Single engine, twin seat floatplane

 

     

       When in August 1914 the German soldiers of Deutsch-OstAfrika – DOA (German East Africa) crossed the border with the Belgian Congo inspite of the Belgian colony being neutral, the Belgian Government decided to place the colonial Force Publique at the disposal of the allied forces. As such two infantry battalions came to the help of British forces in Rhodesia. Also, Minister Jules Renkin decided to create an army to oppose the enemy troops of the DOA composed of some 15,000 Congolese and 700 Belgian troops. They faced the German forces of Colonel Van Lettow-Vorbeck composed of 14,000 troops and a very capable naval force on lake Tanganyika centered around the 800-ton vessel “Graf van Götzen” armed with a 105 mm frontal and an 88 mm rear cannon besides lighter 37 mm weapons and machine guns. To counter this German naval element a number of small ships were assembled including two British small fast armed boats, but they were no match for the larger German vessels.

    At the same time, Minister Renkin convened Lt Albert de Bueger who already was an experienced seaplane pilot (see https://www.belgian-wings.be/farman-maurice-mf-8-seaplane ) in order to set up a seaplane unit at Lake Tanganyika. de Bueger was able to obtain 4 Short 827 single engine (150 hp Sunbeam Nubian) floatplanes from the British Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS). In December 1915, the four Short aircraft were prepared for transport together with spare parts and engines as well as armament. It would take until 23 April 1916 before the floatplanes could be re-assembled at their newly prepared base at M’Toa (on the banks of Lake Tongwe). After a number of post re-assembly test-flights, Lt. Aimé Behaeghe and Observer Leon Collignon finally took off on a mission to bomb the “Graf von Götzen”  on 7 June 1916, but unfortunately the raid was cut short because of engine problems. The crew and aircraft were safely towed back to M’Toa by the vessel “Vengeur”. A second attempt was launched on 10 June 1916, this time executed by a crew composed of pilot Tony Orta & observer François Russchaerts. Orta managed to hit the “cruiser” moored at Kigoma in the flank with a 65-pound bomb while flying at only 500 ft. Although suffering a direct hit the “Graf von Götzen” was still afloat, but the effect on the German moral was important as they withdrew all their advanced posts. On July 9th Tony Orta made a recce flight over Kigoma showing work on arming a second ship in the harbor. During a new attack on Kigoma executed by two Shorts on 18 July the large petrol stores at the dry dock were set on fire. Successive recce flights in late July revealed that the towing boat “Adjudant” lay on its side and that the “Graf von Götzen” was scuttled and its armament removed. The squadron gained much esteem by the actions near Lake Tanganyika during the summer of 1916, and according to the French press "they accelerated the allied victory in Africa".

      The aircraft continued reconnaissance and bombing operations until Kigoma fell in the hands of LtCol Thomas of the 2nd Regiment of the "brigade sud" of the Force Publique. After that, the three remaining Short floatplanes were returned to Belgium and saw only limited service with the Escadrille Hydro based at Calais (F.) before the arrival of the Schreck FBA flying boats. Throughout their Belgian career the 4 Short 827 retained their RNAS serials; these being: 3093, 3094, 3095 and 8219. The crews consisted of CO Cdt Albert de Bueger, pilots Lt Aimé Behaeghe, Lt Tony Orta and Lt Roger Castieau and Observers Lt Leon Colignon and Lt François Ruysschaerts. (D. Brackx)