Letters from Lieutenant Colonel Peter F. White to his family while on military service
(fols. 1-556) These weekly letters give an account of the work and social activities of a young Subaltern stationed overseas in peacetime, 1919-1924:
- (fols. 1-96) stationed at Gibraltar, 1919-1920
- (fols. 97-194) in India with the 1st King George's Own Sappers & Miners, stationed at Roorkee, Upper Provinces, 1921
- (fols. 195-445) in Mesopotamia (Iraq), stationed at Mosul and Baghdad, 1921-1923
- (fols. 446-556) in India, stationed at Roorkee and Wazeristan, (North West Frontier Province, Pakistan), 1923-1924.
(fols. 557-760) Letters from Sierra Leone, where White undertook three tours as a topographical surveyor, 1927-1930:
- (fols. 557-560) arrives in Freetown, 19 Nov 1927
- (fols. 561-564) travels by train to Magburaka, Central Province, the headquarters of the fieldwork of the Survey. Organises equipment and stores for the camp, which will consist of an Interpreter, a Court Messenger, a Headman, and 22 carriers, 29 Nov 1927
- (fol. 565) begins survey, moving from village to village on foot, sleeping in Rest Houses or under canvas, 4 Dec 1927
- (fols. 566-573) at Yeli. Describes a day's work, and a visit to Bo; the Bundu secret society for women; a snake charmer's dance; and the visit of a Paramount Chief with musician, 8 Dec 1927
- (fols. 574-575) at Tabe Rest House, where he spent Christmas with Dr Jennings from Bo, 26 Dec 1927
- (fols. 576-581) at Baima, working with seven indigenous surveyors, 1-8 Jan 1928
- (fols. 582-584) at Bo, with an attack of malaria, 16 Jan 1928
- (fols. 585-587) at Nyandeama. Describes the start of the Hartman, the dry cool wind from the north, the 'flower season', and local fruits, 29 Jan 1928
- (fols. 588-596) at Bo, to meet colleagues. He quotes from a confidential report on himself from Chatham (School of Military Engineers). He meets Bowden, the Provincial Commissioner of the Central Province, 5 Feb 1928
- (fols. 597-598) at Bo, where he has been lent a bungalow. Visit of the Circuit Judge and the Inspector General of the West African Regiment, 27 Feb 1928
- (fol. 599) at Magburaka, 27 Jun 1928 [this letter is out of order chronologically]
- (fols. 600-601) at Sala. Describes the 'rope and sound' method of surveying; farmers burning the bush in preparation for sowing crops, 10 Mar 1928
- (fols. 602-605) at Galu and Wojema: the last day in the bush, 18-25 Mar 1928
- (fols. 606-607) back in Bo. He hears of the death of one of his colleagues and the consequent reorganisation of work. He is to supervise three camps in the Konno and Kisi country, on the French Guinea (Guinea) and Liberian borders, 10 Apr 1928
- (fols. 608-609) at Bo. He visits Magburaka, and dines with Frere, the Provincial Commissioner, Northern Province, 16 Apr 1928
- (fols. 610-616) at Bo. He describes orchids, and an iguana, 23 Apr-7 May 1928
- (fols. 617-621) at Sefadu, then back at Magburaka: the end of the field season, 26 May-17 Jun 1928
- (fols. 624-639) second tour. At Daru, living in one of the officers' quarters of the Royal West African Frontier Force, 21 Oct-16 Dec 1928
- (fols. 640-643) at Pendembu. Christmas spent in the Rest House at Mano Bojema, 5 Jan 1929
- (fols. 644-645) at Kabawara, on the Liberian frontier, 13 Jan 1929
- (fols. 646-647) at Daru. He plans to see the District Commissioner, Page, about an uncertain boundary between Sierra Leone and Liberia, 24 Jan 1929
- (fols. 648-651) at Segbwema. He dines with the Provincial Commissioner, Bowden, 31 Jan-6 Feb 1929
- (fols. 652-653) at Lawa, on the Anglo-Liberian frontier. He describes the very different country - hilly, with little bush and much game, 17 Feb 1929
- (fols. 654-659) at Pendembu. Visit of Col. Winterbotham, the head of the War Office Survey Department, 26 Feb-3 Mar 1929
- (fols. 660-674) at Bo. He visits Dodo, 1200 ft. up, in Kisi country, 29 Mar-1 May 1929
- (fols. 675-679) at Maka and Zimi, on the final round of inspection. He meets the District Commissioner, Humpherson, 11-17 May 1929
- (fols. 680-685) at Gegbema and Daru, 30 May-8 Jun 1929
- (fols. 686-690) third tour. At Magburaka. Visits Moyamba and dines with the Provincial Commissioner, Hollins, 14-24 Oct 1929
- (fols. 691-697) at Karira Camp, with the Royal West African Frontier Force (RWAFF), then Pogo. Describes a trek through orchard bush, and further collection of orchids, 13-18 Nov 1929
- (fols. 698-702) at Banda Karafa and Bumbunkoro, at the foot of the Bintumane mountain, which he is planning to climb, 25 Nov and 3 Dec 1929
- (fols. 703-734) at Bendugu, Yiraia, Kabala, and Dankawali. Christmas with the District Commissioner, Drummond, and some of his colleagues. He comments (fol. 721) on the poverty of the colony, and he describes a visit from the Governor and Lady Byrne, 11 Dec 1929-15 Mar 1930
- (fols. 735-737) Ascent of Bintumane Mountain, 6300 ft, 1 Apr 1930
- (fols. 738-747) at Kabala. Visits Tembikundo, source of the Niger, 21 Apr-2 May 1930
- (fols. 748-749) at Kruto and Nerekoro. He begins the return trek, 9-22 May 1930
- (fols. 750-753) at Nunkikoro. He describes the Bintumane plateau and flora, 9 Jun 1930
- (fols. 754-758) at Magburaka: the end of the trek, 13 Jun 1930
- (fols. 759-760) final letter before sailing from Freetown, 27 Jun 1930.
Dates
- Creation: 1919-1930
Extent
1 box
Language of Materials
- English
Preferred Citation
Oxford, Bodleian Libraries [followed by shelfmark and folio or page reference, e.g. MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 280, fols. 1-2].
Shelfmark:
MSS. Brit. Emp. s. 280
Collection ID (for staff)
CMD ID 4872
Abstract
Letters from Lt. Col. P.F. White to his family while on military service in Gibraltar, Iraq, India, and Sierra Leone.
Biographical / Historical
Peter Francis White was born on 22 Apr 1899 in Putney, London, England. After attending Rugby School and the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich, White was commissioned into the Royal Engineers on 6 Jun 1918. He spent the years 1919 to 1930 serving overseas, except for a period when he returned to England to attend Jesus College, Cambridge (he earned a BA in 1926). While overseas, White was part of an expedition to East Greenland led by James Wordie. He attained the rank of Captain in 1929.
Between the years 1930 and 1944, White held various Staff appointments in England. During World War II, he served with the Anti-Aircraft forces and on D-Day he landed in Normandy with the task of building airfields; he was awarded the OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) for his services. After the war, White was stationed in Singapore, where he remained until 1950, at which point he retired with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.
He married Eleanor Joan in 1933 and they had four children.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
The collection was transferred to the library from the Oxford Colonial Records Project.
Geographic
Topical
Creator
- Title
- Catalogue of letters from Lieutenant Colonel Peter F. White to his family
- Status
- Published
- Author
- Collection Level Description by Marion Lowman.
- Date
- EAD version 2024
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Edition statement
- Second edition.
Repository Details
Part of the Bodleian Libraries Repository
Weston Library
Broad Street
Oxford OX1 3BG United Kingdom
specialcollections.enquiries@bodleian.ox.ac.uk