THE BATTLE OF OLDOROBO ( SALAITA HILL)

Salaita  is near modern day Taveta town, Kenya, it  is a sun baked hill in isolation, were it not for occasional cartridges, unexploded ordinance and trenches very little gives it away as a scene that has witnessed a major historical battle. It was a strategic look out post and major base for German railway communication and an important tactical point for the British ambitions to penetrate German East Africa. British intelligence showed it was defended by a small detachment of 300 men with no artillery, an error that would cost them dearly. The British command tasked to attack Salaita was led by brigadier General Beve’s  2^nd South African Infantry brigade and first East African brigade. In addition was the Indian artillery brigade, in total there were 6000 men.

The allied forces began their assault on the morning of February 12 1916 with the bombardment of German positions on the hill.  Unknown to them Salaita hill was highly defended by approximately 1,300 men under the command of local commander Major George kraut. Due to poor intelligence they attacked trenches and positions in the summit, instead of the front lines further downhill. It alerted the Germans of the impending attack with little disorganisation or determent of their ability to repulse the enemy.

Allied forces with aerial support began to advance at 0500 hrs, supported by scouts, armoured cars, artillery and machine guns. After 0700hrs, 2 KM short of Salaita, Beve’s brigade assumed a loose formation; they came under sporadic fire from the enemy artillery. The brigadier deployed the 7^th SA Infantry Regiment (Lt. Col. J. C. Freeth) leading. 5th SA Infantry Regiment (Lt. Col. the Honourable J. J. Byron) echeloned on its left and the 6^th SA Infantry Regiment (Lt. Col. G. M. J. Molyneux) extending on the right. They penetrated the core positions of the enemy but were forced to withdraw due to heavy enemy fire. While withdrawing they were attacked on the right wing by the German relieving force commanded by Captain Schultz from Taveta, the brigades withdrew with some disorder to the northeast, having sustained 172 casualties. One of the principle reasons for the reverse is the lack of coordination between the South African and East African brigades. Their respective attack time had a difference of over 3 hours despite the fact they had a common target.

 The South African losses at Salaita hill are given as 138, 83 were from the leading unit the 7^th SA Infantry,6 killed,47 wounded and 30 missing.

A similar account was given by Gen Von-Lettow Vorbeck, leader of the German East Africa forces. In his book “REMINISCENCES OF EAST AFRICA” he recounts of considerable build up of troops to the East of mount Eldorobo. Mount Eldorobo would later after the battle be renamed Slaughter and corrupted to modern day Salaita. He beleaved the considerable build up was to train young European fighters from South Africa of how to manoeuvre and engage the enemy in the bush. He recounts how early in February the enemy advanced from the East with several regiments. He had plans the enemy would not get away, he would achieve this by means of a counter attack with Captain Schulz detachment in Taveta.  On 12^th February 1916, European troops advanced to 300 meters from Oldorobo Mountains. Head quarters at new Moshi considered an opportunity had presented its self and ordered fire to be opened. Schultz detachment was ordered to match from the rear and make a decisive attack on the enemy’s right or northern wing. He was to be later informed that the enemy had been repulsed with heavy losses. The numerous Howitzers shells that fell on their position hardly did any damage. The enemy retreated through the bush in disorder. They buried more than 60 Europeans. According to the prisoners of war and recovered documents the troops were 3 South African infantry Brigades and It seemed the men were recruited on the promise of acquiring farms and plantations.

MONEY AS A MEDIUM OF EXCHANGE IN EAST AFRICA

The world probably  owes its currency origins to Maria Theresa Thaler.  East Africa was not exempt . Maria Theresa was the queen of Hungary and Bohemia who ruled from the age of 23 yrs in the years from 1740 to1780. She introduced the silver bullion coin to be used for trade in her country. The coin’s use spread far and wide, the British, Italians, Belgium’s used it to trade and sustain war in countries they wanted to conquer. It was used in the Kenyan and Eritrean coasts and despite its popularity its use did not penetrate inwards. 

The German East Africa Company acquired the right to mint coinage in 1890 and issued Rupees which were equivalent to the Indian and Zanzibar Rupee. The Company retained its coinage rights even after the takeover of German East Africa by the government later in 1890. In 1904 the German government took over currency matters and established the Ostafrikanische Bank.

During the First World War, gold from the Sekenke Gold Mine was used to mint coins to pay German troops fighting against the allied forces in the Belgian Congo. Senkenke was the largest gold mine in Tangayika modern day Tanzania. The coins are highly sought after and valued by collectors due to their gold content.

HELLER

Heller is a common name in East Africa referring to coins of small value but little is known of its origins.The Heller or Häller was originally a German coin valued at half a pfennig and named after the city of Hall am Kocher (today Schwäbisch Hall). The coin was produced from the beginning of the 13th century based on a previously produced silver pfennig (Häller Pfennig, sometimes called Händelheller for its depiction of a hand on the front face), but was deteriorated by mixing in copper little by little so that it was no longer considered to be a silver coin. The term Heller came into wide use as a name for coins of small value throughout many of the German states up to 1873 when, after German unification, Mark and pfennig were introduced as nationwide coinage.

PICE

In 1897 the leader of the British East Africa Protectorate (B.E.A.P) introduced a new currency called the ‘pice’ or ‘specie’. It was not successful and hence the rupee was made the official currency in 1905.

INDIAN RUPEE

The Indian rupee was used to pay Indian workers during building of the railway from 1896, it managed to penetrate inwards as the railway construction progressed. The rupee was readily accepted and its name was corrupted and called by different names such as rupiah or pesa. Kenya attained a colony status in 1920 when the Imperial British East Africa’s mandate was abolished, the use of the Indian rupee was also abolished at this time.

The East African Currency Board was established, it was a central body formed to oversee the issuance of currency in the region.

EAST AFRICAN RUPEES

 The Indian Rupee was quickly replaced with the East African Rupee. The E A Rupee was the currency of Britain's East African colonies and protectorates between 1906 and 1920. It was divided into 100 cents. In 1920, the Rupee was revalued against Sterling to a peg of 1 Rupee = 2 Shillings (1 Florin). The currency is noteworthy for including the world's first aluminium coin, the 1907 1 cent. It was however was short lived as the East African Florins were instead introduced.

FLORIN

The Florin was the currency of the British colonies and protectorates of East Africa between 1920 and 1921. It was divided into 100 cents. It replaced the East African Rupee and was replaced by the Shilling at a rate of 2 shillings = 1 florin. The florin was equivalent to 2 shilling sterling. Because of its short period in existence, few of the coins minted were actually issued and are consequently scarce today. Coins were minted in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 25 and 50 cents and 1 florin but, the 50 cents coins were not released for circulation and only 30% of the 1, 5 and 10 cents coins produced were issued for circulation. On January 1, 1922 the shilling equivalent was introduced in all the three East African countries and by June 1923, the E.A. Shilling was firmly established as official currency in Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika.

CURRENCY AFTER INDEPENDENCE
In 1964 after the independence of Kenya, Uganda and Tanganyika, there was a desire to establish a common East African Central Bank. Interim currencies were therefore introduced by the EACB to circulate within the region. For banknotes, the interim currency was commonly known as the Lake Victoria Money because of the background of Lake Victoria on the notes. The Lake Victoria designed notes were in the denominations of 5, 10, 20 and 100 shillings. There were also a number of coins minted and referred to as the “Uhuru” coins since they too had no head or monarch on them. Individual countries in East Africa were to follow with their own currencies with Kenya in 1966 under the central bank.

Theresa Thaler coins

German East Africa Rupee