Joachim Friedrich von Heydebreck
(06.10.1861 - 12.11.1914) - kia
place of birth:  Schwedt
Königreich Preußen:  Kdr Schutztruppe, Oberstleutnant


Joachim von Heydebreck headed Germany's Colonial Protection Forces (Kaiserliche Schutztruppe) in German South West Africa during the initial stages of the Great War. He was born into the family of Generalleutnant Henning von Heydebreck and Anna von Colmar. After initial training as an artillery officer, Premier-Lieutenant Heydebreck transferred to the Schutztruppe in July 1896 and deployed to Windhoek, South West Africa (present-day Namibia.) 

As Schutztruppe commander-in-chief there, he trained German and local soldiers for 15 years in the colony. He was also responsible for importing 500 camels from Egypt in order to create Germany's Camel Corps for desert service against roving frontier tribes of the western Kalahari. As his homeland marched into war in 1914, Oberstleutnant von Heydebreck had over 6,000 soldiers and police under his command as the Schutztruppe fought against South African generals Botha and Smuts. In November 1914, Heydebreck died from wounds sustained by a hand grenade exploding accidentally during an inspection in Windhoek.

	Oberstleutnant	01.10.1913
	DSW-Afrika Medaille	Schutztruppe für Deutsch-Südwestafrika 1895-1915