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, AFRICAN RESPONSES TO COLONIAL MILITARY RECRUI~ 1 THE ROLE OF 6SMBI AND CARRIJtRS

'IN THE FIRST WORLD r IN -THE BRITISH EAST AFRICA PROTECTORATE (KENYA> .4, 1

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IALINA JlPKOECH CHISIRIM

Subndtted to the traculty of the Graduate ~~_e.!-.nd ~p partial fulfill.ent of the requir ... nt. for th.

of Ma.t'er. in the .Deparf .. ent of Hi.tory I1cGil1 Univer.ity, Montreal

-I1arch 1987

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Permission has been granted to -the National Libra'ry ~of Canad' te microfilm' this ' thesis ,and to" lend or sell copies of the ~ilm.

The author (qopyr1ght owner) bas r e s e J:I' v-e d ~ 0 the r publication rights 1 and nei ther J ~he tbes!.s "nor extens ve 'extracts from i t ' ' may b pr!nted 'tir ot;herwi's~" reproduced without "lils/her written'permission. r

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'extraits de celle-ci' ne doivent" tre imprims o~ 'autrement reproduits sans son .a~tori8tion crite. 1>'

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Ainsworth, Ithen Mi1~t~r: Comm1 ioner 'fot

est i mated t~at of the c:~r.r i ers rcrui ted,'

24,000 died! i~ the war effort. ,Desp'ite the 1

of. -J,ohn , .

who

voluntary r::eclruittllent as oppesed ,te consc:ription, \. '~j. reality

r ecrui tment I .... s coer~ei An ' o\('!'r .. l1 .nal Y'l,i. of '::-.' i nd i eates thJf the ,'war burden w~. nee .quall y shar Nyan:a a

l " , ;: '. 1 ~ ~ ,1 province s~~':;ldered th. bi99 t .har. of th .t?,":Irden,

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Inter tingl Y:i, reer,ui tm.nt "was a1ao ba.ed on th. , - 1

that , .

I war1ika" and non-warlik." people. , .xi.t.d in th.

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a'nd that each ,eategory was ohly sUlted'for "

'~~~C:'i fic r'0t:" i ~ the mi Il ~ary. But, _,when ."", . th ~ umptions proved to be founded

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, , carefully examined,

on s~ereot~pes .and .

prejUdic_, ~nd Iherefore' ware witnou,t any empir~cal value. y - ,

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carcr,iers were , unattr.actjve. C.arrhtrs were' axpo d to iI'wid~ variety, of

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dis.asa,at the f,ro~t,~ and medical f.acilities available were ~

i nsuff i ci ent. Their wages and diet were a1~e' be10w "adegua,te , ,

o

standards. Th~y were a1so exposed te ~.az.ards of c1imate~ 0 u ,

difflC~,lt terraln _ and th .. threat of Jild anll'na1s~

Furthermore, 'they were constantly overloade " and compelled

~o ~arch long distancesr'in short they were exposed te a life >

di!ferent from wh.at they h~d evar ~nown. .

Th~.. wartime expe~iences ~parked off p~otests ,bV

Afr,i,ctilns who were unwillingly p.rticipating in a war they did

no~t I.c:omprahend. ,Protest.., , l '

took two forms, dir~ct and indirect. , 0 0

:. Di rect protast consi stad of'ethnic'uprislngs and often worked o

:to .",,' th~ dvntag ol _,the govern",eht. Indirect protest on the , .

ther ~.and 'lnvolved:desertion by"individual recr~its and was .

'? ~~antag.ou. to the Africans. Fi'ntillly, these protests c1aimed ,

hundred... of" Afri can 1 ives, 'd .and ware not succ:esliful tilli

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R.ponses Africain.a.au Recrutement' Militaire CaloMiale. Le ROI. de.

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e~k@~l et d.s Part.urs au Protectorat 8rit.nique d. l'Afrique. de l'Est' (Kenya) dans la Premi.re .Guerr. Mpndi al 1

oDf~part.ment6_~ ___ .;:. __ .::'____ 1 \ Hi stoi r'~ ,

DiplOme _________________ Ma~tri~~ d'Arts " , 0

-----~------------------------------------~-----------------

L'Afrlque de l'Est a t durant 1 a Preml re Guerre ,

~on~l~le, n front millt~)r lmportant sur le~continent. Po~r . '" vai~cre les Allemands, 1 e gouvernement Bri'tani que de l' E~.t

s'est I;leaucoup report sur les i ndl g,=,es, recrutan,t

apprdximative~eni ,l

~

10,000 soldats et 162,000 porteurs d . le 1.

protectorat. John o

Ainsworth -te COl1'lmissaire !1Pit.alr., du,' 'j, .

Travail d~ l'poque, qui a' t r pons.abl. pour le

recrutement ,d'un . gr.and nombre d~ porteurs,

qu'approximatlvement 24,000 d. ceux-ci ont ta tu d.ans l.a

guerre... Au

tal t 1 anc

/ .} scne QU gouvernement colonial mme, un d.b.at

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~ur )e sujet de recrutement, voluntalre vefsu. ,-'

conscription, ~s en realit. toute recrutem_nt tait forc

Une a~alyse compreh~nsif du rjcru~~m.nt, indique que l 'eff~rt

de guerre n'tait pas equitablement rparti;' la provinc. de

Nyanza par examp1e a support le fardeau le plu. grand. De

plus le recrutement dans le protectorat .t~it bas. sur une

nation division deli hommeli entre "martial" et . , ..

t'non-q'une o _

mr-tral tl existait, '. a determin leur rOla specifique dans

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Cep,.andant , 'Un :e.xamen obJectif montre que ces' . ... ~ ba~es sur des ,streotypes et des

{

:;;" pr.jug ~

. En on

trouva

anal~\rant la'vie qUQtidi.n~e de. militaires, \ , ,'-

qua 1 \ cqi).ditions da' travail particulirement celles

. ~ _et- nourriture an de.~ous de la m6yenne. Ils eni recentr

autres hazards comme des c~angements cli'matiques, rglons

inhospitalires et animaux sauvages. En outre, ils taient

'constamment. surchargs et obligs de traverser des lortg~es

di !,ftances; e~ somme la vie dqnt Ils taient exposs t,it

differente d celle qu'ils ont connu avant.

Ces experiences . '. de guerre ont prclpl t les protestatl0ns de ces mmes Africns qUl taie?t contr~ints

de participar dans une guerre dont ils trouvaient

i~compr.hensible. Le. protestations ont pris deux ~ormes;. '.

et "i ndi recta". La forme "directe" 'consi st ai t

ethniques et souvnt tournait ~ l'avantage , .... ,. f, C

/' gouv~rnement. La forme' ' .. indirecte" quant a elle, ,

de

du

se

manifestait sous forme de de rtions individuelles, ce qui - .'

avantageux pour 1.. Africains. ,

prote.tations ont causs la mort de milliers d'Africains, et J r, --

pas' .t. effiCace. comme rn.trode de reBi.tance au

recrut.ment .u .ervi c. mi 11 t.i re. \

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Very little r rch hA. been ~arried out on the impact

of the First World WAr in EA.t AfriCA. Saverai' military

historians ,writing~ 'on the Fir.t World War in E ... #:, AfriF_ .. d.vote considerable time to r~mantic de.cription. of hON the

, ; l ' war was fought in' GermAn East' Africa. This, romantici.m i,.

1 i mi ted tg the adventureii of, whi t. mi 1 i tary personn.f ,At the i

front whlle 11ttle or 'no mention i~ made of the !!~!tl And ~

the~porter . Lewis J. Greensteln, DonAld C. $avAge, John F. -t

Munro and Anthony Clay ton are among the few historians ~ho

h~ve attempted'to look at the Flrst World War in E~lt Africa

~

f.rom , an Afrl c:an perspect,i ve. These hl storians have Etevoted

considerable' resear.ch on pertInent issues such a. method. of

rec:roitment, conditions ~f service, civlllan war ffort, war \

. and ideology And demobilizAtion And effects ~f the w.r on the

. 1 ... The -fAet that verly, 1 i ttle re.each, hAS ~, n don. on thi.

~~bject prompted my desire to. take up the challenge.

'~navalia~ilitY of research funds, this t~e.is has

Du. to

'fI...,

~xt.nsively on' secondary lit.rAture but 1 have Al.o taken

advantage of a fw primary sources available ln the,Montreal

Area, and t,hrou~h Inter-Li brary Loan. Splt1:.if i call,y 1 have /'

~ used the fad~d information from the'KenYA NAtional Ac~ive.

and the Eas~ Afric~ ~tandard at LOYcKa Campus, Concordi.

University, Montreal.' Information WA. made available ta me

,,1' through l'nter-LibrAry Laan, Melennan ' 1 ibrary', MeSt11

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, , Ch.pter 1 of this th is will look at th~ British East'

Afr'ica Protectorat. before the out break of the war lilnd the

phases in which the East African clilm~aign wa.

o~ganized. ,'Chapt.~s II and III will inves~igate issues

, .

surroundi~g recrultment and used by the

.dmi n i str aU on to r"c'rui t thousands of Africans into, the . ,

K.A.R. and the carrier corps. Chapter IV examines conditions '.'

of .ervice in the carrier corps. Although this Chapter deals

~ith carriers alone it does not mean that condition . of

'serviCi:? f.or Goldiers in the K.A'-~R. were,better than those of ....

carriers. This' the.!. chooBe~ to discus~ the condltions 'of t)

rvice for carriers for the .simple reason that c'arrlers went . ,~ thrOUgh.,~. diffi~ultill. than soldiers. Flnally, f thi.

thesis ~i~l .attempt-to analysa severe re~istance ~y Africans "

to military sarvice in the war effort within the period uhder

.study. ( .incere~gratit~~ 1 wish to e)(press my to many people

'!

who made it po.sible f,or J'le to complete.this th.siB. 1 am ,', "

indebted ta two,Profes&Qrs in the Hi sto:",y department, of 1

McGtll .. '0.

Universil:y. Fi~ft, 1 would like to than,k Prof essor

Myron Echenb.rg who i5 alao my th.sis supervisor, ~

for his

guidance, moral .upp~rt and untirlng patience. Without him " ' . '\ i'

JhiS th i . ,~OUld 'not hav". ta~.n 'Off from it. initial stages. l,., would also lik. to~r my sineara thAnks to Prof essor

$tepnen Randall, Ch.irman of.the department,' whos. kind ~nd .-

the Can.dian Immigration Department.

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/' ," 1 am al.o indebt.d te K.~herin.~GDmb.y and the

; , seminar of Afric:a and Th." TwO'. 1.~r.i',:'i! 1984/8~,

stimulating" diw.c:4s.ior. d.t.rm~n.d ~h. d.stin~t1on of

thesii. Gratitute is also e)(t.':"~.d 'tb 'th. Inter-lJbrary J, "~ \, l

, I.,. 't .... ~ ~

.ac:tion of Mc:l.nnan library, ,Mc:Gill Uni y.r,i t y ,and th.

."tir.

whos. '

thi.

Loan.

K.ny . .

National -4'

Archives ,librarians, Lo~ola C~n:'pus, Cor11: or di.

Univerw.ity, Montreal. i 1

1 am greatJy indebted to ~Av.ltY .p.c~al fri.nd, Seydou ,'S.an,?u." H:~~- ,his financial .n moral -support ,.~?,d

for making typing facilitia. avait able to ma. 1 am

grateful to the ~~nya Hlghnc~mmu ~o~n.r to Canad_, '1

Sawe, and

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Mr.

al.o

al.o :1

Arap

for ., t~~ Educ:atlon Att:aCh:~e, . Arap Rutto, acknowledging mY'in~ttC:ial diffic:ultiia. and their -willingnas.

'1

to help. Lastly 1 would like to 1 thank ,th. C9mmonw.alth 1

Program for bringinq me her. from K~pya ta .tudy at Mc:Gill

University.

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TABLE 'OF CONTENTS

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Abstrac:t ~

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p,..fac:. and Acknowledgements #

Li st. of Maps ~ ,. Lists of Photographs

Footnote Abbreviations .

ChApters

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1 .' . The British East Afric~ Prot~ctorate Prior to 1914

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Why W4S tme War f~ught in East Africa? The British Eas~ Afric~P,.otectorate and the First World War, 'August;' 1914.

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Mil.itary organization in thEt British East -Africa at the outbreak of the ~Ar.

II Recrui tment ..l /

Part On8. Issu Surrounding 'the. R~crui,tment o.f. AfricaMs into the )King'~ African Rifl~~ and the Carr-i er Corps

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Recruitment Polieies -- "Voluntary or Con.~ription?" __ Af,.ical'i' views on "Conscription" -and' "VoluntAry Recruitment ll

Part T..,a Recrui,tment -- Kingl's African "

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Organization of the.K.A.B. prior to M.thoda of Reruitment -- Coarcion con.crip~ion ~

Recrui tinent '--- arri sr Corps ,,'.

M.thods of Ra~ruitm.nt --Caere ion and Conscription

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,Summ.ry oi G:haptars 1 1 and 1 II 0"

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1916 and

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>"~ Il ...... . , Map of Kenya

East African Campaign, 1914-18 . . . . . . . . . .. _!~-- .

Conquvst of German East Afri c:'a and _yon Let tow ....

" Vorbeck' ts Guerri lia Campagn. -III . ......... . ""

Lists of ~ho~ographs

1. Rec:rult affixing th~mb-prlnt.

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Transport ,of marc~,

\ , of a K. A. R. batJarlon on the 1 i nI!' Portuguese l'$t A~rlcl,~ 1~18."-.,,.,.

Column of 2/4 K.A.8. mQvln9'a~n9 ~ fro~d~d road ln Port'ugue"se,East Afrlca, -1918 ,- . - ,

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:ol-oni'a,l-' Off i c: eaper-D~ ~ ./ CO EAS KNA pRO

~ Af"r.i'can ~-Stangard.. e!'_ Kenycl, NatfbnJ ~r~h-fve~;,._''Mbntre~l. Pup li -t: Rec$Jrd, cff .. f i ce,' London .:" ,"' .

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thi tra~egic purpo... (6) 7 ,

Al though' "bac:k~a~er il ~f li~tl igni~C:nc:. to ~h.

~h~,prD~.ctor~t~ witn ~ , .

Sri~i.h gov.rnment a~ ~he tim.,

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Afri~?' Rath.r th.~ all~~at~ng th. blam. an Any of th. two \" " . ,

parti for the .v.nt. l.ading ta th ... ar in Ea.t Afrlca, an ~ :) t ,

attempt .hould 'b. made ta' id"nt.ify. diff.r.nc.. b.t", n

Britain and aermany in Ea.t Afrca b.far.' and aft.r th.

B.r,l in Conf.r.nce . fU valri b.t",e.n th. twa countri can' b.

,trAced bac:k to the a~tiviti of both K~rl Pet.r., a a.f:tnan

. Mplor.r, ~--:

John.ton '. (latar Si r Har:rv J.

.'

JOhn.ton), ."til young arti.t and .xplorer who had l.d th. ,; f .. (" <

... , ."\, . scientifie expedition, to Mount ~ilim.nj.ro for a British

Il A.soci ilticn. In HI84 K~rl P.t~r. signed .everal tr.aU

"

with Afric.an chief. in the ~nterior of Ea.t Africa and ,

.imilar othr tr&~tie ... era .igned by John.ton At the .am. 1 0< 1 n

time in the Hosht ilnd TaitA r.gion Although th rivalri "

. two imp.r1al power. ~r. not all.viatad

.

After :Othe a.rUn Cot;tf.r.nce th. tHO countri.. watchltd "

.ach oth.r'. coloni ",tth Incr.a.ing envy and in 1897, plan

... re mAde by the War Office in London tor the inva.ion of 12

a.rman E t AfriA wtth th. h.lp of Ind~an troops. , , - - ,-" ' G.rman occupation of what b.c~me Tanganyi ka t;linder.d C.ci 1

, ,

Rhode.' dr ... m of "painting th. map red for ~ritain froln the 13

Cape to Cairo." Britain too .. a. worried about th. .wcurity

of h.r IndiAn Oc.an po ion. lik. Zanzibar and Pemba,

furthermor. Briti.h occupation of'Germa~ Ea.t Africa .. outd

not only en.ur. .ecurity for the.. islands but 14

acqui.ition of .. larg.r naval b :r

1914,

the autbr.ak of th. Fir.t World WAr :: .'

in

negatiations ta keep Ea.t Afric. neutr.l bec'"

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. ; irr.levant a. the War Offic. ordered the govarnment of tndia

1:5 Th. initial .Hp.dition force

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'of Indian troop. to arrive were the 29th Punjabi. under the

, .

command of Brigadier aeneral J. ~teward charged with the 16

fnva.ion of Ger",an Ea.t Afrh:a through th. part of Tanga

,About 8000 .oldi.r. arrived, 17

the r t b.ing British.

, and

The German. on th. other hand did not lie low. Oesdr ., , to.invade the British Ea.t Africa protectorate evolved .round

~h. character of the ~.rm.n Commander, Colonel Uater

General) Paul Von Letto",,-Vorbeck who i. described by Ritchie

as .. mana ",

-who wa . -not merel y --:- of surp4IlrSi ng catrbre, but one who b.fore takin; up hi. appointment had ca.. ta th. conclu.ion that th.r. NOUld b a ""ar betN .. n Britein and Ger ny at an early date, end had et nce begun ta ley hi. plan., which h. b ad upon \ the a ullpt ion that once war had' brak.n out he could .Hpect littl. outside Aida (lB>

,l -Unlik. 'the Brfti.h,. -L.ttow-Vorbeck .haw~ no int.r.st in e~pir. eMpan.ian. Hi. .ale intention ""a. ta k p Brittsh

troop. "in Ea.t Africa a. bU.y a. po ible ta en.ur. Ger n

victory in Europ . Although ar n.t.in ..... ' ta .,;,gg t that

Britain took the lead in launching th. inv ion.by nding a .

small party of mariner. ta Dar- -S.l.a. an Augu.t S, 1914 ", .. 19

whitl de.tr"oyed the N1rel tation, R1tchi,_ clai.. that,

it Na. LettpN-Vorbeck with force of 4900 ...., the;; .... jority 20

of wha. Nere t_ci. (native .oldier.) ~Ol

, .ccar~ngly decided ta a u.. the

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. ini'ti.tiv., a. th.' b t far. of d.f.n ', and beg.n ri of .r.ids ,. with vi." of cutting out MOMb -. Ug.nd. Railw.y, which ran p.r.ll.l ta and q~it. n.ar th. GerM.n bard.r, and if succ ful, o~ fallawing uP .

. wi th .n .tt.mpt to c.pture bath ,Nairob~, th. Briti.h E t Afric. capi ta) , and l''Iomb.... Hi. .ch_ far t.king Momba.a w.. ta wr.c~ th. bridge cannecting Momb with it.' si.t.,. part,' Kilindini .nd .r:r;anQ. far a 'l.ndiI19 p.rty rra. th. B41r .. an crui.er ~2D!g.~.Cg th.n at th. a.rm.n part of Dar- -S.l whenc. in th. e.rly day. of ho.tiliti sh. ro d ta Z.nzib.r .nd th.re nk th. Br i t i.h cru i .er E!9!.!:A. (21)

, "

, ..

- "

g.v. Britain and a.rm.ny in E t Africa.n oppar unit y ta

bring th~ir canflicl. inta th. op.h. rr- ---------;-----~ THE BRITISH EAST AFRICA PROTECTORATE AND

THE FIRST WORLD WAR, AUGUST, 1914.

Articl. Xl of th. Berlin 22

warning~ from th. Belgi.n for.ign mini.t.r

pa ion. n.Jtr.l, Ea.t Afric. b.c.m m.Jar w. -front in 1

th. contin.nt. Whe" the war brak. out bath the Af~ican and ,1 j

.mall European papul.ti'anti of the Bri ti.h Ea.t Afrlc.'

Pratectar.te were caught unawarea. Accordlng ta stvaQe and

Munro.

Ther. had b.en r.port. of th. growing Europ.an cri .i. in -- th. loc.l new.p.per., but th. popul.tion h.d rem.lned angro ed in local i u Pion r. h.d e~ough ta da in clearing the l.nd or .etting up bu.in Har.~ .pac. wa. d.vot.d in th. pr ta the nov.l an~ ~a ibly .larming .trike of I~di.n .rti.an. in Nairobi V.ry littl., thar.for. had b_n 'don. to prep.r. th. prot.ctar.t.

5

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f .. ~,

Wt!,"", "~ .. \

o

o

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fa,., .... r. (23)

S id wor.,.,ying ~v.r local i ue., 'the Eu,.,ope.n population

did not im.gin. th.t ..... r with i.:t. reat. in Europe could be

fauCilht in, E t Africa and with th. h.lp of "nativ." pli!0ples. 1

Th.ir ntiments .... ,.,.voic.d by lb! S~~~ ef~!~!D ,

y ,., Th. new.pap.,., on twe occa.ions appe.lad te' settlar. in

th. t ... o colonies ta r~~,.,ain ~,.,om war especially in the

pr.s.nc. of th.i,., "natl ve" fiubjects. On August 8, !b~

... hatever thai,., national .entiments may be; the s.ttlers of B,.,itish East A~,.,ica and German E.st A~rica must du,.,ing the cri sis, continue the white

.. ------------im~s-bur::den ._E.\ler:y ,.. pon.i.bJ li! moo.i~n-;:d'----------------___1

must r.alize that the burden is' gr t

And

enough without additional wight. Th.t thes. most closely concerned, and ... ith full understanding cauld contemplat.e adding to it is~ unthinkable. '

in .n attampt to k p Africans out a~ Europ.an quar,.,els,

, ... hil ..... have nothing but admiration for th. fi~. di.play of patriotism that ha. sho ... n its.l~ here, .... would still suggest that this colony is 'not acti val y at war and' i t is not d.slrable that the native population of the country should be allo ... ad ta g.th.r the impression that .... Ar. .Kclusively occupiad ... ith matt.rs

.out.ide our bordera. (25)

.. , ,

j

From the contents o~ the ne .... paper, Gr nstein cit.s the

.Mi.t.nce of a "broth.rhood of white man. Il In Eu,., ope , the

.n.my is Germany while in East A~rica it is apparent that the

.n.my.i.a th. "n.tiv.... H. compar.s the war in East Africa ta ..

=

o

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..... ~ 1 p. ~! } .i , ..... 4AM

'1 i r~

"'. 26

a football match with Bri~i.h .nd ,aerman fan. on either

it i. ov.r, appan.n~. turn around and 1 .hak. hand.. This

fe.ling i. illustr.t.d by . v.nt. th.t taok plac. lat~r in th.

war. First, th.r. i. th. incid.nt '.ft.r th.f.~al attacK on

ranga, wher~ Colonel'Richard H.in.r~zhag.n wa~ .nt.rtatn.d ta . 27

br.akfa.t by a German. Secondly, th. 10nglastinQ cordial ~ '1 1 \ .

r.lation.hip betwe.n GtIIleral J. ,Smut. and L..ttow-Vorb.c:k , 28

during and ~ft.r th. war .nd, finally th. m.a.ur

undertak.n by ch party in tr.ating th.ir white pri.on.r. of

war. Occasibnally, white priwoners of war w.r. r.l d by

both side. with the agr ment that th e pri.on~ hould nct

-"

1-----------Ip..ar:::.:t;~ . .cl.~t~.-~iD---t:b. ....r agAin.. a.rman. oft." l.ft th!.l!':-___ , , ,

..

"

-"0

wound.d in th. battlefi.ld with th . knawl.dg. th.t the

British would tak. good car. f them. Such tr t.ent ,wea 1 29 "

0 0 ~

deniad the African .!KV-i on .ith.r side. " ,Incident. of thi.

natr aem to sUQg t that bath sid tried tp avoid, ~ "r.al

\ Th. outbr'eak of th ... ar c._ . a tlr.l iaf Il rather th.n a . urpri .... , to th. 'Afric:an population oi the prot.ctorat

It wa lightly over a dec.d inc. brutal

.Kpadi ticns ' had, b n carried out an varlous .t:hnic group. by 1

th. 'Briti.h adm1ni.tration in the hop. of li" r , t

bringing th.

prptactorat. -under aff.ctiv. control. M ori.. of th

Kp.dition. ...ar ... till' -fr h in th. minds of many African.; " ;

tharafore ny of 1:h.m 1 i vad w1 th th. t'lORe that ona "'dey they

might regain th~ir independanc.. Th. outbr.ak of th. First

World War off.rad an opportun. moftent ~o~ th ... In Ny l.nd

7

.. " . l ,

f

"

'i';.Y/';~

d~\

o

/'

o and ~

04 th. .nd of th" world in Oc'tob.r 1914 by /' 30

traditiona1 proph.ts,and African Christians r p.ct~v.ly.

10 th. Africans of British Ea.t Africa Prot.ctorat., th nd # ' ~

~~ Briti.h rul. wa. at hand. J.O.W. Hop., th. Provincial

Commi 1'on.r of K.nya Provinc. report.dl t ,; .! .....

Th. wild t rumours w.r. curr.nt If among th. native. and at fir.t th .....

wa. a wid.~.pr.ad ide ong th. mor. ignorant that ail Europ.an. w.r. 1.a"1"g the " country and that

:~ th. gov.rnm.nt would short! y c to .)Cl.t. (J1) ---

\

A 'y r lat.r t~. Provincial Commi ion.r report.d/t~.t

{}~_. __ '_. t_~ ___ African population in hi. pr~vlnc. "h.s had no

"

/

opportun! ty ?

of forgetting th Ki.t.nc. of a stat. of war in 32

th. Ea.t: Africa Prot.ctorat tt In S.yldi. (Coa.t) Provinc.,"

th. Girlama who had continuou.ly r i.t.d Briti.h occupation

.inc. 189~ were quick ta tak. advantav. of the .tate of war. \ , . According to Br.rltl.y, th. war's.

.udden and proHimity threw British adminlstrators off balance, th.ir

~ labour yeffort wa. transform.d from 'on. ta g.t 6i r i ama anto Europ.an plantations into a calI for porters, interpr.ters and guide.. Th. Giriama h.aring the news of Britain's conflict with aermany' -realiz.d Br:i:tai n '. sudd.n "".akn and th. new dim.n.ion far th. Briti.h n.ed far h.lp. (33)

,/

Lik. th. Glriama, " the Gusii in Nyanza Provinc. w.lcom.d the

war with .nthusla.m sine. th.y had b n twic. brutally_ .

butcher.d during th. eKpeditlons of 190~ and 1908. Wh.n the

Briti.h .vacuat.d (the admi ni str at ive

e

=

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r'; ...

h.adqu.rt.r. ) .n

"appro.ching G.rm.n forc., th. Gu.ii took ,1t si;n of , tf.'I

w.akn on th. Briti.h p.rt .nd quickly w.n~ ,on th. rampa;

Th.y plund.r.~ th. mi.sion. of Ny.bururu, Nyanchwa .nd \

, 'A.umbi, the 'trading centr af Ri.na, Ran;w. and Homa' Bay, nd th.-gav.rnm.nt offic~ t Ki.i~ Rgm~. The accup.tian of

th. ~em~ by A force of th. King'. fric.n Rifl th. 34

following day mu.t h.v. demar.lized th.m. Haw.v.r, African /'

r pon ta recruitm.rit of military l.baur .nd m.thods 'u.ad

~Briu;'h admini.traUan ta counteract militant V r i.tanc~f will b.'di.cu d in d.t.il in Chapt.r V.

"

1

AT THE , OUTBREAK' OF THE AR '

315 !, pr.par.d u i. th. phr us. ' by Ritchi. ta d.scrib. . \

British East Afri'ca'. milit.ry atr.ngth .t th. outbre.k qf

th. war. Th. history of th. milit.ry in Briti.h Ea.t Africa

d.t.s back ta th. day. af th. Imperial Briti.h E ~ Afric.

Comp.ny'. rul.. At th. tim. th. comp.ny call.~ d, tt. . '

mi,sc.ll.n.ous collection o-f trao~. nu'!'ber.d 8,66 m.n.~ H.rdi~

.ppoint.d C.ptain,~atcho th. n.w comm.~d.nt .nd su;g t.d

1000 m.n wauld b . ,n .. ded to .afevu.rd th. , .

prot.ctarat.. A n.H

Afric.~ Rifl.. with

ingl. uni t w ~r ted known a.- 'Ea"t .. 36 \>, "

tt. h dqu.rt.r. at . l'10mb.... ""Th.

imm.diat. ta.k of th. E.A.R. wa. ta pacify th. prot.ctar At. -. . by c.r~ying aut punitive .xp.ditian

".anwhil., sugg tion. ta r.Qrg.niz. th. f.... milit.ry

.~ ~'farc.. in E t and C.ntral. Afric. wttr,. und, ........ y and in rly

Augu.t 1901, mltfttorandu. frOfR th.

9 /

Caloni.l /Officw ..... 'j

/ . -

- '

,..,~lf'-~:rf' ~ ,'-'L ~" , .. ~t>1.111,~~,'- ~i"~I~ ->~ -- ''''''''\~-''''.j,'''''?~*,'''I'''..r1t~-\. ""' .. "j,!::~ ..... !l .... ~V"""""~; -"'\ ~t .... _ .. -.....-"i ... 'O '''.' ~;,~~ : . ,

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fowa~d.d to t~. ffir prot.cto~at~,. "Th morandum stat.dl

.His ~J.sty's eov.r~.-nt had d.cided on c.rtain chang in vl.w ~ th. prov.d. i n'ad.quacy of th. ,fCir'c.. to ~ th. militry n d. of th. prot.cto~at.. ~nd th. .Mpen.. of g.ttin- h.lp from India when trouble

./ ./ ,...._____--ara... Th., main objecta .. r. th.r.fo,.. two, th. 'fu.ion of th Mt.ttng forc.. into a .ingl. body and th. ..ploym.nt of a r rv. battal10n th.t could b nt wh.,..v.r n d.d at a .hort notf.c.... Th. d ignatian- of th. "frc:. wa. to b. king'. African'Rifl.s t~ which ,Hi. maJ.sty ~ad' alr.ady signifi.d ~hi. nt. (37) ,

Th.for. on th. lat o~" Janu.ry, .1902, th. K.A.R. c.m. into

b.ing ,and compri d .ix r.glorullly ba d bAtt'.lions. Th. 3rd ~

K.A.R. batt.lion inltially compri.ed 7 comp.ni.s and wa. 38

bas.d i~ Briti"h' Ea~t ,Afric. Prot.ctorat.. At th'. b.ginning

o~,th.,wa~, th., K.A.R. '. was .ad. up of only thr r.gim.nt., , 1 \-

n~m.l y t.h. l.t K.-A. R. 3rd K. A. R.

Afr-ica and 4th K .. A. R. Ugand.. E.ch ragi_n~- wa. m.d. up of

~n. b.ttal ion and th. thr_ regi_nt. ~og.th.r had twanty on. 39

c~mpani " .

According ta Hoys.-Sartlett. .

Though th. 3 battalions of which th.y form.d a part acknowl.dg.d a eom.on policy in .dministration and training... th.r. w no staff, no c.ntral organization .for' .upplY9 transport and m.dieal __ .rvic , no arti~l.,.y .nd a sy.t.~ of re.erv

. that was .till incomplete. Th. reg1ment w.. n.ith.r d ign.d nor p,..pared for a m.jor war. (40)

Once d.c~.ions had b n made by,th. W.,.':' Qffic:e in

London ta wag. war on a.rman Ea.t Africa, the fir.t f~

, f orc. wlri. ch landed at T .n9a on 2-3 Nove.,.r. 1914. . Th. forc:.

10

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.,,".;...,. '. ' , .

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... a. ill-pr.par.d land .a.ily ,..pl-.ltdi by a all a.r",an .ft)rc. '1_ 41 ' .,."

,. ulting in about 790 ca.ualti... Th. Hindu ct"'on of t.he 42 1

Indian fo,.e hould.r.d-th. blam ' Althou;h 1915 dld ... m a

p.,.iod of .tagnat.ion, __ B,.it.i.h Ea.t. ~frican troop. .uff.r.d

h.avy ca.ualti... On January 18-19,' 1915 At. Ja.in 'on th. " ,

coa.t b.tw n Momba.a andoTanva, th. Briti.h .uff.r.d about

SOO c ua1ti... On 20 S.pt.mb.r, at ~ongido, more than fort y '-.,

B,.i ti.h y.ar,

th. B,.iti.h did land at Bukoba and ~ith th. h.lp .of about

2,000 m.n captur.d th. ta ... n. Th.y .alab captu,..d 32,000 ,.ound. . . of

, , ammun1t10n and rifl an~-d troy.d .tH~ ... 1,..1

-43 b.for. moving on ~o Ki.umu. ~

.tation - . "

. Di a1.0 cl.i m.d th. 11 v ',of 8r i ti.h forc ; Th ...

2nd Loyal No,. th , ... a. ,

compo d,of 900 m.n .nd.d up ... ith 1 ~han 34S m.n whi1. th.

2Sth Fu.ili.r. (Fronti.r n) ... hi~ a,.~iv.d with 44

l.ft ... ith 1 than 200 m.n. , . ,

. . Th... ca.u.lti.". ala,.m.d th. ~ar Off1c. and d.c:i.ions

.... ,.. qu1ckly made to rai ~roop. to aid in th. Ea.t. African

campaign. ~

Africans

Th. probl.m ... a. Wh.". to obtain th... troop of th. P,.ot.ctorat ..... ~. th. la.t t b. con.id.,..d

and \

a. lat. a. 1914, th. Wa,. Offic. had obJ.ct.d 'ta th.' "

th.,..for.. a, d.1ay of At. I t. h.lf a y.ar. sesid.S, it wa.

b.li.v.d th .... a,. would b. over by ~h. Chri.t of 1914. Why . go into 'th. unn.c ry .)(pen~. of -' rK,.",t t.ini) .nd traininCjl

il '.

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!i r.: .. I~. ~, ~l

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44 Ilts.r:.i? Un'ti 1

~

b.li.1 that raeruitment of African .I~.r:.! ..,a. nat th. an ..,.r . c'

, A. far bac:k- 1907,~, Major P. Rigby..., then rving ..,lth fj

K.A.~., had initiat.d th. us. of W t Afric:an troap. ta 46

r.infarc. th. K:A.R. but that ... a. impo ibl. naw .ine. ~ t

. Afric:an t~oap .... r. bu.y in Toge and Camaroen. In th. menth . ' of M~y~ Uun. ~nd July of 191~, more r.inforc.m.nt ..... r nt

47 f~O~ Indla, BeIQian Conge and Rhed ia but truly .p king,

th. bulk of th. wark had b n .hould.r.d by a miK.d fore. of

o th. K.A.R., two~whit. r.gim.nt. and te a gr.at.r .Kt.nt

. 'Indian EKp.ditionary'forc l "

been 9r~.tly dimini.hed by

... ho, by th nd of th. y.ar, 48

di

th

had

ln July 19~~, S.n.ral Betha, aft.r. conc~uding th. ~

ampaign in Seuth w..t Afric:a, off.r.d ta nd a volunt r

fore. ta Ea.t Afric.. An inf.ntry unit under Brig.di.r-

S.neral Bav , a .aunt.d brig.d. und.r th. Bo.r Brig.di.r-

. S.n.ral (lat.r Lieut-Gen.ral) J.cobu. van D.v.nter, batt.ri

of South Afrlcan artillery of miK.d infantry .nd mount.d

brigade, and ~inally a batt.lton ,of t.p. (colour.d) troop.

l.ft for E t Africa. With.n invit.tion from th. imper~.l

author i ti , the n.w army wh i ch numb~r.d t8;700-ni.r- --~rr i ved .

at ~Mb a - in F.bruary 49

Li.ut.nant-Genral Smuts.

1916 command of

Smut.-. arrivai help.d ta th ituation at th.

front. ,Th. Briti.h fore ..... .,.. divided inte two divi.ion ,

The lat Diviaion wa. ta op.rat. w t of KilimanJaro whil. th. " .' ~O

2nd division ta th a.t w a par.te c:omaand. On Harc:h

,,. 11, Smuts ma"ch.d ta po.ition ta th ..... t of Tav_ta,' with

12

I .......................... ____________ ~----~------~--- d J. .... ~ ..... ". itt

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"

-, "

.. !'" t,

"

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"

,th~. 'hop. of .urrondi'ng th. a.r",an 'force und"" 'MajOr:- Kr.ut ----,(S.rman Commander und.r von'L.ttoW)'.outh of th_ mou~t.ln. Up

l,' ~. ,~t'~ , ~ 1 ~ 100 "'-._

;~ to' APril ,thi. r,.oion w a ac.n. of" - fi.r:c. < ~;ao.",en~. ,~ c 1

"

pecially At the Lat.ma neck where 3rd .. I(.~. R .. " took h.avy

c u~ltl.s. Thr offic.r. including on. m.dical offic.r and ", , ' "

Lituten.nt-oion~1 B.R'. Grah.m.' w.r.,1Hl1.d., 'Ele"en 'other

~,.,:,k. J'w-r,_ "ki Il.~, anp wi th. otb.r. wounded and inl in9., .. th. __ " '51 '. total casu~lti.s wer.81.

r l' > ~ , t '

r , ,Von Lettow: qulckly r.tr t.d, .Outh to tt~. Kaf\. Ruwa , ~2

(P~[1g'A.,i ' . Ri ver r', .. for ted .r.a. , ' . -Smut'. r-orQani d hi. . , '" '

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",!.force. ~~tp. thre .. divi.,i0r:'~ .ach,with ~Soth A'frican mont.d

" ,tt.ri-g~~~." ~n '~i~ ~: ~h. Ger.m.n. ~e':~ .. ~'t~ac\ ~ by aeneral . ~h.pp.rd ,. ~ ~

.J ,'ort' 9~.'~d. _n,ci aen.r&l. van. o.v.nter fro~ th. '~.ar at K&h /, '~ f~ ... !..-

" l .... n~hi ~.~ ,Bel'cil.n. ,'wer:tt 'pr.p.r~nCil t-Q .nov. -in,' frm Rw.nda-~t ... " .....

, ,,( ~ ., . 4r'un.d\ , .. ncF ,'th. North.rll" Rhod ia-Nya.al.nd" f~~es und.r

.... ....... '- . ~. .... t, > \ .. ~ .. QI. \ 1" lOf , .....,

!, ,Brig.di.r, GIIf"!.ral', North.y Uat..r 'SC?vernor. of' K*nya, ..~. '" .....

..... ", 1 .. ),.,

." 0

~. .. A )

van" D.v.nt..r' s f'"ar ' 1.a"il1g~-}"a'jDr':'KrAu~ in .hArq.... ,of ~.. .. /- - ~ ~ 1 .-

o a",.a cI,o r ta' .~h. coa.t' o~ v.,.mbarA. D pi tif, t". w_!'th.r:;' VAn ~ ~,.. l' .. , ,.. ~, ' D."."t.r Arri vd at ~ondo.' on April' 1 q. n~' bn 1;hi. Jnilrh Loi r..".: -'; 1> -,

Ki 1. had .ur~~nd.!,".d t.q him'JWi..th garrison of' 17 IG.rmiln.~ ." 400 k.t~~ut 'h.cw~. son t~ b. ~~~PP.~ PY~~in :~ithin~

., " :54 , .' '" . '" ~" . ." '" " "',"" ,";:' mi 1 from the rAi Jw~y 1 in.a. "

~ _ ... .... ,_.. 'Il... ~ ..

Ar.rang.m.nt.' wer . " now ~ad. ~or' r.intorc~m.nt. ~ J - - :J. " -, -.

brou,3h.t from. We.~, 'A~ri ~A. ,Smuts too_ reAI i ~.C:t ,th. tiseful"n- ' " 1- 0 .' ' , - , 4 '" " / "

of, African troop. And app.al.c;t to 'tn . ,War' Offi. ,'t.o 'exp'and- ' " 1) l'.. .....J _

55, ,- ',' ' th. 'K.A.R. On 'b "AF?rir,-" M.j~r aeoeral'!".R ., Ho.kin., atc'tt:le,

, '.

~

r.qu t of s~ut. h.d held r .. conf.r.nc. of ni or K. A. R. ' .

offlcer. in'Nairobi. Th r~t.r o~j.ct.ion thAt !~k!t! naeded - '* \ ~,. '\.... f ' ,

~long.r tili". to tvJt trAin_d, :th .... e~Qr. ~.l.ying t'he war, wa '

:-

..

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..- , ~.-,

! , -In Sept.mber 1916 a.l 9 i.a" force. of 1'1, 00-9 ~.!slt::i 1ef t

"

'Kigom.a for Tabora nd 1;ogether with th. Britisli forc. of. 'th.,

,

Lake Victoria which w.a. mavi.ng .outhw.rda met at T.bora ' .nd

took cive~ the town with no diffieulty. Th. Briti.h for~

C?mPr:i d of 4th K.A.R. and Nandi .couta ..... ' "immedi.~.ly

Nandi 'l.ft for' UgandA whil. the 4th K. A. A. ..

-',l.ft ,- to" Join the main Brit-i.h fore.. Ny aland-Rh~d i,;l ',' ,~~ - p troop~' pushed northward. a."w ar11er .aw _nd by 1916 ~.r' . ' ,

. ' " at ~r-:t nga.

"

" B: ... ~~end 0-1 1916 the cond ph of th. caltlpalgn 'wa . -completed. Most

~ ~

British forces but von Lattow w still at l.rge. Th. costa

of thi. eamp.ign we,... higl;:l, in t.rm. of men, ho,.. ,.-.nd

In le ~~.n a y r th. 9th South Afric.n lnfantry , .

w.. Jaft' ... ith anly ten percent of ,it~ original number. " ''; _~, ", t ,

:, Smut." afraid of th. nic~~",. "buteh . "''' by hi. in ,,-1 _

~ , . ( t'he" Uni dn, -.. dltei ded ta

~ :of 1\ ~ -

, nd hon.. hi Il white Afrr i ca

:. , troop.,' ,laavi nJ behind C.ape CCj)lour.~ ,'volunt r." wit,h, the.

'-" ~~pl anatio"... that: "coloured." wara mor.' r iatant. ta tropic.l , '

" .

.... '

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. drawb.tk., hearr{v.d t,th. con~lu.ion ~h.tl

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{lei ther whi t. nor caloured men ' Wltl"'. th~e key ta .uce in th.t l.ti tud.f, , And th.f th. onl y man who c:old .t.nlt, up. ta, th. cl i ~.te w ,. :th.' c' l.l.l.c:k

- hitn lf---. Th.ncefarwar..d ,-,thi. w.r ulh.d '" {t. "true c;:h .... .ct.,.,; . ,~.mp.i gn l.d by whi t.. but c.r"_i ed _on

; by bl A~km.n, _ 'th.t', Ino.t _impartant of, :. whom . w --- ,. : non-c:CMnb.t .. nt-th~

. ) -. dauntl b r.,. of ... t .... , 'fOd and' . ~ , " ,. .

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,Earli.r abjection. th.r.for. by s.ttl.rs; British .- .

..

- - , /1 j

.' off i c:ials ,and th. War Off ic:.' in London "~agai nst using th .' ' ,,' {.- \ ' . ~

, _, l ,

nat.i v.. of Sri tisn E t Af,rica Pr~t.'or-At. ~....n th ... c:ampaign

w.r. ov~rc:om. by n.c: ity. H.avY c:asualti in G.rm,n E t , . ,

that d.c:isions had

not cope'Nith the cilmate' and _ w ~, r

but tropic.l l ,

di ~... Ev.n Smuts and his whita South Afric:an troops on,

> . t.t'll~'ir il~r,i,val in East Africil hild det t.d inteSJ,\.ation, Nith

th. "damned K'ilfft!:J5" but by th. end ~f l~l, Smuts him lf

:-::--admitt.d ,th. filet thilt thi~ IOkaffir" WilS the only miln who'

,"

riQProus ' r.cruitm.nt ~f Brittsh East African "'nativ " , "

into , . .~ ,

th. K.A. R. and th. c.rri.r c:orps ',and 'the thir'd phil~e of , the--'J

Vorbeck ',.ur'r.nd~r.d at Ab.reo':;" '(noN in Z.mbi.), w h.avily ,

. ilurviv. 'th. horrar. of ... a,. in. both',e"rman, and 'Po~,~Ug~~ ! , .. " ..

. . E t

01 - A~,.iea? 'Thi'" qu ttori' _rad a'th.r. will b. answ.rad in , , '

l "

c:omi ng 'C:hapt.r.. ' Fi r.t 0 'how.var, ' w. must l '

. , '.old!.,.. in' Bri ti.h E.s ~fric:.~ ~o whh:h th. riext t.wo

, , ' .. _' , ...

, -" '. 'C:h,ap:t.r. turn.

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ineluding Lake T.nganyika~ Mith its .a.t.rn tributari

See Bu.l1, lb. ~.tl~. fceRllm ln ef~i~~, 893. --~1 ~

, " MOy."'Bart let t , Ih. ~s.fh.B., ~. ~ 42 . ,

Sr n.tein, "Afriean. in a Europ.an War, Il 3~. 13

14 "

Sre.n.t.i n, "AVi c.n. in. E4rop.an 'War," 37 . 1~ . " ,

-Eri e M-. 'Ri tchi., lb. Yo.fl.oilb.g ~!t:1. 0 lb! ~r~m! et 8oQ1Q=g.rm!o GQQtli_1 ~o t:.111ieo. Q 1b. Br~1ilb EmRirt! (London, 1940), 173. ar.-".tein not th.t in August 1914 the .Mp.dition.ry ,force .... ". ,b.ing pr.pared in India for the purpo.e. -of protecting,_ t.h. Ea.t 'Afric .. n prot.ctorat. ,and' Ugand., Greenstei n, "Afr i ca". in a Eun::tpe.n W.r, Il 3~.

16 Ritchie, Ih. YOfio.ilb.9 ~~t:, .173.

t.il. of the fat.l inv ion of T~ng., J~!l.t! fet: tht! ~YOgy! Ibt! Eirl ~gr12 tl!t: io. York, 1974), ~~-72.

For: furth.r" de-Ch.r 1.. Mi 11er, ~!It efti~~ (New

17 Green.tei n, "Alri can. in. Europ n W.r, Il 45.

18 Ritchie, Ibl Yo.fi.oilbtl2 ~.t:, 172. '

19 -" Gre.n.tein "African. in a Eur.op.an W.",' 38-9.

" 20 Ritchie, lb. Yofioilb'~~!t:, 173.

21 , Ri tet'{i e, Ihl Yofio.ll!b~ ~~t:, 173.

22 Gr.en.tein, "African. in'. Europ n War," 36.

23 ., Donald C~ aavag nd J. Forb Munro, "C.rrier

R.eruit .. nt ln th. Briti.h Ea.t Africa'Proctectorate 1918."----,z~n.!r::.0.~1 ef 8ft:l~.0. Hll!t.gt:~, VII, 2 (1966), 314.

24' ....

2~

G,. n.t~ln, "African. in a Europ.an War, Il 64. 27 t "'.

1

S,._n.tei n, "Afri cana in.' Europ.an Wa,.," 64. --28

Corps 1914-

J. c. a.uts, ,zAO Gbt:i.tilo i~1.' (London), 172. Hl11er n.~~at that .ft.r th. Fir.t World War von Lettowi

Na. on th. Nazi black li.t and although Hitler w not quite up ta do1ng away with the man ... ho

18 l,

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Campani '~_"lY 2CARI 3,.d (Ea.t Africa> Battalion, 7 Campanie. (formerly the African Campanie. of the U.R.) ~th ~UQanda) Battalion 4 Compani (farmerly the lndian cantigent af U. R. ) 6th (Somal iland) Battalion eto be farmed later from thre. infantry campani , th. cam.l corps militia and mounted infantry of th. forc in Briti.h Somalil.nd). s.. Moy -Bartlett, !b~ ~~eLB~, 129.

39,

..

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Green.tein, "African. in Europ n War," 44. 40

Ritchie, !h~,Ynt~Ql.h.Q ~@~, 174. Gr n.t.in agr.e. ,d th Ritchi e about the ci rcu",.t.nce. .urroundi ng th. Bri ti .h invA.ion of, Tang. but not that th. Briti.h lo.t 817 m.n, .e., Gre.n.tein, nAfricans in a European War," 4:5. For further d.tail. of the fat.l invasion of Tang., .e. Mill.r, @.~tl. fg~ @~Q~Y, ~~-72. - .

42 Greenstefn, "African. in a Europe.n W.r," 46.

43 Gr.enstein, "African. in a European War," 47. Georg.

Benn.tt. account of the "Ar .xplain. why 1915 "a period of stagnation a. far a. th. "ar in Ea.t Afric. "a. conc.rn.d. He narrate.. ' d

Aft.r th. fir.t flush of enthu.ia.m in 1914 a'phoney war ~tmo.phere de.cenoed on Ea.t Africa ~arly in 191~. Settler. drifted back ta th.ir f.rm. from th. Ea.t African Mount.d Rifl

'and the impre.sion .pr.ad th.t , th~ dmini.tration wa. unconcer-nad with tha war.

.,

Se. aeorge Bennett, ~~Q~@~ e egil~l.i ~i.~gt~! lb. ~glgQ~!l e.~lg~~(London, 1963), 38.

44 Greenatein, "Africans in .. European War," 49.

4:5 ar.enat.in, "African. in a Europe.n W.ar, " 44-4:5.

46 Gr.enatein, "African. in .. European War, Il 43.

47 Ritchie, llnr Yntloi...h.g ~!~, 17~.

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.....

EAST

Kondoa Irangl

G ,U E S E

AST , 1

A F

ConCJ'Aest of Germ~n. E"ast Af ... ica . and Von Lett.ow - Vorbeck-s Gue.rr; lia cdrripai3rJJ

Ritc.hie..) The Unfinished W(!Ir =

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\ CHAPT ER II "

RECRUITI1ENT

PART 1

ISSUES SURROUNDING THE RECRUIT"ENT OF AFRICANS INTO THE ;~ ._A -KING 'S AFRICAN RIFLES AND THE CARRIER CORPS'

Th. War Offic. -JI.nction.d th. u of "n.tiv.'" troop. in

th. campaign again.t G.rm.n E t A'frica' in April 1917, , .

p.cla11y white 1

fo110wing th. wit~dr.wal of about 12,000

South Afri can tro,op. f~om th .... r fr_ont tow.~d. th nd , o'f 1 \

_191~. Th. r.a.on~ why Briti.h authoriti rriv.d,.t thi~'

d.ci.ion hav";' b n d.alt with at l.ngth but i.su.. which '.

,

l 1 -,

. mu.t b ddr d. ~ A1r dy, di.cu d i. ,th. official ... MCU .... . , , by th. gov.rnm.nt th'at th~ .... r rf.d .l,.. dy b.gun, th.,..for.

'f1. v., mon1;.h. ~ ~oo .hort a. ti m. for th. ~fric.n to CJr p .11, .. ~ \ j _ ~ \. C.. ,-' "1 'L ~..' '.

th. n.c ry, d.t.i 1. of -'tod.t:'n' IIi 1 i'tar.y taJ:t,i C.1\ W ... l.a ...... 1 ..' 1> II.

~ Q( ~,

th. .ntic-..fpatiOf) 'of --th. ,Europ.an pop~l .. tio.,' in. Briti.h ,; '" ~\"'.... .. /0

.. 4' "1" ' ..

Africa 'that th. ~ar in Europ. would b. ~roby Chri.tma. '" ...." ~

E t

1914,. Thi,. wi.hfu1 thinking~w ... fu~th-r~.UPPort.d by th. . ~ .. \;" .. II phan.y w.r"', of ,191~ which r u11;.d in th . withdra"'.1 of many

.... ') \. ~ ... 11

' tt1.r. wha h.d b1.d in ~.irobi r.ady for d~p10y"nt.

~.ttl.r. wha hop.d for .1'\\

, ,

a "wht. man '. 'country" in Briti.h E t ',Af~ic. prat. te

ag .. i D.t. 1.rg.-.c.I." recru! t-.nt. of

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Africa until that ti , the exception b.ing ~ecruitm.nt far South. African min (4)

"

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Thu. the p.riod betw.en 1916. and 19)8 wa. crucial in

the

.... quir.d

th. protectorate when > .more . African.

to.conclud. the ~inal ph a '04 th. c.pai;n - " Th.

popul.tion of th. protectorat. but more an the~frican who

',far rea.on. un~nown ta him, found hi. t.rritary a sc.n. of

d.ni.d

partic1patl0n in th. "act" (combat .tduty) but wh.n it'" did

becom. n.c ry th.t h. would b. n d.d, hi. part d.mand.d

more than hi. abiliti... Thi. chapt.r th.r.for., att.mpt. to

an1ly.. mea.ur.. u d ,.by th. gov.rn_nt of Briti~ Ea.t

Africa Prot.ctor.t. ta .... cruit African. for both the K.A.R .

and th. ,Carri.~ Corps and prQbl.m. th m.a.ur incurr.d~

R~TUITMENT POlICIES VOlUNTARY OR CONSCR~PTION? ),

"Voluntary .nli.t",.nt" in .1th.,. th. K.A.R. or th. ,

C~ri.r Corps wa. : th. initial policy of r.cruitm.nt in . . ~8ritt.h Ea.t AfricA Prot.ctarat a.fore 1914 f .... troop. ~r.

r~quir.d ,ta put down African re.i.tanc. a;ain.t Briti.h

admini.tration

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.nthu.i ati cali y ta a cilll for vol ul'}t r.. _ ft wa. if ,

Nairobi had b n invad.d by vigilant the' ~ay band. of

l t-tl.r."p0#Jr.d in on hor an,d m~le < -Th men w.r. h

into the E t Afria Hou~ted ~ifl .\..

,

other !

uni t. 1 i ke th." Ea.t Africa R.gi,ment, t.h. R.il ..... y

and

of 7

J

Bowker'~ Hor em.rg.g, b.tw ~ Augu.t

1914 n.ar'ly 1 ,.800 EUroP"~.l wwr.' .nli.t~d and

in

th unit

,FOl 1 owi ng th. "phon.y wa,." ln 1915 most of the 1" l ;

,iT.h_ "entir. "'

, the, of for

wa. left to th. Indtar:t .~pltdition,ary f,orce and ',' ," " "

the thre, .K.A.R. regiment ... Small, .cale recruitment wa. "

carri.d out voluntari 1 y during' 1.91~\ ta maintain the strengtt}

of th. K.A.R. from amo~g th 0 called "martial" Or "warl(k.~ . .. , people. of -,' m.i~ly SUda" e, Aby.sinian and Kal.njin

8 ~ .ocieti... Thu. throughout, 1914 and th. ~ir.t month. of

1915, recruitment, wa. .ntir.lY voluntary. Rltcruitment Dy 1

conscription t

any male of the protect.orat. fC?r~ th. both , of ~ .., .. ~

K. A. R. or th. carrier corps wa. up to thi. tim. ~llegal. Th.

1 ~ "

voluntari.m ta con.cription. Why't.his .udd.n chang.? : ~ -

Thi. ct} .. rig. in policy wei. adopted by. the go".r~m.nt - , -, in

relaUon to t.h. recrui tm.nt for t.he carr:-i,er corp.~ ~.t"w n._ , . -

1914 and 191~ larg. numb.r. of carri.r. w.ra not n ~.d .i~c. f:J

" 'th?ar ... a. fought wit.hin t.h., boundari 0.( t.h. prot.ctorat..,

and th.refore .asil~ acc ibl. t.o .uppli~. bY, raad and th. e

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m.chanized -v.hicl

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coa.tal p.oPl.... In f'act th. Kamba youth. r pond.d ,..adi 1 y 9

tet,th.,ir di.trict commi ion.r.' app.al for carri.,... A~ th.,

advanc.d d p.r into G.rman Ea.t'Africa, poo,. road.,

frightful weathlt,., conti'nual engin . br.akdown. coupl.d with

th. p,. enc. of t.e-~ fli which .

wip.d out an1mal. m nt

! that more carri ar. w.,.e r.quir.d. (.

In "arch 191~ a.n.ral

~b.kin. the th.n a.n.,.al Officer dir.cting operation. in

Af~ica r.qu ting him to initiate a larg.-.cale r.cruitm.nt 10

~ ~f' 'carrier. ' without d.lay. But the campaign dragg.d on,

. ,.~trning, carri.r., p.cially th. Kamba carri.r., told of

_horr.ifying ,.torie._.about condition. cf rvic. at th. -front.

Th.y tal~.d of 'h.avy Load.; 1ack of' Mat.r, lie. and di :t . ," ~ - !

; ";'lik. dy~.nt.rY.',' Th , .tori , made furth.r' r.cruit"'.nt

i mp!=l i bl. and , th. to' ,J ....

admini.trati~n ,r orted 11

. ' " coerc;' v. meana to m t th. d.mand for carri.r ~ \ 4 ~ ... ..

.' , Ufficulty jn obtaininQ carrier. furth.r Ma. , . f , compl i cated ',by th. atti tuer. of. Eurbp.an 'population. Civi~

, . rVant. 1 i ke John Ai n.worth,. ~ th. Pro"i nci'a1 Commi i oner .~ ~' -1. ~ ~

, , by

, . ' , .European.

',' admini.t"'ation

e)Cc::'i ttim.nt ,of the f?utbr.ak of ""ar th. Europ.an populat.i on '1a. , .

.~ ,~egin,ning" to la pat1enc. and .t th am. comptained ' " t1Nt

J that .:.th. c:ampai'gn in Ea.t Africa Ma. r:'Iot b.ing pullh.d hard .

~., ',,: enough On th. 6th Septemb.,. , E.S. . B"OQan ,- a proMi.nent ,<

29'

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ttl.,. .. ddr d am .... "".ti'ng of ttl,."~'Ja.-Id in N.irobi.

" Although /

th. r .. lly N .... imed .t reviving th. Na,. apirit .o~_ '.. ~ -

(

191,4, i tli ... in purpa.,. Na. to a.cu,.... gr ... t.,. : y ..fo,.

ttl.,.. ln th. conduct of th. war' .. nd th. gov.rnm.nt of ~h. 12,

P,.ot.cto,. .. t.. I~ w ..... ,.gu.d th .. t th. a,,.mary m~n .. c~ in~E.at

'Africa h .. d cOQtinu.d.long.r th.n .xpect.d and compul.ory , \

rvic. h .. d '.lr ... dy' b.gAn in Gr, t Britain, ther_fare the

.am. policy .hould "PJ:,ly to Ea.t Africa . Th. m ting tildopt.d' ,

unanimo'Usly .. r olutian to thi'. eff.ct and,'w tilcc.pt.d b~

"

Sir Eakt ,Afric.a

Prot.ctorat.). A C.ntral War Council of civil and~ military 4

autnoriti.. pr id.d -, over bY t'Ir.

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""a. for"".rded ;tt.h. Coloni.l Office ""ith a .lon; .>eplanation

that t.h. .ord n.n. ""a. eMt.r ... ly n.c ry for th. :- ,"

. con.cript.ion of arti.r. in t.he prot.ectorat. inc. it. ..... ,; .

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3,000 men a month comp.red ta 1,~00 m.n ~hat. could be rai d

It ~a. obvious too th.t di.trict. commi ion.r. 'n.ed.d th.

ordin.nc. ta l.gitimiz. their coerciv nliat.ment .... hich ""er

~lr.ad~ und.r""ay. ,

Th. Coloni.l Offic. acc8pt.d th. ardinanc.

""it.hout. furth.r d.lay, limiting the period of rvi. ~o .1>e .

month~ Th. Coloni.l Offio. ho"".ver, m.inta1nad th.t ,th. ,. ,

ordin.nc. ~hould-' r.ot '17'

ba u.ed ta obtai n I!!A!:!. for th.

K.A.R. Sanctioning , '7'\

.uch .n ordinanc.th. Colonial Offic. f , ,

fili lad to r.a11ze .that con.cription for cari.r. h.d b.en .

g'oin~ on, long b.for. th.n" .nd .v.n if ' rvicilll!. "".re limited r

to ~i)C month. 'only, t.h.r ..... ~. no 1.gal. m.a.ur.. ta ch.ck .'

that carrier. .,..r. r.li.v.d of ,.h.ir dut Ut. aft.r th.

requre~ time. Moreov~r t.h u.c.ptibilty of thi. o~inanc.

~~r r.cr~iting ~.!I!:l e.cap.d th. notic. of th. d

Colonial Office. , " ,

Ho... then ... a. thi. ordinance l.t.r incorpor.ted to'

fAcilitat. recruitment for!th. K.A.R.? Alt.houQh Green.t.in . : ~agr ""ith Sav.g. .nd Munro t.hat t.he Nat i v. Follower.'

Recruitment Ordinance .,.a. p ~ 'in Sept.mber 1915, ~

. maint.in. that. Brogan' r..ll y in Nairobi took place re.pon ta a r.mark made by t.h. ..cr.t.ary Qf ,stat.. fo,. th.

18 colonie., Hr. Bonar-La..,. , ' Bro;an an;,.11y campar.d . the

. -crowded ral1y te a umob ..,ithout Dr;.nlzatian and . haMd ,t.h ..

by ref.r.nce .ta Bona,. L .... Nha h.d id that of the

31

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19 Calant only Briti." Ea.t Africa had nat play.d it. p.rt."

Bonar-L.w

Europ n.

wa. reacting ta th. withdraw.l of ma~y of

from th. war during the 19H5 "phoney "'.r .... ':

1;

Briti.h author,ti in,Ea.t Af~ica tri.d to .Kclud.

Kenya'. , Bonar-

their 1

n.tive. from p.rticipating in combat rvice' in th. ~.mpaign . and at th. .ame tim oUci ted mi 1 i t.~rY"-----a(d ,from oth.r

Briti.h po ion., thu. mak~n9 th ituationl in Ea.t A~rica

m d p.r,_te. On th. oth.r h.nd Son.r-L.w app.ar.d ta hav.'

react.d ta a .ituation ~. did not und.r.tand. Th. campaign in

E t Africa w diff.rent from th. , .l wh.r.

. 1 in

Africa. Tang.nyik. i. a v t country and further complicat.d

~ by, clim.tic hazard Already i.olat~d. from Ge~m.ny and with.

an advantag.ou. knowl.d9~ of T~ganyik., L.ttow. Vorb.ck l'

. dopt.d "gu.ri11,a t\actic.". wh.n n.c ry in ord.r ta k p 1

the Sriti.h in Ea.t Africa pre-accupie~ a. long a. th. war

Furth.rmar. Bonar-Law .hould have r.aliz.d "

that th. Briti.h .nd th. Fr.nch rRlied' he.vily on th.ir ,

African .0Uer. in th. W t African ,campai,gn, who could ,

with.tand conditin. of a.rman Togo and

C.m.r,oan, whil. South Africa' ucc wa. largely

,- .. -~ 1

o

o.

o

"~""-C7tf'-~ .:;;" ~ .. r ~-- J.i-':-~'T;":--~---:;-;--'-'~----::---;""----:-":'~.:--",,!,,,""""'--_~L""''''''!'!!1 ____ I1111!111('''; __ ........ .,

..

. , .

, '

> 29

ci tiz.n. of the prot.ctorat Il ' Followi ng- thi. reque.t the

government- p d t.h. "Compul.ory S.rvi c. Act Il Nhi-c:h ""a.

forwarded to the Colonial Offic. in D.cemb.r of th. .am.

year. Th. Coloni.l Office accepted the Act on condition that

it .hould only .pply to the Europe.n and A.ian populations .of

t~e protectorate. Di.ati.fi.d th.t th. A~t .Mc1uded African.

" from con.cription into the army, 8onar~Law brought th. issu. "

of.: c1.u.. 7 of the Act ta th. notice of th. Briti.h , , '

authoritie. in th. pro~.ctorate which ".p.cificaUy eMtend.d, J '

the "Native follo ... er." Recruit~ent Ordinance ll to al10... th. 21, :

conacFiption of African. into th., iarmy". ' Bon.~-L.'" wa. 1 "

a"'ilr . of >the filet that cot'tScripti6n of 'f\frican. for cQmbat ). ~) ,

! ..

mil'itary' .ervice. ... nbt acepted any""her. in th. Briti.h , ,. ). 1 }-. l t

1 4 1 1 l

empi r.. H. Wila al.o ."".re pf the' .con ~~n.. of IJC~. an Act ~ l "

'1' j J.~ , ... .. l> ~', '" ' l'

i,n Ea.t Afr' ca: He th.r.fo,.,,' "".~n.,d eover,,"r. hl fteld,,, t.,o ~_k tif. /:> p .. t ........ " t ~ ~\

authorization from, th. Coloni~l'. Of;fict" ~~for.' 'i,mp~~'."entinCil 22 t t 1.. ~t ~ ~ ~

the Act. t ~ ,',. r

\ -t l ,

D pi t. Son.r-Law '. i .ffort. to incorporate A'4Irican.; ~ ) t 1

~' 1 l' ,. ~ , "

into -the Act, the gov.r~~~~f Bri~i.h E t Africa .h.lv.d , t:J 1 .. t< ~.,.,

th. id.a for' the tim. b.ing .~nC:e th. i i J. ~f" r.crut'tmtnt of ~ J j ~

for comb.t rvic w~.'v.ry ~npopular at th. '. :' t }'

Europe.n population in th. protectorat.. Th. > o! ~~

11

tt",.

i u. w.. only brought up tow.rd. th nd of 1916, when it prov.d

lik.ly that African. might b. needed in th. campaign . Siric.

a11 dther foreign milit.~y aid prov.d un ... orthy, the War

Office nction.d th. recruitment of more African. ~f th.

protector.t. into th. K.A.R. in April 1917 . It wa. then that

Bowring, th., Acting Governor . requ.~ted Hr. Lpng, the n.""

33

. - .

, ...... - i l" ~,

o

o

,( 0

" r

th. "Compul.ory Service Ac:t". Bewring int.ndltd te u.. th.

clau.. 7 for the consription ef Arab. and Baluchi of

Seyyidie

c.rri.r corps which w thought ta be bene.th them and only

.uit.bl. for African.. Bowring intend.d too to con.cript

.mall number. ,.of Som.li .nd "n.tiv .... of undermin.d tribe. 23

who could be obtained in and .round N.irobi.

By .inglingdout the abov. communiti Bowring .howed

" loyalty of Mu.lim .ubject. w in doubt .iter Turkey tlilied " , 1

with G.rm.ny in the war in 1916. Con.cripting th Mu.lim. {~ ..

into the .rmy Bowring might h.v. hoped th.t their .ymp.thy >,

for th. G.rman. would be ch.cked Tro~" time ta time. He did

not con.ider .eriou.ly th . po ibility of MU.lim I!~~~!

.witching sid onc. in German t.rritory. , Hi. re~ue.t nt the Colonial Offic. into an .motional

, d.bate. Hr. Butler, a Colonial

outright to the rltqu t reminding hi. colleague. of th.

illegality of the Act in Any part of the e~pire. l'1r. Long .nd

Butler' colle.gues dld not em concerned about th . :

ill.gality of the Act but lt. con.equenc:e.. Conscription of

carriers wa. on full swing and it wa. undoubtedly unpopular

with Afri c:an., tharefora sanctioning the conacri ption of

1!!1!!r:.!. too, could ra.ult in "native unreat". Mr. Long aought' }

to investigate th. possibilityai "niltive unr t" f1r.t

b.fore sanc:tioning clau 7 of th. "Compul.ory Service Act".

34

-'

.,

o

0

o

t - ,. , ......... . c

,(

thi. ur.nc., Colonia~ "

i mpl.mentati,on" o-f clau.e 7 of th. 191:5 "Compulsory Servic. ""

Act .. in mid 1917, 1

l.gitimizing ~.,. con.cription of ' c A.IsI!:i ' " ,

tnto the K.A.R.

As in th. ca of carri er. the Colonial Of-fic. ",as onc.

again ignorant o-f th. f.ct th.t 1

b.for. ev en ' .

authoriz.tion ~a. i ued coercive recruitm.nt for th. K.A.R.

wa. th. order of the,day in Briti.h E t Africa .nd a11 th.t

Bo",ring ",a. inter t.d in ",a. a legitimat. docum.nt ta 24

ju.tify th. on 90in9 c)ande.tin. conscription. It i. litt-le

wond.r that in Augu.t 1917, (only thr month inc. leg.l

con.cription ",a. .anctioned) o"'ring, th.

situation in th. protectorate.

-".ent a circular to all th. provinci.l commi i on.r. of th. protectorat.

.. L 1

arinounctng the and of compul.ory recrui't m.nt ' due ta the exhau.tion of native "manpower r rv ., (2:5)

, '\ " So many , African. h.d b n r.crui t.d through hi Il~9al

conscription" thtlt nothing .. a. l.,ft for "l.;al con.criptio~".

N.verth.le Briti.h East Africa, according to Hord.n "'

not only th. fir.t of the ov.r dep.ndenc:i ' to adopt th. principal o-f compulsory milit.ry rvic.~ but ",a. on. to do .0 on th. initi.tive of it. own popula... r.pre ntative, !~1Q!~ .R!!!R!:~ (my emph i.) out.id~ the .dministration. (26)

i

Fina1ly, b.for. di.~u ing r~truitment tt 1f, it wauld

'bR .ppropriat. to -fir.t, d.fln. th. te ... ",. "conscription" ~d

"voluntary r.cruitm.nt" and att.mpt 'to analy.. ho", th 6.

. - --

. /

~l".

o

0,

,,. . '

1,

0 .. , .' ,

....,... .. '

~.

AFRICAN VIEWS ON "CONSCRIPTION" AND VOLUNTARY RECRUITMENT" '

A def1nition of th two t..,.",., "con.:ription" .nd \

'volunt~ryi. 1. n.c ry in ard.r to d.termin. wh.th.r .n.y.-of

) th.

diction.,.y'. d.Uni tion of "con.cription" l 1

two 'w.re' .uit.bl. to t.h. .itu.tion. , A

/'

compul.ory .nlistm~~ fO",milit.ry 0,. .1=-at ervi c.. (27) _.-

'volunt.,.y" oppos.d/ t.q "compul.ory" i. d.fin.d a

cting, m.de 0,. don. f,. ly, not und.r constraint,or ompul.ion. (28)

A "vo l unt.er", therefo,.. is.

p.r.on who und.rt.ak.. som. ta.k ar ,.vic. of hi. own ,fr.. will p.cially on. who choos ta s.rv.

, in the .,.m.d fo,.c... (29)

Th. .bav. definit.tons .r. V.n.,..l .nd c.n anly b. "

",.,.e pe,.c.tv.d by.Af,.icans, ,if th.y we,.. di.tingui.hed At.

al1, h ta b .en in the conteMt of their cultu,.e. M.ny

Af~ic.n .oci.ti.~ h.v g.- t .yst nd th.y ar.'com~ in, both p to,.al .nd .gricultural .oct.ti of E t Afri~

",.,.iou. th.y w.,.. import.nt in th.

rai. of labou" divi.io~ in .v.,.y individual soci.ty 30

before

t.h. coming of th. B,.itish. Among pa.to,..l soct.ti like

t.h. Maa i and tha Nandi fo,. in.tance, one of t.h. p,.omin.nt

aoe- ts i. th.t of the w.,.ri 0" (~Qr:!Q acco,.di.ng ta thl!' -

M 1) , who in .. coloni al .an war. ,tha !!!s!!:!. of th.ir / soci.tt In both .oci.t.ia., "'.1 a .dults

1ft ' wer initi.ted into , ,

36

=

J

(

o /

o

, "

.G .. ~ ,

o

"

( , \.'

the wArrior Age-s.t. through circu.ci.lon ceremoni A~d onc.

gr.duAt.d, wArr19r., .... r. .xp.c't.d to p.rfor", .MGng "'.mr oth.r., milit.ry functi'on Acco,.ding to R. T.~gnor" th. ,P iC

'duti of A M i .... rrior .r

" .,

~o d.f.nd th. co.muntty from .tt.ck, ta rAid for c.ttl., .nd oth.r for",. of .... Alth, to l rn th. art. of gov.rni'ng which th.y h.v. to .mploy b.tter .ld.rs And ta h.lp with harding of live.tock during th. dry on. (31)

vol.til., viol.nc.,pron., e.g.,. '.nd r dy to engage in .truggle .",on9 .g.~" -mate. or agAinst other t~ibe.. (~2)

.'

" '

, '

Li ke hi. MAa i c:ount.rpirt, NAndi "'Arri or p.,.for'm.d ~~ ,

, milit.ry func:tions' and ...... ntrUst.d with .... f.gu.rding of

.g.- t' imm.di.t.iy the oc i9n.ll y , 33 '

particip.t.d in r.id w.ll AS bitlng .dvi's.r

Agr 1 cul tu .... l .oct.tt.. lfk .th. t

, " '

o

.....

l,

\

"

/

o

l'

.. - " . \ not ,..crui t.d. 'at ail, they .impl y J1how.d up b.!=au i t' wa.

'~p.c:t.d of th.",. Th. Briti.h govern",.nt in Ea.t Afric:a ,

fat l.d to und.,...tand or t~tally i.gnored th ag.- t .y.t.m. ,

whic:h could h.v. been ~asily ",~n~pulat.d for th. ""a,. ~~fort.

If 'it "" made c:'l.ar to w.,.,.ior. that ,.vic. in th. K.A.R

ant a c:ontinuity in th.i,. military obligation., . the o "

probabi1:1ty of "vo1unt.er." might,tlav. b.en high and 'th. 3~

'is.u. ,of '~c:on.c::riptian" c:ould have b n 'di.ca,.d.d.

How.v.r, th. gov.rnment,b1und.r.d in it. r.c:rui~m.nt

po1ic:i Fir.t, Briti.h .dmini.trator. in mo.t c: did ribt . ~ /

mak. .ny att.mpt', to under.tand th. soci.ti.. th.y w.r.

d Ung ""ith, .v.n .b.fo ..... thinking of introducing 1ag.r

u,. to cu,.e 1.!1~1 and carri.r.~ Sec: and , by 'u.ing

gOv.,.nm.nt ch i.f. and ag.nt. who, w.,.. ~rabab 1 y ~nPPular: ',' du. - ,

to th. natu,.~ of th.ir appoint_ent., to' a t_t'in r.c:"uitm.nt

wa v.n wc,. then "coe"c::iori" it lf and flna1l,y 1.gal1'%ing . . "c:ae,.cion" only h.lp.d ,ta fu,.the,. complicat. th.

,..c::,.uit nt. ~ .'

"

"

i u. of'

the /'

Wlth th unc.,.talniti ta th. "Af,.ican, .urrounding

i ue of ,.ecruit nt, th.~. 1. th~ PO ibili~ that men

who ,lIvolunt ,.ed" w.r. not g.nuin. at al'1, co.,.cion

, ,.,., ""a. not apJ:.! 1 i .d .' Th. pd i I;:t i 1 i t Y eH i .ted al sa , that men c::oul d

. have "valunt.e,..d," b.cau.e if th,y did 'not they would have . .uf f .,..d wo,. ~ "Vo~ unta,.y ,..c::,.ui t nt Il ~,.

twa ve,.y ,.emot. t.rm. ta ~.t con.equ.nc::e

"can.c,.iption .. w.,.e d.finit.ly

African .oci.tie. and th. length. t~at th. gov.rnment went ta

in ard.r to diff.rentiate and ju.tify th e c::onc::ept. w.,..

only unde,..tood by th.~ British admini.trato,.. For th.

38

)

r _

~~~~~:

./

'r-

,"

o

" .

o "

. ,

o - .\

.

AfricAn,

, ,

recruitment either IIvolunt-rv"

'. j

or Il conat;,. i pt ~'c:m Il

were on. and ~h am. thing -- fo~ced ,.ecruit~nt, " '

and it 'a

possible that .ven ,.ecruits did nct r lize th. ,. ,

b.tw.en tne.e two ~oncepts, 1f~ theV r.alized their existence

.t .tl.

, <

1;

'.

, .. . , , ,

, . , , l,

e -.'

"

-: 1 , '

,.

~r ..

' . . ~ r . ."

~.

." ... ,',. .

,'.

39

.. '''' ~~.~. - -~', .

. ! ,tt

",

, "

~ .. . J ,

/

. w~, .. "

' .. - ~

- .. . . , ,

. ,/,

, " . ,

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{

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PART Il' , ' " ,l'" ,', ',' , , '.' '.

, " , '. RECRUITMENT ... -- KINGS AFRl'CAN ~lFI.ES 1 lm ,1

"

, th., K~A.R. 'u'p t.o m'id 1917 (wh.n c:on.c:,.,iption of" ~.K~!:! wa. ,

" 1.ga1 i zed.) wa. ~a,.,":ied aut valuntari,l y. \

T~i. wa. t,.,u. o~ th.

p,.,.-~ p.,.,iod wh.n va,.,y"'f.w man ' ... a,.,a n.attad for th. gen_r:-"1

upk p of th. pr~tectarate. Thi. wa. al.o,~h. c te . ...;a. ' eMtent for th. p.riod betw.en 1914 and 1916.when th.,... '11., "

\

v.hem.nt eppo.i,t ion from th. E,uropa.a-n pop,:,l.t i on of

, Af,,..ica to' .alloN Afric:ans te tak. up comb.t duty. 'Thus ','

,,..ela\ively .fe ... Africar1. ,"'.re ,.,.cruit.d tO,main,tain tt'1., full'"

:.t,.. ...;~th ~f- ~he 'thr~a e)(i~tinQ K.A~R'-' r.g'tm.nt.. Sy tha and ., ~ Ji / '( ~... ~ " J

-'.of -1916, .'Nhan", the 'Qov.rn_nt dec1'ded to rely h ... vily on

nativ. ,.troop . , .f.fort. . to convince,t!h.'" 'that 'th'.ir co-

op.ration 'and rvica. wera b .. t na.ded in t~. ,war fail.d. ~..... ~ "

.l, ~.. ~',"\

Th. .i tuation' ,wa. further war nad by r.tu"'~i l'\g, !!J!~!:i 'and , 1 \ ' Iv

c.",rie,... wha tipp.d'off' tha~r folk. te, th uicidal .ituation'

1 At, t.he f":ant~' 'Ta ._et' tha d .. and" of wa,." the admini.t,..ation ,.,

, ... a. - l.ft ... it,h no choi.ca, but coerc:ion in drdar to campai

, \ , ,

Afrtc:.n. -int.o th. colora. So thr.ataning wa. th. situation , .,

that t.he gav~n.ent o! British Ea.t Afric:a r.qu~.ted the 'w.,., Of'fi. ln APril '1917. ta i..,l~t clau 7 of the lIC~ul.ory

, ,

Service Ac~ ~a 1.Qall~e the'on gqtng ca.rc:ion. Sa p.t~etic' , .

tQ9 'Na. ~he .ituation th.~ Bowring, ~he gavarnar, th."

d ... nded 'An ~d ta con.-criptJ.on ~ly thr_ .ont.h ft..,. i'ts ,_ J ..

,"l-tlQal. , "1r1:h", .in~e ceNtrei v., r,ec:ru~ t .,nt .1 anQ. .i dt " . t.he , ~.'...' ..

Recruit.~t. Or~inan~. had, drai"ed"t.ha' r.

, , . " . , , .

, ,

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" '~" ~. .. ...

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..... . ~ .. j ....... / .. ... 1; ... + . " ...

,\ "'"

,~ ~.. ~

, ORGANIZATION "OF THE' K. R. PRIOR TO 1~1 .z

~ .. ,Jo\""'~.(:.I"'

",1: .. ,~

""

,. .. ' .. protectorate of able badi.d,.-n."

.,.. --K.A.R.

Ea.t, Afric.j)

.ac~ and the ,th,..e battalions had a total ' .

campanie Th." ave,..ge .1'z. of K.A.R. comp.ny ..... "'12~( ... n,: -,.. ,

,thu. m~king the numbe,. of .~~AC! who .er:v~d in the'J(.A;,R. : by " , 36 .

1914, aproximately 2,62~ men. Evid.ntly the K.A.R. at thi.,-"\( t. -.. ~ "--...: If ....

time wa., 'very .mAll 'in .iz. and t~ b ff.c:tiv.~y d~loyed

'th. th,. ,.egiment. l'

" Ve,...y - li ttle " " '

n.,ded .xpan~~ont ' . ", , ' ' 1

.x'p.n.ion of' t~e ,K.A:,~. .- .

, ... '

. , b~.f'C?~e j91~ ve .... 11 .cal. r.crui t nt . ,'to 'm.i ntai n , - .... th. . , . " (; ~ .., ... ., '" .t,..ngth of, the thr.e batt.l ion. whit" 'po llial.. Th. 2nd ,:.-

0, ~~"A~'R. ',', J~~a.~l~~) :~ic:h ha! ~ n di_~b.t:'d.d~ i"~ 'i~.11.w

o

'---.

o

,~.

.".

. ", ~~ t. \:':\ l .... , ~ ..... :! ',-

, '

-'

compani.. of ,100 mltn .ach and 'two mount!eq inf.ntr.~--< ~.ction. , -~ .l'.. ~ 1...... ... f ('

out of 3rd K.A .. :R. c:omp.ni '",'Hch ',w_r. , ., .. - ...., .. ~ ,\

tation.d in th. North.rn Fronti.r for th. ,:Ci.f.n of: -lf-kana .. ~ ... ' " ' , .. ,". j #..' - ...( .. t~"

Th. 6th K.A:R. w form.d in April 1917 ,At Morogor~ , <

capt;ur.d a.rman " r' , , '

., ~ J l ..

r.cruit. initially recruited for' the .~tr.c battaljon. " l' '- !

of 3rd K.A.R. Two b.ttalion. w.r. rai d for thi. :r.gfm~nt.'

Finall y, th. 7th K.A.R. c.m. into being in Zanzibar on lat .. " . ",'

w c.rried out in the i.land, .nd illong the coa.t.l araaa of,

th. mainland .nd in July 1917 the 7th K.A.R. HOM' ' j ,

1

th.n, ':'.r. th... 1.rg. numb.,.. Qf :~.!{!!:i, ~~6 'by :1 ~{8 formed'" "

th. b.ckbona of th. K.A.R.~ mi lit'.ry " , , ,

duti ? " ( , . " '

METHODS OF RECRUITMENT ,-"" 'COERtI:'ON ANO 'oNSRI~IDN -

R.,Frui t~.nt - .w.~ 'h .. ~vi 1 y tih~ui d~~.ci ~y ~h~; ci vi' 11'&tf -~';~.~" . ' , "'" .. ~ , ~,~ - ~1' ...

not th. milit.ry 'iluthoritie. sine. ,the civ < -,.dmini.tr.ti-n ,."

..... ln const.nt. ~OUCh ... i th' ~he l~:~~: P~P~l:-iti~~:,-'T'h.' ~~i i i t.~-y . ~ " 1 ... ~ .. '"' ". , ..

~ .... ...... ... _, appl1.d to""th' administration in N1r-obi :for ,.the'.-Rumb.r 'tif

~ ~ ~.,-.." .v"~" ~

,-" : ~ .. :. .. " - 1,.. ..,... "'"

l'~.t.i. n.eded'o'th." it w.sJ,up to the .. ~mini.tr.:tton ,to-;d.ci..dl - :.-. ~ v ...... _.. -. ~- ~ 6

1 .. ' .. .., ," -",1 -:.- ~ :;. -, .. ": 1 ~ ~ ...

... hat ar.as of th. prot.cto,.at. we,. uitabl. for

'o,

o

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, -"

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, ~> ,

-,-'-r, --~------"""'!"~--"'!"_-~11111!'---,..-. ~,""""',,"'.IIIl!$ p

, , ,

\

their di.tric.t. ~nd ,giv.' an tim .. t.d numb.,. of .. n thtlt

could-be r.cruit.d ... ithin il giv-.n dAt With ,..por,t. from th.

. . J..... iL ~ .. ,in Niai,robi, " militiary offic.r. proc d.d on ta th. di.trict.'

. . ' .~p.ct.d re~rult. to

, ~

th.y pr nt.d th.ir " fi~ed quot ... '42. '

t~. di.t~ict commi ion.r

of

Meari ... hile 'di.trict \ commi ion.r. 'an~ loc .. l chi.f.--.. tradition.U or appointed-~ were bu.y trying te rai.e the

"required number. of men. R.cruitm.nt in g.nera~ ..... a v.ry

dif4icult t~.k fo~ dl.tr~ct commi ion.r~ and I~cal chi.f '

ln fiact _ rlifport.: from Nandi di.trict, b.twe.n 191:5 .. nd 1919

'indicate compl.int. from th dmini.tration i~~ regard to ,

" . r'.crui tmeot., r.cord-k pi ng and di sbursm.nt. ,1 nvol ved w1 th

43" , " m(l'itiary .,ervicl!!. Occ:'.iclMal1y th. civil .dministration "' ... -- '

< r"cominnd.d-. ' al.o " for th.ir eK c.t lent' ~,

p~!"f~rm .. "c. in

recrui tm.nt. ~.... .., ~

" . , For J. O. W. Hop.,

... 1 .. \ 1

the provinciAl

e 'c;,o~mi .-.i,oner ,Of l

o.

"

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0,

. i

'" , .' ' .. , 1 , "\

, \

" '

~<

r"" -~;ft;,""'" 'i f- , ,

1

of

troop1l and r.crui t i ng of porte"... for th. carri.r :~Drp.. (4~)

,f'

Howev.r r.cruit~ent wa. oft.n the .ntir. r pon~ibility

th. African chief who wa. \d~ctat.d to from abov. by

During . a recrui ting on, th.

di.tric~ , commi.sion~rs, .ummon.d chi.fs tb th. district

t~.m back 'to their location. with th~ instruction. that they

turn 'in giv.n numb.r of,you~g abl. m.n at, ',,--

diatri'ct headqut1rtara O~{h~.dat. when milit.ry officers ",~re

eKpected to ~rriv. from. Nairobi. Chiefa wer. , '

accompani.d by trib.l ratain.r. Dr polie. from the 'district 46

commi ion.ra' c:o~stabulAry, p.ci.Uy in ar.a. where t,t'le

chi.f wa,. known to b. u;,popul.r Wi,t:h naUve 'The pr .... nc. of

police in it.elf w ',coerciv. sint. pOlice wer.t ~ft.1i us.d to

. ,

.' " ;.-

harr ' nati v wh? '~ai ledo to comp! y ..,i th gov.rnment ard.rs ~ j ~J~, ~

lik. payi'ng of taK ,'_ r.cruitment lof l'abour for publiC: -works , "1 ! It

, ' and .0 on. " , '

. ehi'ef. .mploy.d ~ method. to obtain r.crui t. wHich , '\ ",

, " ~ '1"<

:~-~c:cordin..9' t,. Green .. t.in"lld.pende:l'not only qn ) th. J.sociaf' . ,! '. " ~" .' .. ~... t

orga,,~ zation 'of' 1 th.i ... , peopl., but a1.0 upon th. siz., of.' the "

47 ,r ~raftv r'.quired,. Il,,' ,Wh'.n.,f,e.., m.n ~~re. n deci; indiv.idu.l. ",.re . , , . ~~ .c:t.~ '~~. ~h.\ ~n~ ~,~ .': ~~,~ i;n~tr~ct~d ta app.ar, at th. di.t;-h:.t h.a~quatt~r'~ .f'ar. .~l.c:t.i.c;m .but f.ruble aro.e w~en;

JI - 1 ~ ~.. ". ~ w , '

larg. numb~r . -t, ~.n ~.r.'-"r~q~i".~.' ' 'Ir, ~hi.; ca~e th. chief'~ 1 \-:::

o;.d.red the m~tti1.i~~tion of .li' 'm.n 01 c.rtain agti in'; ,his 1 ' ,. 1 " -, 48"

t 1 _ ~. ~.. ,~1. \ ~', t~ 1

lacation to trn up .~ th. ;,di'stric:t h dqu.~t.r ' ,If th ~" ".' , :', ~' :"':',,', - - ' "- ~. '. " .' . h' ,. ,

.at)tn \~:U.played '.nv r"l!luctanc,., tribal '!.etain.r.' wer nt out ~.. \ 0;." l~ (

"

o

'.

o "

J

" ' i.

.-

J "

_.

. -.

0 ~

~

-- --- -;---~~--:--:----~-------~----""'-""'illlli ----.. ", J..1!I,IIIJ'!I!IAII.,!11& " ~ ~ ~';h'l.'1lJ

probably from houae ta hou.e~ to try .nd campel men out of ,,-49 thair ,vill.ge.. Whafi further reaiat.nce ",aa .Mperi.nc.d,

de'tach~.nt .of tha' K. A. R. ~!!Is..c:.i. w.ra ,di .p.tchad ,ta 't ~h them 1 aa.'on,' often very eMpanaiv. eM.rci.e for t'ha ;overn.ent

A OC ad aM.mpl. ia tha Purko ction of tha M i who r.fu d

. ~O ta provide recruit. for th. K.A.R.in 1919.

!'

~.A.R'- wa.s through: tha conscript1:on'of th. c.rr1.r .corp

'S,vage,and Munro m.'ntion th. competitio;:' th.t eMi.ted betw n ~1

for the two ~vica Initial pl.n. ta divi~.

-the purpo.es of racruitment for the K.A.R. .nd th. , .

c'arrier corps accordingly ..,ere distn,lptaCi in 1916 whe~ Smuts

Luo who hd been .11 .10ng reg.rd.d .s "non-w.rl i ke" .nd ~2

very .pacial mate,.i.l for the c.rrier corpa . ', ',' 1

C9n.cription ~nto both K.~.R. !nd t~e carr,i.r corps

equAlly ~npopulilr bu.t ____ gi-ven- A Ch~~C. mo.t p~~pl. oPt~ ------------- --------K.A.R~Tn~a .e.~.d com~on .mong m.ny people lik.

...

for-

Nandi who reg'.rded c.r,..ying of load. on th. h d a. . Job , ~3

~ , 1 l

only performed b~ woman. Even though thod. of rec,..uit.ent

for both .arvic may h.v. ba.n .imil.r, eVidently the,... w~r. . " '. ~4

. tremlindou.' diff.r~nc.. 'in th. conditiona of ... vic

Mi ~ i tilry par,.onnel ... ~r. d.f i ni t.l y ..... r. of how unpopul.,.. th. > ' ca,..rier :corp. w , p.ci.lly .ft.r th ... Br.nd 'L.vy ... ~

introduc.d

" 'ta , c.p

milit'.ry

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-' ., r " "1 ,

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Foll0"'1er.' R.cruit",.nt ardin .. nc." ..,ith th. kno..,l.dfjJ. that

K.A.R.

1 1

th. c .. rri.r corp. con.ript. would c .. p. into 1

Th. K.A.R. r.cruittng p.r.onnel w.r. kno ... n ta

"

th.

..... it

fro", th. d~.trict.. At th. c..,.rier corps d.pot.'th. K.A.R. , -

p.r.onn.l u d two m.tho~. ta r.-r.cruit from ~he r.c~uit

Th. firsl: m.thod ..... to .nli.t- all th~~ u'it .. bl. m.n .

... ho ""i..

- ca",., for ..... rd willingly prob .. bly b.c .. u.. th. diff.r.nc. '1:., ," -

,1

b.t.., n car,ri.r corp ... nd th. K.A.R. might h .. v. dawn.d on Sb l (

th.... ' .. t th. d.pot. Th" cond m.thod w ... th. "pr:ob .. tionary \

.y.t.m" ... h.~.by .ui t .. bl. m.n who "'w.r c.r.d of the unknown

ord.r ,

ta b. c,lo.. ta th.i r fri .nd. w.r. r.crui t.d .nd nt to the 1

K. A. R. d.pot an . month'. probation. Durinc; thi. p.riod,

the m.n ... ho .... r. found un.ui table or .till r i.tant ta th' , " S7

K. A. R. w.r. ..nt back to th.ir carri.r corps d.pot.

L Thi. practic. ~of Men inittally r.cruit.d a. carri.r. ,

only ta .nd up in th. K.A.R. 1

... a. ,,"pmmon and ....port an r.patriation of

1 , carri.r. in th. Ukamba Annual R.port .how.

"that th. numb.r of m.n~.p.triat.d from the se

K.A.R. up -ta

March 1919 wa. 94. Th. r.port poi'nt" out th.t 1

With

th.

thi. fifjJur. i. .ho..,n b.c.u.. th. K.A.R. larg.ly r.cruit.d from th. K.mba originally cArri.r (~9)

thi. pr~ctic. of drafting carri'.r corps 1) y

ar,.,y, on~ may b. tk.ptic.l of Bo ... ring'. \ \

--)

r.cruit. into

conc.rn wh.n h.

,..comm.nd.d against clau 7 ,of th. "Compul.ory S.rvic. Act" -

onl y thr.. mor:aths .ft.r ~,t. impl.m.ntation, argui ng that

46

o

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'.

. 1

\

c:an.c:ripi:1aA ,

! h .. d drai n.d th. IInati:v. manp .... r. r ry ~. It

i. pa ibl. ~ ,

lat.r " that , ,

7' ... a. nat,n.c: ry at ail .inc:. ml,l i.t .. ry off lc:.r. . , ,

c:aul~ .urr.ptit1a~.ly ca.re. ~'rri.r. inta th. K.A.R. 'Thu. it .. of \ '1'

i. c:anvinc:i!1g .that , 1

r .. ~ ,

R.c:rut tm.nt .' < Ordinanc:." ... a. l.gi.lated far t. ... a r .... on.' fir.t and

" for.ma.t, , pec:i ail y

, , 1 1,

ta" 'c:a.ri.c:ript ..... n , : . , :i1l~gall y .' inta th.

\, ,il "

r K.A.R.,

be.n

legalizedt and anc. the rank. of the,~.A.R. had b n filJ.d, 1 ... l ~ ~'iI J ~

th. ardinanc:. wa . th.n dir.ct.d,ta:th. mi!i~~rlly u~d.sira~~. .. 1 l , .' . ,

.thnic group. -- "nan-marti: al p.aRl." '_.!.. anl y , sui tabl. far . 60 . . j , ' th. carrier corps.

~

Ev.n u.~ ng th. abav. m.thad, l il r

r.crui t., far th. 1 ;

'K. A. R. , 1. '

.... r. .ti 11 not farthc:aming. Th. admini.trat~,Qn re.ort..d : ta ~ 1 , ,

, . ,prapag .. nd .. to en.ur.e .uffici.nt numb.r pf recr.'ui,ts. t1ttn ... er. '

j~ f

re.mind.d th .. t 'it w~. th.ir dut Y ta ~.f.nd th.i,. country. This' ';. - , 1 1.

...igh~ '. h .. vl!' be.n app.aling Qnly ta .ac:i.ti.. with .~tronQ ~" .. ,l . ;~ h, , '

tladitianal ...... rriar iniltitutipn.. Afric:a". , .... r . 'al.a ... ~rn.d

by th. gave~nm.nt that if t,t'ey did nat ca"'op.r.t. th. c:ountr y ,_

... auld b. ,.e-c:alonized by the Ger,man a.,.",.r;ul .... ,. . pa,ot,. ay.d . , ' the ~"ifl.h 'iri E t Afric: .. a.' ~.r'y r~thl".~~ C:ldniali.t.

> by

" . and alr.ady unpopular ... ith th.ir awn n~tiv In fac:t ta u

'H . H.' , JOhn.ton'.' expre ion, German .... .,.. "tflty~. ~Ymi=nl= . \ :t.!QQ (people of H5) ~d "1~" r.fer. ta th. lo ..... t number of , l.sh.. ...ith hippapotamu. hide ... hic:h .... r. admini.t.red by th

61 Germ.n. for miner off.nc: ..... Ha ... canvinc:ing ..... .uc:h a

, .tory ... hen even the Br1ti.h th.m.el~. had long fall.n out of

"

favaur with th.i,. a ... n 'nativ ? Wh.n pe,..ua.tv. prapaQanda

. , 47

o

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fail_d, th. gov.rnment bR9~ propaganda threats to the effect

that th. G.rman. had 'a bigger Appetit. for land and given the

chanc. to occupy British East Africa they would alien~te more

land than the Brltiah had. rhe government was ~ware of how ,

nsitive th. land lssua was, following stiff r ist~nc. t

th. b.ginning of th. c.ntury wh.n Afric~n. were forced into 62

; d ign~t.d r rv to giv. WAy for white s.ttl.ment.

B id.s propaganda, th. governm.nt us.d mon.y a. An ~

lnc.ntiv. to induce Africans into'the r~nks. ~h.n the K.A.R. -' '

wa . ' .Hpana.d in 1916 r.cruits r..ived a salary of .i