Two years' captivity in German East Africa : $b being the personal experiences of Surgeon E. C. H., Royal Navy

A Royal Navy surgeon finds his routine naval life overturned as the clouds of war gather over Europe. He recounts the bustling preparation aboard HMS Goliath, the eager chatter in the officers’ mess, and the sudden shift from drills to combat readiness when Britain declares war. The narrative captures the tension of a navy on the brink, while hinting at the daunting journey that will soon take him far from home.

Soon the surgeon is swept onto a convoy bound for the distant front of German East Africa, where he is captured and thrust into a world of makeshift prisons, harsh climate, and the daily struggle to maintain his medical duties. His clear‑spoken observations reveal the stark contrast between military discipline and the harsh realities faced by both prisoners and the local population under colonial rule.

Through measured detail and candid reflection, the memoir offers listeners a vivid glimpse of early‑war naval life and the unsettling transition from hopeful mobilization to the stark confines of captivity.