View entry
Name: NAPIER, Basil H.
Nee: son of a prominent S. African eye specialist
Birth Date: 1913
Death Date: remains found in Jan 1933 near Bahi, Tanganyika
Book Reference: Kenton
School: Kenton College - left 1925 for Westmintser School
General Information:
EAS 12 Aug 1933 The Colonial Office ordered an enquiry into his death. He had vanished after going on a shooting expedition with an African on 11 Oct. Inquest on 16 Jan returned a verdict of suicide. His mother thought he was murdered. He had set out with two Africans and some donkeys but a chief forced a sale, commandeered the donkeys and pocketed the money. The chief and two men of the tribe which was told to search for him were sent to prison for conspiracy. Napier was a private individual who had no official status whatever. He however is alleged to have encouraged the belief that he was an agent of the British government and allowed his native boys to spread reports to that effect. Just prior to his disappearance he was engaged in buying up droves of donkeys from the natives. Some queries arose as to these transactions and the prices paid by him for these animals. He was questioned closely on this matter by a district officer and a few days later vanished into the big game preserves accompanied by only one native. He said that he was going to shoot. Nothing more was seen of him until his mutilated remains were found some distance away about two or three months after. A pair of boots and a portion of a human skull were positively identified. The skull bore two bullet marks showing that shot had been fired through the palate and on this evidence of verdict of suicide was returned at the inquest. Recently his mother has raised further inquiries.