Private Papers of Major W H Thompson

Ts memoir (276pp), written in 1987, of his background, education and service in the ranks, the 265 Battery and HQ, 67 (South Midland) Field Brigade, RA (TA), 1937 - 1939, and as a Warrant Officer, the 119 Field Regiment RA (TA), 1939 - 1942, recording his TA experiences of Army life including his enlistment, the poor pay, lack of equipment and funds, the Annual Camps and training, and mobilisation, 1939; his Emergency Commission, November 1942; service in the United Kingdom, 1942 - 1944, commenting on his unacceptability socially to his CO as a 'temporary gentleman'; in the East African Artillery, Kenya, 1944 - 1946, and the 307 (East Africa) Training and Depot Regiment, Kenya, 1946 - 1947, including the sea journey to Kenya, 1944, and the training and Army life there; Kenya Government Service, October 1947 - June 1948, and the Colonial Administrative Service, Kenya, July 1948 - September 1963, mentioning colonial rule, African society and politics, the origins, methods and organisation of the Mau-Mau and the Government's counter-measures, the Hola Affair, mid 1959 - March 1960, Idi Amin, Sir Evelyn Baring, General Kago, Jomo Kenyatta, and Tom Mboya; Colonial Secretary, Falkland Islands, December 1963 - May 1969, including the disputes with Argentina; Acting Administrator, British Virgin Islands, May - July 1969; HM Commissioner in Anguilla, July 1969 - ?July 1971, describing the revolution and British reoccupation; Governor of Montserrat, July 1971 - ?July 1974 and his retirement.

Ts memoir (276pp), written in 1987, of his background, education and service in the ranks, the 265 Battery and HQ, 67 (South Midland) Field Brigade, RA (TA), 1937 - 1939, and as a Warrant Officer, the 119 Field Regiment RA (TA), 1939 - 1942, recording his TA experiences of Army life including his enlistment, the poor pay, lack of equipment and funds, the Annual Camps and training, and mobilisation, 1939; his Emergency Commission, November 1942; service in the United Kingdom, 1942 - 1944, commenting on his unacceptability socially to his CO as a 'temporary gentleman'; in the East African Artillery, Kenya, 1944 - 1946, and the 307 (East Africa) Training and Depot Regiment, Kenya, 1946 - 1947, including the sea journey to Kenya, 1944, and the training and Army life there; Kenya Government Service, October 1947 - June 1948, and the Colonial Administrative Service, Kenya, July 1948 - September 1963, mentioning colonial rule, African society and politics, the origins, methods and organisation of the Mau-Mau and the Government's counter-measures, the Hola Affair, mid 1959 - March 1960, Idi Amin, Sir Evelyn Baring, General Kago, Jomo Kenyatta, and Tom Mboya; Colonial Secretary, Falkland Islands, December 1963 - May 1969, including the disputes with Argentina; Acting Administrator, British Virgin Islands, May - July 1969; HM Commissioner in Anguilla, July 1969 - ?July 1971, describing the revolution and British reoccupation; Governor of Montserrat, July 1971 - ?July 1974 and his retirement.

Cataloguer SNR

Catalogue date 1989-11