Belgian Congo In WWII

Another lesser know area of conflict was the Belgian Congo.I wasn't aware that Congolese troops had participated in the Abyssinian campaign. Does anyone have anymore info on thier participation?

"In 1939 World War II began, and in 1940 Belgium again was occupied by the Germans. This time, the King cooperated with the Germans; the Belgian Congo, however, was loyal to the democratic Belgian government-in-exile in London. Congolese troops fought in the Abyssinia campaign. A strike by miners in Katanga (Nov. 1941) triggered a Congo-wide strike in December. Congo's mineral deposits and it's supplies of natural rubber made the country valuable to the allied war effort; Congolese URANIUM was critical to the American nuclear bomb development. In September 1944, a revolt broke out among African soldiers in the Belgian Congo."

WHKMLA : History of the Belgian Congo, 1939-1960


"King Leopold III of Belgium and his govern surrendered to the Germans on 27 May 1940, but a Belgian govern, led by H. Pierlot, in exile in London went on with the war. The governor of Congo, Pierre Ryckmans, supported the exiled govern. Congo was of great economic importance for the Allies, thanks to the abundance of minerals (Uranium included). For this reason the exoploitation of local workers increased during the war, causing the strikes of Jadothville and Elisabethville (since 4 Dec. 1941, crushed with violence) and then the general strikes and revolts of Katanga and Kasai of 1944. Moreover the forced labour (corvee) was doubled from 60 days each year to 120.
In 1941 Congolese troops (two battalions), commanded by gen. Gilliaert, took part to the campaign in East Africa and, on 6 July 1941, they accepted the surrender with honours of war of the exausted forces (5,000 Italians and 2,000 Ethiopians) of gen. Pietro Gazzera in the region of Galla e Sidamo (S-W Ethiopia), already attacked by the 23rd Nigerian and 22nd East African brigades and Ethiopian rebels."

Axis History Forum • View topic - Belgian Congo during WW2

 

This was completely unknown to me.

 

Me too!! Here is some more I found,

"Maybe I should added just two interesting and probably lesser known facts and namely that on 26 November 1940, the administration of Belgian Congo, with the full approval of the Belgian government-in-exile in London, declared war on Italy. This was purely a political gesture by the Belgians who hoped to reserve with that a seat at the post-war peace conference with Italy. To back the declaration of war, the Belgians send their small military force (also known as Force Publique) under Major-General Gillaert to British East Africa to take part in the attack on Italian East Africa, what later eventually also happened. Meanwhile back in Belgium a group of right-wing parties headed by the Rex Organization proposed to the Germans that they are to be allowed to raise a corps of Belgian aviators and enough Belgian officers to command a regiment of colonial soldiers for the time when the Germans invaded the Belgium Congo. They would naturally be equipped by the Germans and of course under their command, but instead they completely ignored this pre-ambitious plan. In October-November 1940 another interesting event took place in connection with the Belgian Congo. A Belgian businessman and mining executive, Edgar Sengier, then living in the United States, purchased all of the above-ground uranium ore that still remained at the Shinkolobwe uranium mine in the Katanga Province. This particular mine has been closed since May 1940, when its only customer, the United Miniere Company in Brussel, was taken over by the Germans. Therefore some 1,250 tons of ore was shipped across Portuguese Angola to the port of Lobiro and then to the USA where it was stored in a warehouse on State Island, NY. Apparently Mr. Sengier had received a hunch that this particular ore is going to become very valuable in the forthcoming months or years of the war. He was right.

You are completely right about the strike of the native labour. The strike went bad especially in the mining area of the Belgian Congo and the colonial army had to be called to restore order but not before some 70 people were killed. In late 1942 another odd incident took place in the Belgian Congo. At the port of Matadi, a company of black American Army truck drivers was stationed in the community and created a racial backlash from the European (Belgian) white citizenry.

From the military point of view it should be note that the Belgian expeditionary Force first entered western Italian East Africa on 19 March 1941 at the Sudanese border town of Jokau and marched up the Subai River in the direction of the town of Gambela sixty miles distant (1). The only opposition the Belgians and Congolese experienced now in this Sudanese town (occupied by the Italians in June 1940) was from a 400-man Bande unit, which was quickly routed. On 21 March, as the Belgians approached the outskirts of Gambela they ran into a static defence line manned by a couple of Italian officered Bande units. The Congolese were sent to attack but were repulsed, therefore the next day a KAR unit circled around to the north and attacked the Bande defens on their right flank. The Italians and their native auxiliaries were taken completely by suprise and quickly withdrew. Soon afterwards the Congolese moved in again, occupied the town and dug in at in and near Gambela, thus accomplishing their main mission with a minimal loss of 3 Congolese Askari killed and 3 Belgian officers and 15 Congolese Askari wounded. At the end of June the Congolese were back at action. This time General Pietro Gazzera with his force of 300 Italian officers (including nine generals) and 5,000 askari was retreating to Dembidollo, when he was attacked by the Congolese. Pressed by them, the KAR troops closing the gap from the east and SAAF pounding him day and night, he radioed to Adis Abeba on 3th July that he is willing to surrender his force. Arrangements were made and on 6 July, the Belgian Congolese commander, Major-General Gillaert, accepted Gazzera's surrender at Gambela.

(1) Other source claimed that the first contact tok place eight day earlier when a Belgian Congolese battalion with a KAR unit attacked the town of Asosa. The Italians quickly withdrew and retreated south to the town of Ghidami. Apparently the Belgians and Congolese were also active at the Italians stronghold at Saio, where they have by early June 1941 assembled three Congolese infantry battalions, a mortar and engineer company and a couple of 75mm batteries of mountain artillery.On 3 July the Belgians launched their version of blitzkrieg and attacked the "dumplings" in front of Bortai creek. One battalion circled around and threatened the Italian line of retreat, while others two engaged themselves in the dumplings. The Italians soon had it enough and surrendered with a force of total 2,500 Italians and 3,500 askari.

There are several sources (most in French but also English) about the military aspects of the Belgian Campaign in Italian East Africa 1940-1941. The titles are listed below. Most of them are hard to track down and if you by any chance of do that the prices are usually "abnormal", if you know what I mean.

Weller, George Anthony: The Belgian Campaign in Ethiopia: A Trek of 2,500 Miles through Jungle Swamps and Desert Wastes. New York: Belgian Information Center, 1941

Werbrouck, R.: La Campagne des Troupes Coloniales Belges en Abyssinie. Leopoldville, Congo: Courrier d'Afrique.

Bruls, J.: Vers les Hauts Plateaux d'Abyssinie avec les Congolais en Guerre. Louvain: Editions SAM, 1946. "

Axis History Forum • View topic - Belgian Congo during WW2

 

I seem to remember a few pages on it in Churchills 6 volumes on second world war. Mostly about the availability of manpower there and how they could be used. I'll dig it out if no one gets there before me....Litterally dig it out....My book room doesnt have floor tiles...it has book tiles..

 

With hardly a pause the East Africans struggled north westwards from Jimma, to support the Nigerians who were making good progress on the better road.
The Nigerians had taken Lechemti against negligible resistance and were pursuing the I talians westwards. Forty miles after leaving Jimma the East Africans defeated an Italian rearguard at Dembi and took it prisoner, almost simultainiiosly the Nigerians took Ghimbi, 60 miles west of Lechemti, overruning the rearguard.

Two largely intact Italian divisions retreating North-Westwards now became the quarry, pursued by the East Africans, Nigerians and Ethiopians. However the weather again deteriorated and the purusers were also hampered by skilfull Italian demolitions.
However the retreating Italians were running into a trap. A Belgian force from the Congo, consisting of two battalions supported by heavy mortars with an East African battalion attached, was moving up to join General Platt in the North-West.At this point the force was almost in the exact spot for which the Italians were making and the Belgian General commanding the Congo, Major General Gillaert, was visiting it.
On July the 3rd he ordered his force into action against the Italians, but brought up short, by the fresh and well equipped Belgians, General Gazzera decided that it was the end.
General Gilliaert accepted his surrenderand accorded him and his remaining force - 5000 troops and about 2000 Ethiopean irregulars - full honours of war as they laid down their arms.
General Cunninghams task in East Africa was over.

Taken from Purnells history of world war 2.

 

I have seen the order of battle of Belgian forces in Congo on a site somewher. Im not like you though JC, I have em all listed but not filed in any way shape or form...takes me ages to find anything. But Ill look. I seem to remember an argument with Churchilll and some other illuminary on the future role for the Belgian Congo force.

 

[SIZE=-1]Native prisoners,
Leopoldville, Belgian Congo[/SIZE]



[SIZE=-1]Native policeman[/SIZE]

 

That would be great if you could .

 

interesting that you brought up this sore spot in my families history JC. one of my Grandfathers lived there in Belgian Congo later Republic of Zaire and now just plain Congo for over 35 years. The Belgian-French while having good intentions of arming the locals into a govt. based military actually did their ownselves in and before the war and soon after the locals in the military stages took their aggressions on the locals, the pay and work , living conditions were extrememly harsh and still are, the Beligians are gone however the lcoals still fight amongst themselves the government of the contry does nothing whatsoever to help it's poor family except to tax them almost to death. any non-resident must carry papers and prove they are accepted in the region much preparation has to be done, and the unexpected although expected military governmental personell are never welcome, they take what they want with guns in hands, confiscate proiperty, rape the local women and abuse the children sometimes as hostages, later finding the children beheaded or shot in the brush and in the trees. Two cousins of mine have lived the land for over 25 years trying to teach the people the basic of crop raizing and going beyond the minimum of wheat production, maze and eating insecets. it is literally a story within a story within a story all through this area of Africa, one that is shaped by the horrows of the uncivilized and barbaric ............. so much so that I cannot even share much more, people being buried alive, folks burned alive as family and friends watch for a few crumbs of bread of what very small portions of a currency they carry which is usually nothing............

granted I am getting somewhat off of topic but the Belgians brought the horrors in a new high tech way with the advent of rifles, mg.s etc. still have photos buried given to me by my deceased grand-father from the days of the late 30's-40's.

 

No Prob there Erich and thanks for the response. I think that that part of Africa is even more obscure then the CBI when it comes to information and attention.

 

Belgian colonial troops in Africa
Three brigades of infantry were mobilized from the "Public Force" (Force Publique) in the Belgian Congo to fight with the Allies in Africa. In 1940 and 1941, the "Belgian Expeditionary Forces" fought in the British and Commonwealth campaign to defeat the Italian troops in East Africa (East African Campaign). In late May 1941, Belgian Major-General Auguste-Éduard Gilliaert cut off the retreat of Italian General Pietro Gazzera in Ethiopia and accepted the surrender of 7,000 of his troops. [1]
After the successful conclusion of these campaigns, the 1st Belgian Colonial Brigade was redesignated the Belgian Colonial Motor Brigade Group and served in a garrison and rear-area security role in Cairo, Egypt and in British Palestine during 1943 - 1944. [2]
The Belgian colonial troops in Africa had older weapons and equipment such as the Stokes Mortar and 75 mm St. Chamond cannon. [3]

Free Belgian Forces - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

The atrocities in that country are never ending...Leopold himself has lots to answer for. Many pics and stories exist with youngsters with no hands....cut off by Belgians long before anyone was bothered about Muslim laws....Congo civil war was amazingly brutal. With UN sec gen I think killed in mysterious circumstances too. An amazing place to research I would have thought.

 

Urgh the Muslims really have nothing do with Congo at the present, it is the people themselves many under the oppression of mysticism-occult-witchdoctors. sounds fanciful but it is the truth. the government is unyielding still, using the firing end of a rifle as their means of settling any type of inner village problem. Cruelty abounds, and if we look at Sudan where another friend has worked as a nurse for the last 12 years, well then............another topic. My Grandfather of all things when I was a child brought me back some terrible hand forged weapons from the Congo, still have them wrapped up hidden so my grand-daughters will never find them.

 

Sorry Erich, I wasnt referring to the muslims in the congo as such, just an aside as to mutilating kids arms etc. Shouldnt really have implied muslim.

No Im just interested in all things Congo confrontations. I must admit I still dont fully understand the civil war of the 60's.

UN one side, western mecenaries another. Folk swapping sides here there and everywhere.

But I suppose like many other African states it is destined to live with bloodshed for a long time yet.

 

who has the biggest arms cache, the strongest army, the most monies waving in the hand, sides go from one to the other to survive, sounds insane because it is. Governmental changes never occur without some sort of bloodshed here in this country. the poverty level is really hard to imagine unless you have lived or visited to encompass all of it in your mind. The people although scattered in many villages are really getting fed up with false hope and promises, they were under the Belgians and of course the same applies to today.

 

Only part of Africa I have seen apart from many trips to South Africa are the Gambia and Senegal. Went on an expiditon with Royal Engineers into Senegal with French aids in 1985built a jetty for a small village as part of our expidition training. Only stayed in area 3 weeks but enough to see the poverty and way of life. Africa just interests me. It always has, mostly South Africa because of Zulu war battlefields and my interest there. A continent of great contrasts. Even South Africa itself as everyone knows, but just to travel north into Namibia and the Devils coast, the contrasts are amazing. And to think a few miles further north and you enter an even more totally opposite age and land.

I have nothing but admiration for anyone who makes a life or gives part of their life to central African countries in the medical or charity areas. If you have relatives doing so, then they are special folk.

 

"After some hesitation, and some opposition from Belgian colonists who favoured neutrality, the Congo's immense mineral resources (seeraw and synthetic materials) were put at the UK's disposal by the Belgian government-in-exile in January 1941 and the British subsequently bought the whole wartime production of Katanga's copper mines, totalling 800,000 tons. The Congo also produced 67% of the world's diamonds, was the world's largest producer of radium and cobalt, and provided the initial supplies of uranium for the MANHATTAN PROJECT as well as quantities of tungsten and tin.

After the Belgian government-in-exile declared war on Italy in January 1941, the Belgian Congo's Force Publique provided a total of 40,000 men towards the Allied war effort. One contingent took part in the East African campaign—its commanding officer received the surrender of Italian troops in Gallo Sidano in July 1941—and another served in Nigeria and then the Middle East. During the war years a rural rebellion, urban strikes and riots, and a mutiny, were early indicators of the country's post-war problems which led to its independence in 1960."

Belgian Congo – FREE Belgian Congo Information | Encyclopedia.com: Find Belgian Congo Research

"The Force Publique again mobilized in 1940, when Belgium was overrun by Germany. In early 1941, Congolese troops deployed to Italian East Africa (present-day Ethiopia) to help eliminate the last Italian centers of resistance, and in the next year, other Congolese troops joined forces with the West African Frontier Force in British colonial Nigeria. Later, Congolese soldiers went to Egypt where they guarded supply dumps and prisoner-of-war camps. During both wars, Allied leaders commended the actions of these representatives of the Force Publique."

http://www.country-data.com/cgi-bin/query/r-15140.html

 

Interesting facts, something you don't hear everyday. It is true that Belgium's colonial empire was much bigger than Belgium itself.