sitrep li - britishempire.co.uk
TRANSCRIPT
SITREP LI
December 2017
DIARY OF EVENTS: 2018
AUSTRALIA
Gold Coast: Sunday Curry Lunch, Krish Indian Restaurant, Robina 23 Jul
Brisbane: Sunday Curry Lunch, Tandoori Mahal, Forest Lake 19 Nov
Sunshine Coast: Sunday Curry Lunch, Caloundra Boat Club ??/Mar TBA
Contact: Alastair Napier Bax. Tel: 07-3372 7278 <[email protected]>
Perth: Bayswater Hotel ?? Feb TBA
Contact: Aylwin Halligan-Jolly <[email protected]>
EA Schools: Picnic, Lane Cove River National Park, Sydney 28 Oct
Contact: Dave Lichtenstein. 041-259 9939 <[email protected]>
ENGLAND
Officers’ Mess, Royal Logistic Corps, Deepcut, Surrey. Curry lunch Wed 19 Jul
Contact: John Harman <[email protected]> Tel: (0044) 1635 551182.
Mob: 078-032 81357. 47 Enborne Road, Newbury, Berkshire RG14 6AG
KENYA
Nairobi Clubhouse: Remembrance Sunday and Curry Lunch 12 Nov
Contact: Dennis Leete <[email protected]>
NEW ZEALAND
Auckland: Dar Bar Indian Restaurant, Bucklands Beach, Auckland ?? Apr TBA
Contact: Mike Innes-Walker <[email protected]>
SOUTH AFRICA
Cape Town: Lunch, Foresters Arms, Newlands TBA
Contact: Geoff Trollope. Tel: 021-855 2734 <[email protected]>
Johannesburg: Sunday Curry lunch, German Club, Paulshof (Joburg) 22 Oct; 25 Feb
Contact: Keith Elliot. Tel: 011-802 6054 <[email protected]>
KwaZulu-Natal: Sunday Carveries: Fern Hill Hotel, nr Midmar Dam 18 Mar; 17 Jun, 16 Sep,
18 Nov
Contact: Jenny/Bruce Rooken-Smith. Tel: 033-330 4012 <[email protected]>
*****
Editor: Bruce Rooken-Smith, Box 48 Merrivale, 3291, RSA. [My thanks to members who continue
to send in articles and photos, to David Le Breton CBE, Editor of the Overseas Pensioners’ journal
for allowing me to use articles from his journal, and to my Jenny for proofreading.]
Kenya Regiment Website <www.Kenyaregiment.org> administered by Graeme Morrison
Front cover: Mara Migration
Back cover: Kavirondo (Crested) Cranes
THE RETURN OF THE COHORT
The views expressed in SITREP LI are solely those of the contributors and do not necessarily reflect the
opinions of the Editor, nor those of the Association – E&OE
AFRICA
When you have acquired a taste for the dust, and the scent of our first rain,
You’re hooked for life in Africa, and you’ll never be the same again.
Until you can watch the setting moon And hear the jackals bark
And know they are around you, hidden in the dark.
When you long to see the elephants And hear the water bird’s mournful song When the moonrise sets your blood on fire
Then you have been away too long. It’s time to cut loose the traces and let your heart go
Beyond the far horizon, where your spirit yearns to be.
Africa is waiting..come.
Since you touched the open sky And learned to love the rustling grass
And the fish eagle’s eerie cry. You will always hunger for the bush,
and the lion’s rasping roar, To sleep again beneath the stars
And be at peace once more...
Author unknown
Printed by Pmb Drawing, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
1
CORRESPONDENCE
Errata: SITREP L.
Page 39- Kenya Armoured Car Squadron - 1952-56: Betty Bales (née Jenkins) advises that the
badge was indeed worn by her brother Peter but that I had incorrectly referred to it as a Buffalo -
please delete ‘buffalo’ and insert ‘rhino’. On page 40 - headings for the two AFVs – amend CARS
to read CAR
Page 4. John Boullé [KR6193] advises that James Blake’s number should read [KR4393] and not
[KR7393.
*****
Betty Bales confirms that Pansy shells - page 43/44 - were indeed found on Kenya beaches.
*****
In m-S XLVII page 29, Rob Ryan made a brief mention of the book ‘An African Epic - Cape to
Cairo’, by Stella Court Treatt, and their use of two Crossley light trucks. Included was a photo of
the Treatts.
Below are two photos from the Crossley website; which show what the vehicles could have looked
like at the beginning of the journey [LEFT], and after the trip [RIGHT].
*****
Geoff Smith [KR4291] 26/06/2017 to Keith Elliot about Mount Kilimanjaro and the boundary with
German East Africa [SITREP L pp51/52]: Many years ago I spoke to a German Veterinary officer
in Mombasa who said that ‘when the Kaiser was staying with his auntie in Buckingham Palace,
they discussed the boundary with the cartographer. When it came to drawing the line, the Kaiser
kept his thumb on the map over Kilimanjaro and the cartographer had to draw round it! I gave him
the traditional British version; such are the myths of empire’.
Give my regards to Koos Kleynhans [KR4292] when you see him; we occupied adjacent beds at
KG VI. Not many wazungu living on the Plateau now.
*****
Tom Lawrence writes: With reference to the article asking for details of the Kenya Armoured Car
Regiment (SITREP L, pp36-43). I will go through the list of names and see what I can dig up from
my network and get back to you.
2
At the top of your list, W.H. Aye and R.L Archer, were both killed, but I am sure you already have
that clocked. I have established that R.L. Archer was not related to Tony Archer [KR4024] (as in
the hunter). Below is what I have on R.L., extracted from the Commonwealth Graves Commission
(CWGC), and the Official Gazette, which is not a great deal.
ARCHER, Raymond Lindsay [KR 474].
DoD: 10th May 1941, aged 20 years (CWGC).
Unit: Kenya Regiment attached to East African Armoured Car Regiment (CWGC).
Memorial: Addis Ababa War Cemetery (Grave 2.B.1) (CWGC)
Family History: Son of Harry Algernon & Isabella Lindsay Archer, of Nairobi, Kenya (CWGC).
Case 69 of 1941. Notice of the application for Letters of Administration of the estate of Raymond
Lindsay Archer was made by his father Harry Algernon Archer who wished to proceed on the same
on 28th July 1941 (The Official Gazette, 5th Aug 1941, p. 499).
Harry and his wife Isabella both died in Kenya and are buried in Nairobi. They had two sons,
Raymond Lindsay Archer (1920-1941) and Philip Gerald Archer (1922-). Raymond was
unfortunately killed in Abyssinia (Ethiopia) in WW2, whilst serving with the Kenya Regiment. I
believe Philip served with the Kenya Police. He was based at Langata near Nairobi from 1954 to
1970, when he collected data for his book "Kenya Ceropegia Scrapbook". Will keep a-looking.
*****
Mike Norris <[email protected]> our KRA (KZ-N) lunch photographer and author of
‘Artist around the bend - a look at the Golden Years of the EA Safari Rally’ (with paintings of
many of the Safari cars), has moved to the W Cape and writes: We are staying in Maryanne's
brother's self-catering guest-house in McGregor - about 45 minutes from Montagu - until we move
in to our new place which we were very, very lucky to get in such a short time, and within our price
bracket! We had expected to be stuck here for a few months and were not even sure we would be
able to find something affordable in Montagu at all - entailing searches further afield. We sold in
Amberfield so quickly and before we could tie anything up down here!
It's a little smaller than we were hoping for - two bedrooms each en-suite - but to pay another
R400k for a third ("spare") bedroom is crazy! It is however a bit bigger than what we had in
Amberfield. It's a deceased estate in a little cluster of eight houses called Bougan Villas in the
centre of town and in walking distance of all important
places like bank and pub and so on! The house is still
furnished but that will be emptied during the month.
Fortunately we have a storage facility in Montagu and
will be ableto move in piece by piece from 1st October
after getting the place cleaned up, probably keeping
the storage for some time as it's very convenient and
not expensive.
Ed: Mike, who sent this photo [LEFT] of the smallest
car to complete the EA Safari Rally, says. “I only met
Livio and Lynn Tessaro recently – he went to Egerton
Agriculrural College, and farmed in Tanzania. Of
special interest to me, I discovered he entered the 1962
Safari with his brother and drove the smallest car ever
to finish the rally - a Fiat 600”.
3
HARRY SPROAT FELL [KR4403]
Anthony Allen <[email protected]> son of the late John Baldwin Rigbye Allen [KR3513],
writes to Ian Parker and Dennis Leete: I have been contacted by a medal collector in UK asking if I
can provide any info on H S Fell, who was KIA in 1954. I do not see anything on him in The Last
Colonial Regiment, or The Charging Buffalo, and was wondering if you perhaps have anything on
him?
**
Ian Parker [KR4602] <[email protected]> wrote: Fell, Harry Sproat [KR4403], known by his
nick-name ‘Gombi’ Fell, was killed during the Emergency. The family farmed at Kitale and he had
a sister called Nan. I have no data on the circumstances of his death.
**
Dennis Leete [KR4094] <[email protected]> wrote: Harry Fell was at Kitale primary school with
me ,1941 to 1946, then in the Kenya Regiment, ‘C’ Company. His number indicates he went to
Rhodesia for Basic national service training from January to July 1954, so he was killed within a
very few months of his return, in late 1954, but I do not know the circumstances. I suspect the
medal would have been the African General Service Medal (AGSM). I have contacted some local
colleagues - Ronnie Boy [KR3730], Thomas Fjasted [KR4481] and, Ben Hatfield MM [KR4169] –
for further information; but nothing so. By copy to John Davis and Bruce Rooken Smith who may
have some records.
**
Ant Allen: Thank you for the responses thus far. The collector holds Fell's AGSM, and is most
interested to find out more. I, being a collector to the KR and other East African units, would like to
potentially obtain this for my collection. I would be most grateful if any details on the
circumstances of his having been killed in action could be determined.
Do we have the names of any KR members who served with 7 KAR? Records indicate that P/A/Sgt
Fell, HS [KR4403] was attached to 7KAR, and KIA 24/11/1954 at ? - it looks like Mweiga.
**
Editor: A bit cross-eyed, but I have the following as having served with 7KAR:
3588 Albrechtsen, CB; 3632 Coulson, Dudley and 3843 Gurner, Derek
**
Dennis Leete [01/07/2017]: I suspect all those ex-7 KAR members are now dead. A pity that Nan
was not advised of the circumstances of Harry's demise. I am attempting to contact John Lloyd
Davies at Malindi, but I am advised that his wife Margaret, who operates the computer, has recently
had a stroke. I do not know how serious it is, and suppose this negates communicating via internet.
But I would like to contact Nan again. It must be 58 years since I last did so.
[Ed: No further info to date, but the following table indicates that Harry’s sister, Nan was awarded
Elizabeth Cross, which is issued to next-of-kin of KR members who died whilst on active service
during the Emergency.]
4
Kenya Regiment Roll of Honour 1952 – 57
Elizabeth Cross Awards (as at 11th
July 2012)
Surname Forenames KR No Elizabeth Crosses Awarded
Baillon Joseph Herman Sgt KR3774 Awarded to Sydney Baillon (brother)
Beckley Verey Robert Sidley KR3108/4316
Bellingham Donald KR4814
Bianchi John Ventura KR3968
Bingley Richard Roy KR3753 Awarded to Vivienne Giacobino-Simon (niece)
Boyce Raymond Ernest KR4366
Byfield Alan Martin David KR4740
Cantounias Michael Constantine KR4125 Awarded to Fi Cloete (sister)
Chapman Gerald Edward KR4575/4669
Crowther Arthur Fredrick KR4136
Dowey John Michael KR4137 Awarded to Graham Dowey (brother)
Edwards Derek Reginald KR4152
Fell Harry Sproat Sgt KR4403 Awarded to Miss Nan Fell (sister)
Gordon William John KR4880/5823
Luckes John William KR4554
McNab BEM James Arthur KR3907
Mouton Cornelius Jansen KR6027
Norie Donald Anthony KR3849 Awarded to Rodney Norie (brother)
Parke Robert Cranfield KR3945
Paterson Ian Frank Scrymgeour KR3993
Pearson John Malcolm KR3886
Pitt-Moore Michael Alan KR6175
Purves Neil Holgate KR4114 Awarded to John Purves (brother)
Robinson Anthony Andrew KR3719
Symons Clive James KR4089 Awarded (name unknown)
Tomlinson Gordon Arthur Edwin KR4791
Webster John Michael KR3650/5648
White David Arthur Joseph KR3855
Wood-Whyte Richard Barnaby KR3992
Wortley Francis Aylmer KR4155 Awarded to his niece (name unknown)
Wright Joseph KR4825
The above was compiled by John Davis [KR7457] and members will note that of the 31 Crosses
only nine have been claimed/awarded. It is unlikely that that the EC in respect of Donald
Bellingham [KR 4814] will ever be claimed as he was adopted by Major Bellingham, who, after
Donald’s death, moved to Rhodesia where he died.
John and I, and indeed many KRA members, would very much appreciate readers becoming
involved in research to identify NOK of those KR members who died during the Emergency, so that
more, if not all ECs can be claimed.
*****
OBITUARIES
Since mini-SITREP L (June 2017) was distributed, we have been advised of the deaths of the
following members. In ( ) the name of the member/source whence the information came:
Allen, David Warnic [KR3974]. 22/09/2017. Somerset (Stan Bleazard)
Bartley, June (née Nicholson) w/o George [KR3853]. 09/05/2017. UK (husband George)
Bowers, Mary (née Bridger) w/o Tony [KR6961]. 28/11/2017. Howick (Ray Letcher)
5
Bowyer, Brian Terence [KR4474]. 29/08/2017. Ballito, KZ-N North Coast (Jimmy Cruickshank)
Cairns, Keith Arthur [KR4045].05/06/2017. W Australia (Iain Morrison)
Carr-Hartley, Sheila w/o Brian [CCF sKR215]. 28/10/2017. Amanzimtoti, RSA (John Pembridge)
Deacon, Leslie John (Paddy) MBE, MC, MBS [KR5831]. 07/06/2017. Nairobi (Bill Jackson)
Fletcher, John Alan Hinton [KR4479]. 08/08/2017. Nanyuki Cottage Hospital (Iain Morrison)
Higgins, Sarah w/o late Mike [KR4062). 26/04/2017. Naivasha (Dennis Leete)
Hudson, Mike. [Editor KPA magazine ‘Habari’]. 23/08/2017. NSW (Diana van Rensburg)
Hummer, Charles Eric [KR4115]. 18/11/2017. UK. (Ian Morrison)
Jaffray, Ian Alister [KR6353] 10/07/2017]. Napier, Western Cape, RSA (Denys Roberts)
Kroll, Achim [Associate]. 05/09/2017. Johannesburg (Diana van Rensburg)
Lomax, John Grimshaw [KR4193] 10/08/2017. Christchurch, NZ (Peter Humphreys)
Macpherson, Michael Robert Nasmyth [KR206]. 26/06/2017. Howick, SA (Ian MacFadyen)
Mayers, Joy (née Outram) [EA Safari driver]. 02/07/2017. Australia (Mike Norris)
Molloy, Pam w/o the late John [KR3226]. 01/06/2017. Loughborough (Keith Elliot)
Mordecai-Jones, Irene (née Dawson Curry) w/o late Bruce. 15/08/2017. Howick (Peter Manger)
O’Donoghue, Anthony Morison [KR6632]. 03/06/2017. Western Cape, RSA. (Geoff Trollope)
Payet, Treflet (Ted) Louis [KR4005]. 07/09/2017. Johannesburg. (Keith Elliot)
Root, Alan George Windsor [KR4992]. 26/08/2017. Kenya (Iain Morrison)
Schiodt, Flemming (Associate). 22/09/2017. Cape Town. (John Hayes)
Simpson, Jean Elizabeth (née Mercer) w/o the late Bob [KR3941]. 13/09/2017, Greytown (Nev
Simpson)
Weaver, Gillian w/o the late Len CBE [KR4910]. 12/10/2017. London. (John Davis)
**
OVERSEAS PENSIONERS’ ASSOCIATION OBITUARIES
Diana van Rensburg, widow of ‘Boet’ [KR3586], very kindly forwarded copies of the Overseas
Pensioners’ Association (OSPA) Journal, from which I extracted names of members who possibly
enlisted into the Kenya Regiment. After some correspondence with the secretary (Mrs. Andrea
Wilson) to the Journal’s Editor (Mr DFB Le Breton, OBE), we revised the list to the following
probables. Comments/corrections would be appreciated. [Ed: Abbreviation DoD= Date of Death.]
BEER, Walter William [KR3516] DoD 2015/01/10
BELL, Christopher Richard Vincent OBE [KR1345]. DoD 2006/09/20, Sussex
BELLINGE, Dr William Henry MRCVS [KR1154]. Veterinary Dept. DoD 2002/03/22, Perth
[Stone-Bellinge is the surname used in the EA Gazettes, and by his sons/grandsons]
BENSON, John Percival [KR966]. Dept. of Agriculture. DoD 2002/07/29.
BOSMAN, Donovan [KR4467] DoD 2007/04/17
BROWN, John Forrester [KR668] - DoB 1916/03/24, Essex. Not on OSPA data base
BYERS, Martin Poynting [KR21] OBE. DoD 2012/03/29
CAULKWELL, Robert Arthur [KR4372]. DoD 2015/02/10
CHAMBERS, Donald Vincent [CCF/KAR]. Dept. of Agriculure. DoD 2013/06/11, Norfolk
COTTINGHAM, Roy Edward [KR7344]. DoD 1995/06/01. Not on OSPA data base
DEADMAN, Leslie Cornelius [KR482]. Chief Accountant KP. DoD 2009/06/??
DEWAR, Colin Thompson [KR455]. Dept. of Agriculture. DoD 2010/08/05
?DORRELL, George Francis [KR3374. DoB 1913/05/02, Shropshire. DoD 2002/01/31
Assumption -KR Long Roll only shows initials G.F.
DRISCOLL, Terence Bernard O'Neil [KR454]. Immigration. DoD 2-12/05/08
ELMS, Peter Edmund Whineray [KR4194]. DoD 2004/08/02
FOOT, Keith Everard [KR3989]. District Officer. DoD 2002/05/07
GORDINE, Peter Edward George [KR3862]. Draughtsman. DoD 2012/06/02
HARTLEY, William Paul. [KR3914]. Dept. of Agriculture. DoD 2015/01/04
6
HEALD, Gerald Cyril [KR4689]. Survey. DoD 2012/08/27, Penticton, Canada
HEPPES, John Bernard [KR3510]. DoD 2005/12/??
HICKS, Peter Henry OBE, BSc [KR1999]. Civil Engineer.
HIGHTON, Ross Barney MBE [KR3259]. Entomologist. DoD 2011/02/22
HOLLIS, James Ormerod [KR3020]. Dept. of Lands. DoD 2016/02/03, Hastings
KINNEAR, Ian Albert Clark CMG [KR3147]. Deputy Governor, Bermuda DoD 2008/10/29
MAUDSLEY, Kenneth Nelson [KR5818/POW CCF]. DoD 2004/08/31
MCBREARTY, Peter Augustine [KR3910. DoD 2006/02/16
McCORMICK, Brian Joseph [KR3073] DoD 2002/02/28, Hove
MCDERMOTT, John Henry [KR1087]. DoD 2016/11/02
MCENTEE, Peter Donovan CMG, OBE [KR424]. DO; Governor Belize. DoD 2002/07/30
NELSON, Nichol [KR1087]. DoD 2012/05/29, UK
PAGE, Peter Francis [KR244]. No dates
? PATCHETT, Ian [KR3815]. No dates
REEVE, William Henry BSc [KR1787]. Geologist. DoD 2002/10/15, UK
ROBSON, Thomas Oxendale [KR3075]. Dept. of Agriculture. DoD 2014/09/14, UK
SLACKE, Gorge Orme Cave [KR4714].Dept. of Lands. DoD 2009/05/16, South Africa
SMITH, William Jacobus [KR1492]. DoB 1914/02/16, Bechuanaland. Not on OSPA database
STENT, Howard Braithwaite OBE [KR1327]. Scientist. DoD 2006/12/25, Winchester
STRATTON, Francis De Fontaine OBE [KR3084]. Lawyer. DoD 2008/09/18, Spain
STUBBING, Basil John Jerome OBE [KR1769].PC. DoD 20101/07/??, Oxford
TITMUSS, Jack [KR985]. Dept. of Education. DoD 2009/12/23, Suffolk
WADLEY, Derek Anthony [KR1133]. Immigration. DoD 2008/08/27
? WALKER, James D [KR1117]. DoD 2005/??/??
? WARE, SF [KR2986]. Not on PSPA database
WELD-FORESTER, John Orlando [KR1358]. DoD 1995/02/23. Not on OSPA database
WEST, Thomas Peter [KR3029]. DoD 2010/07/29
MAY THEY REST IN PEACE
They went with songs to the battle, they were young,
Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow,
They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted,
They fell with their faces to the foe.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years contemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning
We will remember them.
[Laurence Binyon]
*****
JOHN KENDALL CHANNER [KR6341]
[01/01/1938-12/04/2017]
[Robin Channer]
John was born in Nairobi on the 1st January 1938.
7
He is the only son of Brig. Vivian Kendall Hood and Mrs. Irene Channer (née Lucy). His sister,
Susan was eighteen months older.
Brig. Channer, DSO was in the Kings African Rifles [Foot Note 1 – page 11] and seldom home
from Abyssinia during the Second World War. Reflecting back, John never remembered his father
before the age of five.
In those unsettled times where mothers were left to keep the ‘home fires burning’ and also working
for the war effort, Kenya children were sent off to boarding school. John went to St. Andrew’s
School Turi from the age of four accompanied by his sister Sue. At the age of ten John was enrolled
at Kenton Collage Nairobi, all boys left Turi at this age, being a co-ed school, not appropriate for
boys and girls to mix!! Aged fourteen John was accepted at The Duke of York High School
[Lugard], where lifelong friends were made.
John thrived on adventure and was always seen with either a fishing rod or ·22 rifle over his
shoulder. Africa was the playground for those who liked adventure. Aged twelve John, Sue and
their parents and friends Hugh and Geoff Viner climbed Mount Kenya; certainly considered a great
achievement, especially with the lack of warm and appropriate clothing. Their fellow travellers
were friendly, patient mules; one named Twiga enjoyed barley sugar, was retained to carry anyone
who succumbed to sore feet on this very long and upwards worn path, shared with elephants.
The young climbers found a piece of roofing iron and could be seen tobogganing at 15,500 ft. The
intrepid climbers reached Pt. Lanana, the top of the world at 16,300 ft and so cemented John’s love
of everything out doors.
School to John was great for friends, sports and socialising, not for learning. In his adult life he felt
ashamed that he didn’t take his schooling more seriously. During school holidays everyone made
their own fun for there were no near neighbours. Cars were blocks of wood; a favourite was an
empty cotton reel. John took delight in showing his own children how to make reels travel. John
was a friend to everyone, and everyone was his friend.
When school exams came around, somehow with much cramming, he passed, sufficiently well to
acquire entrance to Universities in England. Lack of family finances, however, made this
impossible.
John was a master of invention. One of his many tools of trade was the bicycle inner tube. John
built sailing boats, these were great fun and sailed beautifully, and were often used to fish or duck
shoot.
John’s sister, Sue, became a ballet dancer, having danced from an early age. Her reliable, although
not always willing brother, was roped into being Sue’s dancing partner; when older, John came to
enjoy it and became an amazing dancer, much to the delight of all the pretty girls.
Now about his future; like many young adults he hadn’t made up his mind. His parents sent him off
to England to train as an officer at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst; all his ancestors were
great achievers in the army or navy [Foot note 2 – page 11]. Anyway, John didn't do well at the first
interview, he couldn’t answer questions about England, having come from Kenya, so declined next
day’s interview. He realised that he actually didn’t want to join the army, and instead, went on an
Outward Bound course; being an outdoor’s Kenya lad, he came first.
Returning to Nairobi John was called up to undergo national service training at KRTC, Lanet. His
training was to prove John as reliable, dedicated, honest and hard working; whatever he set out to
8
do, he did well. He enjoyed and played all sports with a good eye for the ball. Members of the
Kenya Regiment were loyal individuals who remain in touch even to today.
On completion of national service training, John attended Njoro’s Egerton Agricultural College,
which was to prove useful in later years. At Egerton was another great gang of friends; even Pete
Evans [KR6100] admitted it was not very strenuous, allowing for much enjoyment. John was a
handsome young man, girls were drawn to him like bees to a honey pot. Having a sister living down
the road at Njoro from the college helped; Sue always had pretty friends.
They must have been the Seven Musketeers back then: Larry Sutcliffe, Rodney Minns [KR6848],
Ray Clarke, Mike Johnson, John Stuart, Peter Evans and John. Later, several were also to migrate to
Australia, and so continued their friendships.
Leaving Egerton and with time on their hands, John and great friend Peter Evans managed to
convince Peter’s Mum to allow then to drive her small Ford Prefect from Nairobi to Salisbury,
Rhodesia, and back. This proved the adventure of a lifetime. Even to-day, Peter enjoys recounting
some of their experiences. The Ford arrived back home after two months of break downs, new
tyres, and a runaway wheel that was seen overtaking them! Luckily John managed to keep the now
three- wheel car on the road, and not veer over the escarpment.
Swimming in Lake Malawi, lost the car keys which were in my pocket, requiring all sorts of hitch
hiking, including a lift on lorry full of dried fish. The lorry driver insisted they remain under a
tarpaulin amongst the fish; a large bottle of Ouzo being the only refreshment.
Nocturnal animals interrupting sleep, missed meals, inquisitive Africans, Immigration queries at
each border-crossing and over 4000 miles of rough, tough roads, what a good little car this proved
to be and obviously driven by two excellent drivers.
Returning to Kenya, John had to plan his future. His Grandfather Lucy was a professional hunter,
which at first appealed to John. Grandfather was able to open the right doors, for joining the White
Hunters of Kenya was considered a privilege. After one trip with a large Safari firm, guests being
American hunting tourists, John soon learnt this career wouldn’t sit comfortably with him. John was
on the hunt again for something else.
As luck would have it, Standard Vacuum Oil offered John a sales position. Taking into account
John’s farming diploma and family background, Standard Vacuum considered him ideal for
promoting oil products to the farmers. John was to spend more than 30 years in the Oil Industry in
Kenya, various postings in Australia and Papua New Guinea.
In 1960, John was posted to Dar-es-Salaam where he met Robin,
daughter of Cecil (aka Bwana Safari – [Ed: See mini-SITREP
XLVIII – pp39-41) and Toni Cecil. After yet another transfer, he
proposed. The wedding date chosen happened to be the Opening of
the Kenya Duck Shooting season, John, his father and gun dog
were out on Lake Naivasha with the church over 100 miles away.
Having bagged a few ducks a mad dash to Nairobi followed, a
quick shower and change of clothes; John and in-laws to be,
arrived at the church on time. [LEFT] Their married life of nearly
57 years, living in three countries, was an amazing and varied
adventure. Between them their interests were many and somehow
both parents dove-tailed the family needs.
Even with babies in tow, John loved his camping and fishing. He
9
climbed Mt. Snowden in England, had a thrill climbing a Kenya mountain, Ol Eungai, while it was
erupting, the adrenalin rush was past thrilling.
Deciding to leave John’s birthplace, was soul searching, by this time he and Robin had two
children. The crunch came when they took Robin’s little brother, Peter to Nairobi airport to fly to
school in England. At the great old age of seven. His hat was too big and sat on his ears, his shorts
too long to grow into, and his hand luggage a huge plane. Tears flowed, while John watching this
much loved little boy making his way to the ‘plane. Five steps forward and two back. Driving home
the decision was made to leave Kenya as neither could go through another airport departure, nor for
that matter, afford the expense.
Australia beckoned - Robin having been born in Australia made it easy to immigrate. With the
White Australia policy, it was necessary for John to have his skin tone checked, being Kenya-born.
John landed in Perth before Robin and walked the street with Mike Johnson looking for
employment. Luckily, with his Kenya job in the Oil Industry, John had the choice of two job
offers. This was the start of the young Channer family in Australia and later PNG.
Africa is a country where it is difficult to shake the sand from one’s shoes, memories and a
childhood that would have been difficult to replicate anywhere else, the freedom and love of wild
animals will always remain in ones soul. This is not Africa today.
[LEFT: JOHN & ROBIN]. Australia welcomed them, gave them an
amazing and varied life. Fishing, shooting and camping continued
to be in the holidays or the w/end to-do list. Above all, now
blessed with four children, John and Robin were safe, and they
thrived. With pride and appreciation, John is proud to call himself
an Aussie, especially so, having lived in this country more years
than anywhere else. He felt lucky to have been born in Kenya, and
privileged to have lived in Australia, which he called his HOME
Despite John’s amazing and varied life, his career and challenges,
his greatest achievement has always been his children. With pride
he looked upon them as talented, well rounded, kind and generous,
high achievers, handsome and beautiful and he loved them dearly.
His leaving us is very difficult, John really didn’t want to do this;
he knew we would be shattered and heartbroken. John struggled
for many weeks telling us he ‘was fine and not to worry.’
In a letter found in his sock drawer, John writes, “when I reach the
clouds I will keep an eye on you.”We know that he will.
**
GRANDPA JOHN
[grandson Troy]
When I think of the kind of man that my Grandfather was there is a particular story that comes to
mind.
When I was younger I had a fish tank full of goldfish. I came home one weekend after playing
tennis to find one of my gold fish floating at the top of the water in the tank. Having spotted
Grandpa out in the middle of the paddock talking to my mum, I ran out to them and immediately
10
told them what I had just found – my gold-fish floating in the tank and didn’t know what I should
do with it.
Grandpa’s response caught me by surprise. He calmly suggested that if I were to bring this floating
gold fish to him he would quite gladly give it CPR. Not being an expert in marine animals I had a
sneaky suspicion that this was in fact not possible. Grandpa assured me that it wouldn’t be a
problem and I was in no mind to question him. I ran back to my room and scooped the fish out with
my hand. I imagined time was of the essence so I ran straight back to Grandpa still in the middle of
the paddock. I handed the gold fish over to him and he put it straight in to his pocket. I asked him
when he planned on giving this gold fish of mine CPR. He responded that he had plenty of time and
not to worry about it. I continued to ask him if I should come down to the house later that afternoon
to collect the gold fish and return it to my tank.
Grandpa responded with “There is one condition for me giving your fish CPR, if I bring it back I
get to put it in one of the dams on the property” A fair trade I thought. Grandpa then continued to
work in the paddock and I returned back to the house. I called Grandpa that afternoon and he told
me the good news that it was indeed a success and the fish was now down in the dam. I was stoked.
To me this story represents the kind of relationship we had. John was much more than just my
Grandfather.
To me he was a mentor, teaching me countless life lessons. He
was a role model, someone I did, and always will, look up to. He
was a gentleman and a sincere person always treating all people
with respect. Most importantly he was a mate, whose company I
will greatly miss. He was a mate who would gladly walk around
all day with a soggy goldfish in his pocket just to cheer up his
young grandson. [LEFT] JOHN - WONDER WHERE THE
GOLDFISH IS?]
I was very fortunate to have such a strong relationship with my
Grandfather, something I will always cherish. Thank you
Grandpa.
**
ODE TO GRANPA JOHN
[Grandson Justin]
Lament,
Reconcile an end
Cast out the darkness in your mind.
These sombre shadows are most unkind.
In cold Earth I will not be found.
Across still plains I’m eternally bound.
I whisper softly amongst the grass.
I’m in the moisture on silver glass
In heated flesh of yellow stars,.
Across red hills of brother Mars.
11
My bonds that spun to give you light.
Now gaze with fire across the night.
Do not follow me into the dark.
But watch me flicker in lively sparks
Painted thin across blue sky.
In noble hearts I shall not die.
Hail life’s song
Rejoice.
**
Mark Milbank [KR6122] <[email protected]> writes: It was all a very long time ago! For my
last year at the DOY I shared a study with John in Lugard. I imagine we did a bit of work but John
also used the little room for other matters. He was building a boat and, while there was not room
for the entire vessel, there were always bits of it in our study that I had to help screw together with
very special brass screws.
Most Sundays during our last term we sneaked off to do a bit of bird shooting and once returned
from Lake Naivasha with a very large Spurwing Goose. John owned a small portable gas cooker
suitable for heating water to make a cup of tea, and he was convinced that he could use it to cook
the goose. We borrowed a large sufuria (saucepan), filled it with water, placed the goose therein,
then boiled it for twelve hours. The result was disgusting, but we had to pretend that we liked it ,so
ate a little before dumping the whole lot out of a back window in the hope that a passing KD would
finish it off.
We both took School Cert at the end of the end of one term and said that if we got a first class pass
we would share a bottle of champagne; second class, a bottle of port, third class a beer, and fail,
nothing. Too much boat building and goose cooking precluded the champagne but we did share a
bottle of excellent port, which went down a lot better than the goose!
A wonderful companion and great fun to be with, John certainly enjoyed life to the full.
*****
[1]. Lt Col (Hon Brig) Vivian Channer, commanded 2/4 (Uganda) Bn King’s African Rifles during
the Abyssinian Campaign. On 8th
July 1955, H.E. The Governor of Tanganyika, Sir Edward
Twining KCMG, MBE, Maj-Gen ‘Fluffy’ Fowkes CBE, DSO, MC, Brig Philip Myburg CBE, DSO,
MC. Lt Col (Hon Brig) Vivian Channer, Maj (Hon Col) Bill Rolleston OBE, Maj Michael Blundell
MBE and Maj Bill Draffan MBE were all appointed Honorary Colonels of the KAR.
[2] All the Channer clan have been great ambassadors for their King/Queen and Country. The Perak
VC was won by General George Nicholas Channer, John’s great grandfather.
John’s Grandfather Lieutenant Colonel George Kendall Channer was also well decorated [Ed: HIS
GROUP OF NINE MEDALS INCLUDED THE DSO (1917), THE ROYAL HUMANE SOCIETY MEDAL
(1894) AND BAR (1901) AND THE ORDER OF THE CROWN OF ITALY.] He in fact went to live his final
days in Nanyuki to be close to his son. Sadly, he died of a heart attack (altitude perhaps) and is
buried in the Nanyuki’s War Memorial Cemetery. John’s grandmother returned to Devon after her
husband’s death.
*****
12
PART OF OUR TRIP TO THE UK JULY/AUG 2016
[John ‘Chess’ Chesterman KR4040]
In an endeavour to ease our Editor’s search for material [mini-SITREP XLIX – editorial], I have
written about our UK trip, with its many Africa connections.
Our daughter Lisa, Pat and I [LEFT] spent a
very pleasant four weeks visiting friends and
relatives in parts of the south west counties.
Soon after our arrival, when staying with my
cousin, Lisa, in Fetcham, near Leatherhead,
she suggested lunch in the village at the
local delicatessen, which also sold boerwors
and biltong; turns out it was run by an ex-
Durban family.
Whilst in the area, we visited three great
pubs. The first, the ‘Anchor’ at Pyrford Lock in Wisley, lies on the riverbanks of the River
Tillingbourne, and is very popular with the boating fraternity; by UK standards, a relatively new the
pub, being licensed ±1720. The river is a tributary of the River Wey where I spent much of my
youth as a sea scout, camping and rowing up and down the Thames from Richmond into the Wey,
through the many manually operated locks.
The second, the
‘Blacksmiths’ Arms’ in
Cudham, built in 1628,
provided excellent fare,
and its gardens were
resplendent, with amazing
shows of summer flowers.
This was our first
introduction to the narrow
lanes where, if one meets
another vehicle, the drivers
negotiate as to who should
reverse and give way! [Ed:
Try that in a KwaZulu-
Natal town!] The lanes
generally were just over
five foot, and the width of
our car just under - or
that’s how it felt!
The third inn, ‘The Gomshall Mill’, was built, initially to grind corn, circa
1600. Over the years additions to the building now provide several rooms
for dining and wining. The original mill, and stream have been retained,
right in the middle of the pub!
We visited cousin Lisa’s brother-in-law, Danny, his wife Sarah and their
boys Max and Leo, in Kingston-upon-Thames. We walked through Canbury
Gardens on the Thames and stopped at another pub, ‘Boaters’ Inn’, where
13
the Queen’s royal barge ‘Gloriana’ was moored. No doubt the crew were enjoying a break from
training. Basically crimson in colour with lots of gold leaf - very majestic.
Lisa also took a train into the Big Smoke, where she met up with four friends from her school days
at Durban Girls’ High School. They had lunch at Wagamamas, a Japanese-style restaurant on the
Thames somewhere in London; then on to Covent Garden.
After two weeks with my cousin Lisa, who was
a wonderful host, we drove to Deepcut near
Camberley to attend the Kenya Regiment
annual rafikis’ curry lunch at the Royal
Logistics Corps’ Officers Mess in the Princess
Royal Barracks. Our friend, John Harman
[KR7227] and his team organised the event,
and they did an excellent job. [LEFT: JOHN,
CAROL, CHESS & PAT.] It was attended by
some 85 KRA members and guests, and we met
many friends, some of whom we had not seen
for 65 years. The venue is magnificent; plenty of room between tables, and the curry was mzuri
sana. In an adjacent ante-room, the walls are covered with encased medals awarded to members of
the Corps over many years and wars.
That night we stayed with John and his wife Carol at their lovely home in Newbury. We had a very
pleasant and relaxed evening, a light dinner, some wine and much reminiscing about the good old
days in Kenya; gracious hosts – we were sorry to leave the next day.
The next morning we motored down to Burnham-on-Sea to
spend a couple of days with Jimmy Cruickshank [KPR] and his
wife Dee. After a good night’s sleep, Lisa went off with Dee to
walk their dog ‘Honey’ and in the afternoon they went shopping;
Pat had decided she needed a day of rest, whilst Jimmy and I of
course chatted about our times in Kenya and Natal.
Next day, off to Wells, England’s smallest cathedral city. The
streets are narrow and cobblestoned, and the houses and
buildings, hundreds of years old. We met up with friends who
had been our neighbours in Yellowwood Park, Durban some 30 years ago. We lunched in the
cathedral’s beautiful gardens, after which we visited the twice-a-week city market. Wells is a great
place to visit - full of history.
On the Burnham beach, with gale-force winds, we met friends from Durban who now live in
Taunton, Devon. Back to Jimmy’s and Dee’s [ABOVE] for an evening meal of delicious braaied ribs
and bangers - with wine of course. Great hosts!
Next morning.we drove to Tintagel to stay a few days with our
friends Viv and Fred Jones [RIGHT] who assist daughter
Carolyne run a B&B – ‘Trevenna Lodge’. Fred (Scots Guards)
was as a drill and weapons instructor at KRTC from 1956 to
1961, and very involved in training Kenya Regiment national
servicemen. He and Viv returned to his Battalion in UK for a
year before a further posting to Kenya, this time at Kahawa
Barracks (1962 to 1964). I am sure many readers will
remember Fred! He and Viv retired to Canada, but have since
14
returned to UK.
Next day we visited Trebarwith Strand, a very popular spot for surfers. At the end of the War, my
parents and I used to stay on a farm at nearby Camelford; most days we would walk a couple of
miles down to the beach, take a picnic and I would spend all day body-board surfing using a half
inch thick plywood board which we hired.
We also visited Port Isaac, which many TV viewers know as Port Wenn, the location of the Doc
Martin series – many tourists; too many!
A couple of days later we were off to Boscastle. A lovely little beach village, by far the most
attractive one we’d seen; strangely it does not boast a castle! In 2004, the village experienced
devastating floods which swept buildings and vehicles etc out to sea; supposedly the worst intensive
flood in English history. It took them over a year to re-establish their basic village, but again in
2007 it experienced another flood, fortunately not as destructive.
That evening, over a drink Fred showed me his copy of Ian Parker’s book The Last Colonial
Regiment – a history of the Kenya Regiment; I have subsequently purchased a copy from Amazon.
We were in UK for 27 days and covered just over 1700 km. We were fortunate with the weather,
only two rained twice, so unusual for UK. We loved the English countryside, even the ridiculously
narrow roads and of course all those wonderful pubs.
If you enjoy looking at olde English countryside etc I recommend googling the above pubs, Wells
city, Trebarwith Strand and the Queens Royal Barge “Gloriana”
*****
IAN ALISTER JAFFRAY [KR6363]
[07/04/1938-??/??/2017]
[Rose Jaffray]
Herewith a photo taken from the an old East African
Standard, captioned "That Ten Feet Tall Feeling".
The pose was replicated in C.T. at Clows the then
agent for Peugeot with a life size cardboard cut out of
Simon and Ian. [LEFT: SIMON BATHURST & IAN]
Ian was born to Charles and Winifred Jaffray on 7th
April 1938, in a country where Britain in 1920, had
opened the fertile highlands of Kenya to white settlers
such as Charles, by offering 99-999 year leases, and
land-tax exemption up until 1930, as an attraction.
In those days no home schooling was available, so
children were packed off to boarding school at the
tender age of seven, in Ian's case Nakuru Junior
School. Stoicism prevailed under those
circumstances, which could be interpreted as character forming! Nakuru School was followed by
secondary school, the Duke of York High School in Nairobi, where he excelled in the scientific
subjects, but was less enthusiastic for languages, especially Latin!
15
With three good ‘A’ levels he was accepted into the University of Aberdeen, which served the
Highlands and Islands of Scotland. Founded by William Elphinstone, Bishop of Aberdeen in 1495,
the university was the fifth oldest centre of learning in Europe. As Ian's father came from
Aberdeenshire, it was a natural choice, for family relatives were in the vicinity to offer help should
it be necessary.
While at Aberdeen Ian took up competitive rowing (four people plus cox) and in 1960 he and the
crew took part in the Scottish Championships and were awarded with half blues for their efforts by
the university. (A half blue is an award earned by athletes at a university for competition at the
highest level in a minor sport.) However, all was not sport; Ian read Agriculture and also in l960 he
graduated with a B.Sc. in that discipline.
Returning to Kenya Ian helped his father with the running of
the farm ‘Logie’ at Njoro, which unknowingly then, formed a
good basis for his pig enterprise, later in Natal.
In 1962, at the invitation of family friends I travelled to
Kenya to see a country much lauded for its climate and way
of life before Uhuru was granted. I met Ian at a party which
subsequently resulted my marrying him in February 1964. [LEFT]
Most people know about Ian's rallying career; he entered six
E.A. Safaris, the first in 1962; unsponsored, and did not
finish when
the back
axle fell
off. Again
in 1966,
sponsored
by Peugeot
(East Africa) water got into the engine. [RIGHT:
ROSE & IAN]
For the remaining four entries, still sponsored by
Peugeot – in 1963, with navigator and friend
Simon Bathurst, they finished sixth in the ‘Magnificent 7’; in 1965, they were second overall and
won a trip to Paris and a visit to the Belfort testing grounds of Peugeot.
We left Kenya in 1965, just after our daughter Ann was born. We spent about eighteen months in
the Cape Town area, where Ian joined the Western Cape Motor Car Club, taking part in events and
winning four with navigator, Mike Swarbreck.During this time Ian returned twice to Kenya to rally
for Peugeot, the last time in 1967 when our son Andrew was born.
We then moved to Natal and bought a small farm near Wartburg with Umgeni river frontage and
started a piggery with five archaic sows and one decrepit boar.
After this move, there was little time for rallying. I returned to teaching and Ian had much to learn!
For relaxation he took up amateur radio and became a 'ham' under the influence of my Father, who,
with my Mother had moved to Howick to escape the bleak English winter weather.
16
We farmed pigs for thirty four years, supplying baconers to Renown and in the later years
established a hydroponic outfit growing niche market crops such as celery, spring onions and red
and yellow peppers.
Over the years crime escalated in our valley so after the children left home we decided that it would
be wise to sell, which we did in 2004, luckily, without farm claims to contend with.
We settled in Napier to be near our daughter's family, with two grandchildren to add to the interest;
Ann, who obtained her Ph.D. in microbiology works in research at UCT. Our son, Andrew first
joined Barings, the bank that crashed! After many changes, he has finally been with Microsoft as a
software architect for over ten years, based in that lovely city Seattle. [Ed: Founded in 1762,
Barings, where HM The Queen banked, was the second oldest merchant bank, and in 1995 went
into liquidation as a result of Nick Leeson’s unsupervised rogue trading, which led to a loss of
£827million. Leeson was sentenced to six and a half years but was released early due to colon
cancer which did not lead to his demise]
We kept ourselves occupied, Ian with his radio and photography, receiving a Diploma in
Commercial Photography from the Photography Institute in 2015 and I, after twenty five years
involved with ceramics, turned to kiln-formed glass.
Both Ian and I have certainly had a varied life. We were married for fifty three years and over that
time he was a model father with a sharp intellect and wry humour, supportive, unassuming and
never let us down. He has left a huge gap in our lives and is sadly missed.
*****
THE KENYA REGIMENT SURVEY UNIT
[John Allen KR3513/5664]
It came as no surprise to me when, in early 1953, I was informed by my superiors in ‘D’ Force (the
‘private army’ raised by Lt Col D. T. Dobie [Ed: See article pp20/22] from Kenya Police reservists)
that I was to report forthwith to the Kenya Regiment Headquarters in Nairobi. On arrival in Nairobi
I reported to the Assistant Adjutant, Captain Angus McDonald [KR5605], who informed me that
the Government were forming a Kenya Regiment Survey
Unit. Their task was to provide on ground information so that
large scale detailed maps of the "troubled areas" could be
made; such • maps were desperately needed by the security
forces now being deployed in the field.
The Kenya Department of Surveys, more correctly titled
‘Survey of Kenya’, had several Government surveyors who
could be released for this task; these would be complemented
by three surveyors in private practice, to form the new
Survey Unit. As the mapping to be done was in the troubled
areas, the Government decided that the selected surveyors
should be inducted into the Kenya Regiment and then given
commissioned rank. [LEFT: JOHN ALLEN]. This would
enable the surveyors to move more freely in the troubled
areas, where movement of non-military personnel was
somewhat restricted under emergency regulations. Such rank
would also give some clout to the surveyors when dealing with authorities in the field such as
Government Administration officers, the Kenya Police and the Military units deployed in the area.
17
Capt. McDonald also told me that the surveyors would be provided with four-wheel drive vehicles
but as these were in desperately short supply the Government were prepared to requisition any such
suitable vehicles and pay adequate compensation to the provider, i.e. a mileage allowance plus free
fuel and oil, the cost of all necessary running repairs, replacement tyres, etc. On hearing this I
hastily made a trip to the Police Dog Section camp at Nyeri where I had seen a second world war
Jeep standing on blocks and obviously not in use. I made enquiries and found that the Jeep belonged
to an Inspector Bill Morkel and after some bargaining managed to convince him to sell it to me for
a fair price. I spent the rest of the day getting the Jeep on the road again as it needed a new battery,
some tyres, fuel and oil, and a service. Next day I was back in Angus Macdonald's office and had
the necessary paperwork completed for the handover of my Jeep for the use of the Kenya Regiment
Survey unit. The Jeep was promptly handed back to me as my issued vehicle for as long as it was
needed by the Regiment!
Over the next few days the surveyors who were to make up the Survey unit were kitted out, given
transport and were briefed on their duties and where they were to commence operations. The 5
Survey Section was to comprise ten field surveyors all under the command of Major Bruce
Whittaker [KR5681] of the Survey of Kenya. The surveyors, to the best of my memory, were: John
Allen [KR3513], Ken Burr [KR3633], Des Carbury [KR4373], Laurie Adams [KR3158], Jake
Caley [KR4369], Bob Caukwell [KR4372], Ken Dando [KR4135], Gerald Heald [KR4689], Bill
Jackson [KR3817] and Tommy Thompson [KR4365]. The first three surveyors were in private
practice and the remainder were all Survey of Kenya.
It was not long after the declaration of the Mau Mau Emergency on 20th October 1952, when
substantial numbers of security forces were being deployed in the field, that the need for detailed
large scale maps became vitally necessary. At this time the largest scale maps with limited detail on
them were of a scale of 1:1,000,000 or 1" to approximately 16 miles. Whilst these maps may have
been useful tourist route maps, they were neither sufficiently accurate nor detailed for military
purposes. Top priority was given to the R.A.F. to take aerial photographs of the troubled areas
which encompassed the Kikuyu, Embu and Meru native reserves, the Aberdare and Mount Kenya
forest areas and the adjacent settled "White" farming areas. Later on the R.A.F and, I believe,
Hunting Aero Surveys took aerial photographs of the remaining areas of the White Highlands and
Central Province. When these were completed the remaining areas of Kenya were similarly
covered.
From the aerial photographs maps to the scale of 1:50000 or 1" to approximately 3/4 of a mile were
prepared. These maps initially came out in a black on white format and showed the salient details
that were evident from the photographs such as main and minor roads, railway lines, river courses,
townships, villages and individual buildings of any stature e.g. farm houses, air fields and landing
strips. These initial maps left a lot to be desired to be of any practical use to the forces in the field as
place names were few and far between, rivers were unnamed, and there were no contours shown on
the maps, although some spot heights were shown here and there where "Trig" beacons had been
plotted on the map. It was these maps that were now to be urgently verified in the field by the
Kenya Regiment Survey Unit.
The surveyors were issued with field uniforms, a Sten gun (which I later managed to exchange for a
Patchet), two Mills grenades, a commando knife, and a four-wheel drive vehicle. Each surveyor was
also allocated a Kenya Regiment escort, whose duty it was to protect the surveyor in the field, share
the driving, do some navigating and generally act as a companion. These escorts were issued with a
·303 Lee Enfield rifle, a bayonet and 100 rounds of ammunition. Having been kitted out, the
surveyors were then sent to the Survey of Kenya HQ on the Thika road, to be briefed on their tasks
by Major Bruce Whittaker. These tasks, to the best of my recollection, comprised the following
basic functions. Each surveyor was issued with one or more of the 1:50000 black and white maps
that had been prepared from the aerial photographs for the area he was to survey, a set of the aerial
18
photographs used for plotting each map, an Aneroid Barometer to be used for determining spot
heights, a compass and lastly a magnifying glass for closer scrutiny of photographs. Armed with
these items the surveyor was required to provide the following information from ground
reconnaissance and to annotate such information on the maps provided .
1. All place names for towns, villages, police-stations, hospitals, schools, dispensaries, churches,
farmsteads, railway stations, home-guard posts (where already established), rivers, hills, land any
other such information that may be considered useful, e.g. whether a road was only suitable for four
wheel drive vehicles or whether a bridge over a river was only considered to be safe for a light
vehicle, the names of waterfalls etc. etc.
2. To identify on the ground not less than four, and not more than eight, points on each photograph
where spot heights were to be taken, with the use of the Aneroid Barometer provided, for the
plotting of contours. The points selected on the photographs to be as divergent as possible to \
ensure greater accuracy of the plotting of contours on the maps by photogrammetry processes.
3. To fill in any missing detail on the map, due usually to cloud cover at the time the aerial
photographs were taken, to the best of the surveyors ability.
The surveyors were told that accuracy and speed in the completion of their tasks were of prime
importance but not to sacrifice accuracy for speed which was all important. The surveyors were
now ready to go into the field in pairs, i.e. two surveyors and their escorts were to cover the
groundwork of each allocated map area. The surveyors would be provided with accommodation by
the security forces operating in the area and where this was not available they were at liberty to
make their own arrangements for accommodation, at Government expense, at an hotel, boarding-
house, or farmstead or whatever was available including home-guard posts where Kenya Regiment
or Police Reserve officers were based.
In the native reserves the surveyors were generally accommodated by whatever unit was operating
in the area and the unit would provide additional escorts, as and when requested by the surveyor.
Such escorts were normally only asked for when the surveyor had to go into the forested areas for
the purpose of taking spot heights and\or to verify that road tracks were passable or in fact existed.
The units I was based with included the Devons and the Buffs in the Fort Hall Kikuyu reserve areas,
the Inniskillings in the Meru and Embu native reserve areas, the Black Watch in the North
Kinangop and the Kenya Regiment at Njabini on the South Kinangop. Later on, when the maps for
these areas had been verified, I moved to Thomson's Falls and stayed at Barrys Hotel. From this
base I verified the map for the Arabel valley area, parts of the Rumuruti and Maralal areas, and then
proceeded to Rongai where I stayed with my very good friend from WWII army days, Gordon
Eccles. From this base we covered the maps for the Rongai, Njoro, Mau Narok, & Elburgon
Ravine, Campi ya Moto and lake Baringo areas. My last assignment was to cover the area of Molo,
Turi, Mau Summit and Londiani and here we stayed as guests of St Andrews School at Turi where I
was a founder pupil.
When the verification of the maps for the above areas had been completed - towards mid-1954 as
far as I can recall -1 returned to Nairobi where I was informed that the private practice surveyors
were to be released from the Survey Unit, however I was required to report to ‘O’ Company at
Baxendale's farm where I was to become a Platoon commander.
My Jeep was then de-requisitioned by the Regiment and handed back to me completely overhauled,
whereupon I immediately sold it to a Nakuru farmer (Sheilah Neylan) for considerably more than
what I had paid for it. During my stint as a Kenya Regiment surveyor I was allocated the following
Regimental escorts: Condra Hamilton [KR3929], Abe Morton [KR4161], Stewart Cole [KR4361],
19
and Hugh Lloyd [KR4371]. They served with me for varying periods of time and were all great
companions.
Incidents Remembered
As part of this paper on the formation and activities of the Kenya Regiment Survey Unit, would like
to record some personal experiences that stand out in my memory.
1. Being with the Devons when one of their senior NCOs was killed when trying to disarm a booby
trap set in the one mile ‘no man's land’ strip adjacent to the Aberdare forest reserve.
2. Again with the Devons when early one morning a trip flare was set off on the forest edge and I
was awoken by a Vickers' gun letting off steam not far from my tent. A barrage of 3" mortar fire
quickly added to the excitement. On later inspection it was found that a poor unsuspecting Water
Buck had tripped the flare.
3. One day, when swanning around the Karatina area, I was stopped by some KAR troops who
asked me if I had seen a large gang of terrorists pass my way. I replied that I had seen none but that
half an hour earlier I had heard automatic and rifle fire coming from an area some distance away in
an adjacent valley. This was the day that General China was captured by the Kenya Regiment and
the action in which Mike Tetley was wounded. China's gang was reputed to have been over 80
strong at the time of the incident.
4. When fishing one afternoon on the South Mathoiya river in the one mile strip, with my survey
colleague and escorts, we noticed a party of about thirty men crossing the river below us, who we
assumed to be Home Guard, and then proceed up a steep hill on the other side running like devils
possessed. Some ten minutes later a party of genuine Home Guard, wearing coloured headbands,
arrived and asked if we had seen a terrorist gang go past!
5. One day whilst surveying on Gen Hinde's cattle ranch in the Dol Dol area North of Nanyuki my
escort, Abe Morton, shouted to me to stop the Jeep. This I immediately did with visions that we
were about to run into an ambush. Abe asked me to reverse back down the farm road 30 to 40 yards.
I asked Abe what he had seen but he just ignored my enquiry as he was busy getting his rifle ready
for use. After reversing some distance Abe told me to stop and on doing so he raised his t rifle and
aimed it at something in the bush. As he was about to fire his rifle I suddenly saw and realised that
the target was a beautiful leopard walking in the bush some 50 yards away. I gave Abe a nudge and
at the same time slipped the clutch on the Jeep to deflect his aim; a lucky day for the leopard but a
day when a friendship nearly ended.
6. Whilst staying at Barry's Hotel at Thomson's Falls my surveyor colleague Jake Caley asked me to
join him in a round of golf at the local golf club. I explained to Jake that I had never played golf in
my life but he was not to be deterred and told me I was to share his clubs and that he would give me
the necessary tuition. We struggled around a few holes when we came to a short hole. I asked Jake
what club I should use and he told me to take a 7 iron and hit the ball as hard as I could. I duly
followed these instructions but instead of lofting the ball I hit it fair and square in its midriff. The
ball shot off like a bullet a few feet above the ground, straight over the green I was aiming for, over
a road passing by the golf course and straight through a large glass window of an Asian's house.
The wife of the house-owner appeared a few seconds later screaming blue murder and demanding
immediate reparation. I told Jake that it was entirely his fault as I had carried out his instructions
very precisely. In the end we compromised and split the repair cost between us.
7. When surveying in the Kinangop area I had the pleasure of going on patrol with the Kenya
Regiment to map the road being made by the Royal Engineers up to Fort Jericho. On this patrol I
20
hitched a ride for some of the way on the WWII Bren gun carrier that was being used to help
transport rations and materials up to the fort - this was an experience to be remembered as the old
carrier boiled furiously due to the altitude and all the low gear-work involved. Our patrol climbed to
the top of the Aberdares and we celebrated our achievement under the Trig Beacon erected on the
peak of Mt Kinangop (altitude 12,816ft) by having our photographs taken ‘a la Hillary on top of
Everest’. From photographs in my album I can identify the following who were on this patrol: Stan
Bleazard [KR4242], Monty Brown [KR3902], Nigel Bulley [KR3630] and Keith Cairns [KR4045].
8. When billeted with the Inniskillings at Nkubu on the N E slope of Mount Kenya I managed to get
in several flips up the mountain with Kenya Police Air Wing pilot, Vic Paxton who was flying
sorties from the Nkubu air strip at the time, as his ALO (Air Liaison Officer). This was a task that I
had previously done for some weeks when I was with ‘D’ Force on the eastern slopes of the
Aberdares, flying with Lofty Whitehead. Not long after I left him, Vic was killed in his aircraft
when doing a solo supply drop to some ground forces high up on the mountain.
Biographical Note about the Author. John Allen was born in Kenya and attended Nakuru Primary
School and the Prince of Wales School. Volunteered for war service with the Kenya Regiment and
attended the Combined School of Infantry at Nakuru in 1945. Joined the Royal Engineers and was
demobbed in February 1948 with the acting rank of W02. In 1949, he joined the Survey of Kenya as
a Survey Cadet, and some three years later joined the Nairobi-based firm, McCully Hunter &
Partners, Chartered Surveyors.
John joined the Kenya Police as a part time reservist, was seconded to ‘D’ force at the beginning of
the Emergency, and joined the Kenya Regiment Survey unit in early 1953. After leaving the
Regiment at the end of February 1955, he joined the Caltex Oil Company and served with them in
Kenya, Tanganyika, South Africa and Malawi, before retiring to Westville, Durban in 1992.
**
LIEUTENANT-COLONEL DAVID THEODORE DOBIE
[Ed: Few would have known of the man behind the Company, D.T Dobie & Company In 1949, Lt
Col David Dobie started DT Dobie & Co in Nairobi, and had the Mercedes Benz franchise for East
Africa. He died in Nairobi 12/12/1971].
Born in Tynemouh 21/10/1912, David Dobie commanded the 1st
Battalion, Parachute Regiment during Operation Market Garden’s
‘Battle of Arnhem - 17-26 September 1944. He had previously seen
service as a Major with the 3rd Battalion, and had led ‘B’ Company in
Tunisia in 1942. In early 1944 the 1st Battalion received a new CO, but
this man's style of leadership enraged the men so much that they
mutinied against him. Brigadier Lathbury intervened and transferred the
man elsewhere. As his replacement, he chose to promote David Dobie to
the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel and give him command of the Battalion.
Dobie was a shrewd choice as he was well known and much respected
by the men of the Battalion.
At Arnhem, the 1st Bn was charged with the task of capturing some high
ground north of the town. Dobie was known to dislike his allotted
objective as the Bn was also acting in a reserve capacity and was consequently forced to remain
stationary on the drop zone for half an hour. He knew that the first enemy counter attack would
likely come in his direction, and this delay gave the enemy more time to react.
21
Upon setting out along his planned route it wasn't long before he ran into the stalled members of
Freddie Gough's Reconnaissance Squadron, who informed him that heavy resistance lined the route
ahead. Dobie decided to try and flank of these units by moving north, however he did not succeed in
doing so and ran into several skirmishes with further German patrols. Dobie has been criticised for
not proceeding along his original route, and also for not making use of the redundant
Reconnaissance Squadron. This does not seem fair however, as at this stage a parachute battalion is
only concerned with reaching its objective and defending it, while not getting bogged down in
fighting enemy units whose purpose it was to delay the British as much as possible. Avoiding such
engagements by attempting to flank them over a short and inconsequential distance was a perfectly
acceptable thing to do. The Reconnaissance Squadron would have proved very useful performing
their natural role of scouting ahead of advancing troops, but it is doubtful that Dobie had the
authority to release any of them from their present position, nor would such permission be easy to
obtain given the radio blackout. Resistance by this stage was clearly stronger than expected, but it
was not believed to be anything that couldn't be handled. None of the commanders at Arnhem could
have realised at this early stage how critical the situation would become.
Dobie made two attempts to get the 1st Bn onto the Amsterdamseweg. After the first attempt failed,
he moved the Bn away from the area and led them through woodland for a mile with the hope of
swinging back onto the road, but this again failed as it became clear that German armour held the
road in strength. At about this time, the Bn received a radio message from John Frost, who had
arrived at the Bridge and requested reinforcements urgently. Dobie sensed that his objective was
becoming increasingly unrealistic, so he took the decision to change direction and head for the
Bridge.
The path there was littered with obstacles, but by nightfall on Monday 18th the Battalion was near
the St Elisabeth Hospital, unaware that the 3rd Bn was nearby, but reinforcements had arrived in the
form of the 2nd South Staffords and 11th Bn, and they met up with Dobie to work out of a plan of
attack. Due to his experience and being more in touch with the situation than the newly arrived
CO's, Dobie was acknowledged as the leader of the group. His plan was to advance all units to the
Bridge, with the 1st Bn moving along the edge of the river while the South Staffords protecting his
left flank, and the 11th Bn followed up in the rear, acting as a reserve.
As the attack got underway, 1st Bn ran into members of the 3rd Bn falling back from the area they
were about to attack. One of the first officers that Dobie met was Captain Richard Dorrien-Smith,
who had served under Dobie in ‘B’ Coy, 3rd Bn. Their conversation went something like this:
Dobie: Good Morning!
Dorrien-Smith: Where the hell do you think you're going?
Dobie: I'm going up here.
Dorrien-Smith: I wouldn't do that if I were you. It's full of mortars and machineguns.
Dobie: How do you know?
Dorrien-Smith: Because I've bloody well been there.
Dobie: Well come and show us.
Dorrien-Smith: Not bloody likely.
22
With Lt. Col Fitch (CO 3rd
Bn; later killed by a mortar) agreeing to support 1st Bn's attack, both
heavily depleted units made promising initial progress along the lower road, but as dawn rose they
came under fire from three directions and were completely pinned down. Dobie was at the front
with the six members of ‘R’ Coy that remained, and as he was looking around the area for cover
that his men could run to, he received a non-serious wound to his eye and arm from an exploding
grenade. There was no cover nearby, so Dobie ordered his men to make for some houses over to
their left. Only he and fifteen others made it. Most, including Dobie, were captured shortly after.
Lt-Colonel Dobie's time as a POW was short. On the same day, Tuesday 19th, he was taken to the
Military Hospital to have his wounds dressed, and after his German guard took his watch and was
showing it to a nurse, Dobie ran and hid in bushes outside the hospital. He made an attempt to move
further, but was stopped by a German soldier, whose suspicions he managed to allay by saying
"Guten Morgen".
Deciding that movement during the day was highly perilous, Dobie continued to hide until nightfall
so crossed the street and took shelter in a house that had been bombed. He slept until he was
awoken by the sounds of someone trying to enter the property. Luckily for him it proved to be a
Dutch doctor, who not only dressed his wounds again, but found him a bed in the house and
continued to shelter him. Dobie remained in the house until the Battle was over and the Germans
ordered that Arnhem be evacuated. He was smuggled out to Ede, where he was made welcome by
more Dutch civilians.
Dobie made contact with the Dutch Resistance and played his part in planning the Pegasus 1
crossing on October 22nd that saw 138 men, mostly 1st Airborne, cross the Rhine and to safety.
Dobie crossed the Rhine, with a great deal of difficulty, ahead of Pegasus 1 to make the final
arrangements with Montgomery's 21st Army Group.
Awards:
Distinguished Service Order (DSO) - in recognition of gallant and distinguished service in North
Africa (Govt Gazette - 22nd
April 1943), and
[LEFT]: Militaire Willemsorde Knight 4th
Class (MWO) - for his conduct
throughout the Battle of Arnhem and its aftermath. (Royal Decree No.:
29). [Ed: the Military Order of William is the Netherlands’ oldest and
highest order.]
http://WNW.pegasusarchive.org/arnhem.david_dobie.htm
[Ed: Also at Arnhem was Maj Digby Tatham Water, DSO, OC ‘A’ Coy
2nd Bn Parachute Regiment. After service in Palestine he was posted to 5
KAR in 1946.
He farmed at Eburru and Nanyuki. He and Jane Boyd were married in
1949. He captained the Kenya polo team. He died in Nanyuki 21/03/1993.
During the Battle of Arnhem, Digby assumed command of the 2Bn after
the CO was seriously wounded and the 2IC killed. He was the man who
‘carried an umbrella and wore a bowler hat’ during the battle, later
filmed as ‘A Bridge Too Far’.]
*****
23
MAJOR LESLIE JOHN (PADDY) DEACON MBE, MC, MBS [KR5831]
[David Looby - The Independent Gorey Guardian]
A Clonroche man who was awarded the
Military Cross for his role as one of the first
officers of the 8th Army to break through the
Gustav Line in the Abruzzo region of Italy in
December 1943, in one of the great World War
II battles, has died at the age of 96 in Nairobi,
Kenya. [Ed: Clonroche is a village in Ireland’s
Co. Wexford, 15km west of Enniscorthy]
Leslie John (Paddy) Deacon [LEFT], who was
awarded an MBE, was a 22-year-old lieutenant
and a platoon commander in 4th Battalion the
Parachute Regiment as the Allied forces fought
their way through central Italy over rough
mountainous terrain in extremely harsh weather
conditions.
Assisted by ground reconnaissance carried out
by the Italian partisan Maiella Brigade,
Deacon's platoon supported Allied aircraft in
the destruction of German artillery positions
which were bombarding surrounding towns,
including the town of Casoli, thereby opening
up the advance on Monte Cassino.
In December 2013, Deacon was honoured in a
special ceremony attended by the President of
the Italian Senate, the Mayor of Casoli and
representatives of 4th Battalion the Parachute Regiment during which he was awarded citizenship
of Casoli and a plaque recording his courageous actions was unveiled in the town square.
Paddy Deacon was born in Bridgenorth, Shropshire, on March 27, 1921. His mother, Eileen Ryan,
was travelling back to her home in Clonroche, and on her way to the ferry went into labour at
Bridgenorth. Subsequently the young Deacon, whose father Stanley Deacon emigrated to the United
States after his birth, stayed with his grandparents in Wexford and was educated in Gaelic, at
Clonroche National School until he was fourteen.
Returning to England he finished his education in south London. On leaving school he joined a
typographical company in Fleet Street as a management trainee. Deacon befriended the Surrey and
England cricketer, Jack Hobbs, who had a sports shop on Fleet Street. Hobbs suggested that, with
the threat of war, he might join the armed forces. In 1938, Paddy joined the London Irish Rifles, a
territorial regiment, as a private soldier. At weekend training camps his companions included the
actor David Niven and Britain's future Prime Minster, Anthony Eden.
While at a training camp in Ramsgate Deacon, still in his teens, put to sea with two colleagues in a
pleasure craft, armed with a bren gun, and helped in the evacuation of Dunkirk. He was posted to
Gibraltar as a sergeant with 8th Battalion The Kings Regiment (The Liverpool Irish).
24
He applied for a commission and joined an officer training unit in North Wales. He was
commissioned into the Royal Irish Fusiliers in 1942 and posted to a training battalion in Kilkeel in
Northern Ireland. At his insistent request, Deacon was seconded to the Parachute Regiment at
Aldershot. For the rest of the war he served with 4th Battalion the Parachute Regiment.
After the Italian campaign Deacon parachuted into southern France as part of Operation Dragoon.
He then saw action in Greece where he was responsible for the prison in Athens holding Greek
collaborators, resulting in the prison undergoing heavy attacks from Greek partisans and civilians.
While in Greece he also witnessed the death by sniper fire of his close Irish friend, a medical
doctor, whom he had radioed for urgent help for an injured member of his platoon. With the end of
the war in Europe, Deacon was onboard a ship which was to be part of the planned invasion of
Japan. However when the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima the ship was diverted to
Palestine where he became involved in controlling the growing activities of the insurgents. [Ed:
Operation Dragoon (initially Operation Anvil) was the code name for the Allied invasion of
southern France. Initially planned to be executed in conjunction with Operation Overlord (the
Allied D-Day landings at Normandy on 6th
June 1944), Operation Dragoon was postponed and
eventually took place on 15th
August 1944; its goal, to secure vital ports on the French
Mediterranean coast – Reference: Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopaedia.]
In Palestine Deacon met and married Barbara Winifred Parker, known as 'Bar', from the Wirral,
Cheshire, when she was serving with the Women's Royal Air Force. He was posted to Lisburn,
Northern Ireland as a staff officer, before returning to the Royal Irish Fusiliers and transferring to
Egypt where he saw action in the Sinai. He then served in Gibraltar and Germany before being sent
to Kenya.
In 1954, the Royal Irish Fusiliers were assigned for a short time to Korea where Deacon served as a
company commander. With the regiment subsequently ordered to Kenya, he arrived at Mombasa in
January 1956. He commanded the British Forces operations against the Mau Mau in the Aberdares
in Central Kenya. The following year, he was awarded an operational MBE.
At his death Paddy Deacon was the oldest surviving member of the Royal Irish Fusiliers whose
motto was Faugh a Ballagh - Clear the Way.
With a young family consisting of a son and two daughters and having decided to remain in Kenya,
Deacon retired from the regular army. He joined the Kenya Regiment which was transforming to
territorial status, served seven years and was appointed Second in Command. He joined the East
African Power and Lighting Company in Nairobi then one of the region's largest employers and
played a significant part in the company's development, establishing a training school, and
overseeing the Kenyanization programme as Kenya moved toward independence.
On leaving Power and Lighting in 1974, Deacon became a consultant with the personnel
recruitment and training consultancy established by another Irishman, S G Hawkins. He was one of
the founders of the Federation of Kenya Employers. In the early 1960s he and the national trade
union organisation, the Kenya Federation of Labour, were in opposite camps, but greatly respected
each other. Mboya invited Deacon to lecture on man management at the Federation of Labour's
headquarters With Kenya's independence came many remunerated and voluntary appointments. He
served six years on the Industrial Court, was a governor of the Kenya Polytechnic, Chairman of
Coates (EA) and a board member of Securicor (Kenya).
Deacon was Chairman and Commandant of the Royal British Legion, setting up the 'Askari Appeal'
to assist the families of Kenyan soldiers who had served in the British army during and after the
Second World War.
25
In recognition for his work with the President's Award scheme he was awarded the Order of the
Burning Spear, (MBS) one of Kenya's leading civil decorations.
He retained his closeness to Ireland over all the years and had a fine singing voice, one of his
favourite songs being the 'Croppy Boy'. He was the Chairman of the Kenya Irish Society and in
2000 the society presented him with a lifetime achievement award.
Deacon was a board member of the Kenya Jockey Club and was also a race steward. His love of
sport endured over the years; with the his loss of sight in his early 80s, he listened to live sports TV
programmes, or reports read from the papers by friends and his dedicated helpers in the retirement
home where he and his wife moved in 2000.
Only weeks before his death he telephoned his son-in-law
to establish the name of the Irish number 9 who had been
selected to join the 2017 British and Irish Lions tour of
New Zealand.
Throughout his long life and varied career, Paddy Deacon
was seen by many as a fine example of that generation in
which courage, leadership, inspiration and integrity were
so much part of who they were.
Paddy Deacon's wife, Bar, died in Nairobi in October
2016 aged 101. His son, Michael, predeceased him in
1986. He is survived by his daughters Maureen Havelock
and Elizabeth Ball and eight grandchildren and ten great-
grandchildren.
[LEFT: LAYING UP THE COLOURS IN NAIROBI
CATHEDRAL – 21ST
MAY 1963 – L/R COL DA AND MAJ
PADDY DEACON]
*****
THE SOMALI CAMEL CORPS AND THEIR U-Boat
[Submitted by TomLawrence]
It wasn’t very
often that a whole
U-boat crew was
captured complete
with their vessel,
but one of those
units, who
through some
bizarre twists of
fate, earned
themselves that
honour, was the
‘Somaliland Camel Corps’ [ABOVE]- later ‘Somaliland Scouts’
26
The tale starts with the launching of a 1600 ton German submarine -the U-582, laid down in
Bremen and completed in June 1943. It was a long-range Type IXD2 with a surface speed of just
under 21 knots, and <seven knots when submerged. Her range, when submerged was 121 nautical
miles, and on the surface, she could travel 12,750 nautical miles and could dive to 200 meters. She
had six torpedo tubes (four bow and two stern) and carried 24 torpedoes. In terms of armament, she
had one 10.5 cm (4.13”) SK C/32 naval gun with 150 rounds, a 3.7 cm (1.5”) gun with 2,575 rounds
as well as two C/30 anti-aircraft guns (·8”)with 8,100 rounds. The boat had a complement of fifty-
five.
Perhaps of greater interest, it was equipped with a
small, manned Focke-Achgelis Fa 330 Bachstelze
gyro-glider [LEFT], arguably, the precursor to
today’s drone? In the U-boat’s quest for targets, it
was towed behind the surfaced submarine, thus
allowed the pilot a greater field of vision from a
higher altitude. Apparently, only one casualty is
attributed to the use of the gyro-glider, when U-
177 sank the Greek merchant ship on 6th
August
1943.
The U-852 was commanded throughout her brief
service life by Kapitänleutnant Heinz-Wilhelm
Eck, born in Hamburg, he joined the navy in
1934. On the 1st Dec 1942, he attained the rank of
Kapitänleutnant, and assumed his first command [U-852] on 15th
June 1943 prior to her sea trials.
She was dispatched on her first war patrol on 18th
Jan 1944, her mission - to disrupt Allied
communications in the Indian Ocean. As this involved a high level of secrecy her captain was
instructed to avoid conflict on her passage.
pperhaps it was the young captain’s enthusiasm to impress The Reich, but less than two months
later he made a serious tactical error. On 13th
March 1944, he encountered a lone Greek steamer
about 500 miles north of Ascension Island. It was the S.S. PELEUS [BELOW] en route to Buenos
Aires from Freetown, captained by Minas Mavris. During the course of the day the U-852 stalked
her, and then at nightfall fired two torpedoes at close range. The first torpedo hit S.S. PELEUS in
the No.2 Hold, and the second just aft in the No.3 Hold; breaking up she disappeared below the
surface in three minutes, but leaving a large, clearly visible, field of debris and flotsam which would
have indicated to
aircraft and shipping
patrolling the area,
the presence of a
submarine.
The U-852 surfaced
and Eck took two
men aboard 3rd
Offr,
Agis Kefalas and
Seaman Pierre
Neuman, for
interrogation; having
established details of
the ship, they were
returned to their raft.
Eck tried to disperse/destroy the flotsam with hand grenades and automatic weapons, and ordered
27
his junior officers to fire into the wreckage. It is not clear how many of the crew of 35 survived the
sinking of S.S. PELEUS, but after Eck’s onslaught of grenades and gunfire, there were only four
survivors, one being Kefalas. Of the crew, eighteen were Greek, eight were British, three Chinese
and two Egyptians.
After 35 days adrift, during which the unfortunate Kefalas died from a gunshot wound sustained to
his arm, the three survivors were picked up by the Portuguese steam merchant, the ALEXANDRE
SILVA on 20th
April 1944 and taken to Lobito, Angola..
Quite what was in Eck’s mind one could surmise that he had been so keen to prove himself, or
perhaps was egged on by his crew, and then suddenly realised his mistake and desperately tried to
cover things up. Whether the floating debris was found is not known, but the submarine was able to
avoid detection, and continued south.
On 1st April 1944, U-
852 encountered the
British merchant ship
SS DAHOMIAN
[LEFT] on a voyage
from New York via
Trinidad to Cape Town,
carrying 5000 tons of
general cargo,
seventeen aircraft and
mail. She was
torpedoed, and sank ten
miles WSW of Cape
Point, South Africa. Of the crew of 51, only two died, firemen and trimmers John Byrne and Tom
Niminah. This time the U-Boat did remain in the area and the survivors were rescued by two South
African Navy minesweepers - HMSAS KRUGERSDORP and HMSAS NATALIA. This was the
first sinking of an allied ship in South African waters since August 1943.
Eck lingered around Cape Town and then decided to head north. With the entry of the U-852 into
the Indian Ocean there was a dramatic increase in air surveillance, for the submarine’s movements
were being monitored by British HF/DF radio interceptions from locations like Mombasa, Diego
Garcia, Addu Atoll and the Seychelles. On 30th
April 1944 a long message from U-852 was
intercepted, and now that its approximate position had been pinpointed, planes were sent out to
search for the submarine. These searches were normally long and fruitless.
Early on the morning of 2nd
May, on receiving a ‘fix’ on the submarine’s whereaboutscoff the
Somaliland coast, six planes of 621 Squadron were scrambled from pretty much every airstrip from
Aden, down past Cape Guardafui.
At 04h00h the first aircraft airborne was a Wellington (E 621) based at Bandar Qasim on the
northern Somaliland coast. It was proving to be another uneventful flight, and the skipper, Roy
Mitchell nipped off to relieve himself at 06h20, and his second officer, Harvey Riddell took the
helm, and Stevie Stevenson sat in the second pilot’s seat. They had been forced down to about
3000ft due to cloud, and suddenly, there in front of them was a submarine surfacing. They swung
hard to port, and Pat Cunningham briefed Blackie, the wireless operator in the alarm messages and
calculated their position. By now Roy was back in the helm, Stevie Stevenson was in his front
turret. They took the submarine head on, with Stevie raking the surface with gunfire. On the second
run, their depth charges were ready, but the submarine was beginning to dive. The plane jolted as
the weight of the depth charges were released falling astride the periscope -it was, in the words of
28
one of the crew, “…just like training”. On turning after the run, there was an oil slick, and the sub
started to re-surface.
Apparently, the submarine was beginning to flood; much more seriously, some of the batteries had
cracked, leaking acid and emitting deadly chlorine gas. Realising U-528 was doomed Eck had little
choice but to surface again.
The Germans were very quick off the mark, manning their guns and returning fire. After a couple of
runs, Roy
Mitchell gave
the
submarine a
wide berth,
for-it was
clear it was
not going to
dive again,
and so there
was no point
in
endangering
his aircraft
and crew.
They radioed
Aden to
confirm the
situation and
waited for
more aircraft to arrive.
As each plane arrived their depth charges were dropped, but Eck was very adept at avoiding them
and also gave a good deal of return fire. Several hours later, and still under attack, the U-boat
grounded [LEFT] near the Somaliland coast. All the 59 surviving crew waded ashore, to be captured
by a Royal Navy landing party and the Somaliland Camel Corps.
Eck, unsuccessfully, attempted to blow up the boat, but he did, however, manage to destroy his
Enigma and the cipher codes, but not his ‘War Diary’, which detailed his attempted destruction of
the remains of the S.S. PELEUS. Later, the Royal Navy also attempted to blow up the U-852 but
also failed. With time it blew up anyway, removing both bow and stern. It came to rest just south of
Ras Hafun and north of Bandar Beyla, Somalia, in position 09.34'36.01N, 50.48'11.55E.
The Wellingtons had dropped a total of 47 depth charges and used 7,000 rounds of ammunition,
which says much for Eck command and seamanship. For this action, Flying Officer Roy Mitchell
was awarded the DFC, and the front-gunner, Sergeant Stevie Stevenson the DFM. The awards were
presented in Aden by Air Chief Marshall McNamara VC, Commander of British Forces in Aden.
To date no historical records are available to indicate the fate of the crew held by the Somaliland
Camel Corps and local militia. Their involvement is not mentioned in the common texts relating to
units in Somaliland. By 19th
May 1944, 34 of the crew from the U-852 had reached Cairo via Aden
Based on this article and statements by the three S.S. PELEUS survivors, Eck, the submarine’s
doctor Hoffman, Weisspfennig, Lenz and Schwender were all charged with murder in June 1944, a
little over a month after being captured.
29
Only after the war was over, were the five tried. The trial started on 14th
Oct 1945 and lasted for
four days. Eck argued that he was not out to kill the survivors, but more to disperse the wreckage.
There were attempts to get
him to state that he was
following Admiral
Doenitz’s ‘Laconia Order’
– ‘not to collect survivors
from sunken ships’, were
unsuccessful. Had he
admitted to ‘following
orders’, he would not have
been executed. However,
he steadfastly stood his
ground, not shirking the
responsibility.
[ABOVE: THE FIVE
DEFENDANTS IN THE
PELEUS TRIAL.
LEFT/RIGHT: HEINZ-
WILHELM ECK, AUGUST
HOFFMANN, WALTER
WEISSPFENNIG, HANS LENZ, WOLFGANG SCHWENDER.]
Eck was executed with two others - the submarine’s doctor, Dr. Weisspfennig who was condemned
because as a non-combatant under the Geneva Convention, he was prohibited from firing weapons
even in action, and August Hoffmann U-825’s 1st Officer. Eck and Hoffman were found guilty
because as the boat's senior officers, responsibility for the actions of their crew, as well their own,
fell directly on their shoulders. All three were executed by firing squad at Lüneberg Heath on 30th
Nov 1945.
With regard to the other two on trial, Engineer Wolfgang Schwender was sentenced to seven years
imprisonment - his lighter penalty was because he was under direct orders. The fifth crew member,
Hans Lenz, the submarine’s engineering officer, provided his captors with a signed confession.
This, when combined with the testimony of the PELEUS survivors and the log of U-852, which Eck
failed to destroy, provided conclusive testimony. Hans Lenz was sentenced to life imprisonment.
There was an argument that this was a case of ‘Victor’s Justice’ and they were in fact scapegoats.
There were several incidents of this nature on the Allied side that were never brought to justice.
Needless to say it remains contentious.
REFERENCES.
1. Bowman, Martin W. The Wellington Bomber
2. Cunningham, Pat. Fighter! Fighter! Corkscrew Port.
3. Geerken, Horst H: Hitler’s Asian Adventure.
4. Paterson, Lawrence. Hitler’s Grey Wolves: U-Boats in the Indian Ocean.
5. Savas, Theodore P. Silent Hunters: German U-boat Commanders of World War II.
CREW OF WELLINGTON [E 621] WHO DISABLED U-852
Flying Officer Roy H. Mitchell. Pilot. Awarded the DFC.
Sergeant W.R. Stevenson. Wireless Operator, Air Gunner and ASV. Awarded the DFM.
He manned the machine guns in the front turret.
30
Warrant Officer Harvey Riddell (RCAF). 2nd
Pilot
Flight Sergeant Oliver Gommersal (‘Ollie’). Navigator.
Flight Sergeant A.R. (Sandy) Philip. Wireless operator and Air Gunner (rear Turret).
Pat Cunningham formed part of the crew though his role and rank are unclear. Assume relieving
crew member Flight Sergeant J. (‘Ted’) Turner.
[In Cunningham’s opinion, Flt Sgt Phillip should also have been award the DFM, as it was he who
kept the Germans heads down as they pulled away. If it had not have been for him they would
almost certainly have been blown out of the sky.]
CASUALTIES ON U-852 - 7.
GEORG COLDITZ, Oberleutnant. Died on the bridge in the first attack
JOSEF HOFER, Matrosenobergefreiter. Died on the bridge in the first attack.
Five crew members – unnamed.
CASUALTIES ON THE S.S. PELEUS
ABON RIHAB IBRAHIM. Fireman
AMIN HALLIL. Fireman
ARGYROS, DIMITRIOS. Able Seaman
BAMBACOUSSIS, EMMANUEL. Sailor
BANJO, GASPER (25 yrs.). Fireman. British Merchant Navy. Memorial plaque - THML.
BIRTLES, JOHN HAROLD Radio Officer.(45 year-old) British Merchant Navy. Memorial
plaque – THML. Husband of Edyth Birtles, of West Hampstead, London.
BONNER, LEONARD Able Seaman (DEMS gunner)
CHAN AH LEE Fireman
CHAN FOO CHANG Fireman
COO SANG GO Fireman
COSMIDIS, KOSMAS Mess Room Boy
DECAVALLA, JOHN Second Engineer Officer
FIKARIS, EMMANUEL Sailor
GAVALLAS, ATHANASSIOS Third Engineer Officer
GEROGIANNIS, STAVROS Chief Engineer Officer
HAVIARAS, STAMATIOS Mess Room Boy
HINDLE, GEORGE EDWIN (31) Leading Seaman (DEMS gunner)
HOWE, CHARLES GEORGE (35) Able Seaman (DEMS gunner)
JAHIA SALEH. Fireman
KALAVREZOS, EMMANUEL. Third Engineer Officer
KEFALAS, AGIS. Third Officer. He was taken aboard the U-852 with Neuman
and interrogated by Eck so he could establish what ship he had sunk. They were then returned to
their raft. Both Kefalas and Neuman survived the destruction of the rafts, although, who Kefalas
sustained a gun-shot wound to the arm, died whilst they were adrift at sea for 35 days.
KOSTANTINIDIS, DIMITRIOS. Sailor
LEONDARAS, PANAGIOTIS. Carpenter on the S.S. PELEUS.
LEONTARAS, VASSILIOS. Second Officer
LIOSSIS, ANTONIOS. Chief Officer
MACLEOD, PETER (21). Sailor. British merchant Navy. Memorial plaque THML.
MAMAS, DIMITRIOS (45 yrs). Boatswain (Bosun). British merchant Navy. His memorial is
at THML.
MAVRIS, MINAS. Master of the S.S. PELEUS.
MCCONNACH, JAMES (18 yrs). Sailor -British Merchant Navy, and on the THML.
31
MILLER, GEORGE LAIDLAW Able Seaman (DEMS gunner (20 yrs P/JX 335758). Royal
Navy (H.M.S. President III). His memorial is on the Portsmouth Naval Memorial. He was son of
George Frederick and Annie Connell Miller, of Whitley Bay, Northumberland.
NEUMAN, PIERRE. Sailor. Was taken aboard the U-852 and interrogated by Eck
to identify the ship they had sunk along with 3rd
Officer Agis Kefalas.
PAPADOPOULOS, GEORGE. Cook
PIKE, ALFRED (21 yrs.). Steward -British Merchant Navy, and on the THML. Son of
Alfred George and Edith May Pike, of Melyn, Glamorgan.
SAID, ROCCO. Greaser.
SOGIAS, STAVROS. Greaser.
STANIEWICZ, WINCENTY. Fireman.
SULLEY, EMMANUEL (31 yrs). Fireman -British Merchant Navy, and on the THML.
TOLEDO, JUAN. Galley Boy.
TSINGOS, LOUCAS. Donkeyman
Abbreviation: THML – Tower Hill Monument, London.
*****
JOACHIM ULRICH WILHELM KROLL (ASSOCIATE MEMBER)
[29/11/1924-05/09/2017]
[daughter Anne]
Dad was born on the 29 November 1924 in Breslau Germany; his parents were Phillip Wilhelm
Ulrich and Anna Kroll.
Dad’s mother died of a brain tumour when he was one year old and his father remarried Lizzie
before relocating to Kenya in about 1928.
Lizzie and Ulli, as his father was better known, had two sons, Ulrich (Max) and Gerhard. They
lived in Kitale where Ulli was running a farm.
Dad (Achim) first attended school in Kitale and completed his secondary education at the Prince of
Wales School, Nairobi. He was a bright scholar and won many class prizes, mainly in Latin! He
was not a sportsman.
When he was about fifteen, Dad lived with a family by the name of Ganz, who, I believe also lived
in Kitale. Having been advised that killing and eating animals was not the done thing, it was then
that he became a vegetarian for the rest of his life.
Dad studied accountancy. It was in a Kisumu hospital, where his
teen-age half-brother Gerhard was recovering from a broken his leg
that my Dad met my mother Jean, a nurse in the hospital.
He and my mother [LEFT] were married on the 1st September 1950
in Hecthorpe, Borough of Doncaster, my mother’s home town. The
fact my mother was marrying a German, did not impress her father,
so Dad became a naturalized Englishman on the 1st February 1952.
My parents resided in the UK whilst my father qualified as a
chartered accountant and then returned to Kenya.
32
On 7th November 1953, my older brother Christopher Wilhelm Kroll was born; followed on 30th
June 1957 by Anne Elisabeth Kroll, author of this article.
Dad continued to work for Alexander McLellan and Trundell for many years and later the company
amalgamated with Price Waterhouse where he was a partner.
They relocated to South Africa in 1983 as mum was ill. They moved to Pietermaritzberg as dads’
brother Max lived there and mum was able to have dialysis in Durban.
Dad got a part time job doing accounts for a Church Society.
Jean died on August 4th 1985 from renal failure.
Christopher was a manic depressive and very tragically took his own life on March 4th 1996. He
was divorced and just couldn’t face life.
Dad then moved to Hilton where he lived until 2005. He developed a tumour on his right foot which
after radiotherapy, chemotherapy and other treatment he had to have amputated below the knee. Ass
regular visits to Pietermaritzberg were not possible, he chose to move to a retirement village in
Johannesburg so that my husband Derick and I could keep an eye on him; he lived there until his
death on 5th
September 2017. He was suffering from heart failure and a tumour developed on his
left leg; and basically at 92 his body had had enough.
He was a wonderfully kind, quiet, hard working man. His involvement with the German School in
Kenya resulted in his being awarded the Officers’ Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal
Republic of Germany.
We were very involved in the Horse world in Kenya and he enjoyed hunting on Sundays wherever
the meeting took place. Thankfully they were drag hunts so no animals met a sticky end.
*****
SKIRMISHES ON THE BORDER
East Africans Fighting the Italians, 1940
[Major Harry Fecitt, MBE KAR]
Kenya in June 1940
When Italy declared war on Britain on 10th
June 1940 the Northern Frontier District and the
northern coast of Kenya were threatened by enemy troops from Abyssinia and Somalia. 2nd (East
Africa) Infantry Brigade under Brigadier C.C. Fowkes was responsible for the defence of the inland
sector of Kenya and the KAR battalions in the Brigade were 1 KAR (Nyasaland), 5 KAR (Kenya)
and 1st/6th KAR (Tanganyika). The British defence plan was loosely based on “Resist invasion but
do not get yourself wiped out” and the battalions were soon in action.
On the 10th
June ‘B’ Company 1 KAR (Captain R.D. Blackie, Sherwood Foresters) was located at
Moyale, and Blackie immediately sent reconnaissance patrols across the border to identify enemy
positions. The Italians responded with mortar fire and on the 12th
June enemy planes bombed the
British fort, wounding Private George – the first British casualty in the theatre.
33
From Wajir on 13th
June a company of 5 KAR under Captain R.A.F. Hurt (Royal Welch Fusiliers)
raided the Italian post at Dif to the south-east; three Italian Banda irregular troops were wounded
and captured but enemy planes responded by bombing Wajir, killing four Askari of ‘C’ Company 5
KAR, wounding eighten others and setting the fuel dump alight.
Attacking El Wak, 18th
June
Brigadier Fowkes ordered an attack on the Italian positions at El Wak and this operation went ahead
on 18th
June under Major J.F. Macnab (Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders); Macnab’s force
consisted of ‘D’ Company 1 KAR, (Captain J.D.N.C. Henderson, Royal Scots Fusiliers), ‘A’
Company 5 KAR, a section of medium mortars, a detachment of Engineers and a troop of the East
African Reconnaissance Squadron (EARS).
The operation was, however, beset with problems due to inexperience in moving through unknown
bush at night; Macnab took so long to move to the objective that a British reconnaissance aircraft
that was scheduled to arrive an hour after the attack in fact arrived before it, causing the enemy
irregulars to scatter. The British attacked an empty enemy camp and set fire to it after seizing the
Italian flag that was flying; meanwhile the British plane received an enemy bullet in its radiator and
landed nearby where it had to be abandoned and destroyed. Macnab and his exhausted men
withdrew to a firm base that was held by Henderson and called up their transport.
However, Italian colonial troops
began arriving on the scene and
the British had to beat a very
hasty retreat. British military
honour was saved by No. 11787
L/Cpl Asamu, ‘D’ Coy 1 KAR,
who later received a Military
Medal with the citation: On the
18th
June 1940 during the raid on
El Wak, L/Cpl Asamu, ‘D’ Coy 1st
Bn KAR, showed conspicuous
coolness, when under enemy fire
he continued to feed and supply
his Bren gun at the cross roads.
He remained in action until all
his men were able to reach safety
owing to his covering fire, and
then he carried his gun to a reconnaissance truck. The example that he set was an inspiration to
his section. [ABOVE: ASKARIS WITH ITALIAN FLAG FOLLOWING CAPTURE OF EL EWAK]
The withdrawal from Moyale, 14th
July
From 1st July, the Italians started hostilities against the British fort at Moyale, which was garrisoned
by ‘A’ Company 1 KAR (Captain F.C. Drummond, Leicestershire Regiment). Heavy shelling was
followed by an infantry attack that was successfully resisted, and reinforcements under Macnab
were sent to Moyale from Buna; the reinforcing troops included a section of 22 Mountain Battery,
Indian Army. The shelling continued and on 9th
July Henderson’s ‘D’ Company moved into the
fort to relieve Drummond’s ‘A’ Company; Lieutenant Sarel Eloff Du Toit of ‘A’ Company stayed
on in the fort to acquaint Henderson and his men with the surrounding ground.
On the following day the enemy artillery caused casualties and No. 11591 Askari Willie, 1 KAR,
displayed conspicuous bravery in action for which he was awarded the Military Medal: During the
34
bombardment of MOYALE on the 10th
July 1940, the section post in which the Askari was serving
received a direct hit from a shell. The section commander with two other soldiers were killed and
four other soldiers wounded, and the remainder of the section suffered from considerable shock.
But Askari WILLIE took charge of the post, reorganised the defence, and got a light automatic into
action again. His example and presence of mind in collecting the survivors and detailing them to
the defences was responsible for the successful defence of this post. Through the remainder of the
siege he set an exemplary example of fortitude and leadership.
A further casualty caused by enemy fire that day was Captain Frederick Cecil Drummond who was
mortally wounded in the head as he took his ‘A’ Company back up the escarpment to the south
where the British water source was being secured. More British troops were sent to Moyale as
reinforcements but on 13th
July the decision was made to evacuate Moyale Fort; supporting troops
manoeuvred but the message ordering Henderson to withdraw never reached him.
During the following day communication was re-established and that night, after destroying all
stores and removing boots, the defenders silently moved between Italian positions and withdrew.
Sarel Du Toit led the move and for his conspicuous leadership he received the Military Cross:
Lieutenant DU TOIT was in Moyale from the 24th
June until the withdrawal on the 14th
July 1940.
During the whole of this time he was most determined and enterprising on patrol and conspicuous
in his efforts to encourage the African troops in their defence of the post. When on the 9th
July his
company was relieved in Moyale he volunteered to remain in the fort to give the in-coming
commander the benefit of his knowledge gained by his frequent patrols and, when the withdrawal
took place on the 14th
July, it was he who led the garrison of some 300 men through the enemy lines
to our troops.
Three badly wounded Askari were left in the fort but one of them later managed to get out and was
picked up by an EARS vehicle. The British commander in the fort, John David Neil Henderson,
also received the Military Cross: For conspicuous leadership and devotion to duty. He was in
command of the garrison at MOYALE from the 10th
July until the 14th
July 1940. During that
period the garrison was completely surrounded and subjected to continuous bombardment from
both the air and from the ground and several attacks were made on the position. Captain
HENDERSON remained master of the situation and encouraged those under his command, both
European and African to continue the defence although completely isolated. When on the 13th
July
efforts to relieve the Garrison had failed, and arrangements for their withdrawal had miscarried
Captain Henderson did not lose heart and on the night of the 14th
/15th
July withdrew the garrison
through the enemy lines and re-joined our own troops five miles from the fort.
Meanwhile No. RB 10134 Lance Corporal Colin Adrian Alexander Manning of the EARS had been
in action, earning a Military Medal: Lance Corporal Manning was ambushed while on patrol in the
leading car on 14th
July 1940. The car came under fire from two machine guns and from rifles at
about 100 yards range. Lance Corporal Manning immediately got his Bren Gun into action at the
side of the road and returned the fire. Then, leaving his gun to be fired by his No. 2 he returned to
the car, turned it round on the road, and as the country was too rocky to move the car off, collected
the car crew and brought the car back. He was under machine gun and rifle fire at short range
during the whole of this time. The car was not armoured in any way.
Turkana operations
West of Lake Turkana the Italians armed Merille tribesmen and encouraged them to raid into
British territory, supporting the Merille with both Banda irregulars and regular Colonial troops. In
early July both 1st/6
th KAR and 2
nd/4
th KAR (Uganda) were in action along with Abyssinian
Irregulars who had been recruited from the refugee camps at Taveta, Kenya. The Italian post at
Namaraputh was captured on 13th
July but the garrison escaped and ambushed the two platoons of
‘D’ Company 2nd
/4th
KAR that were involved. Whilst the Ugandans extricated themselves and the
35
Abyssinian Irregulars crossed into their homeland to raid Italians, 1st/6
th KAR attacked enemy
troops in British Namaraputh.
The ferocity of the action and its outcome can be assessed from the citation for a Distinguished
Conduct Medal that was awarded to No. 5567817 Warrant Officer Class II (Company Sergeant
Major) Percy Jones, Wiltshire Regiment attached to 1st/6th
KAR: CSM P. Jones took command of
the left hand forward platoon to assist in the co-ordination of that platoon with the movement of the
centre platoon in the attack on BRITISH NAMARAPUTH, on the 14th
July 1940, when within 300
yards of the enemy the left flank platoon came under very heavy fire from the enemy. CSM Jones
moved forward with the two light automatic sections of this platoon to within about 250 yards of the
enemy, bringing controlled and well-aimed fire to bear on the enemy position. He himself then
proceeded to bomb the enemy position with rifle grenades. On finding his bombs falling short of
the target, he moved forward with one light automatic section to within about 150 yards and fired
more rifle grenades with great accuracy, causing heavy casualties amongst the enemy. In order to
bring his fire to bear on an enemy position further to the right front, he advanced yet again and
continued bombing. He then tried to lead his platoon into the assault, but was held up by heavy fire
and was himself wounded. Unable to stand and finding his position to be under enemy fire from
both flanks he crawled back to his Lewis Gun sections and carefully organised the light automatic
fire, sending an accurate description of enemy movements by runner to Headquarters. He
continued to control and co-ordinate the movements of the left flank until evacuated to RAF. By his
determination, personal example and leadership, he proved to be an inspiring example to the men,
and was directly responsible for the outstanding success of the operation.
In early October the remainder of 2nd
/4th
KAR arrived in northern Turkana under the command of
Lieutenant Colonel V.K.H. Channer (Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry), but the Italians were to
deliver a serious counter-punch to the operational activities of the battalion. On 27th
November a
Turkana scout came into the Loruth post that was manned by No. 9 Platoon of ‘B’ Company, 2nd
/4th
KAR. The scout reported to the post commander, 2nd
Lieutenant J.C.G. Littlehales [KR344], that
Merille tribesmen were attacking a routine patrol that had been sent out to the Lomogol River.
Littlehales ordered his British sergeant to remain in the post with one section whilst the other two
sections, each armed with a Lewis Gun, deployed in two trucks.
On reaching the scene of the action Littlehales was led into an ambush by the sight of Merille
supposedly fleeing from him. The British Askari jumped from their transport and fought on foot
but they were swiftly outnumbered and surrounded in the bush where the 25 soldiers, two truck
drivers and five Turkana scouts were all killed. Littlehales, having been wounded and being the
sole British survivor, was about to be killed when an Italian officer appeared and took him prisoner.
Until he was later discovered in a prisoner of war camp in liberated Italian East Africa it was
thought that Littlehales was dead. John Crisp Gascoyne Littlehales was awarded the Military Cross
with the citation: For conspicuous gallantry in action. At the Lomogol River on 27th
November
1940, 2nd
Lieutenant Littlehales, although wounded twice and unable to walk, was surrounded and
outnumbered by 6 to 1. He fought his patrol until all his men were killed or so seriously wounded
they could use their weapons no longer. He was finally taken prisoner.
Conclusion
The latter half of 1940 was a challenging time for the KAR and East African Forces that held the
line along the borders with Italian-controlled territory. Fortunately the Italians displayed only
limited aggression and initiative, and by the end of 1940 the threat of invasion had receded due to
the arrival of substantial British reinforcements from South and West Africa.
36
Frederick Cecil Drummond is buried in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission War
Cemetery on Ngong Road, Nairobi, and the dead Askari are commemorated on the East Africa
Memorial that is located inside that cemetery.
SOURCES: (the most economical publications are shown)
Carnelly, Mervyn Dalrymple. The History of the Kenya Armoured Car Regiment during the
Abyssinian Campaign 1939-1941. (Private publication).
Dower, Kenneth Gandar. Abyssinian Patchwork. An Anthology. (Frederick Muller Ltd,
London 1949).
Draffan W.D. and Lewin T.C.C. A War Journal of the Fifth (Kenya) Battalion The King’s
African Rifles. (Naval & Military Press reprint).
East Africa Command (producer). The Infantry of the East Africa Command 1890-1944. (East
African Standard Ltd, Nairobi 1944).
Moyse-Bartlett, Lieutenant Colonel H. The King’s African Rifles. (Naval & Military Press
reprint).
Playfair, Major-General I.S.O. History of the Second World War. The Mediterranean and
Middle East. Volume I. The Early Successes against Italy (to May 1941). (Naval & Military
Press reprint).
Rosenthal, Eric. The Fall of Italian East Africa. (Hutchison & Co, London 1942).
Shores, Christopher. Dust Clouds in the Middle East. The Air War for East Africa, Iraq, Syria,
Iran and Madagascar, 1940-42. (Grub Street, London 1996).
Sutherland, Jon and Canwell, Diane. Air War East Africa 1940-1941. (Pen & Sword Aviation
2009).
The National Archives. Citations under WO 373.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission on-line records.
*****
TSAVO - NOVEMBER 1958
[Bill Jackson KR3817]
James Bond was licensed to kill, but we have no knowledge of the form of examination he
undertook before being designated 007. Presumably he had to pass several written papers, and then
performed practical tasks to demonstrate his skill in eliminating the opposition. Having cleared
these hurdles there would have been a successful Viva with M, followed by the presentation of
licence no. 007.
To become a licensed surveyor in colonial Kenya there were similar tests, although you were not
expected to kill anyone in the course of obtaining your licence. Having passed a dozen or so written
papers, I was now ready for the Big One, the Trial Survey. The Director of Surveys was of the
opinion that anyone could plod through the written papers, but the real test of a surveyor’s ability
was the Trial Survey.
The Survey Ordinance requirement for the Trial Survey reads:
‘Field determination of local time, latitude, longitude, and azimuth; measurement of a base and its
extension by triangulation to cover a rural area, the subject of further survey;
‘Survey of a natural boundary and the re-establishment of a lost beacon; the natural boundary may
be required to be determined from air photographs supplied; and
37
‘Survey of a small township area with buildings thereon, which may include the restoration of an
old survey.’
Opening the packet containing my instructions for the Trial Survey, I saw that the test area was
Tsavo, where the Mombasa-Nairobi railway crossed the Tsavo River. Sixty years earlier the
construction of the railway was halted for three weeks until Lt. Col. J.H. Patterson had shot the
lions which had been dining on the work force.
James Bond drew his stores from ‘Q’, a rather tetchy character, but giving the impression of
efficiency and a limitless budget. Survey of Kenya operated on a more frugal scale, with a
storeman who considered it his duty to keep all the best equipment on the shelf.
After much haggling, I signed for a Wild T2 theodolite, a chronometer, 700ft steel tape, calculating
machine, book of trig functions, Star Almanac, and stop watch. A short wave radio is necessary for
the reception of time signals, but was not provided, the assumption being that everyone owned a set
and therefore it could be used for work as well as entertainment on safari.
Travelling by road from Nairobi I reached Tsavo around five o’clock in the afternoon, giving about
an hour and a half before sundown, and the chance to pick a camp site about a hundred yards from
the river. The descendants of Patterson’s lions were no longer around, their place being taken by
quietly moving elephants coming to the river for an evening drink.
Tents erected, chop box opened, Primus stove lit, table d’hote tonight Knorr Swiss Green Pea soup,
the one with ham flavour, depending on the taste of local water. Fastened the tapes across the tent
flaps, leaving the gauze covered panels open to admit air, and slid into bed at 9 p.m. Well made
tent, big enough for a six footer to stand upright in the centre without touching the ridge pole.
The semi-circular part at the end of the tent is called the bathroom – the term ‘en suite’ had not been
invented then. I usually slept well on safari, but in the small hours I sensed movement near the tent
and saw a number of dark shapes plodding quietly to the river; best to stay inside and ask questions
in the morning.
Six fifteen a.m. animated chatter from the porters, who were up and about, cleaning their teeth with
sticks, brewing chai, and packing up their tents. The evidence was lying around – spheroidal
dollops of elephant dung from the night visitors.
Even though it was early morning, I had a visitor. An Asian fundi arrived at my tent and introduced
himself as the foreman at the water pumping station. ‘Sahib, do not stay in tent, you stay in hut,
much better’. A small wooden hut, but with running water, luxury!
The following day the first task was to start recording the chronometer rate by checking against
radio time signals. My radio was a Bush, with the short wave bands listed as 19, 25, and 31 metre
bands. Very unimaginative compared with the old medium and long wave wireless sets at home,
with dials reading Luxembourg, Hilversum, Kalundborg, Beromunster, Sottens.. Turning the dial
to catch the strains of Lilliburlero and the Greenwich time signal I skipped the music from
Brazzaville and Lourenço Marques, and then found the BBC. Caught the six pips, started the stop
watch, and noted the chronometer time.
Astro observations demand concentration, the patience of Job, and the dexterity of a juggler. You
are on your own as far as the observing and booking are concerned. You need a camp table for the
chronometer and a hissing Tilley lamp to see the pages of the field book. Hundreds of flying bugs
38
and stink beetles become attracted to the light. Buzzing, flitting, and being cremated, while singed
bodies of the walking wounded fall in heaps around the lamp.
The observing sequence is to set up the theodolite ensuring instrument bubbles centred and cross-
hairs properly illuminated. Correctly identify the star, wait until it appears to hit the cross-hairs,
start the stop watch, walk to the table, wait for chronometer to click round to an even second, press
the stop watch. Brush away corpses of insects from field book, record vertical angle of star. Note
temperature and pressure to correct for refraction. Repeat for a couple of hours until reasonably
satisfied the programme has been completed.
Surveying in an uninhabited part of the country has its advantages because signals erected over
survey stations were not destroyed by inquisitive tribesmen. What I had not bargained for was
destruction by animals.
During the course
of observations I
had just bisected a
sisal pole signal
with the theodolite
when the pole
tilted sideways as
it was pushed over
by an elephant.
[LEFT]; picked
up, well chewd
and then spat out,
effectively ruining
the day’s
observations.
Despite the
presence of many
elephants they
were content to
keep out of our
way, and did not
seem upset when the sisal poles were replaced by less tasty structures.
Six weeks of fieldwork, 50 pages of field notes, 40 pages of computations. No unacceptable dissent
from the porters, just a few grumbles at the end of a long hot day, and a question from one of the
porters whose job was to carry cement. ‘Bwana, why do I get so little money for carrying heavy
loads, while you get a lot of money for looking through a darubini and writing numbers in a book?’
I thought about it, handed him the fieldbook and pencil, and picked up his load. ‘OK, let’s swap
jobs.’ The rest of the porters had hysterics, rolling their eyes in delight, urging their colleague to be
a ‘soraveya’, while I made a hopeless mess with the cement mixture.
They sang most of the way back to Nairobi, and would soon be telling improbable tales to other
porters at Field Headquarters.
In crime stories it is usual for the detective to ask the suspect ‘Where were you on the night of...?’ I
can say that on 8 November 1958, I was pretty close to:
Latitude 03º 00' 27" South Longitude 38º 28' 23" East
39
The examiners of the Trial Survey agreed with my findings, and although I had shot a few stars, I
did not merit a double 0 Prefix. I became Licensed Surveyor No.: 89.
*****
MAJOR GENERAL CHRIS CALLOW CB OBE MB CHB MSC FFPH
[Ed: This brief synopsis of an Old Yorkist’s distinguished military career is the second to appear in
SITREP. The first, that of General Sir Jeremy Mackenzie, was printed in SITREP L pp33-35]
Christopher Callow was born in Mombasa on 12th
July 1941, and attended the Nairobi Primary, St
George's, Nairobi and the Duke of York School, before leaving Kenya in1960 to study medicine at
Edinburgh University.
He joined the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) as a medical cadet in 1963, graduating in 1966.
After completing house appointments in Edinburgh he commenced full-time service in 1967.
Between then and 2000; he served in UK, the
then BAOR (he had three tours in Germany - in
Minden, Verden-Aller and latterly as
Commander Medical in Rheindahlen (1993-96)),
and in Belgium.
Queen's Honorary Physician (QHP) – 1995-
2000'
He set up a new, tri-service medical training
agency in 1997 (the Defence Medical Training
Organisation), and his last appointment was
Chief Executive of the then Defence Secondary
Care Agency responsible for hospital services for
the Armed Forces.
Retired to North Yorkshire in 2000. Chairs a
county committee of ABF The Soldiers' Charity;
is a trustee of an eye research charity - The
National Eye Research Centre and Chancellor of
the Service Children's University. Was Honorary
Colonel of North and West Yorkshire Army Cadet Force 2005 to 2011.
His interests include travel, golf (high handicap), wildlife and music
*****
TREFLET (TED) LOUIS PAYET [KR4005]
[Younger brother, Ken KR4505]
Sadly, I have to report the death of my brother Ted Payet, aged 84. He passed away in Pretoria on
6th
September 2017, as a result of a massive stroke.
40
Ted was on the first national service training course in Salisbury in 1952, after which he served as
an interpreter and tracker with the 1st Battalion The Lancashire Fusiliers.
Six months later, he returned to regimental duties and was first posted to ‘Support Company, and
then ‘O’ Company then commanded by Major Ray Nightingale [KR5713].
Ted was involved in the capture of ‘General’ Tanganyika.
A prominent member of the Kenya Regiment Rifle Club, Ted shot at Bisley, representing the Kenya
team in the Junior Kalapore, in which he was placed second.
STANDING: J.D. IRWIN, A. HANDFORD-RICE, DAVID STANLEY [KR4810], A. G. CADE, D. O. L.
DRUMMOND
SEATED: TED PAYET [KR4005], BRIAN HAWKINS [KR3926] (CAPT), P. M. WAND-TETLEY (ADJT)
[Ed: In the 7th
Edition of the KR Newsletter (December 1963), mention is made of Ted having won
The October Spoon and the Handicap Cup, shooting at Eldoret, having driven down from Uganda.
It was the first time any of the Club trophies have been won by a postal entry!
In the 10th
Edition (June 1960), mention is made of Ted winning the Holland Trophy.
In the 16th
Edition (June 1963) mention is made of younger brother Ken, winning the Elliot Shield
(Rapid Fire, 100, 200 and 300 yards), with a score of 178.]
In 1966, Ted and family moved to South Africa where he worked for Barlow’s Caterpillar Division
until retirement 2003. Thereafter, he freelanced until about 2007.
*****
41
THE BRASS 'B's - or THE CAPTAIN'S CABIN
[Christopher Y and Christopher A]
Have you ever had the urge to go to sea?
Have you ever felt the need to sail alone in uncharted waters? Has your soul ever yearned to escape
from the humdrum routine of office or farm? Of course it has! But what do you do? You have
another gin and then another, then some more, and your yearnings and urgings only find reality in a
spirituous dream. Time flies by, but not, alas, you, and before you know what has happened you are
back again at work.
But we two, full of the spirit of adventure, were determined to climb out of our rut, and grasp the
opportunities that East Africa offers to pioneer spirits. With a cry, we swatted the fly that was
buzzing drowsily against the office window, and donning our mackintosh and gumboots we sallied
forth to the buff-coloured stone palace that houses that great organisation for explorers, the
EAR&H.
There we met the charming Mrs. Woods who listened to our problems and in a flash, she said: "I
have the very thing, Package Tour No.3; to Kisumu by 8-Down, a trip around the Lake, and back on
the 7-Up." These were magic words, and we booked the whole boat, thinking that we would have
no difficulty in finding other kindred spirits among our friends to more than justify our action. But
alas! Either the spirit of adventure is now dead, or maybe because we forgot to ask anybody, on the
eve of departure we discovered ourselves alone on the brink like Burton and Speke.
Our discoveries began at Nairobi Station on the Tuesday evening, when a Railway Guide led us
through subterranean passages to Platform 2. There, with all the mystery of the Orient Express,
stood the steaming engine and stately carriages that were to pull us through the night, down 2,000
feet to the shores of the Great Victoria Nyanza. That night, having dined on chicken salami and
vintage wine, we slept the sleep of utter satisfaction, happy in the knowledge that we had broken the
bonds of quill-penned bureaucracy, and delighting in our new-found companion, John Voigt (the
last conscript serving in the modern Flying Corps, who had travelled from Aden to join our
expedition).
Next morning, we
awoke to all the
bustle and noise of
the half-sunken
Regional Capital,
Port Florence.
There, gazing over
the corrugated iron
roofs of the harbour
buildings, we saw
the funnel of our
ship, the battle-
scarred veteran of
two world wars,
S.S. USOGA [ABOVE], worthy memorial to that Age of Elegance which died in 1912 with the loss
of the Titanic.
Two hours later our train drew up at the pier and amid the frenzy of helpful porters, we were
carried, baggage and all, past the nouveau and utilitarian Victoria, up the steeply inclined gang
42
plank, to the refuge of the stateroom that was to be our home for the next five days, equipped with
brass binnacle-like bedside lights, gas-light fittings, two-speed fan (stop and go), one hanger, and
railway soap. Welcomed by the benign Mr. Fernandez, we were soon at home on the Quarter Deck
with foaming tankards of beer.
Sharp at 23½ minutes past eleven, one hr twelve minutes late,
the S.S. USOGA, with an immense sigh of steam from her
stern, eased her vast bulk into the Kavirondo Gulf. As if in
agony, Victoria from aft groaned a discordant farewell salute
on her siren, and we were irrevocably committed to the deep.
On the bridge, alone, stood our bearded Captain and Master
Mariner [RIGHT] with all the cares and responsibilities of this
great Leviathan resting on his balding head.
The dulcet tones of the dinner gong, known to all who have
travelled East of Suez with BI, P&0, and Union Castle,
summoned us to luncheon. Well knowing the traditions of
these Lines, we had another beer or three, and then descended
by the 1st Class companion-way to the Saloon just for- 'ard of
the galley. Here, we were greeted by one who was to become
the factotum of our journey, Mr. Fernandez. Not the Mr.
Fernandez who had welcomed us aboard but another Mr.
Fernandez, the father of eight, whereas, as we later discovered,
Mr. Fernandez the First was the proud father of twelve. To our
surprise and delight we were seated at the Captain's table, and
had the pleasure of meeting this dynamic nephew of Neptune.
The afternoon passed, as afternoons do, asleep on the poop with a novel by Somerset Maugham, a
drink, and a cigar, content in the memories of a day that was passing, and happy in thoughts of the
pleasures to come. In keeping with the best traditions and conventions of the old British Empire, we
awoke to find tea and rich fruit cake served on deck, which reminded us of the niceties of a
forgotten age. Forsaking the tea, we retired to our cabin, where we refreshed ourselves with a bottle
of that great Scottish export which was the inspiration and consolation of all those great Victorian
voyageurs, with whom we felt so much in sympathy.
After bathing in a relic of the Edwardian past, we
dressed ourselves in evening dress, invited our
friend John Voigt to our cabin for a pre-prandial
drink, and then descended once again to the Saloon,
where Captain Derek Henderson, immaculate in
boating jacket and white stiff collar, reminiscent of
Black Ascot, regaled us with the history of
Steamship USOGA, and her elderly sister the S.S.
LIEMBA. Our own noble vessel began her sea-
going career in an undignified fashion, in bits, on
the backs of the K.U.R. Goods bogeys, transported
from the coast. Her engines were first fired by
locally-made charcoal, before modern progress
converted her to oil.
43
We learned that she was named the S.S. BUSOGA, but due to an error of the old postal system, the
two 'B's' for the bows and the one for the stern were mislaid en route, with the result that she is now
named USOGA - hence the Title.
Each day brought new ports, and many surprises. The first was Port Bell, where John Voigt
departed, to be replaced by two old friends of the Kenya Regiment, Dave Chester [KR7093] and
Mike Fielder [KR7195]. From here, we steamed on round the Lake, ignoring innundated Entebbe,
which even our Captain admitted he could no longer plot, and thence to Bukoba, where we went
ashore, bought some fishing tackle, visited the Lake Hotel, run by Von Loendorf, purchased limes
in the great market, and discovered the grave of Capt. Farnell, of the S.S. WINIFRED. We then
waded back through two feet of water to the dock which stood as an island in the Lake.
That night, we held another party in our cabin in honour of Dave and Mike who were leaving us
next day. Drink was unlimited, but, as with all our parties, our guests were charged to bring their
own tooth mugs and carafe of drinking water. We docked at Mwanza South port, and with deep
regret said goodbye to our two friends who were venturing into the interior of Tanganyika.
The process of docking was not without interest, for we stood as Stout Cortez, next to the forward
hold, anxiously watching our skilful approach to the pier side. The Captain, meanwhile, aloof on the
Bridge, hurled insults and comments and gave as good as he got; confident, we thought, in handling
his ship to avoid S.S. SYBIL who had docked there first. "She will back out quick enough if she
thinks she'll be hit" quoth he. Later, we learnt at Kisumu from the Captain of SYBIL, that our friend
Captain Derek had once parked his two lifeboats abaft and abeam of the SYBIL's Bridge.
Again we braved the Republic's soil, seeking samoosas for our mid-day repast. We found and ate
the last three in the town, and finished the day in a back-street cafe which, apart from beer,
advertised "fish and cheaps".
The next day, as a result of the Second Officer's experience in the West Indies, we located the pier
at Musoma, which was two feet under water, unloaded essential supplies, Tusker and Pilsner,
embarked Fred Sutcliffe, three Asians, five wives, seventeen children, and steamed out of the Mara
Gulf on the final leg home.
It then became apparent that though we had crossed the Equator twice, the crew, in their typical
disregard of both map and chart, had failed to appreciate this fact. In true Lloyd-Triestino tradition,
we determined to correct this error. Invitations were issued to the Captain, First Officer McGuire,
Commander Pankhurst, DSO, Croix de Guerre, R.N. (Retd.), posing as Second Officer, and friendly
Fred, to a crossing-the-line-warming-up-party in our stateroom, hardly suited for a party of this
magnitude, at Two Bells in the Last Dog Watch. 2½ hours later, at Three Bells in the Evening
Watch, we went in to dinner. Here we were met by crackers, presents, candles, and chandeliers,
cleverly constructed from empty miniature creme de menthe bottles which we had thoughtfully
drained each evening in anticipation of a later need. Dinner was accompanied by sherry,
champagne, cigars and liqueurs, and afterwards we retired to the Captain's cabin for a convivial
evening hence the Title.
Surprise! Surprise! The Captain returned us to Kisumu next morning, alive, but, we must presume,
slightly suffering from mal de mer. We must suppose that Kisumu is normally a quiet, peaceful,
well-behaved and respectable outpost of the Empire. Not, alas, when in the company of our sea-
faring brethren. Captain Derek assured us he did not usually drink from 11h30 until 15h00 in the
Railway Club, but through our fault or not, this day he did.
With four hours to spare, we searched the town for a convivial spot in which to eat some curry. We
found the Marina Hotel, not to be confused with that at Nanyuki, which refused to serve us, so,
44
tightening our laces, we "voetseked" round the town, until we found the "Pink and Blue Restaurant"
near the Kisumu Hotel. This served us beer, fish and chips, rice, chutney, tomatoes, bananas,
onions, lettuce, and oh excitement, curry! All mixed up and delicious.
After this anything must be an anti-climax, but no! For on boarding the 7-Up we discovered that our
steward was to be another Mr. Fernandez, a friend of Mr. Fernandez of eight children fame, who
also knew the Mr. Fernandez of twelve children fame. We ate, we slept, we did not eat (for the
stove did not work for breakfast as Election fever, or a power cut failure, had hit the buffet car), and
then, two minutes early, we docked at Nairobi Station Platform 3, our last adventure.
Lou Fee was there to meet us, we had lost our tickets, six porters carried our four suitcases, but even
so, we walked, refreshed in our new-found confidence, once again prepared to face the strain and
challenge of our humble work. [Ed: Extract from KR Newsletter 16-pp70-72]
*****
BOOK REVIEW
BOOKS, BANDITS AND GUNS: ONE MAN’S WAR IN SOMALIA
[Tim Moore and David Moore]
Tim Moore grew up in Kenya in the early twentieth
century, as the son of a bookseller. In his lifetime he saw
the change from the Protectorate of the British East
Africa to Kenya Colony and then to the independent
Republic of Kenya.
In 1937, Tim signed up as a clerk at the headquarters of
the King’s African Rifles; two years later, war broke out.
Before long, he found himself policing occupied
territories in East Africa, protecting the populace from
gangs of armed bandits.
After military service Tim joined the Kenya Immigration
Department and then became a probation officer,
watching the development of Kenya’s new probation
service from the inside.
This book, written in Tim’s own words and illustrated by
photographs throughout, gives a first-hand account of
operations on a continent sometimes neglected in
accounts of the Second World War. ISBN 978-1-911589-
05-1
**
David Moore was born in Kenya during World War II and was a young witness to some of the
events in this book. He was educated in Kenya and attended the Duke of York School on the
outskirts of Nairobi. After matriculating he left Kenya, and soon afterwards became an Articled
Clerk with a firm of Chartered Accountants in London, where he qualified as a Chartered
45
Accountant. He pursued a career in commerce with a variety of companies, finally ending up on the
south coast of England at Poole, Dorset.
He married his wife Carolyn, to whom he had been introduced by his cousin, (in Northern Ireland)
and together had a son and a daughter.
Being retired he is now able to devote some time to the Swanage Railway where he is a regular
volunteer.
*****
A RAILROAD OF ROMANCE
[Henry Seaton – one time DC in BEA – 1914-25]
IN ENGLAND the summer of 1925 was very smiling, and the late
autumn of that year was, in every sense, a golden one. Rather
belatedly, in fact it was but a few days before my ship was due to
sail, I fell in love. I left England, my head full of plans for a future
that was to become a life-long romance.
On my return to Kenya, I was appointed to Eldoret to take charge
of the Uasin Gishu district which, at that time, was the largest
European settlement in the Colony. This was the beginning of my
translation to the white highlands. Among them I was to spend all
the remaining periods of my time in Africa, and serve them to
what end no one, in those blithe days, could possibly foretell.
Early one April morning I boarded the coast train in Eldoret and
travelled down as far as Nairobi with Colonel Lord Kitchener, the
elder brother of the Field-Marshal. He was then over eighty years of age, rather frail and his sight
was failing. He put himself under my wing. With all his years he still had tremendous spirit and
took a fierce interest in Kenya politics. I gathered from the long talk we had that he was well
satisfied with the way in which fortune had attended his many ventures in civil life, but a little
disappointed in his military career when he considered it in relation to that of his young brother. 'He
had all the luck,' he told me, 'and I had all the brains.' He was on his way to stay with the Governor,
and when we arrived in Nairobi, I saw him safely into a Government House car which was at the
station to meet him.
Then I went back to my coach to resume my journey to the coast. It looked as though I was now
going to have our four-berth carriage to myself all the way.
I don't know what his name was; I never learnt it. Perhaps he'd rather I didn't know. He came
aboard just as the train was leaving Nairobi, threw his baggage into one corner of the compartment
and himself into the one opposite, stuck his feet up and gazed moodily out of the window into the
slanting afternoon sun.
He was on the small side-a tough, sandy little man with sharp blue eyes and a terrific jaw. He took
no notice of me.
The train pulled out of the station, and still his sharp eyes were fixed on the window, staring away
at the Athi Plains with the moving herds of small game-the Iveti Hills ranging in the distance,
beyond which lay the real Africa of thorn and scrub and sand with water-holes, known only to a
few, where the big game assemble in the dusk. He seemed to me to be lost in the great expanse
46
which he loved, knowing in his heart that what he looked at was lost to him. I thought, perhaps, he
was going home to England-leaving the country for good. I was wrong. He turned round suddenly.
'Are you going all the way to Mombasa?' he asked, with a sharp glint in his eye. There was a note of
fellow-feeling in his voice as though he thought it likely that I, too, was on my way to desolation -
perhaps even to deportation as a distressed British subject.
I nodded.
'So'm I,' he said shortly. He fell silent for a while, contemplating his cocked-up boots. Then, with an
upward jerk of his great jaw, he off-loaded some of the weight on his mind and, at the same time,
solved the mystery.
'I'm for the slaughter,' he said. 'Tomorrow, in the Cathedral; or,' he added, with a touch of fatalism,
'the day after, if the boat's late.'
'Ah!' I exclaimed. 'Then your bride's arriving in the LLANSTEPHAN CASTLE. She's due in at
noon tomorrow. You're being married by special licence?'
'It cost me five pounds,' he answered, by way of assent. 'Think of that! Half the cost of a game
licence for a whole year!'
'I know; it is a bit stiff,' I agreed.
'Yes,' he went on, 'and what's more, I shan't be taking out another game licence ever again-not for
the big stuff, I mean. Marriage knocks all that on the head; at least, it does in my case. I've had to
swear off elephant and buffalo and lion. Turned in my heavy rifle to a gunsmith last week with two
hundred ruddy rounds of ammunition.'
The tone of regret was terrible to hear. I felt I must say something by way of consolation.
'You probably got a very good price for it,' I suggested. 'I sold a double-barrelled magnum, myself,
not long ago, and I got more than I paid for it.'
He thought that over for a moment with a look of disgust, then turned back to the window.
I opened my suit-case and took out some letters which I had with me-long letters they were. I forgot
my companion and his woes-forgot time and distance, the jerk and rattle of the train. Re-reading
and reverie must have taken up an hour or more. As I folded up the last of them, I suddenly noticed
that the temperature had changed; the air in the carriage was hot and oppressive. We'd come down
off the plains into the fringe of the Taru desert; the light was fading, and the tops of the acacia trees
were silhouetted against the evening sky. Away to the south, the summit of Kilimanjaro peered,
rose-capped, into the last of the sun's glow.
Another hour went by. My companion shifted uneasily round in his corner.
'We're past Kibwezi now,' he said. 'The last time I was down here I got a nice bit of ivory-made a
packet, I did. D'you know that herd at the back of Ikutha?'
'I've known it for some years,' I said. 'A fine herd.'
'One of the very best,' he sighed. 'Grand elephant country - all of it. No blasted game scouts nosing
round. Once across the Athi river, and there's not a ruddy soul to interfere with you. Just miles and
47
miles of Africa ... stretching away to glory ... .' His rhapsody continued while dusk swiftly turned to
night.
The train got to Voi on time and halted for an hour. The evening meal was prepared for travellers in
the dak bungalow. It was a relief to leave the train for a time and breathe the open air; even the
bungalow was a pleasant change.
My companion and I shared a small table together and made something of an occasion of the meal.
Short drinks, before we began, with a bottle of wine when the cutlets arrived. The coffee was as
good as the best in the world, and we indulged in a liqueur or so.
'Not a bad meal, for a hole like this,' was my companion's generous tribute. 'But,' he added, 'I'd
rather grill my own eland steak on green twigs over a dying camp-fire.'
'And what about the marrow bones,' I suggested, 'scooped out with a wooden spoon?'
'Alone with the stars and all the world gone hang. There's not a life on God's good earth to touch it,'
he exclaimed; and then, in afterthought ' ... for a bachelor.'
The engine gave a warning whistle that our time was nearly up. I signalled to the waiter for the bill.
'This is on me,' I said when it arrived; but my generosity upset my companion altogether. He looked
almost savage as he snatched the paper from me.
'Two bucks apiece, it is. You'll pay your share and I'll pay mine.'
'But why on earth .. .' I began.
'Don't you understand ... the way I've been talking?' His sharp blue eyes dimmed for a moment and
his voice dropped. 'For the last time, I pay single. I'm not being done out of that. From now on I pay
double ... for the rest of my life. It's about time to realize that, don't you think?'
'Yes, I see; I understand.' I felt confused, strangely jolted up. Perhaps it was the drink. 'Why, it must
be months and months probably a year-since you saw her,' I blurted foolishly. 'It's all this waiting ...
in a prison ... the door left open; and tomorrow it will be shut and barred. I couldn't understand you
better.'
I pushed back my chair and got to my feet. The eyes were sharpening again. He looked at me with
surprise-suspicion even as though he doubted my sincerity. God forgive him, I believe he thought I
was trying to be funny. I felt the colour rising to my cheeks.
'What the blazes are you talking about?' he muttered angrily. The waiter returned just then,
impatiently tapping his tray. We paid for our dinners, each for ourselves, and went back to our
carriage.
Our bedding had been laid out neatly, and we turned in right away. The train thundered along
through the night. As I lay in my berth, I thought of the purport of the letters I'd been reading-the
deep significance of their unending theme, treasure to be stored for all time. And then I fell to
cursing my companion for thrusting his disturbing confidence on me. Why couldn't he have kept his
croaking to himself and spared me my embarrassment? I lay awake long hours turning over and
over in my mind his strange approach to matrimony-a hunter hunted at last; the kill so close at
hand!
48
It was long past midnight. The LLANSTEPHAN CASTLE would be steaming down the coast,
slackening speed to catch the mid-morning tide. At high noon she'd drop anchor. At length I fell
asleep in a senseless, futile quandary, wondering ... was it, after all, so strange in one who'd lived
the sort of life he'd led?
In the morning light, as we
approached Mombasa through
the palm-trees, we roused
ourselves and shaved and
dressed. My companion was
tongue-tied and sheepish-
almost shamefaced. He spoke
hardly a word till we separated
on the Island platform.
'Well,' he said with a grin, 'we
all of us come to it someday. Just you wait till your day arrives. You'll feel much the same.'
And so we parted. I wasn't going to tell this little tough that on this same day to that same altar I,
too, was going to the slaughter.
[Ed: Extract from Henry Seaton’s ‘Lion in the Morning’, illustrated by Victor Ambrus and reviewed
by John Johnson: In 1913, the author signed up with the British Colonial Service and was sent to
British East Africa, and this wonderful book charts his life as a civil servant in the wonderful
country in those wonderful times.
[ABOVE: SHADED AREAS INDICATE HENRY SEATON’S POSTINGS]
49
Written with gentle British Humour and charm, Henry Seaton takes you on a tour of what must
have been one of the finest times to be in East Africa, and this book goes a long way to helping us
understand why Africa is as it is.
Printed by R&C Clark, Edinburgh and published by John Murray, London in 1963. Available from
a number of book dealers on the internet – in the 239 pages, mention is made of his times at
Nakuru, Gosha, Juba, Kitui, Kamasia, Baringo, Kisii, Guasi - an enjoyable and an educational
read.]
*****
SHIPWRECKS AND SALVAGE ON THE EAST AFRICAN COAST - 1499 - 2017
[by Kevin Patience]
In 2006, Kevin published the first edition of shipwrecks after six years of research in archives and
private sources around the world. Eleven years later after further research into new and previously
unknown wrecks, a second edition in colour is due off the press shortly.
The new edition brings the dangers of this idyllic tropical coast into stark reality with the addition
of the latest casualties not only on the coast but on the inland great lakes. Despite the modern
navigation facilities available to the present day seafarer, and weather programs giving accurate
forecasts, mankind and his ships are still prone to accidents.
A number of individuals and organisations have been instrumental in bringing the second edition to
fruition and are acknowledged. As well as the inland lakes, the book covers the 1,400 mile Kenya -
Tanzania coastline from the Somalia border to the Rovuma river bordering Mozambique, and
features a revised chapter of tugs based on the coast
from 1896 to the present day...
The author spent over twenty-five years as a
commercial salvage diver in the Middle East and
East Africa and was involved in some of the
operations described in the book. He dived on and
identified many of the other wrecks mentioned.
Using records in Australia, Germany, Kenya,
Tanzania, Zanzibar and the U.K. as well as the
library’s of Lloyds Register of Shipping, the
Guildhall and the National Archives in London
together with the Hydrographic Office records at
Taunton, as well as the internet, the author has
discovered the stories of over three hundred
merchant and naval ships that came to grief.
300 pages, H/Back, with over 120 illustrations in
colour and 200 in monochrome with three maps.
Available shortly from the author at: 14 Jubilee Way,
Sturminster Marshall, Dorset, BH21 4JU
‘A brilliant piece of research and an excellent read’ – Mariners’ Monthly
50
‘A five star recommended book’ - Ned Middleton, International Shipwreck Specialist
*****
Any reader who is able to identify this ship, photographed in Kilindini Harbour in the 1960s, is
requested to contact Kevin. [Ed: Could she be a coastal passenger/cargo ship?]
*****
REGIMENTAL REUNIONS
KENYA REGIMENT RAFIKIS CURRY LUNCH : 19th
JULY 2017
[John G V Harman]
A good turnout at this year’s UK reunion, which I understand was enjoyed by one and all. A
welcome number of new faces amongst the loyal supporters who have been attending for years.
The administrative staff of the Officers Mess, Royal Logistic Corp at Princess Royal Barracks,
Deepcut near Camberley, acquitted themselves marvellously, with the curries receiving high praise
again. Despite rumours that the Ministry of Defence is considering the sale of the facility to
developers, it appears this venue will still be available next year, so have submitted a tentative date
for next year’s lunch - Wednesday, 18th July, 2018 for next year’s reunion. [Ed: On 1st April 2011,
the Defence Infrastructure Organisation was formed with a view to out-sourcing military
administration - messing, housing, etc - to civilian contractors, thus releasing more personnel to the
frontline. I assume this refers only to static bases in UK and Europe, and not temporary bases in
foreign countries – e.g. the Middle East and Afghanistan. Current responsibility for running the
various Messes including RLC Officers’ Mess, and providing family housing in the Barracks, lies
with a company known as Carillion Amey.]
51
Eugene (Armour) and Iain (Morrison) have a number of photos which are on the Regimental
website; some are included below.
Attached is the list of the 82 attendees; unfortunately, Jim Cruickshank and Bev Chester were
forced to cry off at the last minute:
Dr Euan [KR6069] and Anthea Anderson; Mile [KR6508] and Jean Andrews; John [CCF] & Anita
Appleby; Eugene [KR4446] and Eileen Armour; Richard Bagehot [KR7306]; Freda Bamford; Mike
and Anne Bates; John Bind [KR6875]; David Betts [CCF]; Jean Boullé [KR6193]; Derek Breed
[CCF]; Rod Bridle [KR7299]; Ralph Burns [KR4694]; Bryony Colyer; Robin Crosher [KR6869];
Norman Cuthbert [KR4776]; John [KR7457] and Jan Davis; Graham Dowey [KR7301]; Jenny
Ellis; Petter [KR7128] and Lesley Finne; Pam Francombe; Peter Gerrard [KR6847]; Lance
Halligan-Jolly [KR6881]; Brigid Hamill; John [KR7227] and Carol Harman; Ray Knowles
[KR6541]; Fiona LeBrocq; Francis [KR4273] and Shirley Lipscombe; David Macadam [KR6567];
Val Male; Chris & Mitzi Marley; Julian [KRPSI] and Philippa Marshall; Tilman McRoberts
[KR4799]; Rick [KR6835] and Jenny Mockridge; David Moore; John Moore [KR7180]; Tony
Moore; Iain [KR6111] and Elizabeth Morrison; Pam Nightingale; Doug [CCF] and Sally Outram;
Gail Outram; Barbara Parr; Kevin Patience [CCF]; Jules and Jackie Pelissier; Tony Perkins
[KR7029]; Robin [KR4551] and Annette Plenderleith; Sir Murray & Lady Patricia Pringle; Derek
Rayner; Iain Ross [CCF]; Gillian Ryan; Brian Sanford; Michael [CCF] and Monika Schuster; Jack
[KR6054] and Clare Simonian; Jannett Spence; Jenny Storm; Hugh Stott [KR6866]; Mike Tetley
MBE [KR4277]]; Steve [KR7537] and Vivienne Thornton; John Tucker [CCF]; Lucie Walker;
David Waugh [KR6204]; Ian Weaver.
IAIN & LIZ MORRISON HUGH STOTT AND JOHN DAVIS
DAVID MOORE; JOHN MOORE; TONY MOORE AND RAY KNOWLES
52
JACK SIMONIAN; LANCE HALLIGAN-JOLLY; NORMAN CUTHBERT AND JEAN BOULLE
BRYONY COLYER AND JULIAN MARSHALL PATRICIA PRINGLE AND BARBARA PARR
RALPH BURNS
**
53
WESTERN CAPE LUNCH: FORESTER’S ARMS, NEWLANDS : 13TH
JULY 2017
[Geoff Trollope [KR6987]
The Cape lunch went very well and I got the feeling that all present enjoyed the day. Unfortunately
we had so much fun that the usual team photo was totally forgotten. Those present were Felix
Baddeley [KR4030] and his son Andrew; Rob Rooken-Smith [KR7427], Hugh Rowan, Denys
[KR6542] and Gilly Roberts, and ourselves, Geoff and Joy Trollope.
Apologies were received from, Nigel and Camilla Shaw, Andrew Ross-Munro [KR7130], Jack
[KR6395] and Frankie Esnouf. Nigel [KR3630] and Vee Bulley live in Caledon and hardly ever
come into Cape Town. Andy Cobb [KR6799] had to go into hospital at short notice for a heart
complaint. Brian [KPR] and Jen Jeffries have relocated to the UK, and Mike Armstrong [KR4026]
is now in Frail Care in Nazareth House.
It is with great sadness that I have to report on the passing of Tony O'Donoghue [KR6632], who
died on the 3rd June after spending his last two years in Clé du Cap. His long-time partner Vi
Pollard e-mailed us the other day giving us the sad news. I spent a couple of delightful years in
Entebbe with Tony when he was with East Africa Airways, a great person and always fantastic
company.
**
KRA (KWA-ZULU NATAL) LUNCH - SUNDAY 17th
SEPTEMBER 2017
Once again Fern Hill Hotel provided excellent fare which was enjoyed by all. To celebrate his life
in Kenya and friendships made at school, during the Emergency and in South Africa, Laurie Pearse
[KR6115] very generously ‘put some money behind the bar’, substantially reducing the overall cost
of a four course lunch. Laurie and wife Patsy (née Riley) recently moved to Queensland to be nearer
their children.
Those attending were: Bales; Graham [KR6563] & Betty (née Jenkins); Barford, Mike (ex-Thika);
Crampton, John [KR6083] & ‘Lena, and Lena’s son, Dennis Kavalenka; Holyoak, Eric mm
[KR4230] & Shirley (née Brown); Harris, Angela (née Dawson Curry); Howard, Ron [KR6747];
Johnson, Sue (née White); Letcher, Ray [KR7118] & Sally (née Randall); MacGregor, Isobel (née
Smith); Mathews, Judy; Moerdyk, Linda; Moore, Celia (née Falck); Norman, Chris & Karin (née
Falck); Pavely, Derek [KR4636] & Patricia Hardy; Plenderleith, Gary MM [KR4642] & Audrie
Ryan; Rooken-Smith, Jenny & Bruce [KR6290]; Tory, Terry [KR6339] & Angie
Apologies: John [KR7429] & Gill Pembridge (née Salmon); Peter Manger MLM [KR4540] &
Margaret Lead; Tony [KR6961] & Mary Bowers, Colin Bompas [KR4926]; Ros Watson (née
Platt); Mary Bohmer (née Cade); John Elliot [KR7069]; Danny McCleary [KR4384]
Our regular photographer, Mike Norris [CCF], has moved to the Western Cape
where he and his wife Maryanne have bought a house in Montagu. John
Crampton and Sally Letcher very kindly took photos at our September lunch,
some of which appear below.
[LEFT: TERRY TORY]
54
GRAHAM BALES AND RAY LETCHER ERIC HOLYOAK
GARY PLENDELEITH, ‘LENA CRAMPTON ISOBEL MACGREGOR
AND AUDRIE RYAN
******
OBITUARY - JOHN GRIMSHAW LOMAX [KR 4193].
10/08/1932-10/08/2017. When I requested a copy of John’s
eulogy, Peter Humphreys [KR4300] said that John, who
once farmed at Rongai, wanted no fuss. So, only a photo of
John and nephew Shane taken in Kerikeri, appear.
55
NAMING OF THE AFRICA GENERAL SERVICE MEDAL (KENYA) TO TRACKERS
On 26 May 2017, Anthony Allen [sKR3513] <[email protected]>
writes to Ian Parker [KR4602] <[email protected]>: For many years I
have been looking for a Kenya medal named to one of the KR Trackers. An
ex-SAS friend of my mate Christopher Hill in UK has one, but left it in the
house of his former wife. I have been waiting for him to retrieve this medal
as he agreed to sell it to me over four years ago.
Today, I went on to a UK medal dealer's website and there were two
AGSMS (Kenya Clasp) for sale, and at the same price as a Constable in the
Kenya Police or a Pte in KAR or EAASC! So I bought them.
Their issue are confirmed in Ian’s book ‘The Last Colonial Regiment’.
I have yet to received them, but below is how they were described them. I
note that their numbers are prefixed ‘T’, not ‘TKR’ as I was expecting; I
think Paddy's one is named to a ‘TKR’. Any idea why the ‘SP’? - Special?
1 x Africa General Service Medal 1902-56 (Kenya clasp) to T.1210 Sp. Kipkemo A. Kilache,
Kenya Regt. (T.F); and
1 x Africa General Service Medal 1902-56 (Kenya clasp) to T/326 Sp. Galugalu Barufu, Kenya
Regt. T.F. (scarce Territorial Unit)
Not sure whether the second medal should have had ‘TF’ in ( )?
Another dealer has an AGS Kenya to Capt. T.P.R. Jesse Gachangu. Ian, you served with Kikuyu
Guard - were there African ranks as senior as Captain? I have not seen an AGS to KG or Kikuyu
Guard, I believe the numerous AGS that turn up to T.P.R. (Tribal Police reserve) are KG medals.
I am thinking of buying the Gachangu medal, and would appreciate your thoughts on a medal to a
Captain in presumably the KG.
***
Ian responds [30/05/2017]: The letters ‘SP’ indicate ‘Special Policeman’. The laws under which the
Kenya Police operated, made provision for a member of civil society to be made a member of the
Kenya Police Reserve, given a police rank and appointed a Special Policeman. As this was the
quickest way to get them covered by law as part of the Security Forces and paid salaries from Govt
coffers, many Africans were declared SPs.
‘I’ Force, initially a unit of the Kenya Police run by Kenya Regiment, commanded by Major Nev
Cooper MBE, MC, GM [KR5608], took full advantage of recruiting SPs. When ‘I’ Force became
part of the Kenya Regiment as ‘I’ Company, it not only brought with it all its SPs, but the
knowledge of how to recruit more into the Regiment’s field companies.
In due course, Guy Campbell recruited more men directly into the Regiment as trackers and along
with military ranks and regimental numbers prefixed with ‘TKR’. All the earliest Africans recruited
into the Regiment were designated SPs, and though they then got TKR numbers as full members of
the Kenya Regiment, technically were also SPs throughout their service.
56
An AGSM number prefixed by T or TKR are both kosher if, as is the case, you can actually tie it to
one of the names in the Partial Roll in my history of the Regiment. Where one of those you name
Galogalo Barufa is concerned, I knew him personally, both in the Regiment and afterwards.
The point to bear in mind, is that paperwork and tidy military records were never a feature of the
Kenya Regiment, and I am pretty sure that the Police were never aware of how many SPs the
Regiment acquired, particularly in the Emergency’s early days. Records were produced ad hoc, by
different individuals, none of whom were interested in tidy paper work.
Ranks under the Administration in the Emergency Districts, were in ascending order:
KG (Kikuyu Guard), TP (Tribal Policeman – ranked L/Cpl, Cpl, Sgt, Sgt Major), Assistant
Headman, Headman, Sub-Chief, Chief, Senior Chief, Asst DO, DO, of which there might be several
in a District, DC, PC.
The DOKG’s (Temporary Assistant DO – Kikuyu Guard) principal role was to bring discipline,
order and a military capacity to the KGs & TPs. However, their responsibilities were somewhat
plastic and in the scheme of things they served under regular Divisional DOs, but in some cases
were treated as below a Chief. What they were called on to do varied very widely and largely set by
character and competence. Some stood in for Divisional DOs and some of them went on to join the
regular Colonial Service after the Emergency.
KGs, by far the most numerous, were unpaid, and many did not carry firearms. As from 1st Jan
1956, the best KGs were recruited into the ranks of the TPs and the KGs disbanded. As to Captain:
no such rank existed.
However the term did crop up as a nick name: p 322 of the History. There was KG Kapiten Kibara
who was obviously an aggressive dude, and on p 324 reference is made to KG Kapiten Kaburu –
possibly the same man – who also gained mention for successful action against MM. In this case it
was entirely in keeping with the times for a man who was a leader to be referred to as Kapiten (as in
Boss) by his KG mates. Many nicknames became embedded to the point where everyone used
them. Some Engelsman unfamiliar with local idiom and custom might well have translated Kapiten
to Captain from which it derived, but as a name – not a rank.
The problem for the historian is that African names rendered by whites unfamiliar with them, might
be written Kibara by one and Kaburu by another. An example is in your letter: Galugalu Barufu on
the medal I knew as Galogalo Barufa.
So back to your Captain: KG Kapiten Kibara/Kaburu was or were (if there were two) a KG of the
sort who would definitely have been brought into the ranks of the TPs. That is how I would
interpret the word Capt on your medal.
However, T.P.R. where I would have expected simple TP seems odd to me. And where one lacks a
roll against which to check names, things will remain forever in the air.
Where the repository of AGSM awards to members of the Administration lies, I haven’t a clue. Yet
I am sure it will exist somewhere, particularly as their Admin was the most organised of all Govt
departments.
I’m sorry I cannot be more definitive, but it is all now >60 years ago and age doesn’t improve
memories!
*****
57
WOMEN IN KENYA - F.A.N.Y.'s IN EAST AFRICA
2ND
ISSUE - 1995
F.A.N.Y, the old sobriquet for the Women's Territorial Service (E.A.).
[E. Nightingale]
I had attended an annual training camp on Lady Sidney Farrar's farm at Mau Summit since 1935,
having great fun learning to drive and decarbonise heavy lorries.
On 29th August 1939, five days before war was declared, we were called up for active service. The
war was ‘on’, and I was totally unqualified for what was now required - stenographers, cipher
clerks, switch-board operators, typists, and filing clerks - urgently needed for high-ranking army
officers arriving from England.
We had an office at Westlands. On the 29th September I flew with a ·detachment of FANYs to Dar
es Salaam for duty with Southern Brigade, where Lines of Communication H.Q was being formed.
We found accommodation, sorted people into jobs, and I flew back to Nairobi.
Lady Sidney Farrar had flown to South Africa and the Rhodesias recruiting, and had arranged for
draft of a hundred women to get themselves with bedding rolls and personal equipment, to Broken
Hill, Northern Rhodesia, whence they were to be flown to Nairobi. Two days before they were due
in Broken Hill we heard that the planes had been grounded. I must, I think, have been a sergeant by
then, and I was immediately flown down to make a plan, arriving the day before the draft.
Accommodation had to be found at hotels or with residents who were wonderfully welcoming. I
managed to persuade the South African army transport people, who were driving empty lorries up
to Abyssinia, as it was then, to carry us; they were very co-operative. The next few days were
hectic, drawing rations and equipment for a thirteen day drive over appalling roads, with a hundred
women of all ages and walks of life. Five days later we were on our way.
During the first week it hardly stopped raining and the trucks ploughed their way through mud. We
slept and ate in them. Some girls took their share of the driving. A change in the weather brought
more comfort and higher spirits; mud was replaced by dust; we bathed in the rivers and occasionally
got the chance of a hot bath. Five miles short of Nairobi the CO met us with four despatch riders
and led us through the town. Millicent Morson, (then Wood), must fill in the details. I was back in
our headquarters in Nairobi.
Soon after Eritrea fell, British Military Administration took over, and applied for FANYs to fill
administrative posts at HQ in Asmara. I was tasked to take a detachment up; I couldn't believe my
luck. How to there? Why not by train, lorry and Nile steamer to Khartoum?
So that is how we travelled, starting with the night train from Nairobi to Tororo in Uganda, arriving
at 07h00., with the hope of breakfast at the famous hotel run by an eccentric proprietor. We walked
up from the station and I went ahead to brave the man, and found him in the bar, immaculately
dressed in white, with the hotel spotlessly clean.
I greeted him, he took no notice of me, I asked him if he could give fifteen of us breakfast. With
that he put down his brandy and turned to Toby, his smart little terrier and said that means that we'd
better go to the station and see if the bacon has arrived.
58
We waited hopefully, reading the notices; one over the front door read "W.W. Aitken licensed to
sell wines and spirits to whom he likes and at what price he likes. Accommodation 30/- a night with
bath, 40/- without bath",
We were given a terrific breakfast in a large airy dining room; a parson was sitting by himself at the
far end of the room; when I asked for our bill Mr Aitken said to Toby "We will charge the soldiers
five shillings each and the church ten shillings".
On we went, by lorry to Juba, camping one night on the way; Juba to Kosti took ten or eleven days
by Nile steamer, then train to Khartoum, where I had to persuade the RAF to fly us to Asmara.
Gondar, not many miles away, had just fallen. Asmara was cool and so peaceful, very continental,
with people sitting out on the pavements drinking. We found very Italian accommodation, and the
girls soon got down to work making themselves comfortable.
At some stage, I was promoted captain and made a company commander of the Navy and British
Military Administration company. From Asmara I hitched a flight to Port Sudan to inspect the
FANYs working for the navy, in terrible conditions. The heat in the cipher office was serious. From
there I flew in a little RAF bomber, terribly hot sitting on the observer's stool, to Aden.
On landing, two staff cars came out to meet me, having been informed that a naval captain Ray was
flying in - what a laugh when I climbed out! The FANYs there were working in the same
desperately hot conditions in the cipher office. They had relieved all the naval officers, with special
dispensation from the admiralty, for other ranks to do their work, which was very interesting; no
one wanted to be changed. I went back to Mombasa in a troop ship, the Khedive Ishmael, which
was sunk in 1944, by a Japenese submarine.
We had FANYs with the navy in Mombasa which after the fall of Singapore became of great
strategic importance to the allies, and became the H.Q. of the Eastern fleet.
During the allies' retreat in the Western desert, when Rommel's forces came within sight of Cairo
and Alexandria, women's services were being evacuated; our CO told me to get up to Suez. She said
that FANYs there were relieving men urgently needed elsewhere: they were not to be evacuated.
How to get there? I caught the train that afternoon for Mombasa and went straight to the naval
officer in charge who told me that there was an enormous convoy of troopships coming round the
Cape bringing reinforcements for the Western desert; one of the ships was coming into Mombasa
and he would get me on to it; I was the only female on board, among I can't remember how many
thousands of men. The ship was completely gutted and filled with hammocks. I luckily got a state
cabin and dined that night at the captain's table. He told me that we were steaming due East to
rejoin the convoy at 06h00, and asked if I would like to be up on the bridge with him.
You can't imagine the thrill when on the dot of six, a huge battleship loomed up in the sea mist
leading the convoy. We seemed to slide in easily behind it, with destroyers and corvettes guarding
the convoy. I can't remember how many enormous troopships there were, nor how many thousands
of men they were carrying, to enable us to turn the tables in the Western Desert, and what a
wonderful thing it was for me to be one of them.
We steamed through the Red Sea past Aden and Port Sudan to Suez. I joined the FANYs there who
were desperately keen to stick it out. We slept in a dug-out with occasional bombs being dropped. I
was sorry to leave. I was sent in a staff car up to Cairo, driven much too fast on a dead straight road;
the driver rolled the car, luckily near a big Australian camp; they soon got us on to our wheels, and
on we went and I caught a plane to Nairobi.
59
Admiral Halifax, Flag Officer Red Sea and Canal areas wrote: "To the Women's Territorial Service
(E.A.) serving with the Royal Navy in Kilindini, Mombasa, Aden, Port Sudan and Suez: apart from
their technical work I have great admiration for the esprit de corps during a period of three years in
my command, and the measure of their contribution to the war effort in releasing naval personnel
for more active service, needs no comment."
*****
KING’S AFRICAN RIFLES AND EAST AFRICAN FORCES ASSOCIATION (UK)
[Hugh Stott KR6866]
The King’s African Rifles and East African Forces Association is a fellowship of officers who have
served with a battalion of the King’s African Rifles or other East African units. It is of no
importance as to whether they served during the Emergency or subsequent to it, and whether they
were National Service or Regular soldiers. The overriding factor is the shared heritage and strong
bond for a love of Africa and of the loyal ASKARI with whom they served.
The Association has a Committee which ensures that the interests of the Regiments which were
established in the African territories are properly recognised. The Commonwealth Memorial Gates
on Constitutional Hill, the permanent memorials to the ASKARI in the National Memorial
Arboretum and the African Memorial Tribute, commemorating the part played by British West,
East and Central African Imperial Forces in defence of the British Empire, in Old College of the
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, are all recent achievements.
We honour our legacy in annual ceremonies at the Commonwealth Memorial Gates and at The
Field of Remembrance by Westminster Abbey. The Association help ASKARIs and their families
who have fallen on hard times through the ASKARI Appeal Fund, which is administered by the
Royal Commonwealth Ex Services League, a charity with representatives in all Commonwealth
countries.
The Association magazine “Rhino Link” is produced twice a year (March/April and
September/October) and contains many interesting and previously unpublished articles of interest
and of service in Africa.
Recently, officers who served with the West African units have joined us for our annual dinner in
London. The Kenya Regiment has had a long and distinguished historical association with the
King’s African Rifles and other East African units both in War and during the Emergency. Our
histories are inexorably intertwined and we share the same values.
There are regional lunches held in Brighton, Edinburgh, Exeter, Norfolk, Oxfordshire, Winchester,
and the annual dinner in London. Presently the Association has some 400 members including three
Kenya Regiment members, two of whom are on the Committee, John Wright (KR7293) treasurer
and Hugh Stott (KR6866) who will be responsible for representing Kenya Regiment interests, and
Mike Tetley MBE (KR4277/5746).
With the demise of the Kenya Regiment Association, in the United Kingdom, we believe that the
King’s African Rifles and East African Forces Association is a natural home for those who wish to
keep their links with Africa and the Kenya Regiment and they would be made very welcome. The
annual membership fee is presently £15, by standing order; and this includes the two editions of
‘Rhino Link’. Membership forms can be obtained from the Secretary George Correa
([email protected]) or Hugh Stott ([email protected])
60
NOT A STORY BUT A TRUE INCIDENT
An Indian man walks into a bank in New York City and asks for the loan officer. He tells the loan
officer that he is going to India on business for two weeks and needs to borrow $5,000.
The bank officer tells him that the bank will need some form of security for the loan, so the Indian
man hands over the keys and documents of new Ferrari parked on the street in front of the bank. He
produces the title and everything checks out. The loan officer agrees to accept the car as collateral
for the loan.
The bank's president and its officers all enjoy a good laugh at the Indian for using a $250,000
Ferrari as collateral against a $5,000 loan. An employee of the bank then drives the Ferrari into the
bank's underground garage and parks it there.
Two weeks later, the Indian returns, repays the $5,000 and the interest, which comes to $15.41. The
loan officer says, "Sir, we are very happy to have had your business, and this transaction has
worked out very nicely, but we are a little puzzled. While you were away, we checked you out and
found that you are a multi millionaire. What puzzles us is, why would you bother to borrow $5,000?
The Indian replies: "Where else in New York City can I park my car for two weeks for only $15.41
and expect it to be there when I return?"
*****
BOTTLE of VINO
For all of us who are married, were married, wish you were married, or
wish you weren't married, this is something to smile about the next time
you see a bottle of wine:
Sally was driving home from one of her business trips in Northern
Arizona when she saw an elderly Navajo woman walking on the side of
the road.[LEFT]
As the trip was a long and quiet one, she stopped the car and asked the
Navajo woman if she would like a ride.
With a silent nod of thanks, the woman got into the car. Resuming the
journey, Sally tried in vain to make a bit of small talk with the Navajo
woman. The old woman just sat silently, looking intently at everything
she saw, studying every little detail, until she noticed a brown bag on the
seat next to Sally.
'What in bag?' asked the old woman. Sally looked down at the brown bag and said, 'It's a bottle of
wine. I got it for my husband.'
The Navajo woman was silent for another moment or two. Then speaking with the quiet wisdom of
an elder, she said:
'Good trade'.
*****