German South West Africa Gew.98 - Any in Canada ?

[Nabs]

I have been reading up on these interesting variants of the Gewehr 98 that was issued toGerman troops in South-West Africa. These Gewehr 98s were almost identical to their German army sister rifles except for the bending of the bolt handle downwards to be flush with the stock and adjusting the rear sight graduation minimum to 300m instead of the standard 400m.

I also read that many were destroyed, lost, or remained in Africa after the Germans surrendered in 1918 only to be sporterized. One paragraph of my book mentioned that British troops participated in the campaign to crush German forces in Africa so I am thinking there is a chance of some vet bring backs to Britain and possibly Canada for instance.

I am curious, does anyone have one of these rifles or know of a mild sporter that could be restored as I have the parts ready to go if there is one out there. I am also interested in comparing the workmanship difference to other pre-war Gewehr 98s that stayed in Europe as many of these South African Gew.98s were part of the early 1900s production run.

I will admit that they are my holy grail of Gew.98s.

Time for me to drool over my keyboard....

 

[Nyles]

Never seen one in Canada, but if you're really burning for one consider importing it from the Stated. Prophet River is a board sponsor and they've done 4 guns for me.

I also have an interest in WW1 African campaign guns, I have a DMGLM marked Vergueiro that was used in the campaign.

 

[Nabs]

Very nice, those are some interesting firearms though I will admit I do not know much of their history.

I have considered importing from the U.S. but the pickings seem to be quite slim down there too. I only recall of a single example surfacing on gunboards a few years back and none that I know of to date. I have been surprised before so you just never know.

Truthfully, I am hoping a British/Canadian soldier from the African campaign brought one back to Canada and one is sitting in a basement closet lost and forgotten as we speak .

 

[smellie]

If I were looking for a Kaiserlich Schutztruppe Gew.98, I think I would start looking in South Africa.

You are aware, of course, that racially the composition of the KS was about 10% European German Whites, the other 90% being Black Africans, the Askaris. Generally, at the outset of hostilities, the Askaris were armed with the old Model 1871 rifles. Following the Tanga affair, the KS picked up an irrationally-large number of SMLEs, which would have included some of the first Ishapore production but mainly would have been British. They also captured many tons of .303" ammunition. All of this was used, one way or another.

The South Africans, in the meantime, were busy invading Deutsche Sud-West Afrika, which today is Namibia, a relatively bloodless campaign. Then they were able to turn their attention to the KS.

Taking the War to the enemy, von Lettow-Vorbeck invaded what is now Angola and Mozambique, where they would have come up against the Kropatscheks and the new Vergueiro rifles, likely in about the same distribution as the 71s and 98s in the German forces: European troops with the new stuff, native mercenaries with the fun old ones. The South Africans got involved about this time and counter-invaded, so the push started North again.

The whole thing was a cat-and-dog fight which ended with a messenger on a bicycle, under a white flag, informing the German commander that the War was over.

The Kaiserliche Schutztruppe surrendered formally at Abercorn in Rhodesia on November 25, 1918. The few European soldiers remaining were allowed to keep their personal arms but the Askaris were disarmed. It would be most interesting to see an inventory of precisely what was turned in at that time.

I think I would start chasing at the IWM and then get onto a South Afrikan forum and see what pops up.

"There's gotta be a mango tree here somewhere...." (Chef, Apocalypse Now!)

Good luck in your quest.
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