatto and Windus, 1971.
https://books.google.ae/books/about/Rob ... edir_esc=y


There exists also still a wonderful model of this old `Lake Tanganyika Steamer´ in Scale 1:32. The plaques
are inscribed: “Twin screw steamer Cecil Rhodes built for Tanganyika Concessions Ltd. by Forrestt & Son Ltd.
Wyvenhoe, Essex, 1899. Dimension 74' 0" x 14' 0" x 7' 0" Depth. Speed 9 1/2 knots. Gross Tonnage 60 tons."

Image

Source: http://collections.rmg.co.uk/collection ... 84776.html
National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London, The Collection, Cecil Rhodes (1899); Service vessel; Lake Steamer


One overland telegraph line in the German Colonies was in British hands. This was in East Africa. It was constructed in
1902-3 from Abercorn (Rhodesia) to Bismarckburg and Ujiji (on Lake Tanganyika in German East Africa). The line belonged
to the African Transcontinental Telegraph Co. which was founded by Cecil Rhodes in 1892 to build a telegraph from Cape to
Cairo
. Since there was at the beginning of the twenty century no German telegraph across East Africa from Dar-es-Salam to
Lake Tanganyika the British line was of considerable benefit to the Germans. By using this line in conjunction with the
submarine cable to Zanzibar and Cape Town it was possible to communicate directly from Dar-es-Salaam to Bismarckburg
and Ujiji. The Telegraph was particularly valuable to the German authorities during the native revolts in the southern parts of
East Africa in 1905-07. During the military operations in 1914-16 the telegraph between Abercorn and Bismarckburg remained
in operation. The English postmaster at Abercorn and the German postmaster in Bismarckburg continued to exchange daily
test signals
. (???)

Source: Studies in German Colonial History, Chapter V, British Economic Activity in the German Colonies 1884-1914,
page 69, W.O. Henderson, Frank Cass and Company Ltd., London, 1962,


The photograph-archive of the University in Frankfurt hold a photo of this vessel T.S.S `Cecil Rhodes´ abounded onshore
and protected by roofing. On the negative was only mentioned: “Neg. Kpt. Zimmer, Verkehr, Schiffahrt, Trockendock, Boot”
It is a little strange that Captain Gustav Zimmer should have been the owner of this photo. And it’s also not clear when
this picture was taken: During building time 1901 from the British or when the Germans found this steamer in Kasakalawe
at the 19th November 1914 by the `Hedwig v. Wissmann´ and `Kingani´ or eventually in 4th July 1915 by the `Goetzen´?

Image

We shall therefore attempt to answer the question from which ancient times the photo come; during the construction time
In 1901 or short time bevor the ship was destroyed / sunken, in 1914/15? What was shown? The poles are very close to both
ship sides. Also the roof is really too deep to build further superstructures. Both gives the impression that this serve only for
the protection from above and would unfavourable during the construction period in 1901. Further the requirement for the keel
doesn´t look as it is prepared for watering. At least these are indicators that this boat are currently not ready for further works.



The enlargement of the above photo shows clear the Name CECIL RHODES

Image

Source: http://www.ub.bildarchiv-dkg.uni-frankf ... frame.html
Bildnummer: 016-1285-05, CD-Code: CD/5060/1611/1147/5060_1611_1147_0084

.
“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

User avatar
Tanzania
Member
Posts: 925
Joined: 04 Jun 2009, 14:59
Location: Benghazi / Libya

Re: Hope yet for the Graf Götzen on Lake Tanganyika

#13

Post by Tanzania » 13 May 2016, 19:24

.

THE S.M.S. GOETZEN AND THE T.S.S. CECIL RHODES AS OPPONENTS ON LAKE TANGANYIKA? (Part III)




THE BRITISH T.S.S. (Tanganyika Steam Ship) CECIL RHODES (Part II)


Indications in present time about the current location of the `Cecil Rhodes´.



At present, there are digital indications with cartographical position for a “World War 1 (ship) wreck ” in the Kasakalawe Bay.
Except the `Cecil Rhodes´ no other Ship was sunk in this part of the Lake Tanganyika during the Great War and is up today
as a wreck present. In this case, except the `Hedwig v. Wissmann´ no other ship have been permanently sunk in 1914-1918.

Image

Source: http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=-8.78 ... 5&z=14&m=b
“World-War-1-wrecks”: http://wikimapia.org/15209107/World-War-1-wrecks
Unfortunately the mentioned link isn´t working: http://www.lowdownzambia.com/2006/2006-09/warwrecks.htm





In 2008 scuba divers found in the Kasakalawe Bay wreckage from a ship. If the `Engine Block´ on the lower underwater photo
could be a part of the T.S.S `Cecil Rhodes´, which was supposed to be sunk by the S.M.S. `Goetzen´, must be reconsidered.

Image

Sources: “Engine Block in Kasakalawe Bay”
https://www.flickr.com/photos/fishwhisp ... otostream/
http://picssr.com/photos/fishwhisperer/ ... 714582@N06





Even though Lake Tanganyika is with 1473 meter the second deepest Lake in the world, the southern area is relatively flat.
Depth measurements have shown that the east branch of this area with Hore-, and Kituta-Bay is less than 250 meters deep.
The place at the Kasakalawe Bay, where the T.S.S `Cecil Rhodes´ is suspected, the water depth at the site is only 25 to 30m.

Image

Source: Sondages et carte Baythmetrique du Lac Tanganika (1946 -1947) pdf. 46 pages.
http://www.destin-tanganyika.com/Descri ... coltes.htm
http://cd.chm-cbd.net/archives_rdc/arch ... mplet-.pdf





The `Ndole Bay Lodge´ in Cameroon Bay , beeline 70 km northwest (330 km on track) advertises among other things with the slogan:
ADVENTURE DIVES

“. . .For the more adventurous there are some small wrecks scattered -
as well as a famous World War 1 wreck in the Southern tip of the lake.”
Source: http://ndolebaylodge.com/activities/scuba-diving/ . . . http://ndolebaylodge.com/activities/lake-safaris/





A BlogSpot of the City Archive Wyvenhoe, where T.S.S `Cecil Rhodes´ have been built promoting as well with this `War Wreck´.
Sunday, August 17, 2014

“The African Queen which starred Katherine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart sailing on a small steamer in Africa during WW1.
The story by C.S. Forester is loosely based on actual events which involved the twin screw steamer Cecil Rhodes pictured
above, built by Forrestt &sons ltd At Wivenhoe.
The vessel now rests at the bottom of Lake Tanganyika and is the only divable war wreck in Zambia.
The German ship involved in her sinking (named Louisa) in the film was still afloat in 2008.

Originally the steamer was built for the Tanganyika Concessions Ltd of London to build the Cape to Cairo Telegraph line.
After being built the ship was dismantled and the parts were shipped to Africa. The sections were no more than 32kgs.
As they had to be ported over the non-navigable sections of the of the Zambesi and shire rivers.”

Wivenhoe Memories collection.
Source: Wyvenhoe Heritage http://wivenhoeheritage.blogspot.ae/201 ... chive.html


(It must be assumed that the reverences about this still visible `War Wreck´ in both upper sources are only a form of advertisement.)





In 2006 the Magazine `Lowdown Zambia´ (lowdown.co.zm) present an article with the content of three steamers as wrecks, which
gave the impression that all of them are still divable. The number is coherent. Before 1914 three vessels were brought to Lake
Tanganyika which were flying a British flag. `Morning Star´ 1885 (“built of mild steel, and galvanised” sail), the `Good News´ 1887
(also named as `Habari Ngema´) and the `Cecil Rhodes´ in 1901. Unfortunately further informations are currently not aviable
Zambia's War Wrecks
Diving on war wrecks is normally associated with diving in the Pacific Ocean,
but Zambia has a few of her own. The three steamers lying in Zambia as wrecks . . .
Source: Lowdownzambia 2006 warwrecks http://www.keywordspy.com/overview/doma ... down.co.zm





Conclusion:
If it really happened that the `Cecil Rhodes´ “was pulled off the beach and towed into deep water” by the `Goetzen´ on
4th July . . . or a few days later “(Another author mentioned the: “19th June”) he should just remain at this position. The
wreck of the `Cecil Rhodes´ should therefore lie in a, for divers accessible water depth. If wreckage of this old steamer
could be found in the Kasakalawe Bay, it should at least prove that the `Goetzen´ was responsible for this, an so that
the reference is true. But then the question; - when did this happen exactly is currently still not answered. If, however,
remaining main parts could be found at the beach, this means that the `Goetzen´ don’t sunk the `Cecil Rhodes´ 1915.





Two sources couldn´t completely reviewed up to now. They are ordered but currently not accessible. Hopefully carrying news.

Robert's People: The Life of Sir Robert Williams 1860-1938”, Hutchinson Robert and Martelli George, Chatto & Windus 1971.

Maritime Relics of the 1914 - 1918 War”, G. W. Hatchell, In: Tanganyika Notes and Records, January 1954, No. 36 (76 – 77)


.
“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

User avatar
Tanzania
Member
Posts: 925
Joined: 04 Jun 2009, 14:59
Location: Benghazi / Libya

Re: Hope yet for the Graf Götzen on Lake Tanganyika

#14

Post by Tanzania » 21 Jun 2016, 16:48

.

THE S.M.S. GOETZEN AND THE T.S.S. CECIL RHODES AS OPPONENTS ON LAKE TANGANYIKA? (Part IV)




THE BRITISH T.S.S. (Tanganyika Steam Ship) CECIL RHODES (Part III)

Saturday, 18th June 2016; on the way to Kasakalawe, where the `Goetzen´ should sunk 101 years ago the `Cecil Rhodes´.

Image



The track to the top of Kasakalawe hill, but without any identifications of the old British outpost there in the past.

Image



After a few hours searching for the exact location, we were led to the last resting place of the `Cecil Rhodes´.

Image





In Kasakalawe village and after talks with the Headmen he showed remaining parts on land of the `Cecil Rhodes´.
The photos shows a steam-boiler of a typical marine steam engine at the end of the 19th century which are used by
the Royal Navy with vertical triple-expansion and direct-acting engine and the feeding pipelines to the four cylinders.


Image



Image



Image


With `warmly´ greetings from the South end of Lake Tanganyika in Zambia.

Later more . . .

Cheers Holger

.
“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

User avatar
Chris Dale
Host - German Colonies
Posts: 1955
Joined: 21 Apr 2004, 15:48
Location: UK
Contact:

Re: Hope yet for the Graf Götzen on Lake Tanganyika

#15

Post by Chris Dale » 22 Jun 2016, 15:30

Great work, Holger!
Cheers
Chris

Post Reply

Return to “German Colonies and Overseas Expeditions”