Caption: Askaris on the move (Courtesy: NAM)
About the talk: The First World War reached many of Europe’s far-flung colonies, including those in East Africa. The fighting there was brutal, but the environment was even more deadly. Soldiers marched across hundreds of miles of plains, swamps and jungles, and faced constant threats from heat, tropical diseases and parasitic bugs, such as the tsetse fly, as well as ambush and combat. Britain committed £200m and more than half a million men to capturing and defeating General Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck’s well-trained Askaris. But the German commander led the Allies on a merry game of cat and mouse for the duration of the war, avoiding defeat to the very end.
Caption: Rob Fleming
About the speaker: Rob is an historian, writer and public speaker with over twenty years' experience in museums. As an archaeologist, he primarily worked on fortifications, early military buildings, and colonial mansions in Australia and has been a guest archaeologist on Time Team. He was at the Imperial War Museum for two years, and the National Army Museum for 15 years, delivering over 80 lectures. Rob specialises in imperialism and post-colonial legacy, the military history of British Empire and Commonwealth forces (particularly world wars), and the politics of empire.
Caption: Lettow surrendering his forces at Abercorn, as seen by an African artist (Courtesy: Wikimedia)
How to join this talk? This online talk opens at 19:20 (UK time), ending at about 20:35. Participating in a zoom meeting is easy. The only equipment you need is a computer, or a tablet, or a smart phone. For your link and the passcode, email wfa.nwkent@gmail.com and they will be sent to you on the morning of the talk.