I bought this Iron Cross document to Oberleutnant Von Hadeln.

I was really, really happy to find out the story behind it... the only German raid into South Africa, r?

http://www.kaiserscross.com/40029/150601.html

Bravo Chris

Thank you for sharing your research with us.

Harry

Chris

Some very nice research.

From http://www.kaiserscross.com/40029/150601.html ". . . the only invasion of a British Commonwealth town by German forces in the First World War."

From a defunct link http://www.deutsche-schutzgebiete.de/suedwest-english.htm

On September 9th [1914] South Africa declares war on Deutsch-Suedwestafrika and attacks the station Ramansdrift.
The Germans occupy the British border station Nakab and occupy on September 10th Walvis Bay."

and the current link http://www.deutsche-schutzgebiete.de/deutsche-kolonien.htm In translation

"10^th September 1914
The Germans occupy Walvis Bay"

From the always useful site of the late Dr Dierks http://www.klausdierks.com/Chronology/72.htm

24.09.[1914] The South African war vessel Armadale Castle shells the open town of Swakopmund. The shelling is continued on 30.09.[1914] by the South African war vessel Kinfauns Castle.
The Germans attack Walvis Bay under the command of Oskar Scultetus.

Carl

Indeed, an oversight on my part. Scultetus patrol was such a "Non event" that I had pushed it from my mind.

I will edit accordingly.

Chris

No problem BUT this does show that the record (such as it is) has allowed a patrol to be sexed up into a German attack and now I can finish my paragraphs on the railways in 1914 and 1915.

Maybe you really need to write the very long overdue DEFINITIVE history of the GSWA campaign so that I can finish my paragraphs on the Heavy Artillery.

Maybe we need to remind our other reader that it would be another 80 years before the enclave of Walvis Bay would become a (political) part of Namibia.

Carl

Hi Carl,

did you see this?

http://www.kaiserscross.com/41992/home.html

Best
Chris

Chris

Indeed I did.

In fact that send me on a voyage of exploration about Leipoldt.

But you did not see

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=87952&st=14

Carl