York Road Light Infantry

From Great North Road

YORK ROAD LIGHT INFANTRY....

During 1959-60 there was unrest throughout the land, Kenneth Kaunda and several party faithful of UNIP and the ANC were guests of the Crown. Apparently it was madatory for up and coming Commonwealth Leaders to spend time in prison.This was actually Kenneth Kaunda's second visit to the Queens's Hotel and this time he had the opportunity to visit the Salisbury location.

Community security parols sprang up, including the York Road Light Infantry in Woodlands, Lusaka. My Dad Tommy Miller, Tony Miller our trusted boxer dog, Pat Deacy a delightful Irishman , his dog Bonzo Deacy whose ancestory was unknown, Ron Curtis and several other valiant defenders of the faith, protected the women and children of the neigbourhood.

After sundowners and dinner the patrols would assemble at either the Miller or Deacy households for a briefing, fortify themselves with a Castle lager or two then venture forth into the dark night looking for the enemy.

Much to the consternation of most members, it soon became apparent that my Dad was often than not absent without leave, this I am pleased to report did not affect the consumption of Castle lager in our home. When questioned by his peers, he was always at a loss of words other than to say that business took him out of town. This was strange, as his job very rarily required him to travel.

At the time of the civil unrest, Dad worked for the Lands Department, where it was also noted by his peers that his attendance at the office was dismal. Unbeknownst to his peers, the York Light Infantry and even my Mother he was on a secret mission for Her Majesty.

When it was apparent that there was going to be unrest within the land, he was summoned to Government House to see non-other than the Governor, His Excellency Sir Evelyn Hone, Her Majesty's top poobah in Northern Rhodesia. Under threat of losing tea priviliges at the office, he was sworn to secrecy and ordered to plan and build detention centres in remote areas to accommodate the overflow of guests that Her Majesty was expecting. Despite protests on his part, Dad, because of his prior experience of running Her Majesty's Prisons in Lusaka and Kasama was ordered to accept the task.

A number of detention centres, disguised as Public Work Department facilities were established throughout the land, from Barotseland, the Copperbelt, Northern Province and Eastern Province. However not one person was ever a guest.

When peace came to the land, the York Light Infantry stood down, the mighty proud warriors continued to meet regularly to sip on their cold Castle Lagers and tell old war stories and wonder why Tommy Miller appeared to have always been absent without leave.

Contributed by Kenneth Miller.

October 2001