Gravestone in Nairobi South cem. says - 'Attacked while sleeping and killed by a man eating lion at Kima'.                    

Genesis - 'Our Police Superintendent, Mr Ryall, decided to wait up for the lion, and invited two friends to share his vigil: and so the three: Ryall, an Austrian named Huebner and an Italian, Parenti, set off for Kima determined to account for the man-eater. They were comfortably settled in Mr Ryall's inspection carriage, and had it shunted on to the siding - there to wait and watch through the darkness. This was the story related to me by one of the two who got through that night of terror:- Ryall suggested they should watch in turns, and they agreed. Huebner stowed himself away on the top bunk, as his was to be the last watch, while Parenti, wrapped in his blankets, lay on the floor of the carriage. Ryall, with his rifle across his knee sat in a chair by the open window, the end door of the carriage being also open. Just as he was dropping to sleep, Parenti heard Ryall remark that a couple of rats were playing about in the dark, as he could see their eyes shining. Next came a tremendous commotion, and on attempting to rise, Parenti found himself pinned to the floor, and was nearly suffocated by a great weight on his chest. A second later there was the lion's sinister growl, and the bulky Huebner rolled off the bunk on top of the beast, thus adding his weight to the smothering Parenti beneath - but only for a moment as Huebner took refuge in the servant's compartment. Parenti was desperately striving to push upwards and actually placed his hands on the soft underside of the lion as it stood on him, the warmth of the beast and the awful smell dazed him for a while and when he next succeeded in looking up he saw that the carriage door had slid to shutting him in and the lion was disappearing through the window, dragging Ryall with him. Parenti now tried to get into the servants' compartment but the door was securely bolted and Huebner refused to open then in his excitement, Parenti jumped through the open window and made for the station calling out to the Indian Babu to come out and fetch a lantern, but naturally everybody in the station was badly scared and it was some little time before a search party started to nervously hunt around among the bush. The dimly burning lantern evidently unsettled the lion for close by they found the body of poor Ryall, badly mauled. Had Parenti not insisted on the search, no trace would ever have been found of the lion's victim; as it was, the body was reverently laid to rest in the Nairobi cemetery.

Habari 27 - Extract from the Official Gazette, June 15, 1900 - "It is with much regret that the death of Mr C.H. Ryall, Superintendent of Uganda Railway Police and First Class Magistrate is announced. The deceased officer was travelling up the line in company with Mr Huebner and Mr Parenti, and on the evening of the 6th instant had detached his carriage at Kima Station for the night, intending to try to get a shot at a man-eating lion which was known to be in the neighbourhood. The lion, however, entered the carriage at about 2 am, when all three were sleeping, and carried off Mr Ryall through the window. Death must have been almost instantaneous. The body was discovered next day a short distance from the line, and was interred in Nairobi. The deceased joined the Uganda Railway in February of last year as Assistant Superintendent of Police. He had previously served in the Indian Police and the experience he had gained there made him a most valuable and efficient officer. His frank and genial manner rendered him a general favourite and his tragic death will be deeply felt by all who have come into contact with him."  

Police - The majority of  the Railway Police were recruited in India or from amongst the Punjabi coolies building the Railway. By 1899 the necessity for qualified Police Officers to control them had become very apparent, and the services of C.G.D. Farquhar and C.H. Ryall were secured in February of that year from the Punjab Police on a period of secondment. ... Ryall was given the rank of Asst. Superintendent ......... (story of his death pp. 10-13)

North - Asst. Supt. of Railway Police; Railhead Feb 1899; One of 8 officials named by the 'Railway Strike Committee' as treating their subordinates with 'extreme discourtesy and tyranny' (CO 573) 31/3/1900; d. 6/6/1900 killed by lion at mile 260, Kima; 'One of the ugliest men I think I have ever seen' (Cooper, RH); 'a very jolly fellow and well liked but really ugly - with a "fiddle" face and lank red hair' (McGregor-Ross, RH)

Curtis - p. 40 - 16/8/1899 - '..... We reached railhead about mid-day, where we were very hospitably entertained by Mr Stallibrass and Captain Ryall, who gave us an excellent lunch. .....  We decided to go as far as this place, Lemoro, Mr Snowdon's camp, and as Captain Ryall was going there too, we journeyed together. ..... Playne - The railway police force was started about the beginning of 1897 by Mr Napier, one of the district engineers, as camp police, and was composed of Indians recruited from the railway coolies. Later, when the necessity for European police officers was felt, Messrs Farquhar and Ryall of the Punjab Police were seconded, the former given command of the railway police with the rank of Superintendent and the latter was appointed Assistant-Superintendent. .....…..…

Barnes - Nairobi South Cemetery - Charles Henry Ryall, born 13 July 1874, died 6 Jun 1900

Habari 27 - Official Gazette June 15 1900 - [Account of Ryall's death] ….. The deceased joined the Uganda Railway in February of last year as Assistant Superintendent of Police. He had previously served in the Indian Police and the experience he had gained there made him a most valuable and efficient officer. His frank and genial manner rendered him a general favourite and his tragic death will be deeply felt by all who have come into contact with him.

Mills Railway - description of the lion incident by F. Rawson, Acting Chief Engineer.

Ryall's grave is unusual in that it bears 2 memorials. The first, a horizontal slab, was placed by the railway; the second, which is vertical, was sent from England by his mother.