Richard Corfield
Encyclopedia
Richard Conyngham Corfield (27 April 1882 – 9 August 1913) was a British colonial police officer who saw service in South Africa
, Nigeria
, and Somalia
in the early 20th century.
, Derbyshire
, the eldest of three children of the rector
of Heanor, Conyngham William George Corfield and Henrietta, née Edwards. Corfield was only six years old when his father died. He first attended a dame school. In 1892 he attended Spurlings Preparatory School and then in 1896 went to Marlborough College
.
, the T. & J. Harrison Line, run by an uncle, Thomas Fenwick Harrison. Soon after starting work the Anglo-Boer
war broke out in South Africa
. Corfield immediately joined the Volunteers camped on Salisbury Plain
, but later enlisted in the Baden Powell Police, sailing for Africa
in December 1900. In June 1902 he was recommended for a commission, but this was rejected due to his youth.
In 1905 Corfield returned to England, applied for the post of Political Officer in Somalia
, and became one of only six Europeans posted to the interior of the country. There Muhammad Abdullah, the "Mad Mullah", was inciting local people against the British. By 1910 he had been subdued but not beaten.
In May 1910 Corfield again returned to England, but by September he was on his way to Nigeria
which was also having problems with Muslim
rebels in the north part of the country. He saw action at Ganawari and other skirmishes.
Further trouble was brewing in Somalia, and a Somaliland Camel Constabulary
was formed to serve as a police force in the interior. Horace Byatt, the Governor of British Somaliland
, offered the command of the new Camel Constabulary to Corfield, who accepted the opportunity to return to the Horn of Africa
.
.
Dul Madoba is a ridge some 25 miles SE of Burao in Somaliland. The battle took place on the 9th August 1913 between 110 members of the Somaliland Camel Constabulary, reduced to 85 by the time action commenced, and some 2,750 well-armed Dervish
followers of Mohamed Abdullah Hassan. Of the Constabulary, 36 including Richard Corfield were killed-in-action and 21 were wounded. On the Dervish side over 450 were killed or wounded. As a result of the action the British withdrew their protection of the local tribes to the area around the port of Berbera
but Abdullah Hassan was unable to follow up his advantage immediately.
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, and Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
in the early 20th century.
Early life
Corfield was born in HeanorHeanor
Heanor is a town in the Amber Valley district of Derbyshire in the East Midlands of England. It is northeast of Derby. According to the census of 2001 the town's population was 22,620.-History:...
, Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
, the eldest of three children of the rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of Heanor, Conyngham William George Corfield and Henrietta, née Edwards. Corfield was only six years old when his father died. He first attended a dame school. In 1892 he attended Spurlings Preparatory School and then in 1896 went to Marlborough College
Marlborough College
Marlborough College is a British co-educational independent school for day and boarding pupils, located in Marlborough, Wiltshire.Founded in 1843 for the education of the sons of Church of England clergy, the school now accepts both boys and girls of all beliefs. Currently there are just over 800...
.
Early career
After leaving school Corfield worked for a shipping company in LiverpoolLiverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...
, the T. & J. Harrison Line, run by an uncle, Thomas Fenwick Harrison. Soon after starting work the Anglo-Boer
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
war broke out in South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
. Corfield immediately joined the Volunteers camped on Salisbury Plain
Salisbury Plain
Salisbury Plain is a chalk plateau in central southern England covering . It is part of the Southern England Chalk Formation and largely lies within the county of Wiltshire, with a little in Hampshire. The plain is famous for its rich archaeology, including Stonehenge, one of England's best known...
, but later enlisted in the Baden Powell Police, sailing for Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
in December 1900. In June 1902 he was recommended for a commission, but this was rejected due to his youth.
In 1905 Corfield returned to England, applied for the post of Political Officer in Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
, and became one of only six Europeans posted to the interior of the country. There Muhammad Abdullah, the "Mad Mullah", was inciting local people against the British. By 1910 he had been subdued but not beaten.
In May 1910 Corfield again returned to England, but by September he was on his way to Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
which was also having problems with Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
rebels in the north part of the country. He saw action at Ganawari and other skirmishes.
Further trouble was brewing in Somalia, and a Somaliland Camel Constabulary
Somaliland Camel Corps
The Somaliland Camel Corps was a unit of the British Army based in British Somaliland from the early 20th century until the 1960s.Camels are a necessity in East Africa, being as important as ponies are in Mongolia...
was formed to serve as a police force in the interior. Horace Byatt, the Governor of British Somaliland
British Somaliland
British Somaliland was a British protectorate in the northern part of present-day Somalia. For much of its existence, British Somaliland was bordered by French Somaliland, Ethiopia, and Italian Somaliland. From 1940 to 1941, it was occupied by the Italians and was part of Italian East Africa...
, offered the command of the new Camel Constabulary to Corfield, who accepted the opportunity to return to the Horn of Africa
Horn of Africa
The Horn of Africa is a peninsula in East Africa that juts hundreds of kilometers into the Arabian Sea and lies along the southern side of the Gulf of Aden. It is the easternmost projection of the African continent...
.
Return to Somalia
The Camel Constabulary took to the field in December 1912 and Corfield was authorised to punish those opposing British rule – however he was instructed to avoid a direct confrontation with the Mullah. By mid-1913 finding these instructions restrictive and irksome, on the afternoon of 8th August 1913 he decided to attack the Mullah's army close to Dul MadobaDul Madoba
Dul Madoba is a hill ridge southeast of Burao in northwestern Somalia. It is also the location of a famous battle.-Battle:The battle took place on 9 August 1913...
.
Dul Madoba is a ridge some 25 miles SE of Burao in Somaliland. The battle took place on the 9th August 1913 between 110 members of the Somaliland Camel Constabulary, reduced to 85 by the time action commenced, and some 2,750 well-armed Dervish
Dervish
A Dervish or Darvesh is someone treading a Sufi Muslim ascetic path or "Tariqah", known for their extreme poverty and austerity, similar to mendicant friars in Christianity or Hindu/Buddhist/Jain sadhus.-Etymology:The Persian word darvīsh is of ancient origin and descends from a Proto-Iranian...
followers of Mohamed Abdullah Hassan. Of the Constabulary, 36 including Richard Corfield were killed-in-action and 21 were wounded. On the Dervish side over 450 were killed or wounded. As a result of the action the British withdrew their protection of the local tribes to the area around the port of Berbera
Berbera
Berbera is a city and seat of Berbera District in Somaliland, a self-proclaimed Independent Republic with de facto control over its own territory, which is recognized by the international community and the Somali Government as a part of Somalia...
but Abdullah Hassan was unable to follow up his advantage immediately.