A Thirteen Million Pound Gamble
Edgar was requested to take leave in Rhodesia and return to West Africa for a third term when he would take up a Full Colonel's appointment in Lagos.
Edgar thanked his Brigadier but told him he was determined to go back to Europe; he wanted something more active than an administrative post in a backwater, removed from active operations.
The Brigadier responded, "You will return to your War substantive rank of Major. You'll find it very difficult to get employment. Remember, you've been separated from your Corps since April, 1941—when you were only a Subaltern." Nevertheless, he wrote a letter of recommendation for further promotion to Full Colonel in Edgar's 'Record of Service.'
Edgar decided to do as his Brigadier requested and again serve another term in West Africa.
On return from his leave, he saw that GHQ had grown smaller as more troops departed for the Far East. General Giffard had left to become Commander in Chief Ground Forces South East Asia and had been replaced by a Lieutenant General, giving staff more room.
One day the new Brigadier General Staff said to Edgar, "There's a likelihood another Division will be sent to Burma and will form the 82nd West African Division with a War Establishment identical with the 81st. Can you equip it completely from Stores should this new division be ordered to go?"
Edgar replied, "The 81st has cleaned us out of everything, except clothing and small arms. We cannot supply more than about a fifth of their other requirements. The main deficiencies are items like Signals equipment, mortars, machine guns, medical equipment.
"Since the fall of Tunis our remaining West African troops are practically on a 'training' as opposed to a 'combat' scale of equipment. Much of our existing equipment is old and almost worn out."
"How long will it take 'Services' to prepare the indents to bring the 82nd's units to full battle readiness, excluding vehicles, which would be collected in India."
"About three weeks."
After his departure, Edgar called a conference of the Heads of Services. The situation was even worse than he expected. The indents were prepared within three weeks. Edgar totaled the requirements at approximately thirteen million pounds worth of equipment and stores. The Brigadier General Staff paid Edgar another visit.
Edgar explained the indents revelations to him, "Do I have your permission to present them to our suppliers of equipment who are British Army Staff, Washington, as deliveries to us normally take about eight months?"
"Whitehead, this is only a 'warning order'. I can't give you authority to proceed; its highly probable the Division will go, but it's not yet certain."
Three weeks later he told Edgar, "It looks even more likely the Division will go but there's nothing final. Can you do anything to speed up delivery, once the indents are sent in?"
"Short of sending them Sir, there's nothing I can do."
The Brigadier General Staff left the office, looking disappointed.
Edgar turned to his Deputy Assistant Quartermaster-General (DAQMG) and said, "Send them in."
He replied, "You can't do that Sir, there's no authority."
Edgar said, "I'm going to do it. They can't surcharge my pay thirteen million pounds and can only sack me. I believe the Brigadier General Staff secretly hopes I will do it and it's the right thing for the War effort."
They sent the indents in. Edgar waited on events with ever growing anxiety, as month succeeded month and nothing happened. He saw himself getting nearer and nearer to Court Martial.
One morning his own Brigadier rang him and said, "Whitehead, come down to my office at once. I have the Commander of the 82nd Division here who's just arrived and we're having a Staff Conference."
Edgar sat back and listened while G and A branches transacted their business. Finally they got to Q. The General asked, "What's the present state of Equipment in the Division?"
"It's about twenty percent, Sir."
"How long will the indents take to prepare?"
"No time at all, Sir."
"How long will the equipment take to arrive after the indents are sent in?"
"Eight months, Sir."
He looked staggered. "In that case the whole operation is off. We are supposed to sail in April."
"Everything should arrive by February."
"But that's only four months off and you have just told me the equipment takes eight months to get here."
"I know, Sir."
At this moment Edgar's Brigadier who was watching him said, "Father, what have you been doing behind my back?"
"The indents went in four months ago."
When the 82nd's A/Q went sick the General nominated Edgar in his place. But the WO had imposed a new rule making the maximum age for such appointments thirty-five. Edgar would pass his thirty-ninth birthday before the Division reached Burma.
The Division embarked ninety-eight percent complete.
Temporary officers with nothing to lose have an unfair advantage on these occasions over regulars with a career and pension at stake.
The historical novel Whitewashed Jacarandas and its sequel Full of Possibilities are both available on Amazon as paperbacks and eBooks.
These books are inspired by Diana's family's experiences in small town Southern Rhodesia after WWII.
Dr. Sunny Rubenstein and his Gentile wife, Mavourneen, along with various town characters lay bare the racial arrogance of the times, paternalistic idealism, Zionist fervor and anti-Semitism, the proper place of a wife, modernization versus hard-won ways of doing things, and treatment of endemic disease versus investment in public health. It's a roller coaster read.
References:
- Sir Edgar Whitehead's Unpublished Memoirs, Rhodes House, Bodleian Library, Oxford University, by permission.
- Photo Credit: https://x.com/NigeriaStories/status/1523250947438579712 My Father and the Forgotten Army by Griff Rhys Jones.