propagandist work. As time went on, it was used for scouting purposes, thanks to our lads’ skill, intelligence and knowledge of languages; and, despite the opposition of the military authorities and of many Russian officers, they gained the favour of Radko Dmitrieff, Brusiloff and other commanders, and thus got a hold upon the scouting service. Yet, as a result, the Družina became scattered over a long front and could not bring itself to bear as a unit.
I will not describe the tribulations of these first Czech soldiers, the rebuffs and the disappointments they had to endure from Russians and even from Czechs—but they held out and lost neither their feelings as Slavs nor their liking for the Russians, albeit chiefly for the Russian peasant soldiers. Upon the Russian officers they soon came to look with a sceptical eye.
Though everything showed that the Government and the military authorities did not want a Czechoslovak army of any size, a regiment of Czechoslovak riflemen was formed out of the Družina in January 1916; and, in May, the creation of a brigade was permitted. It was more or less a nominal affair, for its strength was small; but it was a beginning. Štefánik was then in Russia and used his influence to this end. In October 1916 authority to form a Division was even given—but soon withdrawn.
Very early in the war—from March 11, 1915, onwards―our colony, organized as a “League,” entered enthusiastically into the establishment of the Družina. There was great devotion on every hand and, after the battle of Zboroff, the colony at Kieff looked after the sick and wounded in every possible way. Gladly do I recall the work of the Červený family; while Dr. Girsa, Dr. Haerink and others gave our men first-rate medical attention.
Personally, I was able to overlook differences of political opinion and to keep in touch with the Conservative members of our colony, though I could not fail to see that many of them lacked both political vision and military sense. The “League” was a Russian organization composed of Czech subjects of Russia and loyal to the Government. Hence it adopted the official view of the Družina’s propagandist task. Besides, fear lest our nation lose its future citizens in battle reconciled the “League” leaders to the idea of keeping our army small. Many were satisfied with military symbolism, such as the consecration of colours, or worked to convert our men to the Orthodox Church, and behaved in very unmilitary fashion. Even the prisoners started an agitation in favour of
