"German East African platoon org 1914-18" Topic
7 Posts
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Happy Wanderer | 28 Feb 2018 6:20 a.m. PST |
Gents, Does anyone know what platoon structure the German East African Schutz companies used from 1914-18? All thoughts appreciated. Regards Happy Wanderer |
jurgenation | 28 Feb 2018 8:42 a.m. PST |
a Feld kompangie had 60 askaris..plus 2 MGS w/crew ,,officers and 2-3 porters per man..ideally..as war went on things changed. |
monk2002uk | 28 Feb 2018 8:50 a.m. PST |
60 men in a company seems very light. This is more like a platoon. Where was the reference? Robert |
jurgenation | 28 Feb 2018 9:42 a.m. PST |
there were only 14000 men total for the whole colony..Britsh companies were 100 men with 1 mg..there was also all the logistical support..there were lots of reservists..auxillaries.like ruga rugas..so by the time you bump up the numbers it might be 200 men ..but 60 were the nucleus..they did vary from kompagnie to komp.,as far as references ,,,everything I have read..this is pretty much a average..they were small agile units. A good reference would be the German Colonial uniform website by Chris Dale..just google it..The Germans made up for lack of men with lots of MGS…you could also check out the latest Osprey Schutztruppe vs kings African rifles…I have too many books to list .but that;s a good start. |
monk2002uk | 28 Feb 2018 10:19 a.m. PST |
Sixty as a nucleus makes sense. Thanks. A company would be around 200 at operational strength, though depleted during the arduous campaigns particularly in the jungle areas where illness took a heavy toll. Robert |
Happy Wanderer | 28 Feb 2018 12:14 p.m. PST |
Thanks chaps. In respect to the specific platoon structure what would that be? Something like? 1914 – German Schutztruppe Infantry Company East Africa - Company headquarters, totalling 68 men. Commanded by a Leutnant with a Feldwebel as his right hand man. There are two Zug (platoon). Nominally 3 platoon strong in peacetime of 60 men, reduced to a single Zug/Company in wartime. - each Zug commanded by a Sergeant or VizeFeldwebel, split into four Korporalschaften or sections (15 men each). - each formed into two Gruppes of eight men under a Gefreiter (2 x 8men +1). -attached forces Ruga-Ruga. All the men rifle armed, the African askaris equipped with the 11mm M1871 Mauser, German troops with the M98 rifle. The company would be supported by two Maxim machine guns on average plus 1 or 2 37mm quick firing light field guns. Does that organisation sound fairly close?
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jurgenation | 28 Feb 2018 2:49 p.m. PST |
Bingo ..the field guns would vary to type ..as to what was available,,also 3 field Comp;s,,had the model 98 mauser,,and then as the war progressed ..they used captured rifles ,,and received some new mausers from the SS Reubens when it beached itself,Ypo have it right on the money,Heia Safari Bwana Sukarna! |
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