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Foden has brought to life one of the strangest episodes of the first world war'... a real romp through the desert of darkness and extremely funny (Sunday Times )
Giles Foden writes with wit ... give it a read (Literary Review )
Product Description
At the start of World War One, German warships controlled Lake Tanganyika in Central Africa. The British had no naval craft at all upon 'Tanganjikasee', as the Germans called it. This mattered: it was the longest lake in the world and of great strategic advantage. In June 1915, a force of 28 men was despatched from Britain on a vast journey. Their orders were to take control of the lake. To reach it, they had to haul two motorboats with the unlikely names of Mimi and Toutou through the wilds of the Congo.
The 28 were a strange bunch -- one was addicted to Worcester sauce, another was a former racing driver -- but the strangest of all of them was their skirt-wearing, tattoo-covered commander, Geoffrey Spicer-Simson. Whatever it took, even if it meant becoming the god of a local tribe, he was determined to cover himself in glory. But the Germans had a surprise in store for Spicer-Simson, in the shape of their secret 'supership' the Graf von Gotzen . . .
Unearthing new German and African records, the prize-winning author of The Last King of Scotland retells this most unlikely of true-life tales with his customary narrative energy and style.
Fitzcarraldo meets Heart of Darkness, this is rich, vivid and flashmanesque in its appeal - military history at its most absorbing and entertaining
There was plenty of game in the shooting grounds of German East Africa. Read the first page Browse Sample Pages
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
23 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Mimi and Tou Tou Go Forth,
This review is from: Mimi and Toutou Go Forth (Hardcover)
This book covers one of the most obscure yet vital actions of WW1, the battle for control of lake Tanganyika in central Africa. At the outbreak of the war the Germans controlled the lake by virtue of being the only power with an armed vessel on it. This book tells the story of the organisation of the naval expedition organised by the British to take control of the lake. The officer in command of the expedition was one Spicer-Simson and his highly eccentric character and actions are well brought out in the narrative. The book is written in an entertaining style with many annecdotes and much detail from eye witness accounts. The story of the expedition is traced from it's starting point in London, via an ocean voyage to South Africa and the overland to the lake. Once at the lake the actions with the German vessels are well described as are the subsequent events. There is also an interesting postscript of the author's travels in Africa whilst researching the book.One fault with the book is that there are no photographs although there are some rather nice drawings at the start of each chapter. Photos (which do exist) would have been nice. The other thing that grates slightly is that the book reads a little like a novel in places but this is only a minor niggle. Overall an interesting an entertaining book on an overlooked subject.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
OK but ends a bit disjointedly,
By Caterkiller (Darlington, UK) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Mimi and Toutou Go Forth: The Bizarre Battle of Lake Tanganyika (Paperback)
This is a fascinating study of one of the more obscure aspects of Britain's WW1 campaign. It is an entertaining read describing how a Biritsh expeditionary force led by a commander considered a liability by every other section of the military somehow led his men to complete their objectives, and ultimately to wrest control of Lake Tanganyiki from Germany. The main character, Spicer, is like a comic book Captain Mainwaring, constantly boasting of his hunting and military exploits despite evidence to the contrary, and is eventually recalled to Britain after falling out with Britain's Belgian allies. The actual story of Mimi and Toutou (Spicer's two boats) is well written and engrossing but the book flags badly at the end with an over lengthy chapter on the film "African Queen", which was partly based on the story of Mimi & Toutou, and a tour of the region by the author, both of which would have been better served by a separate book. Still, an easy read and very entertaining.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
One of the most unlikely war stories you will ever read!,
This review is from: Mimi and Toutou Go Forth: The Bizarre Battle of Lake Tanganyika (Paperback)
This book charts the progress of a Naval expedition dispatched during WW1 to wrest control of Lake Tanganyika from the Germans. The Germans had the largest flotilla of gunboats on the lake which afforded them easy movement of troops and supplies whilst denying these benefits to the opposing British and Belgians. The expedition consisted of two motor launches sent from London commanded by a singular officer.So much for the bald detail, the officer in question (Spicer-Simson) was a true eccentric but given the task ahead that was probably an advantage. The ML's were shipped to South Africa and then moved to the lake by rail, overland through jungle and over mountain and by river. Spicer-Simson and his men overcame all sorts of obstacles (some self inflicted) to reach their goal and amazingly fight and beat the Germans! The book captures the almost unreal nature of most of the journey, the obstacles faced and overcome, the bordering on madness obsessivness and eccentricities (often wore a skirt) of Spicer-Simson and the battles on the lake with a superb eye for detail and entertaining narrative style. It's sometimes hard to believe that the expedition was ever mounted and reading the book it's even harder to believe it was a success and in large part to Spicer-Simson's unfailing self-belief. How many officers in the RN have unwittingly started their own religion?! At the end of the book there's a surprise postscript which neatly finishes of the story and connects it to the present day. In short, buy this book, you won't regret it (you also might not belive it but it's all true!)
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