When I picked up a tourist brochure in the Northern Cape and read something about German war graves at Kakamas, my interest was piqued. The existence of German war graves implies that there must have been German troops in South Africa. I do possess a fair knowledge of German and South African history and just couldn't think what the historical event was. What were some of my countrymen doing in South Africa fighting a war and why?
The site is at the north side of the Orange River across from Kakamas, near a small town called Lutzburg, about 85 km west of Upington along the N14. The coordinates are: 28.7436ºS, 20.6363ºE and altitude 682m.
Information board (Horst Müller)
Some internet research and a visit to the gravesite revealed what had happened here.
At the beginning of the First World War, when the Union of South Africa was drawn into the war against Germany through being part of the British Empire, it was expected of the South African forces to move into German South West Africa. Whilst the South African army was mobilising, some of the Schutztruppe (territorial troops) did not wait and attack being the best form of defence moved towards the Orange river in order to block the crossing point at Kakamas.
A battle ensued on the 4...
