Richard Corfield

Memorial plaque for Richard Corfield at St Lawrence's church, Heanor, England. Richard Conyngham Corfield (27 April 1882 – 9 August 1913) was a British colonial police officer who saw service in South Africa, Nigeria, India, Kenya and Somalia in the early 20th century.

Early life Corfield was born in Heanor, Derbyshire, the eldest of three children of the rector of Heanor, Conyngham William George Corfield and Henrietta, née Edwards. Corfield was only six years old when his father died. He first attended a dame school. In 1892 he attended Spurlings Preparatory School and then in 1896 went to Marlborough College.

Early career After leaving school, Corfield worked for a shipping company in Liverpool, the T. & J. Harrison Line, run by an uncle, Thomas Fenwick Harrison. Soon after starting work the Anglo-Boer war broke out in South Africa. Corfield immediately joined the Volunteers camped on Salisbury Plain, but later enlisted in the Baden Powell Police, sailing for Africa in December 1900. In June 1902, he was recommended for a commission, but this was rejected due to his youth. The emir in this instance, Muhammad Abdullah Hassan called "the Mad Mullah", along with the haroun, were resisting encrouchment by colonial forces, and by 1910, the Dervish haroun, had continued to hold the line against the colonial powers. close to Dul Madoba. who was stationed at Ber with the Camel Constabulary. The tribesmen of the five tribes informed him that the Dervish raided their settlements and captured their camel herds. Corfield took that as an excuse to wage war and set out to punish the Dervish and return the looted livestock. The battle took place on 9 August 1913. On one side 110 members of the Camel Constabulary of British Somaliland and 300 British allied tribesmen of the 5 tribes Thirty-six of the Constabulary including Corfield were killed in action and 21 were wounded. Many of the Dervish soldiers were also killed or wounded.