Whilst working for the Standard Bank in Mombasa, Mr H.G. Milstead became the South Africa correspondent for the Bromley & District Times.
Mr H.G. Milstead was the only son of Mr & Mrs H.H. Milstead of Hawes Road Bromley. He married Miss Doris May Bagnall, 2nd daughter of Mr & Mrs Bagnall of Cape Town, at St Mark’s Church, Parklands.
Before going to South Africa he held a post in the London City & Midland Bank. After passing the examinations in April 1912, he was sent to Johannesburg. After being promoted to the East African Service, he then went to Nairobi and then Mombassa.
On the 18th September 1914, he reports about the situation as it affects East Africa.
On the 6th November, he writes a detailed account about an expected attack from the German ship Konigsberg. The holdings of the two banks of close to 25 tons net in ‘specie’ and notes were loaded onto trains and transferred up to Nairobi.
On the 16th January 1916, he reports that in the trenches at Mombassa, news came that the ship, the Koenigsberg was coming to bombard the place. The bank decided to send all the gold and valuables up country to Nairobi. Mr Milstead had the honour to take charge of the train with a guard of 21 Indian soldiers. Having deposited the treasury safely he returned. He was then promoted senior cashier in Nairobi.
Are you a descendant of Mr H.G. Milstead? Can you tell us how his story ends?
[source: www.militaryancestors.co.uk]
