The Western Front Association: furthering interest in the Great War 1914-18 | explore | learn | share

ISBN: 0 297 847090  HB 488 pp £25.00
Published by Weidenfeld and Nicolson. 

I suspect I may not be the only person interested in the Great War, who knows nothing of the campaign in German East Africa. For those of you who share my predicament, and like me wish to learn more, “Tip and Run” is probably the book for you.

This is a fascinating, multi-faceted book, which encompasses the entire East African campaign, on land, sea and lake. The conflict is written not only from the points of view of the British Empire and Germany, but also the other resident colonial powers - Belgium and Portugal. The book is well written and researched, and works equally well as a reference book, or a good read. Following the useful glossary and dramatis personae, comes the short introduction, which both sets the scene, and summarises the conflict, preparing the reader for the narrative to come. The maps are well drawn and clear, and appear in their own section before the introduction. They did help my non existent knowledge of the geography to a certain extent, but thereafter I found it hard to orientate myself, and would have preferred more maps inserted into the appropriate areas of the text. There are four sections of photographs which are well chosen and compliment the text extremely well. Further illustrations begin each year of the campaign, and provide an apt setting for the following chapters. At the back of the book is an exhaustive one hundred page reference section, comprising: 8 appendices detailing orders of battle, chapter notes, an impressive bibliography listing hundreds of sources, and a full comprehensive index. Finally in the front and end papers are full coloured political maps of the continent of Africa in 1914, and how it might have been in 1916.

The core of the book is the struggle by successive British commands to defeat the wily German commander Von Lettow Vorbeck and his forces. Enriching this framework is the addition of extraordinary colonial and military figures and their exploits. One example must suffice: that of Lieutenant Commander Geoffrey Basil Spicer-Simson, who led the successful effort to transport two Thorneycroft gunboats 3000 miles to wrest back control of Lake Tanganyika. In and amongst these colourful characters, the roles and suffering of the native Africans is never forgotten, and has left in me a profound sense of respect for their achievements, and sorrow for their plight. Excellent use is made of personal testimonies, which are used throughout the book to great effect. I think they were most effective in giving the reader a real sense of the real enemy in East Africa - the weather and debilitating conditions on the ground, which caused more than one sufferer to wish he were back on the Western Front. Reading through the story of the main struggle on land, and constant efforts to bring the German forces to decisive battle, I was gradually caught up in the wishes and hopes of the allied forces, and wished to see a victorious end to their efforts. I reached the end of the book with my wishes unfulfilled, but satisfied nonetheless to have reached some understanding of the difficulties, actions and suffering of the men involved, and perhaps more importantly a real appreciation of the campaign in German East Africa.

Edward Paice begins his book for me with his incisive introduction, using the opening words “Africa Mattered”. On having finished his book, I find that the conflict in East Africa has mattered to me, in balancing and informing my appreciation of the Great War as a global conflict. I have no hesitation in recommending this book, not only to those interested in the Great War, but also the general reader with a wider interest in the history of Africa.

Reviewer: Wayne Young