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Object description
British officer served with 1st Bn, King's African Rifles in Nyasaland 1931-1933, Tanganyika 1933-1944, India 1944-1947; internal security in Northern Rhodesia 1947-1952, and Malaya 1952-1963; secretary of BEIT Trust in East Africa 1963-1979
Content description
REEL 1 Reasons for secondment to 1st Battalion, King's African Rifles at Zomba, Nyasaland, 1931. Journey out. First impressions. Effects of economic depression. Dispositions of 1st KAR. African troops' pay and rations. Economic restraints on training. Character of African troops. Account of move to Tabora, Tanganyika, 1933: transport; supplies; route. Description of Tabora. Role and unification of 1st KAR. Posting to detachment of 6th Battalion, KAR at Arusha: lifestyle; geographical situation; Coronation Day parade, 1937. Background to posting to 13th (Nyasaland) Battalion, KAR at Mauripur, India, 1914.
REEL 2 Battalion's situation: opinion of increased British personnel; training and move to Ranchi; absence of Africanisation. Return to GB. Posting to 1st Battalion, KAR at Lusaka, Northern Rhodesia, 1949. Journey out. Problems: British officers inability to speak Chinyanja; Copperbelt internal security situation; efforts to alleviate poverty of African troops. Posting to Malaya, ca 1952: initial secrecy; preparations; journey out; situation; successful community activities to dispel communist inspired image of African troops; African troops' performance. Progress of Africanisation. Arrival of British national service officers.
REEL 3 New African rank of warrant officer platoon commander. African troops' response to decent service conditions. Post retirement work as secretary of Beit Trust, 1963-79. Recollections of meeting old African soldier. Beit Trust's help in improving KAR Soldiers' Home