 After four years spent with the Royal West Africa Frontier Force on the Gold Coast, Staff Sergeant Thomas W. B. Muxlow, only son of Mr. and Mrs. O. A. H. Muxlow, of 87, Newton-road, Rushden, has returned home for a month’s leave before he is attached to the R.A.S.C. in this country.
In November 1940, when he went out to West Africa with food supplies as his special branch of work, he was one of the first on the scene.
White officers and senior N.C.O.s took charge of the native troops and had the task of training them. There were many different tribes, and each spoke a different language. As it was impossible for the English troops to learn all these tongues, the first task was to teach the natives English, which was used as the basic language.
It was a primitive life, mainly among bush people.
Good Fighters
Sergt. Muxlow said he got on very well with the natives, and the fighting ability of the troops was very good. It was hard to discipline the educated type of native, who held himself much above the others, but with those who knew nothing at all they progressed all right.
When he arrived there was no ration scale of food; the troops had been given money and left to purchase their own supplies. It was his job to buy food from the natives and bring such items as maize, yams and meat on a ration scale.
The climate was very hot and it was very wet inside the forests. There was good accommodation for the English and a personal servant was attached to each one of them.
After the first two years Sgt. Muxlow was given two months’ leave which he spent in South Africa.
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