LIGHT ON VON LETTOW

Press, Volume LV, Issue 16520, 12 May 1919, Page 11

LIGHT ON VON LETTOW

The announcement that General von Eettow-Yorbeck, who commanded the German forces in East Africa, had been enthusiastically received in Berlin, has aroused a storm of indignation among the British soldiers who took part in tho campaign. • "Ever a little gentleman" (writes one of these soldiers), ''von Lettow promised his Askaris (native soldiers) that on en-tering-Nairobi and other British _towns they 6hould each have a__M Zungu (white) woman for a wife. When hemriled in, be escaped by* setting fire to the bush and scrub, well knowing that a clear in cr and dressing station wouldl be involved. A great number of wounded men were burnt to death on this occasion. He protested against our use of heavy artillery on tho ground ttiat his women and children) would • sufferbut refused to allow them to leave him when a safe passage through our ■lines was offered. When water was scarce he threw his dead into the river or waterhole, the Red Cross was not respecterl bv his underlings, and when ou» civilian prisoners of war. were released it proved to us that they nad l)«n, forced to do menial jobs tof the vilest description while the German native soldiers looked on and laughed at the poor Shenzi Bwana and Memsahibs. von Lettow, Berlin's hero. His admirers in Berlin will soon find another use for him, and he may yet be able to have his revenge oA the British. '