BACK TO DUTY 197 



dress was as each man fancied, and this gave 

 scope for plenty of variety. 



The German East campaign proved, at any 

 rate, that, with training and discipline, the negro 

 can become a first-rate soldier. In fact he really 

 seems a born soldier, with his love of drill and 

 parades, and my I.D. askaris have more than once 

 asked me, when it has happened that we have 

 been waiting a day or so in a big camp, " if they 

 might drill to-morrow/' Big children though they 

 were, Von Lettow's askaris gave an example of 

 bravery, discipline, and loyalty on a losing side 

 rarely excelled. At the same time, it is doubtful 

 whether it matters much to the negro under 

 which white man he is enrolled ; it is sufficient 

 for him to be an askari. 



There is a story, said to be quite true, of a 

 K.A.R. soldier who, after apparently puzzling 

 over the matter for some time, complained to his 

 officer that he saw other askaris wearing a medal 

 for a certain campaign and fight (of some years 

 back), and asked why he had not got one also, as 

 he, too, had been there. The officer made 

 inquiries, with the result that the askari's tale 

 was found to be true ; he had been fighting right 

 enough, but against us. Now we can understand 

 how, under the world's supreme military genius, 

 and for a personality only once equalled (the little 

 Corsican), the black Numidian horsemen of Hanni- 

 bal cut to pieces time and again the sturdy 

 legions of Rome. The black soldier requires 



