Lieutenant Schwinden was a German military officer in German East Africa.
Biography[]
In December 1916, Lieutenant[1] Schwinden[2] was positioned as a machine gunner under the command of a German Major in battle against Belgian forces. He was assisted by a Batusi soldier who fed ammunition into his machine gun, though they kept the gun covered, to surprise their enemy.[1]
When Major Boucher of the Belgian troops started a charge across the battlefield, the gunner's superior waited until the Belgian and Force Publique soldiers were within range, then ordered his men to attack, first with mortars and rifles, but when they got closer, he gave word for Schwinden to uncover his weapon, and fire.[1]
The machine gun quickly halted the Belgian attack, but when the gun jammed, the Belgian askari forces charged again, led by Lt. Henri Defense, who overtook the German picket, and started killing the Batusi soldiers. Schwinden eventually fixed the gun, and shifted positions to shoot at the Belgian troops attacking the picket. Defense saw the weapon back in action, and came around the top of the ridge and dropped into the machine gun nest, and used a bayonet on a rifle to kill the German machine gunner. Defense then turned the machine gun on the fleeing Batusi soldiers.[1]
Behind the scenes[]
Schwinden, credited as "Machine Gunner", was portrayed by the late Sean McCabe in The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles episode "German East Africa, December 1916", later edited into Oganga, The Giver and Taker of Life.[1] He was first identified as Schwinden in Les Martin's young adult novelized adaptation Trek of Doom.[2]
Schwinden's machine gun is a MG 08 mounted on a sledge mount.[1] The sound effect of this machine gun can also heard on the episode "Ireland, April 1916", later edited into Love's Sweet Song, when British troops are firing a Vickers machine gun on the ground.[3]
Appearances[]
- Trek of Doom (First identified as 'Schwinden')
- The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles – "German East Africa, December 1916" → Oganga, The Giver and Taker of Life (First appearance)
- German East Africa, December 1916 comic
- The River of Death