PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
Reference :-
TPIEN mwimmimC.O. 885
24 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAMENOT TO
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7. As the defence of the Uganda Railway was of paramount importance, and the Officer Commanding Troops was unable to spare the two companies of King's African Rifles referred to above, which were required at Kisumu, the only action possible was the raising of a force of Baganda levies, in accordance with proposals made by Lieutenant-Colonel E. V. Jenkins when Officer Commanding 4th Battalion King's African Rifles. The Acting Governor accordingly issued instructions for this to be done at once, and 3,000 spearmen were accordingly called out, 1,000 being mobilized at Masaka, 1,000 at Mubendi, and 1,000 at Kampala.
8. In the afternoon of the 5th August the Acting Governor summoned a A council of the heads of the principal departments to consider the situation. temporary Defence Committee was formed to take such immediate measures as were possible in Entebbe, and it was decided that the Government should take over control of all food stocks and assume power to fix prices.
For this purpose a committee was appointed under the presidency of His Honour Chief Justice Carter, which is known as "The Supplies Board." Captain E. H. T. Lawrence, Acting Commissioner of Police, was placed in general charge of defence measures, and on the 7th instant, as there seemed likelihood of overlapping between his duties and those undertaken by the Defence Committee, the latter body was dissolved, and Captain Lawrence assumed full responsibility, which he retained until the arrival of Captain L. H. Hickson on the 17th August.
9. On the 6th August steps were taken to institute a land and water patrol by native spearmen along the Lake shores and on certain islands in Lake Victoria, with the object of observing and reporting any movement of the enemy in the northern half of the Lake. This patrol was strengthened a few days later by a Lake steamer lent by the Uganda Railway for the purpose. Arrangements were also made to reinforce the police establishments in Masaka and Mbarara with drafts from Entebbe, Kampala, and other stations, and to enrol all able-bodied Europeans in Entebbe and Kampala and the surrounding districts in the Volunteer Reserve, to which an Indian company was also added. The reserves of the King's African Rifles had already been mobilized at Bombo, and as many ex-soldiers as could, be obtained were re-enlisted. On this day also the Supplies Ordinance was published, defining the powers and functions of the Supplies Board, which at once took steps to take over control of all food supplies throughout the Protectorate.
10. These arrangements took some days to complete, and on the 10th August the forces available were as follows:--At Masaka 150 police, at Mbarara 78 police. at Kampala 59 police and 100 recruits. at Entebbe 84 police and one company King's African Rifles Reserve. The recently-formed volunteer companies numbered, at Kampala, 100 Europeans and 100 Indians, and at Entebbe 80 Europeans and one Indian section. These, however, had not been organized on a military footing, and, though most of the European members were familiar with the use of the rifle, owing to want of organization and training the military value of the force was small. There were also three bodies of 1,000 native spearmen at Kampala, Mubendi, and Masaka. During these days the Germans had occupied and fortified three posts immediately south of the border close to Lake Victoria, and it was reported that a number of troops, supported by 2,000 native levies, were concentrated at Bukoba, with a view to an invasion of the Masaka District. Movements of the enemy were also reported opposite the Kigezi District, including a concentration of forces at a point four hours' march south of our border. On the 14th August it was reported that the German force at Bukoba had moved in a southerly direction, their supposed objective being either Muanza or one of the posts on the east side of Lake Victoria. Whether their offensive was deferred owing to the mobilization of large numbers of native levies is not known, but, whatever the cause, no offensive action was undertaken by the enemy at this stage On the 17th August Captain (local Lieutenant-Colonel) L. H. Hickson arrived from East Africa and took over the command from Captain Lawrence on the following day.
11. I have dealt in some detail with military dispositions made during this early period, as, owing to the withdrawal of all regular units available for the defence of the Uganda Railway and the threatening movements on the part of the enemy on our southern frontier, it was a time of great anxiety, and had the Germans attempted any offensive movement in force, the situation would have been extremely grave. Captain Lawrence acted throughout in close consultation with the Acting
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Governor, who was also advised on the military situation by Captain J. S. Wilkinson, Adjutant, 4th Battalion King's African Rifles, the only officer of the regular forces within reach of headquarters, who rendered very able assistance, and I consider that the arrangements made, with the very inadequate means at their disposal, reflect the greatest credit on the responsible officers. I wish particularly to bring to your notice the services of Captain Lawrence, whd, at this difficult juncture, showed great energy and decision, and made the fullest use of the meagre resources at his command.
12. During this time measures had also been taken to provide the necessary medical equipment for use in case of emergency, under the direction of Dr. A. D. P. Hodges, C.M.G., the Principal Medical Officer. The hospitals of the Church Missionary Society and Mill Hill (Roman Catholic) Mission were at once placed at the disposal of the Government as base hospitals, with all their staff and equipment, and a few days later Mr. Michael Moses, a prominent resident in Kampala, on behalf of Sir Thomas Dewar and himself, offered the premises of an hotel in that station in which they are jointly interested, for a similar purpose. These, together with the Government hospitals, provided ample accommodation at the base for any probable requirements. A stretcher bearer corps was also formed by Captain G. J. Keane, R.A.M.C., from the boys of Budo High School of the Church Missionary Society, who had offered themselves for service. This corps has since been strengthened and its organization completed, and has proved extremely useful.
13. At an early stage the Supplies Board took over full control of certain necessaries, and prices, which had shown a tendency to rise to exorbitant heights, were limited to a rate not exceeding 5 per cent above the July prices for stocks or hand. The sale of flour and kerosene oil was restricted to quantities required for the current use of the purchaser, a step which was necessary in order to prevent large purchases by persons who feared a general shortage later on. As the supplies of flour, rice, and sugar were low, and, owing to the dislocation of shipping and credit arrangements in the early stages of the war, traders were likely to find some difficulty in renewing their stocks, the Supplies Board ordered a consignment of these articles from Bombay, on behalf of the Government, to be disposed of to traders at cost price. These measures have been successful in controlling the supplies of necessaries, and, with the exception of a temporary scarcity of wheaten flour, which made it necessary to order the use, for a few weeks, of bread containing a portion of maize flour, little or no inconvenience was suffered by the public. The supply of imported articles of food has now practically resumed its normal condi- tion, and prices rule from 10 to 15 per cent. higher than usual.
14. Upon the outbreak of war all German subjects were placed on parole under police supervision, and, in accordance with instructions received, were shortly afterwarde interned at Kampala, where they remained until the 14th November, when they were sent to East Africa under arrangement with the military authori- ties, and from there deported to Bombay. Austrian subjects were similarly treated. A few German and Austrian subjects who are members of the Roman Catholic Mission Society, the White Fathers of Algeria, have been allowed to remain in their mission stations on parole and under a guarantee from the superiors of the mission. who are of French nationality. The members of the Austrian Mission at Omach and Gulu, in the Gula district of the Northern Province, have been permitted to remain on parole, but are confined to the limits of the mission stations. In these cases the distance of the stations from the German border and the absence of means of communication render it practically impossible that information of military value could be conveyed to the enemy. Mr. O. Schwecten, the local manager of Mesars. Hansing & Company, who had held the office of German Vice-Consul in Uganda, was given permission to proceed to East Africa. and subsequently was allowed to leave Mombasa for Lourenço Marques. The correspondence of all German and Austrian subjects had, in the meantime, been submitted to strict censorship.
15. The only German company of importance trading in Uganda was Messrs. Hansing & Company, who carried on a large transport and forwarding business dealing with goods in the Congo, and had a cotton ginnery at Jinja. The Euro- pean members of this firm were interned under the arrangements described above, but in order to prevent undue inconvenience being caused to the authorities of the Belgian Congo, for whom Messrs. Hansing & Company acted as agents, permission