THE GERMAN PROTECTIVE FORCE 1903
? 1908
By Dennis Bishop
The German Protective Force consisted of purely German
soldiers in 1903,
although it did make use of Baster, Bethanie and Witbooi
auxiliaries. The
Protective force was established at a strength of
approximately 700 men, but the
actual strength was closer to 800 men. The size of the
force was dictated by
the number of animals needed to provide supply and
transport.
Line Officers
| 27
|
Medical Officers
| 9
|
Veterinarian Officers
| 3
|
Paymaster
| 1
|
Other ranks
| 726
|
The original field companies were mounted infantry
capable of acting
independently with their own commissariat. This force
attracted many young
aristocratic officers noted by the large number of "von" in
the rosters of
officers' names. In peace-time Germany, the only way to
promotion was in the
colonies.
Each company of 120 officers and men was fully
mounted and divided into
two sections. One section was kept together as a field
force while the second
section was broken up and stationed at smaller posts as
police or given
administrative duties. Machineguns were not attached to
these companies at this
time.
The I Field Company was stationed at Windhoek with
outposts at Epukis and
Gobabis. The II Field Company was stationed at Omaruru
with outposts at Karibib
and Swakopmund. The III Field Company was stationed at
Keetmanshoop with
outposts at Bethanie and Heirachabis. The IV Field Company
was stationed at
Outjo with outposts at Namutoni and Waterberg.
The I Marine Company was located at Luderitz Bay and
there was an armored
train at Windhoek. The I Artillery Battery was stationed
at Okhandja and
consisted of five modern quick-firing mountain guns, five
older pieces and five
Maxim machineguns.
In addition, there was a reserve of 34 officers and
730 men and 400
colonists capable of bearing arms. These were organized
into units at
Swakopmund, Windhoek, Gibeon, Bersheba, Bethanie, Warmbad
and Keetmanshoop.
REINFORCEMENTS FORM GERMANY
Between January and February, 1904, three Marine
companies and additional
artillery were sent from Germany. Leutwin used these
reinforcements to
reorganize the original Protective Force attempting to add
firepower at the
expense of mobility. It proved to be a disastrous
decision.
Colonel Leutwin's failures caused the German
government to send more
reinforcements. By the end of June, 1904, the entire 2nd
Regiment arrived with
169 officers and administrators, 2185 other ranks and 2000
horses. General von
Trotha reorganized the 4,000 men into two regiments, the
thirty artillery pieces
into two battalions and the twelve machineguns into three
sections.
General von Trotha's reorganization, though
impressive looking, was not
logistically viable. If the 20,000 men deployed to the
colony is accurate, that
meant that approximately 15,000 men were either deployed as
garrison troops, or
as logistic support. It worked against the Herero, but it
failed against the
Hottentot.
Only Colonel Deimling's compromise between fixed
positions and mobile
"flying squads" worked against the nimble Hottentot. With
fresh troops always
in reserve, the Germans were able to exhaust the Hottentot
raiders. When this
occurred, the Hottenetot were forced to either surrender or
fight.
CONCLUSION
By 1908, the total German losses amounted to almost four
times the number of
Schultztruppe on active duty in 1904. Officer casualties
constituted almost 10%
of the casualties and the total casualties amounted to 12%
of all the troops
deployed into the colony. It seems to be a high price to
pay for so little
gained for so short of time.
TABLE OF LOSSES
|
German Losses
|
Officers
| Other Ranks
| Total
|
KIA
|
62
| 614
| 676
|
WIA
|
89
| 818
| 909
|
MIA
|
2
| 74
| 76
|
Total:
|
153
| 1506
| 1659
|
Died of Disease
|
26
| 663
| 689
|
Marines
|
100
|
|
|
Civilians
|
100
|
|
|
Grand Total:
|
179
| 2169
| 2548
|
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