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Recent publicity about the Emergency in Kenya (1952-60) has focused
on allegations of torture and ill-treatment, harsh conditions in
detention camps, repressive measures by the colonial government, and
so on. Much of this is distortion, and the ordinary work of Government
departments still carried on, though often with adjustments to meet the
Emergency situation. As an example, here is a report which I submitted
to the Director of Surveys, describing conditions in the Karatina area of
Central Province when I was assigned to be a member of the Kenya
Regiment Mapping Unit. My colleague and friend was the late Robert
Caukwell, who sadly died in February 2015. He was a keen mountaineer
who later made the first ascent of the west face of Mt. Kenya.
The Unit's task was to add information to the outline maps which had
been compiled from RAF aerial photography. In short, to travel over
every road and track, locate every village, obtain place names, and in the
case of European farms record the owner's name. As well as the outline
maps themselves, and the aerial photographs, we were also provided with
a Sten gun and two grenades each.
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