If anyone has visited Longido in recent years, please can you get in touch. A member is looking to visit with the express aim of seeing what remains from WW1. Many thanks.

Don’t forget our conference is happening on Saturday 29 November in London. There will be a separate post with details in the next couple of weeks. If you are wanting to attend, please drop me an email. There might still be a space for a talk if you want to give one.

John Burke, CWGC, has an article on the battle of Narumbgombe, the outcome of research CWGC was undertaking in the area. The article can be found at https://www.cwgc.org/our-work/blog/the-battle-of-narungombe-uncovering-the-fallen-of-the-east-african-campaign

The Great War Aviation Society‘s recent Contact Magazine features The Air War over Africa.

Looking for WW2 UK service records? You no longer need to contact the MOD, see https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/about/our-role/plans-policies-performance-and-projects/our-projects/ministry-of-defence-service-records/ for details. It is unclear at present whether all people from Africa who served in British units are included in these records. People from Britain who served with African units in Africa and Asia will be. As with WW1 records, it’s most likely that records of African service men and women will be in the country they enlisted in and not in the UK. Not all records have been transferred to TNA, but it is advisable you try them first. A query I submitted came back directing me to MoD – a British born person who served in and post-WW2. TNA aims to reply within 30 days (5 in this case) and has supplied a personnel number which can be submitted to MoD.

In London looking for something to do? National Army Museum has Beyond Burma opening later in September, and various talks on the campaign in Burma on 20 September. See the website for details

You’ll have noticed a new look to the website, this is still being refined – please let me have your thoughts on the new look. For example, do you prefer having the full newsletter or would an excerpt be sufficient? Would you prefer clearer links (blocks/lists) to themes on the landing page? Let me know what would work best for your use of the site.
And whilst making this request, please don’t forget to send me the titles of publications you’ve got on conflicts in Africa (1870-1945)

The latest CWGC non-commemoration annual review is now available to read.
You can also read about the finding of King’s African Rifles records here.

Melvin Page has reviewed Watu Hodari for the First World War Society Journal. Watu Hodari and other books on the war are available through the Books to Purchase link above.

GWAA has opened a call for contributions on labour during the two World Wars – which we’re referring to as Watu-muhimu. Please get in touch if you would like to contribute.

Don’t forget the GWAA conference on 29 November in London. There are still one or two spaces left for anyone wanting to share their research. More details will hopefully follow in July/August.

Some other bits that might be of interest:

Copyright is often misunderstood, especially when material is found online. Each country has its own copyright law which often affects those of us working on World War 1 in Africa as our material is sourced globally. This article might be of interest for those using South African photographs.

An insight into the Nubian contribution to the King’s African Rifles (pre-WW1): https://www.kenyasnubians.com/kar

For WW2 Africa connections, The Allies Museum World War II Liberation of Italy (https://www.linkedin.com/company/alliesmuseum/ – LinkedIn page) might be of interest – its focus is Italy

An early date for your diary – the next in-person GWAA Conference will be on Saturday 29 November 2025 at The Africa Centre, London. More details to follow in due course but if you are interested in presenting something on the FIrst World War in Africa, please let me know.

A Decenber visit to the South African Military Archive Document Centre coincided with the start of a digitisation project of First and Second World War personnel cards and files. Following various discussions about the process, the following was received in response to a letter submiteed on behalf of GWAA members:

The Department of Defence has initiated a project in collaboration with FamilySearch International to digitise First World War and Second World War records currently held by the DOD Archives. The primary objective of this project is to ensure the permanent preservation of these physical records and to enhance their accessibility through electronic means. It is estimated that approximately 35 million images will be digitised over the course of this three-year project.

During the project, it will be necessary to temporarily withdraw certain records or parts thereof from general use to maintain the integrity of the digitisation process. The duration of these withdrawals may vary between six to twelve months, depending on the project’s stage. We understand that this may cause some inconvenience, and we sincerely apologise for any disruption this may cause. We are committed to minimising the impact on research activities and will strive to complete the project as swiftly as possible.

Upon completion of the project, these records will be made available on the FamilySearch website and electronically at the Documentation Centre Reading Room. Detailed information regarding access to the records will be communicated to all researchers once the necessary systems have been implemented.

We have noted your concerns regarding contacting the Documentation Centre and will address them accordingly.

As more information becomes available, it will be passed on.
If members have any concerns or questions about accessing archives, please do get in touch as I have a presence on various archive user groups in both the UK and SA, and access to some others, to assist researchers working across borders.

New memorial at Sandfontein in an article by Anzel Veldman on the Heritage Portal

“[CWGC’s] newest memorial commemorates by name over 1,700 South Africans who served in the military labour corps and died during the First World War with no known grave.” https://www.cwgc.org/our-work/news/hrh-the-princess-royal-inaugurates-new-memorial-in-cape-town Background to the memorial can be found at https://www.cwgc.org/non-commemoration/south-africa For visitors to Cape Town there is a small display about the Labour Corps and memorial, as well as the Book of Rembrance, at the Iziko Museum near to the memorial.

The February and March 2025 Legion of Frontiersmen newsletters have some info and photos of 25th Royal Fusiliers
Help is sought to identify the individuals in this photo held by IWM – https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205286941: Frederick Selous is at the far end of the line, Hazzledine is second looking at the camera. There is uncertainty as to who the other three men are.

News has come through that Marika Sherwood died on 16 February 2025. She had written a bit on Africa in World War 1.

Finally, some new book titles have been added to the Books to purchase site.