Part 1

SKETCHES OF THE EAST AFRICA CAMPAIGN

BY CAPT. ROBERT V. DOLBEY, R.A.M.C.

AUTHOR OF "A REGIMENTAL SURGEON IN WAR AND PRISON"

WITH ILLUSTRATIONS

1918

TO L.A.D. AND C.B.

PREFACE

The bulk of these "Sketches" were written without any thought of publication. It was my practice in "writing home" to touch upon different features of the campaign or of my daily experiences, and only when I returned to England to find that kind hands had carefully preserved these hurried letters, did it occur to me that, grouped together, they might serve to throw some light on certain aspects of the East Africa campaign, which might not find a place in a more elaborate history.

For the illustrations, I have been able to draw upon a number of German photographs which fell into our hands.

I should like to take this opportunity of thanking Mr. H.T. Montague Bell for the care and kindness with which he has grouped this collection of inco-ordinate sketches and formed it into a more or less comprehensive whole.

ROBERT V. DOLBEY,

ITALY,

February, 1918.

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION THIS ARMY OF OURS THE NAVY AND ITS WORK LETTOW AND HIS ARMY INTELLIGENCE GERMAN TREATMENT OF NATIVES GOOD FOR EVIL THE MECHANICAL TRANSPORT THE SURGERY OF THIS WAR MY OPERATING THEATRE AT HANDENI SOME AFRICAN DISEASES HORSE SICKNESS THE WOUNDED FROM KISSAKI MY OPERATING THEATRE IN MOROGORO THE GERMAN IN PEACE AND WAR LOOTING SHERRY AND BITTERS NATIVE PORTERS THE PADRE AND HIS JOB FOR ALL PRISONERS AND CAPTIVES THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD THE BIRDS OF THE AIR BITING FLIES NIGHT IN MOROGORO THE WATERS OF TURIANI SCOUTING "HUNNISHNESS" FROM MINDEN TO MOROGORO A MORAL DISASTER THE ANGEL OF MOROGORO THE WILL TO DESTROY DAR-ES-SALAAM (THE HAVEN OF PEACE)

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

RHODESIANS CROSSING A GERMAN BRIDGE OVER THE PANGANI RIVER, NEAR MOMBO, WHICH THEY HAD SAVED FROM DESTRUCTION

BRITISH SHELLS EXPLODING A GERMAN AMMUNITION DUMP.

EXCITEMENT OF THE NATIVES

OUR FIRST WATER SUPPLY AT HANDENI

MY OPERATING THEATRE AT MOROGORO. TWO WOUNDED RHODESIANS AND MY TWO OPERATING-ROOM BOYS

SISTER ELIZABETH. THE GERMAN SISTER

HUNS ON TREK

AN ENEMY DETACHMENT ON TREK. MACHINE-GUN PORTERS IN FRONT

NATIVES BUILDING A BANDA

A TYPICAL STRETCH OF ROAD THROUGH OPEN BUSH

THE NATIVE VILLAGE OF MOROGORO

A GERMAN DUG-OUT