Found a little more info via “pickelhaubes” and Google AI, combining them below:
Sergeant Josef Mambo, born in 1885 in Tanga, East Africa (modern “Tanzania?”), came to Germany as a child in 1897 and later served as a kettle drummer in the 3rd Prussian Horse Grenadiers, eventually being promoted to Sergeant during World War I.
Sgt. Mambo was wounded twice - once in Russia and once at Verdun in France. He was one of many Africans who fought for the Kaiser during the war.
Emphasis mine, above. I’d not known about all this and would like to hear some of their stories.
Most Black German troops were colonial forces - only a few men, like Josef Mambo, served in the Imperial German Army on the European fronts, but most were Schutztruppe in the African theatre of the war.
Thanks!