Description
Object description
British NCO served with 3rd Bn Nigeria Regt, Royal West African Frontier Force in Nigeria, British West Africa, 1930-1931; served as instructor with Royal West African Frontier Force Training Depot, Zaria, Nigeria, British West Africa, 1931-1932; served with 3rd Bn Nigeria Regt, Royal West African Frontier Force at Calabar, Nigeria, British West Africa, 1932-1934; served with 5th Bn Nigeria Regt, Royal West African Frontier Force at Maiduguri, Nigeria, British West Africa, 1937-1939
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of period as NCO with 3rd Bn Nigeria Regt, Royal West African Frontier Force in Nigeria, British West Africa, 1930-1931: background to secondment to Nigeria Regiment including reasons for applying, competition for post, advice and preparations; voyage from GB to Lagos, Nigeria including advice from passengers and recreational activities; disembarkation and re-embarkation at Lagos; banking arrangements; impressions of Lagos; memories of beggars at Freetown, Sierra Leone and surf boats at Accra, Gold Coast; voyage to Port Harcourt.
REEL 2 Continues: arrival at Port Harcourt; checking camp equipment; recruitment of African servant; buying food supplies; hospitality of European community; journey by train to Aba, lorry journey to Itu and river launch to Calabar; barrack accommodation; selection of African servant and nature of his Christianity; basic training in administration; work of Scottish mission school; dispositions of Nigeria Regt in Nigeria; preparations for journey to outstation at Ankpa.
REEL 3 Continues: description of journey to Ankpa including importance of organisation, hospitality of European miners at Enugu and district commissioner at Otapa during overnight stops, atmosphere on march with African porters and use of rest houses; role of old African soldiers and reservist system; visit to Methodist village mission school and service there; establishment and accommodation at Ankpa; decription of patrol including purpose, logistics.
REEL 4 Continues preparation of temporary headquarters, co-operation of civilian district officer, surveying duties, demonstration given to villages and bush training; opinion of African troops; duties as company quartermaster sergeant-major in charge of stores including gallows; African troops' lifestyle; sanitary inspections every Thursday; role of African NCOs; African troops' wives including origins, system to allow Dakakeris to marry and serve in army, elected head women, their role and uniform; education of African troops' children; regimental parade.
REEL 5 Continues: outstation lifestyle. Recollections of period as instructor with Royal West African Frontier Force Training Depot, Zaria, Nigeria, British West Africa, 1931-1932: reason for surprise posting to depot; train journey to Zaria; reception; system of training African recruits and their enthusiasm to enlist; learning Hausa language; role as instructor; African adaptations of English language; story of acquiring greater respect for Africans; description of African recruit's charms; use of reference volumes detailing African tribes and lists of district officers.
REEL 6 Continues: maintaining African recruits' contacts with families; physical training sessions including African games; drill; role of British NCOs; uniting tribes within Nigeria Regt; counselling; discipline; duration of African recruits' training; rifle range camp; supervising building repair and maintenance; continual progress in Hausa language; recreational activities; African recruits' lifestyle; role as unofficial barber; story of acquiring Hausa nickname from unconventional hairstyle and it's Muslim significance; funeral of African recruit.
REEL 7 Continues: impact of funeral of African recruit; African tribal markings and culture; story of acquiring second nickname reflecting his interest in African culture; African mess servants and their uniform; local leave; restrictions on African troops' leave. Aspects of period as NCO with 3rd Bn Nigeria Regt, Royal West African Frontier Force at Calabar, Nigeria, British West Africa, 1932-1934: coyage back to GB and return out to Nigeria to join 3rd Bn Nigeria Regt at Calabar, 1932; duties and training; African troops' pride in long service medals; recreational activities; importance of sport and regimental sports days at Kaduna; duties preparing brigade camp at Enugu, 1933.
REEL 8 Continues: responsibility for brigade ration stores; increasing responsibility on reorganisation of Nigeria Regt into six battalions; story illustrating relations with African NCO and his prophesy made when Milne returned to GB, 1934. Aspects of period as NCO with 5th Bn Nigeria Regt, Royal West African Frontier Force at Maiduguri, Nigeria, British West Africa, 1937-1939: posting to 5th Bn Nigeria Regt at Maiduguri, 1937. preparations for war; recreational activities; accompanying civilian district officers on their tours; story of meeting future wife; story of career of African bandboy; reflections on service with Nigeria Regt in Africa.
