[2] African 1950s Safari introduction

Joe′s Journal of 1950’s safari′s, work contracts and expeditions to far away places.

The Origin of Joe′s Journal:

The 1950′s saw a steady stream of well-trained technicians available to industry, having completed National Service.
Taxpayers funded the training but we have to buy the medal.

In great demand, jobs were seeking men at home and abroad.
Some sought academic qualifications.
I opted for travel and adventure overseas, well-paid work with low taxation.

[Editor’s note: Joe signed up to serve in Tanganyika, Africa as part of the British colonies. He trained and worked as a Signals Officer in the Police maintaining the radio network throughout Tanganyika.
He told me that he did not have to do all the foot, rifle, riot and sword drills because his time was taken up by all the technical training.
He also said that he was more of a Signals Officer ‘technician’ than a Police Officer.]

This computer-free world was, however, smothered in paperwork.
Some of it surviving in my ‘archives’ fill-in-the-blank pages of my diaries, recalling happier days, linking events and places with names; many now passed away.
So were the pains, flies, smells and disasters.

Fifty years on, it is clear that God′s will alone preserved all this – and me;
my armchair analysis to become serially ‘Joe’s Journal’ which will take you back in time to places and events missed, or avoided by the post-war media.

What shall we then say to these things?
If God be for us, who can be against us?”

Romans 8:31

See Joe’s African Safari articles: [1] A bad shortcut down the Muse Escarpment!
[3] WW2 dogfight – Before the Safari days
[4] 1950’s Mosal – Kurdish delight but very dangerous
[5] A Gift of Marbles

[i] Drawing by Cecily Marshall.