Description
Object description
British officer served with 3rd (Kenya) Bn King's African Rifles in British Somaliland and Kenya 1923-1929; served with Colonial Administrative Service in Ethiopia and British Somaliland, 1930-1935; served as District Commissioner with Colonial Administrative Service in Tanganyika, 1935-1939; served with King's African Rifles in Kenya and British Somaliland, 9/1939-8/1940; commanded 2nd Ethiopian Irregulars (Curle's Irregulars) in Kenya and Ethiopia, 1940-1941; served adviser with External Affairs Department, Colonial Administrative Service to Ethiopian Government in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 1942-1946
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of period as officer with 3rd (Kenya) Bn King's African Rifles in British Somaliland and Kenya, 1923-1929: background to secondment to battalion from Gordon Highlanders; journey from GB to Goobweyn, British Somaliland, 1923; accommodation; presence of colony of old African soldiers at Goobweyn, British Somaliland; internal security role and lifestyle; illustrations of characteristics of Somalis; tribal recruitment policy; African troops' differing response to training; African troops' uniform and problems with boots; weaponry; African troops' rations.
REEL 2 Continues: method of supplying African troops' rations; station defences at Mandera, Kenya; discipline; health problems at Mandera, Kenya and Goobweyn, British Somaliland; African troops' families; African troops' recreational activities; acquiring intelligence during visits to local tribes and information network; selection of African NCOs; varying qualities of Sudanese and Somalis; responsibilities; procedure on pitching camp during patrol; water supplies; communication by messenger; initiative necessary in isolated outstations.
REEL 3 Continues: dispute with quartermaster; building own accommodation at Mandera, Kenya; food; servants; story of pursuing brigands on patrol; visitors to Mandera, Kenya; frontier clash with Italian forces; prevention of raids; rarity of British families on outstations; Indian community; financial arrangements; return to GB and confusion over medical status, 1929. Recollections of period as officer with Colonial Administrative Service in Ethopia and British Somaliland, 1930-1935: transfer to Colonial Administrative Service, 1930; posting as acting vice-consul to Jigjiga, Ethiopia, 1930; European community at Jigjiga, Ethiopia;. difficulties with local governors; extension of Italian influence.
REEL 4 Continues: early Ethiopian pilots; conditions in Ethiopian prisons witnessed whilst vice-consul at Harar, Ethiopia, 1932; surveying in British Somaliland; duties on British Somaliland-Ethiopian Boundary Commission, 1933-34 including purpose, hobbies, negotiations on French, Ethiopian and Italian borders and French intimidation; study of trains-border grazing rights in Ogaden Province, Ethiopia resulting in Italian attack on commission at Welwel, Ethiopia, 1934; obtaining information concerning Italian invasion of Ethiopia; effect of Italian Air Force attacks whilst political officer of Somaliland Camel Corps, 1935; local medicine; British fears and Italian rejection of 'corridor' access to Zeila, British Somaliland; reception of Ethiopian refugees in British Somaliland; contact with arms dealers.
REEL 5 Continues: Indian refugees. Aspects of period as District Commissioner with Colonial Adminstrative Service in Tanganyika, 1937-1939: postings in Tanganyika; role stamping out brigandage; value of experience of serving with King's African Rifles and methods in establishing authority; contact with missionaries; examples of Italian development projects in Ethiopia. Aspects of period as officer with King's African Rifles in Kenya and British Somaliland, 9/1939-8/1940: recall to King's African Rifles in Kenya, 9/1939; refusal to spy in Ethiopia; duties on posting as forward intelligence officer at Hargeisia, British Somaliland, 1940; evacuation on Italian invasion of British Somaliland, 8/1940; local steamship captains. Recollections of operations commanding 2nd Ethiopian Irregulars (Curle's Irregulars) in Kenya and Ethiopia, 1940-1941: raising force of Ethiopian irregular troops, 1940: recruitment and training; story of Estonian adventurer.
REEL 6 Continues unit's role on north frontier of Kenya; successful skirmish with Italian forces; relations with South African forces; capture of Moyale, Ethiopia; relations with British forces; capture of Soroppa and Neghelli, Ethiopia; expansion of force; unrewarded gallantry of elderly recruit; efforts to maintain mobility; accidental shooting of South African pilot; his decorations. Recollections of period as officer with External Affairs, Colonial Adminstrative Service in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 1941-1946: posting to Addis Ababa; duties; posting to raise irregulars on coast of East Africa, 1942 including dispute between two officers, nature of defence plan; training.
REEL 7 Continues: embarrassment of intelligence officer; dispute over sandals; return to role as provincial advisor to Ethiopian Government, 1942; banquets; visiting villages; opinion of Ethiopian Government's taxation system; problems originating in University of Addis Ababa; Emperor Haile Selassie's gradual isolation.