King's Own Royal Regiment Museum

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Photo Gallery

The National Service Years 1945-59

Private David Kenyon, 1st King's Own, Kenya & Aden, 1957-59

Photographs relating to Private David Kenyon, number 23422054, 1st Battalion, King’s Own, Kenya and Aden 1957-1959.


Working boot as worn by National Service soldiers in the late 1950s.
Accession Number KO2691/01


Modern buildings in Nairobi. Possibly Delamere Avenue, after a famous colonial settler.
Accession Number KO2691/02


Beverley Transport aircraft landing at Loader near the border with Yemen, circa 1957/58.
Accession Number KO2691/03


Northern end of rock and airport, Gibraltar. Postcard bought whilst having shore leave en route to Kenya from Southampton.
Accession Number KO2691/04


Camp at Gil Gil, Kenya. It was situated on the floor of the Rift Valley, 60 miles from Nairobi. The train line is from Mombasa to Uganda.
Accession Number KO2691/05


Gil Gil Camp toilets. These toilets were constructed by digging a deep pit over twenty foot deep and then putting a concrete top on them. They took a lot of filling.
Accession Number KO2691/06


Private David Kenyon, number 23422054, 1st Battalion, King’s Own on the occasion of the Queen’s Birthday Parade, Gil Gil Camp, Kenya, 1958/59.
Accession Number KO2691/07


Private David Kenyon, number 23422054, 1st Battalion, King’s Own. Near Gil Gil Camp, Kenya. I used to like to wander around the bus to see what I could find or see.
Accession Number KO2691/08


Part of a ruined church, a relic of the Second World War. Built by Italian prisoners of war. In the bush near Gil Gil Camp, Kenya.
Accession Number KO2691/09


Overturned water truck on the road from Nairobi to Gil Gil, accidents were common on the poor roads, most being dirt.
Accession Number KO2691/10


The Dohbi (laundry) area, Gil Gil Camp, Kenya. This was run by the last African Asians who washed and starched our khaki drill – jackets and shorts.
Accession Number KO2691/11


Gil Gil Camp, Kenya. The large building is the camp cinema. It was put up towards the end of the King’s Own tour of duty.
Accession Number KO2691/12


Private David Kenyon, number 23422054, 1st Battalion, King’s Own near Gil Gil Camp, Kenya. I liked to get out and explore. A field of maize is in the back ground, maize was the staple food of the local population.
Accession Number KO2691/13


Private David Kenyon, number 23422054, 1st Battalion, King’s Own alongside the hut of a local.
Accession Number KO2691/14


Lions in the National Park near Nairobi. We found seeing wild animals in their natural surroundings very interesting. There were animals all the way from Nairobi to Gil Gil in those days. 1958/59.
Accession Number KO2691/15


Walking in the rain on leave at Gil Gil Camp, Kenya. An Expedition to Lake Victoria, the birth place of the Rive Nile. On the right is Geoff Cole, middle is lad from Preston and on the right a lad from Manchester.
Accession Number KO2691/16


On leave in Kenya. Private David Kenyon, number 23422054, 1st Battalion, King’s Own. I organised an expedition to lake Victoria with a few friends. The lad on the right if Geoff Cole from London and I am on the right.
Accession Number KO2691/17


Private David Kenyon, number 23422054, 1st Battalion, King’s Own and others. Left to right: Johnny Rainford, a battalion cobbler, David Kenyon and Geoff Cole both Joiners in the battalion joiners shop. On an expedition from Gil Gil Camp, Kenya to Lake Victoria. 1958/59
Accession Number KO2691/18


Private David Kenyon, number 23422054, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Relaxing in the sun, on leave in Kenya. Left to right: unknown, Geoff Cole and Johnny Rainford.
Accession Number KO2691/19


Private David Kenyon, number 23422054, 1st Battalion, King’s Own relaxing under the hot African sun, the tented camp is in the back ground, Gil Gil, Camp, Kenya, 1958/59.
Accession Number KO2691/20


Private David Kenyon, number 23422054, 1st Battalion, King’s Own, On leave from the 1st King’s Own, an expedition to Lake Victoria. Unknown, David Kenyon and Geoff Cole.
Accession Number KO2691/21


Prince of Wales Pier and general view of Steamer Point, Aden. 1958/59.
Accession Number KO2691/22


Sandstorm at the 1st King’s Own camp at Little Aden, 1958/59.
Accession Number KO2691/23


The native harbour and grave yard Aden. The smell from this place was overpowering. The King’s Own were in Aden, 1958/59
Accession Number KO2691/24


Private David Kenyon, number 23422054, 1st Battalion, King’s Own.  The entrance to Crater Town, Aden. This was a hot bed of hate, the natives would spit at you if they go the chance. 1958/59. Accession Number KO2691/25


The aircraft carrier HMS Bulwark.
Accession Number KO2691/26


Jim Haxly from Whitby, a cook, and David Kenyon, at the King’s Own camp at Little Aden. The buildings were built for the oil company workers when the refinery was built.
Accession Number KO2691/27


Oil refinery and camp, Little Aden, picture taken from the near by hills. The best part of being in Little Aden was the swimming. The water was warm and clear, snorkelling was a popular pastime.
Accession Number KO2691/28


The aircraft carrier HMS Bulwark in Aden Harbour. 1958/59.
Accession Number KO2691/29


We called this rock ‘Look Out Rock’. It had a concrete staircase from bottom to top. There were one thousand steps. Near Little Aden. Accession Number KO2691/30


Beverley transport aircraft landing at Loader, a small town near the border with Yemen. These aircraft could land on very short runways. I think we were there to support the local sheikhs.
Accession Number KO2691/31


Return of the sheikh and his body guard. Near Loader on the border between Aden and Yemen. After the British left Aden the Sheikh was quickly disposed. The plane is a Dakota, a Second World War aircraft.
Accession Number KO2691/32


Little Aden. We could never get enough of the ice cold drinks. The heat was very oppressive. The army dress in Aden was shorts only. We were very nearly black from the sun.
Accession Number KO2691/33


Two of the lads being demobilised from the King’s Own in Kenya. The lad on the right was from Blackpool. 1958/59.
Accession Number KO2691/34


Three national service soldiers in Kenya, 1958/59. David Kenyon is on the right. The other two lads came from Manchester.
Accession Number KO2691/35


View of the Naval Dockyard, Gibraltar, taken whilst on shore leave circa 1958, en route to Kenya.
Accession Number KO2691/36


The airport at Gibraltar, taken whilst on shore leave circa 1958, en route to Kenya.
Accession Number KO2691/37


The King’s Own on board the cruiser HMS Gambia going from Kenya to Aden.
Accession Number KO2691/38


The 6 inch guns on the HMS Gambia. The 1st King’s Own were on board the Cruiser going to Aden from Kenya.
Accession Number KO2691/39


Private David Kenyon, number 23422054, 1st Battalion, King’s Own on shore leave at Gibraltar en route to Kenya. Accession Number KO2691/40


Two of the lads on board the Cruiser HMS Gambia which transported the King’s Own between Kenya and Aden. Accession Number KO2691/41


The Army Camp at Gil Gil, Kenya. A mix of tents and volcanic stone built billets. It was ok in the dry season, but was often flooded in the rainy season.
Accession Number KO2691/42


Bill at Silver Sands Mombasa, on Leave, 1958/59.
Accession Number KO2691/43


The lads at Gil Gil Camp, Kenya, 1958/59. The lad at the bottom was called Geoff Cole, he was a joiner from London.
Accession Number KO2691/44


Nick and Cliff on leave at Silver Sands, Mombasa, Kenya. I think they were in the Royal Army Pay Corps.
Accession Number KO2691/45


Unknown soldier at Silver Sands, Mombassa, Kenya.
Accession Number KO2691/46


Private David Kenyon, number 23422054, 1st Battalion, King’s Own on leave at Silver Sands, Mombassa, Kenya, 1958/59.
Accession Number KO2691/47


Private David Kenyon, number 23422054, 1st Battalion, King’s Own, Shore leave at Aden en route back to Britain after the battalion’s tour of duty in Kenya came to an end. After some leave it was back to Barnard Castle until my demobilisation.
Accession Number KO2691/48


AJS Motorcycle bought from Phil Barton, Lancaster, after my demobilisation on 24 Sep 1959.
Accession Number KO2691/49


The 1st Battalion at the railway station in Nairobi, Kenya, returning to Britain after the tour of duty in Kenya was over.
Accession Number KO2691/50


Troopship Empire Skua Originally the Landing Ship (Tanks) 3519 launched in 1945 she became the ‘St. Nazaire’ in 1947 and operated as a general cargo ship for the British India Steam Navigation Company. She was transferred to the Ministry of Transport in 1956 and renamed the Empire Skua. She was at first managed by the Atlantic Steam Navigation Company (1956-60) and then from 1960 was managed by the British India Steam Navigation Company on behalf of the MOT. She was scrapped in 1968.
Accession Number KO2691/51


Jack Orme from Oldham and David Kenyon from Wray, near Lancaster, en route to Kenya on board the troopship Empire Fowey, 1958.
Accession Number KO2691/52


Private David Kenyon, number 23422054, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Off duty at Gil Gil Camp, Kenya. Note the earth works to keep out the water during the rainy season. Accession Number KO2691/53

Only a proportion of our collections are on display at anyone time.  Certain items are on loan for display in other institutions.  An appointment is required to consult any of our collections which are held in store.

© 2012 Trustees of the King's Own Royal Regiment Museum