Skip to content ↓

View entry

Back to search results

Name: LILLEY, Harry Arthur DSO, OBE (Lieut.-Col.)

image of individual

Birth Date: 13 Nov 1887 Rangoon (army records)

Death Date: 26 Dec 1951 Londiani

First Date: 1911

Last Date: 1952

Profession: 2nd in command to Capt. Thornycroft at action at Kisii in Sept. 1914 (4th KAR). Later farmed at Londiani. Accompanied the Sudan - Uganda Boundary Commission during the last few months of 1913. 1911 - The Lango Detachment

Area: Londiani

Married: 1. Annie Lennox Boyd Clark b. 15 Sep 1889 Lanarkshire, d. 26 Oct 1970 Carshalton (div.); 2. In Durban 2 Oct 1943 Dorothy May Longworth née Stobart b. 1899 England, d. 24.3.1982 London

Children: Doris (20 Jan 1912); Sonya Marie Maurice (Fulton) (21 Feb 1923 Marylebone, London-2011)

Book Reference: KAD, Red 25, Hut, Red 22, Leader14, Sitrep 6, Gethin, Lloyd-Jones, Moyse, Red 22, Kevin Patience, DSO, SS, Barnes

War Service: Yorkshire Regt. and KAR

General Information:

Sitrep 6 - Africa General Service Medal 1902-56 - East Africa 1914 - Awarded for a punitive expedition - 1914 - under Capt. R.H. Leeke (RB), Lt. S.W.H. Silver (Suffolks) and Lt. H.A. Lilley (Yorks), against the Turkana Tribe in the NFD and Uganda borders west of Lake Rudolf. Recipients were 4 KAR.
Gethin - During the action at Kisii it seems Johnstone [of the Police] got bored having nothing to do, so went off for a stroll with his orderly and finding a shady tree went to sleep. When the time came to fall in and return to Kendu Johnnie Johnstone could not be found, so it was presumed he was either killed or wounded and was reported missing. When a Nubian deserter was brought before Lilley he produced a note from Johnstone, to say he could not understand why the British had retired as this was quite unnecessary as the Germans had also retired and the Kisii were having the time of their lives in the Boma.
At the time he was writing the note he had collected a few stragglers and was holding the Boma against all comers till we returned. He laid special stress on looking after the British and German wounded and guarding them against the savage Kisii.
The expressions on the faces of the KAR officers was worth seeing. I think if Johnstone had been there at the time they would have shot him! Johnstone was a Cockney and I think had served about 10 years in a cavalry regiment, being seconded to the Police as many were in those days. The tone of the letter was, to say the least, not what an NCO should write to his commanding officer, but Lilley found himself in an awkward position. He had retired 30 miles for no reason whatsoever. He had not confirmed the rumour which came in just before we left, that the Germans had evacuated the Boma and retired over the hill behind Nyanchwa Mission. And there was no way of getting away from the fact that Johnstone was doing a good job of work, if what he said was correct. ............…
I did not see Lilley again until Dec. 25th 1952 at the Highlands Hotel, Molo. He came up and introduced himself and we had a long talk about the Kisii battle. As it was Xmas, we made quite a party of it, going to bed about 1 a.m. on Boxing Day. We again met in the bar before lunch and about 2 p.m. Lilley said goodbye as he was going back to his farm at Londiani. He asked me to call in the next morning on my way to Kisii as he would like to show me some photos he had taken at Kisii. Six o'clock that evening a phone message came through that Lilley was dead. He had served in both wars, but it took a party at the Highlands Hotel to put him out.
Lloyd-Jones - 1914 - Sept 12th about two companies of the 4th KAR attacked a strong German detachment, accompanied by numerous Europeans, which had occupied the post of Kisii. After a brisk fight, during which Capt. Thorneycroft, one native officer and six askaris were killed, and 3 British officers and 12 askaris were wounded, the KAR drew off for the night, but returned and occupied the post early next day. The enemy had also retired during the night, leaving several of their wounded behind. Their casualties were 11 Europeans and 30 askaris killed and many wounded, including 5 Europeans and 16 askaris taken prisoner.
The Brigadier in his report especially mentioned the coolness and gallantry of Captain Thorneycroft, the skill with which Captain Lilly had collected and withdrawn the scattered troops at nightfall, and the courageous and steady behaviour of the African ranks under well-directed fire at close range.
East Africa & Rhodesia - 24/1/52 - Lieut-Col. Lilley DSO, The Yorkshire Regt. Who joined the 4th Battn. KAR in 1911 and commanded the 4/4 Bn. In the 1914-18 war, has died in Kenya. Between the wars he served in the Sudan Civil Service, and was Director of Labour in the Middle East in the recent war. He had settled in the Londiani district of Kenya.
Kevin Patience - Buried at Molo
DSO - London gazette 7/2/19 - For distinguished service in connection with military operations in East Africa.
Soldier Settlement Scheme after WW1 - Class B - Lieut.-Col. H.A. Lilley, DSO, The Sports Club, St. James' Square, SW - farm 997
St. Alban's Church, Molo - Lt.-Col. H A Lilley DSO, OBE, born 16/11/1888 [wrong], died 26/12/1952
Gazette 1 Apr 1952 probate
In Beaconsfield, Kimberley, SA 13 Apr 1907 
India, Select Births and Baptisms for birth

Back to search results