Hello, I have currently finished a 1/32 scale HMS Mimi, and I am in the process of designing and building up a diorama, of the Mimi beingpulled along over one of the 200 bridges built for there journey across land to Lake Tanganyika (Photo 1) is the inspiration. I am in the process of building the Fowler traction engine, but I am looking for more photos of the trailer built to transport the Mimi and Toutou across the rugged territory. (Photo 2,3 & 4 ) represents one of the trailers built.
Also I am looking for a clear photo of the tarp in (photo 1 and 1a), colors, and what is written on it.
Astonishing. Last week I invested 80p in a book called Tanganyikan Guerrilla - The East African Campaign 1914-18, and have just been reading the bit about Mimi and Toutou. That's weird. Anyway, there are lots of fascinating pics in the book, mostly from the Bundesarchiv, but none of the pics of the trailer is any better than those above. The only thing I can suggest is that the large S on the tarp is the first bit of S.A.R., for South African Railways. It seems reasonable, since they set off from Cape Town.
Apparently this episode is the subject of a recent book, Mimi and Toutou Go Forth, but the reviews say there are no photos apart from the endpapers, so that's no more help than I am.
PS: While I'm on the subject, there are lots of pics and several line drawings of artillery, armoured cars (which I didn't know were used) and other stuff. I'll post a selection of anyone's interested, and if there's anything you'd like me to have a look for I'll be happy to try.
-- Edited by James H at 23:34, 2007-07-15
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"Sometimes things that are not true are included in Wikipedia. While at first glance that may appear like a very great problem for Wikipedia, in reality is it not. In fact, it's a good thing." - Wikipedia.
Thanks for your reply; I have both books you are referring too. Both are a very good read. I am fortunate to have a complete Ballantines collection, a gift from my father many years ago. They are some really good books.
I think you may be correct about the S.A.R., that did not occur to me..THANKS!!
All the Best
Tim R
P.S. Thank you again!!!
-- Edited by Tim R at 23:39, 2007-07-15
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"The life given us by nature is short; but the memory of a well-spent life is eternal" -Cicero 106-43BC
You're welcome. Some extraordinary events took place in this campaign, including, I've just learned, the use by Belgian forces of flying boats to bomb German moorings Lake Tanganyika. New things are turning up all the time.
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"Sometimes things that are not true are included in Wikipedia. While at first glance that may appear like a very great problem for Wikipedia, in reality is it not. In fact, it's a good thing." - Wikipedia.
Hello, I thought since I had time, I would scan in the Armored Car photos from the book James mentioned ( Tanganyikan guerrilla East African campaign 1914-1918 ). I would like to see others, if anyone has any.
James, I too am finding the African campaign very interesting for some strange reason. I have actually run across a few photos of the Belgian flying boat/bombers, I will post them for you, once I run across them again.
These battles were so fluid, and there was lot of improvised equipment, like converting naval artillery to land based artillery taken from Konigsberg, and others.
Fantastic stuff. Don't you think I've got enough to do without being distracted by yet another little-known aspect of the War?
The drawing of the armoured car is interesting. If I'm reading correctly, the author is trying to convince us that it's a Rolls-Royce "similar to the 1914 Admiralty pattern, but . . . with no armour on the roof." It doesn't look like the RR in the other picture. Do you know if it is a Roller or a different type altogether?
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"Sometimes things that are not true are included in Wikipedia. While at first glance that may appear like a very great problem for Wikipedia, in reality is it not. In fact, it's a good thing." - Wikipedia.
Tim, I think you're spot on about the drawing of the armoured car resembling an India-pattern vehicle.
I found two photos in David Fletcher's 'War Cars' which I think fit the bill. One, from p.74, I reproduce below alongside your drawing, and with points of similarity numbered in red:
And from p.76, another photo which confirms them as Rolls Royces; although the vehicle in the middle is greatly obscured, note the bulge on the side of the body (numbered '4' in the image above) - and note that the MG shields in the photo were later removed, as would appear to be the case in the above photo and drawing:
The Royce Admiralty pattern (turreted) ACs used in the Germand SW (Namibia) campaign were transfered to the East African front. As far as I can ascertain these where the only RR acs used. Many of the issues in this thread were covered in a similar thread on this forum last year!
I know this isn't sorting out Tim's tarpaulin problem, but about these armoured cars. Yes, the RRs sent to Africa do seem to have been all Admiralty pattern. The Indian pattern is described as being based on a 1920 design, and all the accounts I can find talk about their being used in India post-war. B.T. White makes no mention of this pattern pre-1918. Roger's posting is highly informative - that's clearly the vehicle in question. So perhaps it's simply that Major J.R. Sibley or his editor has put the wrong picture in his book. These things happen.
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"Sometimes things that are not true are included in Wikipedia. While at first glance that may appear like a very great problem for Wikipedia, in reality is it not. In fact, it's a good thing." - Wikipedia.
Thank you for this rather intriguing conversation, I am quite interested in the Great War in Africa, it seems to be very little written about it. And that is a shame..
James you are correct about the tarpaulin issue, I believe we got off topic a bit, but thats all right, I think you provided me with enough information to proceed with my ideas. As far as photos are concerned, I will try and take a few of the Mimi and post them soon, understand that Mimi is in primer color, and as per my original idea of her in the water, she was build waterline. Since I have changed my mind, I now will have to convert her back to a full hull. RATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! And remember she is 1/32 scale All the Best
Tim R
-- Edited by Tim R at 17:17, 2007-07-23
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"The life given us by nature is short; but the memory of a well-spent life is eternal" -Cicero 106-43BC
I have just stumbled on this post of yours, H.M.S. Toutou was purchased by my late grandfather between the two wars, I suspect round about 1930, she was converted for pleasure cruising when back in South Africa, in a heavy storm she was sunk at moorings, raised again, repaired and restored only to sink again some time later, I do not know what became of her thereafter, but I suspect that she was scrapped. I have her brass clock in my possession, I also have a few original photo's of her as a pleasure cruiser. My e mail if you wish to contact me is ian.langdon@yahoo.co.uk
