🕊️ The Last Days of World War I in Africa: The Surrender at River Chambishi 🌍

While Europe celebrated the end of World War I on 11 November 1918, the war was still raging in Africa. 

🇩🇪 On 13 November, German forces under Captain Spangenburg reached the River Chambishi in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) and opened fire across the river at a rubber factory believed to hold British supplies. 

That same day, British officer Hector Croad 🇬🇧 received confirmation of the Armistice and was tasked with delivering the news to General Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck, the elusive and skilled commander of the German forces in East Africa. 🗞️⚔️

🕗 On the morning of 14 November, the two men met at the north bank of the Chambishi River. After verifying the Armistice was real, von Lettow agreed to stop fighting, release all prisoners of war, and march his army to Abercorn (now Mbala) 🇿🇲, where they would formally surrender and be resupplied.

But peace didn't come instantly. ⚠️ On 12 and 13 November, heavy skirmishes broke out near Kasama, with both sides suffering casualties. Confusion reigned, and messages about the end of the war struggled to reach scattered units across vast distances. 

Even after the ceasefire, Allied patrols continued to move cautiously, unsure if German troops had truly accepted the Armistice. Then, on 16 November, Allied commanders were informed that von Lettow's column—comprising 30 officers, 125 other Europeans, 1,165 Askari soldiers, 1,500+ carriers, women, and children—would reach Abercorn by 23 November.

Von Lettow requested 1.5 million rupees 💰 to pay his loyal Askari and carriers who had marched with him through four years of war. But the British, wary of the demand, offered only a small advance. The issue remained unresolved, with the German side insisting it was a matter of honor. 🧾🤝

🕰️ On 25 November 1918, General von Lettow-Vorbeck formally surrendered at Abercorn, bringing the last active front of World War I to an end. All weapons were handed over, though European officers were allowed to retain their personal arms and official documents. 📝🕊️

African Askari were sent to prisoner-of-war camps in Tabora 🏕️, while European troops were moved to Dar es Salaam, with von Lettow and his staff given housing. 

The final chapter of the war had been written—not in the trenches of Europe, but in the remote bush of Northern Rhodesia. 🌿🎖️