Meinertzhagen: "An Embattled Colonial Officer in East Africa"

Meinertzhagen: "An Embattled Colonial Officer in East Africa"

Thesis: As a young soldier in Kenya, he participated in the "frontier" of British imperialism. Thus, he depicts his experience and hardships of his colonial service.

August 20, 1902
Policeman murdered as a protest against white men
Neighboring villages had joined forces against the white men
Council of war held by the natives
3 A.M. – White man army reached the bonfires of the natives and an alarm was given by one who tried to escape but was shot down
Natives came at them armed, killing 2 policemen and one of his men but they killed 17 natives
Use of racial slurs is abundant
3 P.M. – there anger not appeased; go to meet chiefs
McClean fined one village, whose chief was killed, 50 head of cattle

Sept 8, 1902
He gave orders that everyone except the children should be killed without mercy
Shot, bayonet, but no children in village
Burned all the huts and razed the village
Such actions taken because the men were the main instigators of murder and method of death and the women befouled the corpse after death

Nov 23, 1902
Since its an African country, they will demand domination, and blood will be spilled

Jan 12, 1904
The soldier is not in favor in Brit East Africa
Sir Clement Hill said that "so long as Civil Servants were enlisted from gutter" we could not expect a high standard of administration

Feb 19, 1904
His men were savages in laws and customs of war
Surround and take a village

July 27, 1904
Human life has never been sacred
"No telegraph or telephone, no motor cars or wireless, and action was imperative for safety"
Discipline is necessary

Sept 15, 1905
Isolation from his family is dreary and he is filled with unhappiness and depression
Others do not suffer like him
Some men undergo process of deterioration when they are compelled to live for any length of time among savage races under such conditions

March 17, 1906
Must get out since his 5 years are up

March 20, 1906
The natives are different creatures and weird ideas
White man is so different in every respect