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[This D ocument is the Property of His Britannic M ajestys Government ]

Printed for the Cabinet. April 1922.

S E C R E T .

C P 3 9 3 6

T H E C A B I N E T .

T H E S O M A L I L A N D D I S T U R B A N C E S .

I CI RC UL A TE a se r ies of te legram s dea l ing wi th a recent d i s turban ce in

Somali land and the successful Air Force demonstra t ion by which order was restored.

w s c

Colonial Office April 11 , 1922.

No .

1.

Paraphrase Telegram from the Governor of Somaliland Protectorate to the

Secretary of State for the Colonies dated 25th February.

Rece ived Colonia l ffice 12*20 I\M. 26 th Fe br ua ry , 1922.)

Fe br ua ry 25 . I deeply reg ret to report th at d ur in g affray a t Bura o yesterday

be tw een Rers egul leh and Ak i l s of o ther t r ibes C apta in Gib b was shot dead. Hav ing

cal led out camel corp s compan y to quel l dis turb anc e he wen t forw ard himself with

his in te rpre te r , whereupon f i re

was

opened on hi m by some R erse gu lleh rif lemen and

h e was ins tan t ly k i l led . Sho ot ing las ted for about ten m inutes , and Gib b was only

casua l ty . M iscreants then d isappeared un de r cover of da rk ness , which

was

falling.

T ro ub le is s t r ic t ly local ised, and i t is mo st unl ik ely tha t i t can spread beyond three

sec t ions of Ha br Yu nis , o ther p eople be ing wi th us Am wai t in g a rr iva l of F ind er

before dete rm inin g nece ssary act ion, and will te legr aph a gain

later.ARCHKB

9 7 1 5 / 1 9 2 2 . N o . 2 .


Secretary of State for the Colonies dated 27th February.

Received Colonial Office 910

.M. 28th F eb ru ary , 1922.)

Fe bru ary 27. In order to mee t s i tua t ion c rea ted by m urd er of Gib b requ i re two

aero plan es for abo ut fourteen c lays. I hav e arr an ge d with Re side nt , Ad en, for these ,

and have to-day m ad e form al appl ica t ion, which please confirm. I t is propo sed they

fly via Pe rim , confin ing sea cro ssin g to .12 mile s. Pro pos e to inflict fine of 2,500 cam els

on im plicated sec t ions, who are pract ica l ly isola ted, and at same t im e deman d sur ren de r

of man who ki l led Gibb.

He is know n. Fin e to be dou bled in event of fa i lure to com ply with la t ter

condi t ion and ae ro planes used to bom b stock on gra z in g gro und s . Gen era l s i tua tion

is ent i re ly sat isfactory o ne, indicat ion being tha t twenty -eigh t Ak ils of H arga isa

district have already collected their riflemen and come forward with offer of assistance,

ant ic ipa t ing poss ib le spread of rouble to Habr Yunis general ly.

No furth er assis tan ce wil l be req uire d. I ho pe you wil l sanct io n a t an early date

m ainten ance perm anen t ly two aeroplanes in Somal i land P rotec to ra te as recomm ended

in my me m or an du m , as 1 bel ieve tha t this is abso lutely essent ia l an d only solut ion of

M ijerte in difficulty, as to wh ich no agr eem ent with Ita l ian s was reached. Chan ce

of f a i lure to inflic t pr om pt pu nis hm en t necessary in this instan ce is tha t sect ions

conc erned wil l get aw ay into Go rahai before we can str ike , and ra in y season is now

[8241] B

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breaking, which

is

unfavourable.

But I

hope that this will

not be

case,

as two

Akils

and

three

of

section most implicated have surrendered voluntarily. Ful l report

by post in due course.

RCHER.

No 3.


Secretary

of

State

for the

Colonies.

(Received Colonial Office G 35 I\M. 2nd March, 1922.)

-March 2. Two aeroplanes arrived Berbera to-day. All Habr Yuuis elders are

reported

on

their

way in and

arriving to-morrow

to

receive Government order,

and

outlook now is entirely favourable. No movement has been attempted fa r south.

RCHER

N o 4.


Secretary of State for the Colonies dated 3rd March.

(Received Colonial Office 7 30

P M

3rd March, 1922.)

March

3. It is

reported that Dolbahanta have looted dump

at

Ainabo under

irregulars, in which were 12,000 rounds of ammunition and twenty-six rides, intended

for distribution to them forprotection against Mijertein. If report is true a favourable

situation has been complicated. J fear that report is correct, an d if so; it will hearten

disaffected Habr Yunis sections. Ttrules out also contemplated employment of camel

corps at Garero with Dolbahanta as a potential enemy in their vicinity. Moi-eover, on

the evening Gibb was killed B Company proved unreliable at Burao, being unwilling

to fire into body of riflemen implicated, thus paralysing prompt action, which might

have settled matter on the spot. Both Piuder and 1, however, believe that three other

companies here and elsewhere are all right.

In

any

case

our

view

is

that

it is

unwise

at

present moment

to

take

any

risks,

and

I consider time

has

come when

I

must

ask for one

company

of

British regiment

in

Aden

to be

held

in

readiness

to

embark immediately

if

required

to

garrison Sheikh,

on

which we could fall back in emergency. There are both motor transport and wireless

communications.

Aeroplanes

are now

ready,

and

the ir flight this afternoon over Burao will have

very steadying effect.

I have communicated copy

of

this telegram

to

Resident, Aden,

and

feel that

if

I have

to ask for

this further

measure of

assistance

you

will

confirm my

action.

You

will appreciate that under

no

circumstances

do I

contemplate moving Bri tish troops

beyond Sheikh, where there

can be no

chance

of

their being involved seriously

whatever emergency arose.

All the country around Burao is qu ie t

ARCHER

No

5.

Paraphrase Telegram from the Resident at Aden to the Secretary of State

for the Colonies.

(Received Colonial Office 11-30 I\M. 3rd March, 1922.)

No 147 of 3rd March, .1922.

With reference to telegram of 3rd March from Governor of Somaliland

Protectorate repeated to me. Th e 2nd

Royal Fusiliers here

are

only

500

rifles

strong,

and it is

therefore

not

possible

to

spare

a

full strength com pan y/ About

the

16th instant

the

Royal Fusiliers will

be

relieved

by

Bulls, when former proceed

to

England.

I

have

not yet

been informed

as to the

strength

of

Buffs however.

In

connection with sudden movement

of one

company

of

British infantry

40

miles

inland from Berbera without reserve

at

coast, supply

and

other questions would

of

course arise.

The

strength

of

British infantry should

not be

reduced

in

view

of

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pre sen t s i tuat ion he re, and any ass is lai ice now sent from Aden to meet emergency in

Som ali land Pro tec tora te could only be Ind ian infantry.

Th e 2n d- 19 th Pun jab i s cou ld be spared , wi th approva l of Gove rnment of Ind ia ,

if grave em erge ncy , suc h as ret i re me nt on Sheik h, i s possible, provided a bat tal ion

from India is sent immediately to rel ieve them.

Rep eated Governor , Somal i l and Pro tec tora te ; addressed Se cre tary of Sta te fo r

Colonies.

N o. 6.

Paraphrase Telegram from the Secretary of State for the Colonies to the

Governor of Soma liland Protectorate.

(Se nt 3 45 P.M. 6t h Ma rch, 1922.)

March 6. Ad dres sed to Govern or of So m ali l an d; repeated to Re siden t , Ad en.

Yo ur teleg ram of 3rd March. See teleg ram s from Ad en, 3rd and 4th Ma rch, which

we re rep ea ted to yon . It is impo ssible for B rit ish troo ps to be spa red from Ad en,

bu t a com pan y of 2/19th Pu nja bis will stan d by in Aden to be called on by you d irec t

to Aden. If in the me anw hile you consider extra garr ison in Soma li land may be

necessary for some t ime, I am prepared to consider despatch of a company of

6th K in g s African Rif les from Dar-es-Salaam to Som ali land. Bu t in any case the

comp any of Pu njab is wi ll s tan d by un t i l 1 he ar from you. 1 pre sum e that Ad en will

not requir e repla cem ent of this company from India .

N o.

7 .


Secretary of State for the Colonies dated 6th March.

(Received Colonial Office 5 20

P.

6th. M arc h, 1922.)

March 6. Effect of aeroplane dem onstrat io n on cou ntry has b een elect r ical , an d

i t i s unl ik ely now tha t I shal l req uir e t roo ps from Ade n as an em ergen cy mea sure.

Aki ls of al l H ab r Tu nis sect ions have come in and ha ve u nd ert ak en to pay with out

dem ur Gov ern me nt t ine of 3 ,000 camels . I. have given them fourteen days to comply,

half of fine to be paid w ithi n seven day s, an d I believe they will m ak e gr ea t effort to

satisfy this dem and . I t seem s prob able also that Dolb ahan ta wi l l volun tari ly res tore

looted rifles an d wh at am m un ition can be reco ver ed. As a m at te r of fact , i t is now

clear that Do lbah anta act ion ha d no serious pol i t ical s ignif icance, and was not , as I

suspe cted, resu l t of un de rs t an di ng with impl icated R er Aina sect ion of H ab r Yun is ,

bu t i rresp ons ible act ion of t r ibes me n una ble to res is t chan ce of loot. Cam el

cor ps ar e m ov in g forw ard to G are ro to-day to com plete effect, and I feel tha t si tu atio n

is wel l in hand.

At same t ime, my opinion that a company of Bri t ish t roops should be s tat ioned at

She ikh, if and when prac t icab le, and th at two aerop lanes shou ld be ke pt in the cou ntry

pe rm an en t ly is in no way al tered, bu t only s t re ng the ned by r ecen t even t s . Ind ian

troops have l i t t le moral effect in Somaliland.

I have communicated copy of this telegram to Resident , Aden.

KCHER

N o .

8 .


Secretary of State for the Colonies.

(R ec eiv ed Co lon ial Office 11 JO :I.\M. 11 th M ar ch , 192 2.)

Add ressed Sec retar y of State for the Colon ies ; rep eate d R esident , Ad en, 11th

March. Yo ur telegram of 6th Ma rch. At pres ent I do not thi nk I shal l req uire

Pun jabi com pany as emerge ncy measu re, bu t grateful ly no te th at in case of necessi ty

they are at my disposal.

As to future the re can n o longe r be any doub t in my mind that a non-Somali

[8 2 4 1 ] JJ2

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garri son of 150 to 200 infantry is required in Somaliland Protectorate , and 1 consider

that they should be either Brit ish t roops or King 's African Rifles.

A strong consideration in favour of Brit ish troops is t ha t, while it should be of

mutual advantage to Somaliland Protectorate and Aden to post one company of Brit ish

reg iment stationed in Aden at Sheikh, littl e extra expendi ture would presumably be

involved by this step when once initial outlay bad been covered vide

paragraph 10 of

combined report of Resident, Aden, and myself of 18th Januar y. Would this arrange

men t not be possible independent ly of amalgamation quest ion after a rrival of Buffs

company temporarily going under canvas at Sheikh? Station ship makes inter

communication rapid and economical.

Employment of Km g' s African Rifles involving maintenance permanent ly of

additional native troops has drawback that it will create heavy recurrent charge which

cannot be met by Somaliland Protectorate and falling presumably against Exchequer,

and day when revenue and expenditure can be made to balance will thus be postponed

indefinitely. Furthermore, conditions of life in Somaliland Protectorate will not be

congenial to East African natives, and comparatively frequent change of detachments

necessi tating over a ten to fourteen days ' sea route will be expensive , part icular ly if

detachment bas to be accompanied by their women folk as original ly proposed. But

for these financial considerations, I agree that employment of King's African Rifles in

Somaliland Protectorate would be entirely

sat isfactory RCHER

N o

1).


Secretary of State for the Colonies doted ISth March.

(Received Colonial Office

11-If, I\M

13th March, .1922.)

Addressed to Secretary of Sta te for the Colonies. Copy to Res ident, Aden.

March 13. Reference to your telegram of I 1th -March and my telegram of same

date. I am satisfied tha t neither King's African Rifles nor other troops will be required

to deal with the present situation, which has been solved by the threat from the

air. (?) under fine imposed are str eaming into Burao in great num bers without a shot

being fired to date.

As to future, I assume you will take a decision on my telegram of 1.1th March, to

which I should add that if later Br it ish troops can be posted at Sheikh it may be

forgotten that they are avai lable to be withdrawn in. case of emergency at Aden.

Meanwhile, more pressing than the quest ion of non-Somali garr ison is the matter

of the permanent retention of two aeroplanes here. Under ar range ment with Resident

the aeroplanes lent must re tu rn to Aden on 22nd March. This provides a very short

ti me for the fulfilment , in every respect of the conditions imposed on tribesmen, and i t

will be realised that the departu re of aeroplanes deprives me at once of a powerful

moral and material factor exercising enormous influence and control, over Somalia.

Can they be replaced here at an early date from Egypt or Aden flight st rengthened to

admit of their continued presence in the Somaliland Protec tora te ? Nothing else could

have produced such rapid and general compliance with Government orders, and as the

unit is now const ituted thei r use is thoroughly economical. Special measures adopted

to date have not involved addit ional expenditure exceeding 30UZ. or 400L, which will

be covered many times by proceeds of fine.

No

10.



(Received Colonial Office 3'o4 I\M. 14th March, 1922.)

March 14. My telegram of yesterday, in which I reported tha t aeroplanes will be

required to re tu rn to Aden on 22nd March. Flying officers assured me that the flight

from Berbera to Aden can be accomplished without- any undue risk , as there is only

12 miles sea, and rest of journey is along sea-shore, more favourable to forced lauding,

if necessary, than most of route. Possibly Air Ministry do not appreciate tha t there is

an excellent aerodrome at Zeyla, so journey can be taken in th ree stages : Berbera

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to Ze la, to Per im , to Aden. Th ey landed on ou tward journ ey a t J i bu t i , where they

had most cordia l recept ion f rom French.

In these c ircu m stan ces I propo se to agr ee to aerop lanes bein g flown back, un less

you te le gra ph it, is con trary to Air M inistr y s wishes. Ad dres sed S ecre tary of Stat e for

th e Colonies ; repe ated Re siden t , Aden.ARCHER.

12287 . N o . 11 .

Paraph rase Telegram from the Secretary of State for the Colonies to the

Governor of Soma liland Protectorate and the Resident at Aden.

(Sent 3-45 I\M. loth March, 1922.)

March 15. Ad dressed Govern or , So m al i la nd ; repea ted Res ident , Aden. W i th

re fe rence to you r te legram of 13th March. As reg ard s imm edia te a rr ang em en ts , Ai r

M inis t ry have ins t ruc te d Eg yp t to send two aeroplan es to Aden to replace those sent to

Berbera and you may there fore , unt i l fur ther not ice , re ta in the two aeroplanes in

Somal i land.

As reg ard s fu ture a rran gem ents , your propo sa ls as to Bri t i sh a rm y gar r i son a t

Sheik h and as to a pe rm an en t Som ali land air base are un der con sidera t ion, and I wil l

communica te fur ther la te r .

No. 12.

Para/phrase Telegram from the Governor of Soma liland Protectorate to the

Secretary of State for the Colonies dated 25th March.

(R ece ived Co lon ial Office 12*35 P.M. 26 th M arch , 19 22.)

M arch 25. Posi t ion here is dev elop ing ent ire ly sat isfactori ly. T rib e s peop le are

fr ightened and thoroughly in hand, and there i s no s ign of oppos i t ion in any quar te r .

Of fine of 3 ,009 came ls f inally impo sed, ab ou t 2,200 hav e been sur re nd er ed a t

Bu rao by Akils to da te wit ho ut any pu ni t iv e act ion or a shot being fired by t ro op s or

aerop lanes , except in the or ig ina l dem onst ra t ion a t th e bu rnin g of Bura o town a f ter

town peop le had bee n orde red to evacua te . One sec t ion of Rer Ainashe has surre nd ered

5

cam els, and an oth er 200 of 250 ord ered . Fin e wil l obviously be com pleted in a

few days.

Only one of l ive rin gle ad ers wa nted ha s bee n cau gh t , bu t th is wil l tak e t im e.

It is real ised th at th e sur est way to effect ca ptu re is to m ar k them clown and ar res t

the m ourse lves . W i th th i s end in v iew, nam es have not been d ivulg ed.

The Dolbahanta have restored 20 of the 30 ri f les and about 7,000 or

8 000

r o u n d s

of 12,000 ro un ds am m un it ion looted. Im po si t io n of a m od erate fine wil l se t t le this

ma t t e r .

Th ere i s no fur th er need for anxie ty , and I am le t t in g Macla ren re tu rn 2 8th M arch

to Ad en, but 1 do not thi nk th at t im e ha s come to s tr ip wi ng s off aerop lane s as

dir ecte d from Cairo, an d I am keep ing one rea dy to use in case i t m ig ht be requ ired .

A

RCHER.

N o.

13 .

Paraph rase Telegram from the Governor of Soma liland Protectorate to the


(Received Colonial Office 4*5 A.M. 28th March, 1922.)

M arch 27. To tal cost of em ploy m ent of two aerop lanes in Som ali land Pro tecto rate

for m on th of March is ,500 inc lud ing pay and ra t io ns of officers and other ran ks , a l l

o i l, pe t ro l , am mu ni t ion , s tores , t ranspo r t , in c lu din g one spec ia l sa i l ing of Cowasjee

s

boa t . Ac tua l exper ience proves tha t two aeroplan es can be m ainta ined in comm iss ion

wi th staff of two officers au d five oth er ra n k s, no t nin e as sh ow n in M acL aren s

es t imate submi t ted wi th my conf ident ia l memorandum of 18th January .

An nu a l recu rre nt charg e should thu s be less than th e 5,5 00 est imated .

A

RCHER.

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