CAMEL CORPS DISASTER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15885, 3 October 1913, Page 5

CAMEL CORPS DISASTER

BRAVE MAN'S RASHNESS.

MR ARCHER DECORATED.

Press Association-By Telegraph-Copyright.

LONDON, October 1. (Received Oct. 2; at 6.50 p.m.) A second Blue Book dealing with the recent.Somaliland disaster shows that Mr Harcourt disapproved of the splitting up of the camel corps or the extension of the sphere of operations. Mr Archer, the acting commissioner, testified to Mr Corfield's bravery and energy, but Veluctantly charged him with a Tash act, involving the protectorate and the Government in & severe set-back.

Mr Harcourt, commenting on the evidence, states that tho disaster was due to Mr Corfield's complete disregard of instructions.

Mr Archer has been gazetted a Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George in recognition-of the work of the relief expedition.

Disaster overtook the Somaliland Camel Corps in a fight with an overwhelming horde of dervishes in August, when it was almost wiped out. The commander (Mr R. 0. Corfield) was killed, Captain Gerald Summers badly wounded!, and some 50 of tho rank and file were killed and wounded. The warrior chieftain known as the Mad Mullah is believed to bo responsible for the reverse, which would probably have been averted had not the little detachment's Maxim gun jammed. A redeeming feature of tho affair was tho conspicuous bravery and audacity shown by Mr G. F. Archer, a young district commissioner of- the British Protectorate, in going to the aid of the survivors of the Camel Corps with his escort of only 20 Indian soldiers and a few friendly natives. Mr Rishard Conyngham Corfield was only 31, and a man of splendid physique, standing over six feet in height. He was the son of a former rector of Heanor, Derbyhsire, of which place he wsis a native, and nephew of Canon Corfield, vicar of Taunton. He was educated at Marlborough College, and served during 1901-5 in the South African Constabulary. Ho was intelligence' officer with the Somaliland Field Force jn 1908-10, and in November, 1910. was appointed Assistant Resident in Northern' Nigeria. Tho wounded officer, Captain G. H. Sum.mers, belongs to the 26th Light Cavalry (Double Company officer), and is attached to the Somaliland Indian Contingent. He is a son of the Rev. G. Summers, vioar of Danchill, Sussex,. and is well known in social and cricket circles in this district. This calamity forced to the front a remarkable personality in Mr Geoffrey Francis Archer, the young commissioner whose enterprising dash to the rescue of the Camel Corps is but another addition to the roll of glorious achievements by outposts of the Empire. His home in England is at Aldeburgh Suffolk, where his aunt, Miss Jackson, lives at the Red House. Mr Archer was educated at Beccles, and later at Westgate, Margate. At the age of 18 he joned his uncle, Mr Frederick Jackson, Governor of Uganda,, in East Africa, Later he was engaged in the Colonial Civil Service in the East Airican Protectorate, and in 1998 received the commendation of the Colonial Secretary for his conduct of a military patrol in Ketoiih and the disarmament of natives, In 1909 he did' good work on special service to the Abyssinian frontier, and has been in Somaliland as Senior District Commissioner for the last 12 months. Mr Archer is a very keen sportsman, and has a fine collection of trophies of big game expeditions, including some splendid specimens of elephants' tusks. He is a. keen golfer.