John Hall recounts his experiences with the Southern Rhodesian Air Force (SRAF) during the 1953 Nyasaland riots. Initially on holiday, he was seconded to the SRAF detachment at Chileka airport. Flying daily patrols in Harvards, he acted as an observer, reporting on disturbances and troop movements across various districts. The detachment, consisting of five men, used basic message drops due to poor radio communication. He witnessed violent incidents, including attacks on chiefs and police convoys. After eight weeks, the unrest subsided, and the detachment returned to Salisbury. He reflects on the experience, noting the desire for Nyasaland's independence.
Harold Hall, a clerk from Plumstead, joined the Territorial Force in 1912 and was mobilized in 1914. He served as a Gunner in the Royal Field Artillery, later the 281st Brigade, seeing action on the Western Front from 1915 to 1918, including the Somme, Arras, and Cambrai. His service was marked by illnesses and injuries, leading to hospitalisations and a period of home service. Injured in 1918, he returned to England, was demobilised in 1919 due to physical impairment, and was awarded a disability pension.
The information is drawn almost entirely from 36 pages of surviving war records, which can be downloaded at this link
Henry Hall, born into poverty in 1853 Whitechapel, lived through significant societal changes before dying in Plumstead in 1920. His life was shaped by institutions like the Poor Law workhouse, the British Army, asylums, and the Royal Arsenal. Drawing on family archives and oral history, his story highlights the struggles, opportunities, and hardships faced by the working class during the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Key themes include poverty, institutional life, family tragedies, military service, and child mortality.