Description
Object description
British officer served with 2/3rd Bn King's African Rifles in Kenya, 1939-1940; served with 2/3rd Bn King's African Rifles, 25th (East African) Infantry Bde, 12th (African) Infantry Div in Kenya, Eritrea and Ethiopia, 1940-1941
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Kenya, 1913-1939: family; education; attending Royal Military College, Sandhurst in GB, 1937; call-up for military service, 1939; recruitment into King's African Rifles; anticipation of coming war. Recollections of period as officer with 2/3rd Bn King's African Rifles in Kenya, 1939-1940: apprehension on Italian entry into war, 6/1940; process of recruitment into King's African Rifles; tribal characteristics; speaking of Swahili language; machine gun training; progress of training; attitude of troops to route marches; recreational activities; battalion discipline and punishments.
REEL 2 Continues: African troops' attitude towards punishment. Recollections of operations as officer with 2/3rd Bn King's African Rifles, 25th (East African) Infantry Bde, 12th (African) Infantry Div in Kenya and Ethiopia, 1940: guard duties at Garissa, Kenya; battalion strength and organisation; weapons; transport; signalling equipment; exercises for preparing defensive positions; pattern of field works; positions at Garissa, Kenya; screen used forward of positions; terrain and climate; rations; move to Moyale, Ethiopia; withdrawal from Moyale, Ethiopia; rate of movement in bush; ambush on 2/4th Bn King's African Rifles; advance to recapture Fort Tondenyang, Ethiopia, 8/1940.
REEL 3 Continues: attack on fort; question of forces used to attack fort; description of fort; opinion of 27th Mountain Bty, Indian Artillery; formation for advance; composition of Headquarters Coy; battalion medical services; problems with 2/4th Bn King's African Rifles advance due to river being in flood; construction of bridge and causeways; importance of water supply; dysentery; problems with insects; camel patrols. Aspects of operations as officer with 2/3rd Bn King's African Rifles, 25th (East African) Infantry Bde, 12th (African) Infantry Div in Eritrea, 1940: voyage from Mombasa, Kenya to Massawa during which French crew went on strike.
REEL 4 Continues: Italian running of Massawa; Italian fear of irregular troops; railway journey to Asmara; social facilities in Asmara; mountain warfare training; attending brigade conference; climate. Recollections of operations as officer with 2/3rd Bn King's African Rifles, 25th (East African) Infantry Bde, 12th (African) Infantry Div in Ethiopia, 1940-1941: use of captured trucks; acquiring goat mascot; accidental bombing by Royal Air Force at Amba Giorgis; night patrols; Italian shelling; African troops' attitude to night patrols; Italian positions; measures taken to deceive Italian to strength of force; Ethiopian irregular troops attached to brigade; formation for night fighting patrols.
REEL 5 Continues: character of two company attack on Mount Zuqualla; Italian counter-attack and accidental attack by Allied aircraft; character of Italian positions; handling of Italian prisoners of war and organisation of surrender by priest; attitude of Italian prisoners of war; fatigue after action; attack on Italian Azozo forts; reality of forts being breastworks; advance on Gondar; surrender of Gondar and occupation; protection of Italians from Shifta irregular troops; attempts to evacuate Eritreans; reluctance of African troops to present arms to Duke of Havar; African troops' relations with Italians. Aspects of period as officer with 2/3rd Bn King's African Rifles, 25th (East African) Infantry Bde, 12th (African) Infantry Div in Kenya, 1941-1942: orders for overseas service
REEL 6 Continues: troops' refusal to embark for Far East until leave agreed; march back to Kenya; how all troops' returned from leave on time. Aspects of operations as officer with 2/3rd Bn King's African Rifles, 25th (East African) Infantry Bde, 12th (African) Infantry Div in Ethiopia, 1940-1941: battalion officers; planning process in unit; command at platoon level; question of NCOs lacking in initiative; how campaign experience hardened troops.