Our First World War centenary commemorations ignored something crucial – it hasn’t quite passed yet in East Africa

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With the passing of the centenary of the end of the First World War, I am sure that many will have moved their thoughts onto Christmas. The thing is, the centenary has not quite ended. In Africa the war continued until 25 November 1918, and still has her ceremonies to come. Africa’s part in the First World War is often overlooked, but it was equally horrific.

On 12 August 1914, the first shots of the war between German and British troops were fired in Africa and not Europe – this happened in the German colony of Togoland (modern day Togo).

This was more than a week before Britain’s first casualty, private John Parr, who was killed near Mons. The next day in Togoland, the first major confrontation happened on 22 August with some 23 killed.

The East African campaign started on 15 August, with the Germans invading British East Africa (now Kenya) from German East Africa (now Tanzania) – the only piece of British territory that was taken by German forces in the war. Police corporal Murimi Mwiti observed the German column of about 200 men marching on Taveta. Standing his ground, he not only fired the first shot in East Africa, but also was the first British casualty of the campaign.

Further back at Taveta, the district commissioner had prepared well with what limited resources he had. Hugh La Fontaine watched the advancing column through his binoculars, and with his .375 hunting rifle he aimed and fired from the police station window. His target was the only mounted person in the column – one Herr Friedrich Broeker, who died of his wounds later that day, while the British retreated with his remaining 22 men. They were heading back to the Kenya Uganda Railway some 100 miles away.

At his peak, general Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck had 15,000 troops under his command. With the radio station in Togoland out of action, he was cut off from Germany. He considered his options, and took the line that the best thing was to tie up as many enemy troops as possible, thus keeping them away from Europe. He gave the British an incredible runaround, conducting a brilliant guerilla campaign.

By the end of the war, he was down to 1,300 troops all told, and was still outmanoeuvring the British, and had some 200,000 troops tied up. News of the Armistice was slow to reach Africa, and they were still fighting on 13 November. Under a white flag, he was approached by the British, and it was explained that the war had ended.

Von Lettow-Vorbeck was sceptical of the news, and insisted on speaking with Germany. It took until 25 November to get this confirmation and for him to get his troops to Abercorn (now Mbala) in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) where he laid down his arms to general Edwards, but more importantly, he did not surrender. Von Lettow-Vorbeck returned to Germany with his 20 officers and 120 NCOs to a victorious welcome at the Brandenburg Gate, as the only undefeated German general.

While it was a very mobile war, it was just as hard as the Western Front, with tremendous pressure on the troops with terrible supplies of both food and water. Like the Macedonian Front, disease was also rife and decimating the battalions.

The most effective method of transporting supplies was by porter, and it was they who bore the brunt of the casualties with somewhere between 100 and 250,000 men lost. It was a truly a world war, with men from 23 different modern nations that fought and died in East Africa. It is important that this forgotten part of the war is not overlooked in what have been very Europe-centric celebrations so far.

Tom Lawrence
Ickleford

Brexit chaos

In light of the self-indulgent and self-defeating behaviour of our elected representatives (and the apparent ineptitude of the opposition), I find myself wondering how many of those who voted Leave would have done so had they realised that “breaking free” of being ruled in Europe by Brussels merely meant that we would instead be governed in London by cabbages.

Julian Self
Wolverton

I notice that Dominic Raab is making his first modest venture into populism, attacking Brussels "bullies". Boris Johnson might be impressed, but will certainly be alarmed at the arrival of someone else willing to say silly, catchy things on the road to Brexit.

Most politicians seek out soundbites, Tony Blair was an expert. But they are usually tools to sell a policy or plan. The problem with Raab and Johnson is that they have no policy, no plan, except to get the keys to Downing Street.

The rest of us should spend a few minutes on a "thought experiment", imagining a prime minister Johnson or Raab, or indeed Gove, Leadsom, Williamson, Javid or Hunt. All that I can imagine, in each case, is varying forms of confusion followed by disaster.

This deal is as good as we are going to get if we stubbornly insist on ending free movement.

John Gemmell
Shropshire

Perhaps the only silver lining in this week’s Brexit cloud has been the resignation of the strident and self-important Esther McVey.

In view of the shaming UN report by Philip Aston, can we now hope that Amber Rudd, in her new post as work and pensions secretary, has acquired the humility and compassion necessary to enable her seemingly shambolic department to lift the misery it has helped to create in so many lives?

Sue Breadner
Isle of Man

Theresa May’s ‘rock’

May I say that I admire you for your article about Philip May and his support for his wife. Like Theresa May, I would describe my own husband as my rock. I am slightly disabled by suffering from intense neuropathic pain, and when it’s bad, he is nothing but 200 per cent supportive.

Just because May is a politician doesn’t mean she isn’t a feeling person who is full of emotions. Irrespective of her political views, and whether or not I agree with them, we should never forget that she is a feeling human being and must have had some pretty down moments over the last few months. I’m very pleased that, like me, she has someone who always has her back. Good for you for highlighting that.

Steve Mumby
Bournemouth

A suggestion for struggling police

As our chief constables currently cry out for more resources, it is worth pointing out that thousands of hours are wasted by officers traipsing from their homes to parent stations to be briefed and then deployed to beats through which they've probably already travelled.

The return of the traditional police box, equipped with all mod cons and in mobile form to be planted in the hearts of whichever beats most justify them is surely overdue.

Then officers could travel directly from their homes to the relevant box to be briefed via Skype and start duty immediately.

The cost of implementing this constructive idea could be covered by selling off some of those multi-million pound white elephant stations that should never have been built in the first place.

John Kenny
Norfolk