Beer and World War: Reflections on Consumption by Troops in Nairobi, Kenya:1939-1945

This article examines the question of beer consumption by second world war troops in Nairobi, Kenya between 1939 and 1945. World War II was one of the most destructive conflicts in African history with regard to the human costs, the numbers of people mobilized, the scale of violence and destruction experienced. Archival sources indicate that recruitment of manpower for combat and war related labour was the most important contribution of Kenya colony to the Allied cause. In this regard, 98,240 Kenyans were recruited as askaris (soldiers) into the King’s African Rifles, representing 30% of the unit’s total strength during the war. Substantial debate surrounded the question of access to beer by servicemen in Africa and Europe. Some historians claim that alcohol consumption was ubiquitous during the war among servicemen of all races and ranks. The article demonstrates that beer was a vital part of the experience for the soldiers. The article examines Kenya’s central role as the home of the East African force, the Eastern Fleet, and also as a war front with Italy and seeks to unravel how this impacted beer consumption in Nairobi. An equally important theme in the article is access to beer by white military men in Kenya during the turbulent war years. Analyzing the archival data and existing research on the role of Africans in the world war, this article reveals important points about war, military recruitment, beer consumption and alcoholism among combatants in the second world war. The study made extensive use of archival materials and oral interviews as primary sources. Secondary sources used to fill gaps in primary sources were books, unpublished thesis and relevant articles in journals.