Includes index

A Childhood Dream, 1924-42 -- Imperial Might, Majesty, Dominion and Power, 1942-44 -- 'From Birr to Bareilly': The King's African Rifles, 1944-45 -- Victory in the Far East, 1945-46 -- Oxford Springboard, 1946-48 -- Sailing to Africa, 1948 -- Upcountry Cadet, 1948-49 -- To the Shores of Lake Tanganyika, 1949-50 -- Academic Interlude, 1950-51 -- Monarch of all I Survey, 1951-52 -- The handeni Famine, 1953 -- The Air Crash, 1953-54 -- A Change of Direction, 1955-56 -- Public Relations, 1955-56 -- Star of Freedom, 1956 -- A Tale of Two Cities: Dublin and Rome, 1956-57 -- The Cock's Trousers: A Northern Dream, 1957-58 -- Step by Step to Freedom, 1958-59 -- The Eve of Uhuru, 1960-61 -- Uhuru, 1961 -- Sunrise in Tanganyika: The Republic, 1961-62 -- Back-Room Boy, 1962-63 -- Revolution in Zanzibar and Army Mutiny, 1963-64 -- Union with Zanzibar and the Birth of Tanzania, 1964 -- Cold War in the Tropics, 1964-66 -- The Arusha Declaration, 1966-67 -- Films and Famine: From Stockholm to Kilwa, 1967 -- Snakes to Osaka, 1967-70 -- Last Man Out, 1970-72 -- 'Kwa Heri' (Farewell), 1972-73.

Randal Sadleir's career mirrors the most momentous period in the history of the British Empire and Commonwealth and East Africa, when Tanganyika was transformed into Tanzania. The story begins at the height of the Second World War in Tanganyika, the former German colony and ends with Tanzania as an independent African state and member of the Commonwealth, led by Julius Nyerere. Nyerere was one of the most respected and charismatic African leaders and a statesman revered in both developed and developing countries. Sadleir's friendship with this legendary figure is a major feature of a career that ended when he left Tanzania after 30 years as its longest serving district officer. This is a unique and inside story of dedication to an African state at the end of empire.