Abyssinia – British War Office Army/Air Map, G.S.G.S. 2871, Fifth Edition, 1948

Description:

An original British military and air-navigation map of Abyssinia, now Ethiopia, issued by the Geographical Section, General Staff as part of the important Africa 1:2,000,000 series, G.S.G.S. 2871. This is the Army/Air Fifth Edition, published in 1948, and measures 63 × 83.3 cm.

The map covers a very extensive area of north-eastern Africa centred on Ethiopia, extending westwards into the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, southwards towards Kenya and the Juba region, and eastwards towards the Somali territories. Major centres including Addis Ababa, Gondar, Dessie, Dire Dawa, Harar, Jimma and Juba are shown, together with Lake Tana and the principal road, railway and river systems of the region.

Relief is represented by a particularly striking system of graduated purple altitude tints, contours and spot heights, clearly expressing the Ethiopian Highlands and their surrounding escarpments. International and administrative boundaries, permanent and seasonal water sources, railways, principal and secondary roads, tracks, settlements, telegraph communications and other topographical information are shown in considerable detail.

The map retains the specialised Army/Air information added for military and aviation use, including aerodromes, landing grounds and associated reference data. The lower margin contains the original boundary diagram, adjoining-sheet index, scale, conventional signs, altitude key and detailed notes concerning the cartographic and aeronautical sources used in its compilation.

The cartographic history is particularly interesting. The G.S.G.S. 2871 Abyssinia sheet originated in the inter-war British War Office mapping programme and was repeatedly revised as strategic knowledge of Ethiopia and surrounding territories improved. The present Fifth Edition incorporates information derived from East African Forces wartime mapping, including material prepared during the East African campaign and subsequent military administration. Although issued after the Second World War, it preserves and consolidates wartime military, air and topographical intelligence gathered across Ethiopia, Sudan, Kenya and neighbouring territories.

The sheet states that it was reprinted from E.A.F. 1204, First Edition, 1943, and reproduced by the War Office in 1948. It therefore represents the post-war culmination of a cartographic sequence heavily shaped by British military operations in East Africa between 1940 and 1945.

A large, visually impressive and highly detailed British military map of Ethiopia and north-eastern Africa, of particular interest for the history of British military surveying, aviation, the East African campaign and the cartographic representation of Ethiopia during the transition from wartime to post-war administration.

Condition

Very good. Original issue folds with light handling and minor marginal creasing. A small contemporary pencil numeral appears in the upper right margin. The colours remain exceptionally strong and the map is complete and highly legible, with no significant loss.

Title: Abyssinia
Publisher: War Office
Issuing Authority: Geographical Section, General Staff
Series: Africa 1:2,000,000 – G.S.G.S. 2871
Edition: Army/Air Fifth Edition
Date: 1948
Scale: 1:2,000,000
Size: 63 × 83.3 cm
Printing: Colour-printed military topographical map
Area: Ethiopia, adjoining Sudan, Kenya and Somali territories
Location: Tube B: Africa
Inventory Number: 004111

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