T+100 Years

Stoo said:
"Mata Hari" died by firing squad 101 years ago, on 15 October 1917.

Don't mean to be a snob, but wasn't that technically 99 years ago since we are still in 2016? Or perhaps you sat in a time jumping Delorean and are writing this in the year 2018? :p
 
Oh, okay. That would make sense.:hat: I'm afraid I know very little about the real Mata Hari beyond the Young Indy Chronicles. Other than the fact that she was executed for espionage ...?
 

Stoo

Well-known member
FlyingAce is quite right! I meant 99 years ago. :eek: Don't worry about correcting my mistake, Ace. It's something I do all the time to other people so if I ever do make an error, I WANT it to be pointed out. :hat:

---
Anyway, we know that Indy's leave of 2 weeks in Paris was cut short and he was sent back to the front lines. So right about now, 100 years ago, he must have been on his way from Verdun to East Africa, probably passing through the Suez at this point in time.
 

dr.jones1986

Active member
Speaking of Indiana Jones and Mata Hari, does anyone know if there is a way to read James Luceno's novelization of the Mata Hari episode online somewhere? I would love to read it without having to go through the trouble of getting my hands on an old copy of the novelization. Perhaps there is a pdf upload of the novel somewhere.
 

Stoo

Well-known member
dr.jones1986 said:
Speaking of Indiana Jones and Mata Hari, does anyone know if there is a way to read James Luceno's novelization of the Mata Hari episode online somewhere?
Nice to "see" you again, dr.jones1986. :)

While I can't directly help you with your quest, it might get more attention if you posed the question in this thread:
Mata Hari Affair - Luceno novelization
 

InexorableTash

Active member
It's a phantom train!

November 1916 - Phantom Train of Doom. One of the strongest outings in the series (in my opinion), with action, intrigue, a great cast of characters ? on both sides of the battles ? and of course the stellar score by Joel McNeely.
 
Agreed! Phantom Train is one of those episodes in the series that stands out as "feature film" quality! I especially love the scenes between Indy, Remy and Von Lettow in the second half of the movie (such well-written dialogue by Frank Darabont)! We witness the seed of Indy's character arc in Oganga being planted with the military 'indoctrination' of Von Lettow: "A soldier's first duty is to obey orders" - words he would find himself eating in the next episode ... ;)
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Nice that Indy got to meet Frederick Selous again, especially considering that he'd be killed in action just 2 months later. :( The caption for the photo below is, "SELOUS IN EAST AFRICA, SHORTLY BEFORE HE WAS KILLED", so it's pretty close to what he would've looked like in November 1916:

25thRoyalFusiliers_02_zps1kcdxhnh.jpg


"Phantom Train" has always been my favourite episode. Being interested in the East African campaign even before the series began, it was a real treat for me when it aired. The story is a fantasy, for sure, but an exciting one! (y)
 

Stoo

Well-known member
December Details - Part 1

Around 2003, I plotted out Indy?s entire route for this episode and the perfect time to share is here & now. (Wish I?d had more free time in November ?cuz I would?ve posted the route for ?Phantom Train?, too. :()

Determining the starting point:
According to dialogue, the guns are needed for the planned attack on Tabora and, in the next chapter, Indy says that he must bring them to Lake Tanganyika. The Belgian force had been divided in two for the advance on Tabora so this puts Indy in the Brigade Sud (South) who captured Kigoma & Ujiji. In reality, the Battle of Tabora was 3 months earlier (08-19 September 1916) so we have to shift the calendar and pretend that this hasn?t happened yet.

28 Nov - Belgians capture Kigoma, the major German port on Lake Tanganyika & railhead to Tabora. (Actual date: 28 Jul 1916)
01 Dec - Belgians march from Kigoma to Ujiji. (10 km / 6 miles)
--- Episode begins ---
02 Dec - Indy leads successful assault at Ujiji. (Actual date: 02 or 05 Aug 1916 - sources differ)
           - Indy is promoted to captain.
03 Dec - His company marches back to Kigoma.
           - Embarks from Kigoma on a steamer across Lake Tanganyika.
           - Indy starts writing another letter to T.E. Lawrence.*
           - Arrives in the Belgian Congo at Albertville.
04 Dec - By train from Albertville to end of the line in Kabalo. (Railway completed in 1915)
05 Dec - By boat on the Lualaba River from Kabalo downstream to Kongolo.
06 Dec - By train from Kongolo to Kindu. (Railway completed in 1910)

*Date confirmed by dialogue

As a matter of interest, Ujiji is the site where Burton & Speke first saw Lake Tanganyika and, more famously, where H.M. Stanley uttered the immortal words, ?Dr. Livingstone, I presume??

OgangaRoute_Dec02to06_small_zpsndz2q2rn.jpg


My new computer can?t play the interactive features on the Young Indy DVDs and I can?t remember if a map was shown in the Oganga video game. Will have to fire up my old one and check because it would fun to compare.
 

Stoo

Well-known member
December Details - Part 2

07 Dec - By boat from Kindu downstream on the Lualaba River.
08 Dec - Arrives at Ponthierville.
           - By rail from Ponthierville to Stanleyville. (Railway completed in 1906)
09 Dec - By boat from Stanleyville downstream on the Congo River.
12 Dec - Arrives at Bonga.

Fun fact: The area around Ponthierville (now modern-day Ubundu) is where some parts of "The African Queen" were filmed.

OgangaRoute_Dec07to10_small_zpsdf59wxyr.jpg


OgangaRoute_Dec10to12_small_zpstzqfomi9.jpg


InexorableTash said:
Better late than never!
If I get around to it, I'll probably post that route in the "Phantom Train" thread:
Ep. 16: YIJ and the Phantom Train of Doom
 
Stoo, as a fan, I must admire your dedication in painstakingly documenting Indy's voyage in Oganga. These graphics are just simply awesome (and I especially love how they resemble the Map montages from the film series)! I would totally love to see a Phantom Train map too!(y)

Stoo said:
Nice that Indy got to meet Frederick Selous again, especially considering that he'd be killed in action just 2 months later. :( The caption for the photo below is, "SELOUS IN EAST AFRICA, SHORTLY BEFORE HE WAS KILLED", so it's pretty close to what he would've looked like in November 1916:

Sorry, I'm a little bit late with this since we are already out of November, but I've been curious as to whether or not there was an actual "Old and the Bold" division serving in the East African campaign (as depicted in Phantom Train)? If so, was Selous part of it? My searches on google have not procured me much results.
 

Stoo

Well-known member
December Details - Part 3

Catching up...(my holiday season was a busy one):

13 Dec - By boat from Bonga across the Congo River.
           - By foot into French Equatorial Africa.
15 Dec - Arrives near Bobangui. Finds orphaned baby.*
25 Dec - Captain Lafleur dies.
26 Dec - Arrives at Franceville.
           - By boat from Franceville downstream on the Ogooué/Ogowé River.
29 Dec - Passes by Schweitzer's hospital at Lambaréné.**
           - Lieutenant Arnaud dies.
31 Dec - Major Boucher dies.
           - Arrives at Port-Gentil.

*Bobangui was Barthélemy Boganda's birthplace so some leeway must be given to explain why they were in that area. (Major Boucher was lost and Indy eventually realized it.) Whatever route was taken to get near Bobangui, it would have gone through the German territory of Neukamerun. Perhaps Boucher had a faulty compass because they were completely off course! :eek:

**Schweitzer's hospital is shown as being on the starboard side of the boat when it would've been on the port side.

OgangaRoute_Dec13to26_small_zpsz4xhmjop.jpg


OgangaRoute_Dec26to31_small_zpsgxc9fb2a.jpg
 

Stoo

Well-known member
1917 January

01 Jan - French Equatorial Africa, Port-Gentil - Indy mails letter to T.E. Lawrence
?? Jan - French Equatorial Africa, Lambaréné - Indy meets Albert Schweitzer
?? Jan - French Equatorial Africa, Pahouin village on the Ogooué/Ogowé River.
?? Jan - French Equatorial Africa, Lambaréné
?? Jan - French Equatorial Africa, Port-Gentil - Albert Schweitzer deported.
---
?? Jan - France, Saint-Nazaire - Indy & Remy arrive by steamship, returning with guns
?? Jan - France, Paris              - Indy & Remy join Belgian Intelligence
 

Stoo

Well-known member
Inexorable Tash said:
Go Stoo! Keep up the awesome, it is appreciated.
We're in the thick of my favourite period of the series so I'm on it like jam on toast. Been working on motion graphics of these maps (& more). Stay tuned! ;)

flyingace1939 said:
Stoo, as a fan, I must admire your dedication in painstakingly documenting Indy's voyage in Oganga. These graphics are just simply awesome (and I especially love how they resemble the Map montages from the film series)! I would totally love to see a Phantom Train map too!(y)

Sorry, I'm a little bit late with this since we are already out of November, but I've been curious as to whether or not there was an actual "Old and the Bold" division serving in the East African campaign (as depicted in Phantom Train)? If so, was Selous part of it? My searches on google have not procured me much results.
Thanks, Ace. I tried to match the movies' maps as much as possible (and "Phantom Train" is in progress). :)

Indeed, the "Old & the Bold" did exist. They were the 25th Royal Fusiliers and, yes, Selous was one of their captains. (You should watch the documentaries on the DVD!)

For more info: I just posted a great link in the "Phantom Train" thread for you:
Post #38 - Ep. 16: YIJ and the Phantom Train of Doom

Last month also marked the 100th anniversary of Selous' death, shot in the head by a sniper on a shore of the Rufiji River, German East Africa, 4 January 1917. :(
 

Stoo

Well-known member
1917 February - March

02 Feb - In Paris, Indy writes another letter to T.E. Lawrence.
26 Feb - Indy & Remy transfer to French Intelligence.
27 Feb - Indy & Remy say farewell. :(
           - Indy arrives at Ravenel, airfield of the Lafayette Escadrille.
28 Feb - Meets Charles Nungusser.
           - Crashes in plane near Hamm, Germany.
           - Taken as prisoner by Baron von Richthofen 15km from Hamm.
           - Lunch with von Richthofen (& Hermann Göring).
           - Escapes back to Ravenel by plane.
           - Rides in car to Paris to get Nungusser.
01 Mar - Photographs aerial duel with von Richthofen over Saint-Quentin, France.
13 Mar - Final mission (Friday the 13th).
14 Mar - United States enters the war (In reality: 06 April).
           - Driven to Paris by Charles Nungusser.
           - Takes bus 2 hours southeast of Paris.
           - Leaves in plane with Nungusser.
15 Mar - Parachutes into Hannover, Germany.
           - Train to Ahlhorn, Germany.
           - Motorcycle back to Hannover, Germany.
           - By plane back to France.

Contrary to popular belief, the bulk of "Hawkmen" does NOT take place in February! The calendar in Indy's bunk is the tell-tale clue because it's clearly March (the previous month ends on the 28th). His assignment is for '2 weeks' and his last mission is on the 13th, which means he probably arrived on 27 Feb. Notice that the direction of Indy's pencil strokes seem to indicate this precisely.

YoungIndy_HawkmenCalendar_zpsq6soltjk.jpg
 

Attila the Professor

Moderator
Staff member
Stoo said:
Contrary to popular belief, the bulk of "Hawkmen" does NOT take place in February! The calendar in Indy's bunk is the tell-tale clue because it's clearly March (the previous month ends on the 28th). His assignment is for '2 weeks' and his last mission is on the 13th, which means he probably arrived on 27 Feb. Notice that the direction of Indy's pencil strokes seem to indicate this precisely.

Nice piece of close-reading there.
 
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