Major Cecil Stephen Northcote (1878–1945) was a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

military officer who was the governor of

Mongalla Province Mongalla or Mangalla is a Payam in Juba County, Central Equatoria State in South Sudan, on the east side of the Bahr al Jebel or White Nile river. It lies about 75 km by road northeast of Juba. The towns of Terekeka and Bor lie downstream ...

in the

Anglo-Egyptian Sudan Anglo-Egyptian Sudan ( ') was a condominium (international law), condominium of the United Kingdom and Kingdom of Egypt, Egypt between 1899 and 1956, corresponding mostly to the territory of present-day South Sudan and Sudan. Legally, sovereig ...

from 1918 to 1919, and then of the Nuba Mountains province from 1919 to 1927. Northcote served in the

Cape Mounted Rifles The Cape Mounted Riflemen were South African military units. There were two separate successive regiments of that name. To distinguish them, some military historians describe the first as the "imperial" Cape Mounted Riflemen (originally the ...

as a private during the

Second Boer War The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic and ...

, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the

Bedfordshire Regiment The Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment was the final title of a Line infantry, line infantry regiment of the British Army that was originally formed in 1688. After centuries of service in many conflicts and wars, including both the World War ...

in 1902. Northcote joined the Egyptian army in April 1909. He was seconded to the Sudan Political Service in February 1912, and was posted to Bahr al-Ghazal. For his time in the Sudan during the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, he was

mentioned in despatches To be mentioned in dispatches (or despatches) describes a member of the armed forces whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face of t ...

. Northcote was appointed Governor of Mongalla from 1918 until 1919.When he took office in Mongalla he was advised by his predecessor, R.C.R. Owen, to exclude all northern merchants from the province. Owen explained that "if a

Jihad ''Jihad'' (; ) is an Arabic word that means "exerting", "striving", or "struggling", particularly with a praiseworthy aim. In an Islamic context, it encompasses almost any effort to make personal and social life conform with God in Islam, God ...

is ever started in the Sudan and Northern Africa, it would be a great thing if the countries south of the

Sudd The Sudd (, Nuer: Baki̱ec, Dinka: Toc) is a vast swamp in South Sudan, formed by the White Nile's '' Baḥr al-Jabal'' section. The Arabic word ' is derived from ' (), meaning "barrier" or "obstruction". The term "the sudd" has come to ref ...

were free from it and if we could link up with Uganda which is practically entirely Christian and so have an anti-Islam buffer or bulwark in this part of Africa". When Northcote was appointed governor in 1918, the fifteen provincial governorships in the Sudan under Governor General

Reginald Wingate General Sir Francis Reginald Wingate, 1st Baronet (25 June 1861 – 29 January 1953) was a British Army officer and colonial administrator in Egypt and the Sudan. He served as Governor-General of the Sudan (1899–1916) and High Commissioner in ...

were held by eight army officers, or former officers, and severn civilians. By 1924, when Wingate's successor Sir Lee Stack died, Northcote and M.J. Wheatley in Bahr al-Ghazal were the only governors with military backgrounds. Northcote was transferred to the Nuba Mountains in 1919, and was succeeded in Mongalla by

Chauncey Hugh Stigand Chauncey Hugh Stigand (1877–1919) was a British army officer, colonial administrator, and big game hunter. He was killed in action while attempting to suppress a rebellion of Aliab Dinka. Biography Stigand was the son of William Stigand and Ag ...

. He was governor of the Nuba mountains province until he retired in 1928. His successor was Mr. J.A. Gillan.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Northcote, Cecil Stephen 1878 births 1945 deaths British colonial governors and administrators in Africa Anglo-Egyptian Sudan people Sudan Political Service officers Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment officers British Army personnel of World War I Commanders of the Order of the British Empire British military personnel of the Second Boer War