Geronimo

Just got done reading this book on Geronimo by Robert Utley. It's a pretty decent read and gives a good overview of the Geronimo, his world, and the various campaigns that the Army conducted against the Apache.

Geronimo is an interesting character; people either loved or hated him. Also, while he conducted his operations against the Army masterfully, there were times where he was slack to the point of not even bothering to post guards and on several occassions his camp was surprised. Only quick action saved him.

If you're looking for a good overview, this is a good place to start. The only problem is keeping track of Geronimo's movements- the maps help but they could be better.

I'll comment more soon.



15th Infantry - China c. 1912

Just to continue the China theme...with the outbreak of the Chinese Revolution in 1911 associated with the overthrow of the Quing Dynasty and the establishment of the Republic of China, forces from the Western powers were sent to China to secure Western interests and avoid a repeat of the Boxer Rebellion. One such unit that the US dispatched to China was the 15th Infantry, which was initially stationed at Chinwangtao (1st Batallion and Machinegun Platoon) and later, joined by the rest of the regiment, at Tientsin. Ultimately, the 15th was to remain stationed in China until 1938.

Distinctive Unit Insignia - 15th Infantry


15th Infantry Route March, somewhere outside of Tientsin, c. 1912



This is something I'd like to research some more for a mounted impression for living history... :-)


Tropical uniform.

Colonial German Army in Sudwest Afrika

Military history has always been a fascination with me and especially when it comes to campaigning in faraway places. One such place is German Southwest Africa (today known as Namibia) where the German Colonial Army campaigned against the various local tribes during the early 20th Century from about 1893 through 1914.

The climate of Southwest Africa is arid and warm with most of it being composed of desert. To effectively campaign, the German forces were organized mostly as mounted infantry around 1904, consisting of 9 companies of mounted infantry, along with three artillery batteries, and the 7th Company being mounted on camels.

Below are two pictures of the 7th Company: