Dhala Town 1963

Godfrey performed prodigious feats of development work in difficult and dangerous circumstances and with scarce resources. He laboured long and earnestly to introduce some measure of development into those areas isolated by warfare and poor communications. In fact his role was much more that of a traditional Colonial district officer than adviser. Despite the passage of many years his name is still fondly remembered in Radfan.

"During our few days at Dhala we were afforded the hospitality of Godfrey Meynell at his fortified 2-storey stone home in a 'secure' compound in Dhala. Godfrey, the Assistant Advisor, was well-known, and liked, by the local people.

Brian Betham, a Field Intelligence Officer seconded from the RAF, lived in a smaller house in the same compound as  Godfrey Meynell's house in Dhala. He had a wife, Margery, and a daughter, Elspeth, who was about my age, and one day some donkeys were arranged for us to ride. We didn't ride too far in the blistering heat, nor of course for security reasons, but it was a novel experience and quite good fun. But I recall having a sore bum for few days afterwards"     

Brian Betham retired to a job at the London School of Economics soon after leaving Dhala.                       Peter Pickering

Peter Pickering & Elspeth Betham at Dhala 1963

Godfrey Meynell in 2003