Habari 16 - Eulogy by "Babe" Laws - "There is an inevitable sadness on occasions such as this when we meet to pay our last respects to one who was so universally loved as Brookie was. But I am sure the predominant note today should be one of thanksgiving ... thanks for the example of such a happy and full life and thanks that his end came when it did and he did not have to linger longer. I feel privileged to try and pay tribute to him on behalf of his many friends, not only those present here today but many others, of all races, especially those who knew him and served with him in Kenya. Perhaps I may claim to be qualified to do this for it is over 50 years that we have known each other since we joined the Kenya Police in the late 20's. In what I have to say I remind myself that it is not for us humans to judge one another ... only God, who really knows us, can do this ... but we can and should thank God for the example of lives like that of Brookie.

"Brookie" as he was so universally and affectionately known to a wide circle of friends, had a tremendous capacity for enjoying life and not only getting so much out of it but putting so much into it. I remember him particularly in the Northern Frontier of Kenya in the Abyssinian Italian war of 1936. Those were times of great strain for the Police who were fully stretched in those isolated detachments and outposts on the frontier. Brookie never spared himself and was quite indefatigable in his zeal for the welfare of his men. No wonder the African askaris in particular all loved him and would follow him wherever he so ably led.

His long service in the Police starting as a Constable in 1927 and finishing up nearly 40 years later as Deputy Commissioner was marked throughout by distinction. How fitting it was that from the Queen's own hands at Buckingham Palace that he received the KPM and that he was also awarded the OBE.  After retirement he remained in Kenya for a while, living with Chris and the family in their lovely home at Karen and working for the Kenya Breweries.

Brookie had always been an outstanding sportsman and a natural games player who excelled at boxing, cricket and rugger. When he couldn't go on playing the more active games he turned to fly-fishing at which he became very proficient and his home near Winscombe, "Mathioya" is named after one of the most lovely of Kenya's trout rivers where he spent many happy days with his fishing friends. It seemed all the more tragic that so soon after coming home to retire and be near his family that he should be laid low with the illness that prevented him enjoying more fully his well deserved retirement. But what a marvellous full happy life he had ... that's how I am sure I will remember him ... a happy man with his friendly disposition and always smiling. ................. President of the Kenya Police Association for many years and also a keen Mason.

Mambo - Obit. EA Standard - Joined the Kenya Police in 1929 and after 6 months' initial training at the Royal Ulster Constabulary Depot at Newtonards arrived in Kenya in Dec. 1929 and for the first few years of his service was stationed in Nairobi. He was a very fine all round athlete and played in the Police soccer team which, for some years, held all three of the Football Championship Cups competed for in Kenya at that period. He was also very good at rugger and played for Kenya in the three Tests against the Stellenbosch University Touring side in 1935.

In 1935 he was promoted to Assistant Superintendent and posted to the Northern Frontier District in command of the Kenya Police Unit in Mandera District where he encountered the difficult situation created by the influx over the Kenya frontier of the defeated Abyssinian troops retreating from the Italian army invasion forces completing their occupation of that country. ..... In recognition of his firm and skilful handling of a politically very dangerous situation he was awarded the King's Police Medal, a highly rated decoration. ......…

In July 1937 Brookie was selected for a one year course at the Metropolitan Police College, Hendon, the only officer so selected from Kenya and a rare compliment in any of the various Colonial Police Forces. On his return he was posted to Police HQ to organise and inaugurate the Aliens Bureau to deal with refugees arriving here from the Hitler regime in Europe. ........

In 1947 he was appointed in command of the Northern Frontier Police, a posting much to his liking as he knew well the waterless desert country and enjoyed the long tough safaris involved. In 1951 he was promoted to Senior Superintendent and commanded the EA Railways & Harbours Police until 1953 when, on the outbreak of the Mau Mau Emergency he was appointed in command of the much affected Nairobi area and later to the Rift Valley Province for which services he was awarded the Colonial Police Medal and mentioned in despatches.

In 1955 he was promoted to Deputy Commissioner of Police and was awarded the OBE in 1959. He retired from the Kenya Police in 1960 and after employment in the marketing division of the EA Breweries he finally retired with his wife Chris to England, his 3 daughters by then having married.

Brookie was outstanding at games and, in addition to soccer and rugger, was a fine cricketer and played in what represented the Kenya version of a Test Match - Europeans v. Asians Annual Match - he was a very valuable bat and fielder. He was also a very useful amateur boxer in the Middle and later, Light Heavy Weights. Later he took up fishing and was a skilful and dedicated trout fisherman. In his latter years he served successively as president of the RFU of EA; the Amateur Boxing Ass. of Kenya and the Fly Fishers Club. Brookie was one of those heaven-born individuals seemingly designed to get the best out of life; he was universally popular with his police colleagues of all ranks and races and his sporting accomplishments brought him a wide circle of close friends in all walks of life. .….

Police - Sent to Mandera to reinforce it with a special Police detachment in 1935 as an Asst. Superintendent - patrolling the border from Mandera to Eil Wak - awarded the King's Police Medal in 1936 for his services in the NFD. (story of incident with Italians on border p. 92) Staff 53 - Acting Asst. Commissioner of Police in 1953. Originally Constable 1929

Barnes - Early player for Kenya Police Rugby Club - 1930s and Muthaiga Rugby Club

Masonic - The District Grand Chapter of East Africa (E.C.) - District Grand Scribe E. - Comp F.C. Brookes OBE, KPM

Rugby - Played for Kenya against Stellenbosch University January-February 1935

Rugby - Rugby Football Union of Kenya - President 1959

Police - Asst. Inspector in 1932. Asst. Superintendent, Kenya Police in 1939, appointed 1935. Originally Constable 1929. Staff Officer in 1939

Gazette - 14/1/1930 - Arrived on 1st Appointment - Police Constable - F.C. Brookes