Askari with Bedroll and Bag, Malawi, ca. 1914-1918

Black and white lantern slide featuring a native African soldier (an "askari") standing on the plain. He is holding a bag and his bedroll is rolled up on the ground beside him. The soldier wears a dark shirt, short and puttees, and goes barefoot. His pill-box hat is khaki with a dark triangle in the centre, possibly bearing his number. This style of cap was used for the raised wartime battalions of the King's African Rifles. This slide comes from a set on the activities of the King’s African Rifles battalions in Nyasaland. It was originally held by the Church of Scotland, and generated by J.W MacKay.