William John Townsend Shorthose
| Major William John Townsend Shorthose | |||||||
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| File:Shorthose, William John Townsend.jpg | |||||||
| Residence | 4th King’s African Rifles, Bombo, Uganda Protectorate | ||||||
| Occupation | armed services | ||||||
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Contents
Notes
Office Notes
House Notes
1920.01.13 proposed by J.H. Driberg, seconded by A.C. Haddon
Notes From Elsewhere
[review of his book on amazon by Dr S.S. Nagi]: This book was first published in 1923, has 310 pages, 23 chapters, 25 B/W photos and 1 map. Captain WILLIAM JOHN TOWNSEND SHORTHOSE spent 12 years in hunting and travel in Equatorial Africa. In 1910, he made his 1st trip in hunting from Broken Hill to Lake Bangweolo. He suffered from frequent attacks of malaria, but wanted to see more of Africa. After returning from South Africa in 1911, he joined the KAR and in 1912 served in Uganda. During the 1st World war, he found himself defending KENYA COLONY and cruising around Victoria Nyanza. He travelled to PEA (Portuguese East Africa), Nyasaland and GEA (German East Africa) and started writing his book in 1922, while in Mill Bank Hospital.
This book starts when on 24.8.1910, Shorthose travels to Rhodesia from South Africa for shooting adventure. After visiting VICTORIA FALLS, he takes many porters for an expedition to Great Congo River. On 11.10.1910, he heard first time in his life, a lion roar whole night. He returned to Broken Hill. While with 4th KAR in Uganda, he takes leave for 10 days and on 6.1.1913, goes elephant and buffalo hunting. On 24.1.1914, he was still hunting elephants and buffalo. He is transferred to ENTEBBE(Chair). In July 1914, 1st World War comes to Uganda. His company was Buganda Rifles. The enemy was GEA. With help from KAR, he attacks the German post at KISII, in Kenya. Some of the Askari were hurt by lions, elephants, buffalo, rhino charges or poisoned by snake bites. During his leave, he went out hunting.
Fighting in 1916, near Victoria Nyanza, the troops captured the town of MWANZA in GEA. They follow the retreating Germans to Tabora, Kilimantide, Iringa, Fort Johnston, Rovuma River, Tunduru and back to Nyasaland(Malawi). At Njombe, Shorthose meets 2 great elephant hunters, Captain James Sutherland and Captain Anderson. By September 1918, Shorthose was sent to England on leave. Leaving England, he sailed up the NILE and was in Khartoum on 20.9.1919, then Momgalla, Rejaf, Nimule and Butaiba on Lake Albert. He then cycles to Masindi. At Hoima, he was charged and tossed by an elephant. He was badly bruised and spent 10 days resting in NAIROBI, Kenya.
Soon he was in 6th KAR and had sailed to Somaliland to expel 'Mad Mullah'. On 12.7.1920, he left ARUSHA to report on surrounding area. He went to the Rift Valley and LAKE MAYARA. In the escarpment forest, he looked for buffalo and rhino. Back in Arusha, he could see both Mt MERU and Mt KILIMANJARO. His next safari was on 12 November, with 12 porters to hunt a rhino. After walking in these forests at the base of Mt Meru, they arrived at Momella Lakes. Fresh water was obtained at River Ngare Nanuki. Shorthose then returns to his old German house. From Arusha, he returns to Dar-es-Salaam. On the way, a large insect catches his left eye, which lead to inflammation and total loss of vision.
This book is a hunting book mixed with trauma of the bush 1st World War in East Africa.
Having born in Kenya, I found this book interesting.
Colonel Shorthose had in his battalion 642 Askari and 35 British officers and senior Non-Commissioned Officers plus eight machine guns; he was supported by two machine guns from the 5th South African Infantry under Lieutenant M Clarke, and a section of two mountain guns manned by the South African Mounted Rifles. These guns had been captured in German South West Africa and they could be dismantled for carrying by mules and porters. The Mtonia Mobile Column as it was named marched out on 29 June 1917. ........... Two Askari of No 2 Company who had displayed conspicuous gallantry at Abdullah Kwa Nanga, 1840 Corporal Musa Bin Abdulla and 1897 Lance Corporal Okong, were both promoted by one rank. In the 1918 New Year's Honours List, Lieutenant Colonel William John Townsend Shorthose received the Distinguished Service Order. [Harry Fecitt MBE TD article Out on a Limb on westfrontassoc.mtcdevserver.com]
Publications
External Publications
Sport and adventure in Africa. Seeley Service, 1923. A record of twelve years' big game hunting, campaigning and travel in tropical Africa. Chapters VI-XI deal with the campaign of 1914-18, and Chapters XV-XVII with the Mad Mullah operations of 1920