The author retired to South Africa, where he met Leon Haussmann who, having joined
the South African Imperial Service Contingent under General Northey, had sailed with
it from Durban for Nyasaland, arriving in Zomba on 15 April 1915. Martin was so
impressed by Haussmann's recollections and photos of events over the next 2 years that he
produced this excellent booklet, well worth reading. Earlier, on the outbreak of World War
I, action had been taken to disable a German warship on Lake Nyasa. This enabled the 1st
Bn. K.A.R., with some European volunteers and local porters, to be moved by steamships
up north to Karonga. By then German troops had already moved into Nyasaland, so most
of the K.A.R. were moved out to intercept them, leaving a small garrison at Karonga. The
Germans however avoided them and then attacked Karonga, where the defenders held out
bravely until relieved by the returning K.A.R., who drove off and caused heavy casualties
to the Germans. Three British officers, two volunteers and eight locals were killed, and 49
others wounded. The British Force then moved back to the border to prevent further
German incursions during the rest of 1914 and '15.
Meanwhile the S.A.I.S.C. of some 1200 men had also been moved up Lake Nyasa by
ship and arrived at Karonga in May 1915. Haussman's first photos are of Zomba, then of
steamers at Fort Johnston and then of Karonga. General Northey's task now was to bring
together all the border forces, to co-operate with the nearby Rhodesian troops and to plan
a major offensive into German East Africa. This finally began in May 1916, and is
depicted in the remaining photos. By July some 20,000 sq.miles of German territory had
been occupied, with more land being taken in 1917 and a final German surrender in 1918.
Meanwhile in 1917 Haussman was sent back to Zomba for hospital treatment, and then
back to S. Africa for final discharge. The booklet with his stories and photos is a
fascinating account of the above events and should interest any Colonial historian.
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