African Entrepreneurship Record

Chapter 431: Chapter 108 Apprentice

In the end, the field kitchen was designed with two stoves, roughly square in shape. It could be pulled by a single horse, or pushed and pulled by two people. It resembled the Prussian field kitchen but was vastly different.

(Image: Prussian version WWI)

After Ernst’s modifications, the weight was greatly reduced. Also, having only two wheels increased its adaptability to East African roads or countryside, though the two-wheel design necessitated two retractable supports for stability.

There was no dedicated oven or coffee maker, and in fact, the current Prussian prototype field kitchen couldn’t have an oven. After all, it wasn’t practical to use on the battlefield, which emphasized efficiency. The baking process is complex and requires clean water, which might be scarce, and baked goods need water for kneading.

As for reviews of WWI military rations from the former era, they are better left as jokes. Those flashy looking items aren’t something the military could rely on for daily meals, though they might be usable in emergencies.

Hot meals are an effective guarantee of enhancing military capability. Constantly gnawing on cold bread in the trenches is unbearable.

The two stoves designed by Ernst can accommodate different cookware: a cylindrical rice steam barrel, a curved iron pot, two frying pans, and two large kettles.

They can basically meet the needs of the army. Of course, this field kitchen’s disadvantage is quite apparent: it can’t solve the smoke problem, which might expose its position.

However, the primary application of the field kitchen is to facilitate the marching of the East African army. For instance, the 111th and 123rd divisions traveled over 2,000 kilometers from East Africa to South Africa. Meanwhile, being within East African territory, there was no combat requirement, so the aforementioned problem didn’t exist.

Moreover, the chimney issue isn’t unsolvable, just currently unresolved, with great potential for future improvements.

Ernst was quite satisfied looking at his designed field kitchen, attributing much of his inspiration to roadside snack carts from his previous life.

Ernst: ”For the army, the so-called details determine success or failure. Besides considering combat needs, we must think more about army life. Sometimes non-combat attrition in war can surpass combat losses.”

This is especially evident in the East African army, which hasn’t encountered formidable foes, and the intensity of wars has not been high. Conversely, non-combat attrition exceeds combat losses.

”Of course, I’m not advocating for hedonism. The army exists for fighting, to defend the homeland, not to enjoy life. So training must not slacken, regularly simulating harsh war environments, while improving soldiers’ living conditions is essential. The two aren’t mutually exclusive.”

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January 17th, 1873.

While Ernst was working on enhancing military logistics support, the East African arms factory welcomed new equipment. For this, the Mauser brothers traveled from Germany to East Africa to guide the installation of the Mauser rifle production line.

William Mauser: ”The 1873 Mauser Rifle, which is currently the German-equipped 1871 model, demonstrates substantial improvements in range and accuracy compared to the Dreyse Rifle. Presently, the German Army has adopted our design, though the Ministry of Defense primarily submits orders to established arms factories. Our production capacity issues prevent us from supplying the German Army in large numbers.”

The 1871 model Mauser rifle, due to the timing difference in equipment between East Africa and Germany, is referred to as the 1873 model rifle in East Africa.

Ernst: ”I understand this matter. Our factory in Germany started off as a small facility to be phased out by Prussia. It was never a major supplier for the Prussian Army’s munitions. Securing some orders from the German military, I personally find quite sufficient.”

The Heixinggen consortium, one of the suppliers for the German military, primarily focuses on food, clothing, and living supplies. For munitions, even against iconic enterprises like Krupp of the German Army, some medium-sized companies outperform East Africa. This is all about social considerations. It’s fortunate enough the Heixinggen consortium managed to enter the German military’s supply chain, so it couldn’t break protocol.

Back then, Constantine was still serving in the Prussian Army, along with the Hohenzollern surname, which was one of the reasons the Heixinggen consortium could partake.

Ernst: ”With your visit to East Africa, there’s something I’d like to ask. I hope you won’t refuse.”

The Mauser brothers dared not act arrogantly in front of their employer, swiftly saying, ”Your Highness, you’re too kind. Without your appreciation, we wouldn’t be where we are today. Any request from you is naturally our duty, and we will do our utmost.”

Ernst said: ”It’s nothing major, just hoping you could mentor newcomers. Of course, I’m not referring to the company’s internal staff but the specially trained students in the Heixinggen area, letting them assist you.”

Ah, so it’s about taking on apprentices! The Mauser brothers were familiar with this, having undergone similar experiences, learning skills from their father for a long period. Isn’t it just a matter of you speaking? Elder brother William Mauser said: ”Just say the word, Your Highness, and we will not hold anything back.”

Ernst nodded, ”That’s good. They are mostly young, and some aren’t very proficient in German, so please bear with them.”

The apprentices assigned to the Mauser brothers by Ernst were students from Heixinggen School, just five people, though Ernst believed that five were enough, with two from the Far East among them.

Currently, there aren’t many students trained by Ernst studying in German universities, and those are prodigies with extraordinary talent. Not to mention universities, even getting into German middle schools is challenging nowadays, unless substantial money is spent. Ernst wouldn’t play the fool here, as it’s no small expense. The middle school established by Ernst in Heixinggen couldn’t compare to other German middle schools in educational quality, as secondary education is still considered elite.

Apart from universities, the way to access top-tier knowledge is by apprenticing with weapon development experts like the Mauser brothers. Apprenticeships are quite common in Europe now, and Ernst’s request isn’t excessive, mainly ensuring the students learn.

The Mauser brothers also hold a secondary school education, though this wasn’t the primary reason they became weapon development experts. Their family background played a more significant role.

Therefore, the assistants provided by Ernst to the Mauser brothers are also students from Heixinggen Middle School, so there wouldn’t be much academic barrier, mainly focusing on gaining experience and learning design concepts.

Whether they would succeed was uncertain, but if they did, East Africa would benefit greatly. If not, they could still serve as specialized technical staff at the East African arms factory.

Ernst continued: ”In the work environment, Germany’s conditions are definitely better, but East Africa isn’t that bad, especially with the East African army supporting you. Data from various firearms can provide abundant firsthand material. Germany lies between the temperate zones, whereas East Africa is in the tropics and subtropics, offering diverse application scenarios beneficial for weapon development. So, you should visit East Africa more.”

William Mauser: ”Your Highness, rest assured. In firearm development, we will certainly consider East African factors.”

Both parties maintained a tacit understanding, not mentioning the possibility of permanently residing in East Africa. East Africa’s environment is a significant deterrent, unable to attract high-end talent. This environment refers to the comprehensive conditions. The level of development in East Africa isn’t high, and particularly the more habitable inland areas remain undeveloped. Ernst didn’t dare let them stay long on the coast. Despite Dar es Salaam being one of the most thriving cities in the tropics, its climate is somewhat hot compared to Germany, though East Africa’s inland climate is better than Germany’s, yet the infrastructure is lacking.