Edwards, Patrick Leslie (Oral history)

British officer served with 2nd Bn Nigeria Regt, Royal West African Frontier Force, 23rd (Nigerian) Infantry Bde, 1st (African) Infantry Div in Kenya and Italian Somaliland and Ethiopia, 1940-1941

REEL 1 Background in GB, 1920-1939: family; education. Aspects of period as officer with 4th and 8th Bns Devonshire Regt in GB, 1939-1940: value of experience gained in Territorial Army; reactions to declaration of Second World War, 9/1939; reasons for volunteering for service in Africa. Recollections of operations as officer with 2nd Bn Nigeria Regt, Royal West African Frontier Force, 23rd (Nigerian) Bde, 1st (African) Div in Kenya, Italian Somaliland and Ethiopia, 1940-1941: voyage aboard HMT Windsor Casrtle from GB to East Africa; paternal feeling of Nigerian troops towards young officers; comparison between African and British troops; unit equipment; officers and NCOs; unrest amongst Gold Coast troops in Addis Ababa; incident of cruelty shown to Italian officer who was a prisoner of war of Shifta irregular troops in Ethiopia; Italian pleas for protection from Shifta; appearance of Shifta; crossing from Kenya to Italian Somaliland, 1/1941; malaria threat. REEL 2 Continues: petrol shortage during advance into Italian Somaliland; infrastructure in Italian Somaliland; impressions of Mogadishu, Italian Somaliland; probing reconnaissance of Italian positions at Marda Pass, Ethiopia; occupation of heights at Marda Pass, Ethiopia; skirmishes with Italian troops; Italian demolition work to obstruct advance; Brigadier Claude Fowkes attitude to orders that South African troops were to be the first to enter Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 4/1941; relations with Italian civilians in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; effect on transport of rainy season and vehicle maintenance problems; rearguard work at Colito, Ethiopia, 5/1941; problems crossing River Omo, Ethiopia. REEL 3 Continues: heavy Italian casualties during crossing of River Omo, Ethiopia; Italian surrender at Gimbi, Ethiopia; physical hardships of campaign; motivation of West African troops; opinion of Italian military performance; treatment of Italian prisoners of war; necessity of campaign; encounter with Duke of Harar; reception of Haile Selassie in Addis Ababa; evidence of gas burns on individuals during Italian occupation; relations between different categories of officers in command of Nigerian troops; corporal punishment of African troops. Aspects of period as officer with 46th Bn King's African Rifles in Kenya, Ethiopia and British Somaliland, 1941-1942: transfer to King's African Rifles; loyalty of his servant; recruitment to battalion; learning Swahili language. REEL 4 Continues: patrolling French Somaliland frontier; physical hardships of area; attitude of Free French towards Vichy French; intelligence gathering mission at Zeila, British Somaliland; return to Ethiopia for occupation duties.