ABSTRACT
Most Malawians joined the King's African Rifles, a force distinguished even before its outstanding service during the First World War. In campaigns throughout Africa, King's African Rifles men from all of Britain's East and Central African dependencies had for decades proven their worth as soldiers. The experiences of Malawian askari at the training camps, of course, were highly varied. Much depended on the particular circumstances and the officers in charge. Some African soldiers, including the Malawians who were actively recruited for service, came into direct contact with the telegraph and the telephone, noting with some interest that the wires might be laid across the ground in order to speed the movement of signaling stations. Government authorities published impressive lists of hospitals, personnel "available," and lists of medical supplies. The askari came into contact with soldiers from throughout the British Empire, including Africans from Nigeria and Ghana.
