Biography

Stigger’s interest in the relationship between military power, economics, social change, and constitutional development reflects his background.  Born at the Royal Tank Corps depot in 1932, taken to British India, and exposed briefly to Black Africa at Mombasa as World War II broke out, he developed an interest in Eastern and Southern Africa, causing him to seek a B.A. (Hons) from Bristol.  After military service in the Egyptian Canal Area (General Service Medal 1916-1962), on finding difficulty in comprehending Black African events without deep direct exposure, he went to Tanganyika as an Administrative Officer in 1958.  He left Tanzania in 1965 in order to take up an appointment at Simon Fraser from 2 July.  There, he worked with Allan Cunningham, Peter Kup and, more closely, David Ross, to introduce graduate and undergraduate students to the complexities of Third World issues, focussing on East and Central Africa, especially Tanzania and Zimbabwe.  He was retired in 1997, and is a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medallist.

Publications: Pamphlet

The Land Commission of 1894 and the land (Salisbury: Historical Association of Zimbabwe, Local Series [Pamphlet no.] 36, 1980, 39 pp.  (DT 1 C4 no. 36 HD992 vide  L. of C. catalog.).

Publications:  Chapters in Books

‘Minute substance versus substantial fear: white destitution and the shaping of policy in Rhodesia in the 1890s’, in Roger Morrell (ed.), Essays on the History of Poor Whites (Pretoria: University of South Africa, 1992), Chapter 8, 130-150.

‘The District Commissioner as the Man in the Middle’, Chapter VII, iii, in A.H.M.Kirk-Greene (ed.), Africa in the Colonial Period  III – The Transfer of Power:  Africa in the Age of Decolonisation (Oxford: University of Oxford Inter-Faculty Committee for African Studies, 1979), 140-151, 154, and 155-6.

‘Zimbabwe’s History’, in D.I.Ray, P.Shinnie and D.Williams (eds), Into the 80s  (Vancouver: Tantalus Research, 1981), 229-232.

Publications: Articles

“The Regular Army and the advance towards freedom in India and Kenya between 1935 and 1939’, Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research 97 (2019), 261-284.

'The High Commission Territories Corps', JSAHR 82 (2004), 163-169.

‘Promotion as a campaigning reward in the Victorian Army, and an unresolved problem’, JSAHR, LXXVI, Number 308 (Winter, 1998), pp.255-259.  

‘The Disappearance of White Irregular Regiments, “Breaker” Morant, and the Demise of recruiting for Rank’. JSAHR, LXXIV, NO. 298 (Summer, 1996), 90-95.

‘Desertion:  some implications of the 1863 case involving Private James Hargreaves, of the 31^st (Huntingdonshire) Regiment’, JSAHR, LXXIII, No.295 (Autumn, 1995), 201-207.

‘Major L.F.Knollys, C.M.G., “professional” Aide-de-Camp and Colonial Military Policeman’, JSAHR, LXXIII, no. 293 (Spring 1995), 35-50.

‘Recruiting for Rank in 1764, 1804 and 1857’, JSAHR, LXX, No. 284 (Winter, 1992), 239-244.

‘The Land Commission of 1894 and Cattle”, Zimbabwean History 11 (1980), 20-43.

‘The Land Commission of 1894 and its Membership’, Rhodesian History VIII (1977), 99-110.

‘The Emergence of the Native Department in Matabeleland, 1893-1899’, Rhodesian History VII (1976), 39-64.

‘Volunteers and the Profit Motive in the Anglo-Ndebele War’, Rhodesian History II (1971) 11-23.

‘A Study in Confusion; Canadian Diplomatic Staffing Practices in Africa and the Middle East’, Canadian Journal of African Studies, V iii (1971), 241-262.

“Asians in Rhodesia and Kenya: A Comparative Political History’, Rhodesian History I (1970) 1-8.

Publications: Review Articles

‘Hugh Marshall Hole: Propagandist, historian, Company servant, informed participant or man of his times [?]’, Zimbabwean History X (1979), pp. 67-83.

Publications: Communications

Military Minutiae: Part IV.  Colonial and Post-Colonial Interludes, 1957-1965 and 1975.  Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research 93 (2015) 332-336.

Military Minutiae: Part III.  Recollections of a National Service Officer with 1 Royal Tank Regiment in the Canal Zone, Egypt, 1954-1955 and of service in the Territorial Army, 1955-1958.  JSAHR 93 (2015) 249-261.

Military Minutiae: Part II.   Preparing for National Service, 1946-1953; Recruit Training, the Potential Officers’ Wing and Mons Officer Cadet School, 1953-1954. JSAHR 93 (2015) 139-148.

Military Minutiae: Part I. Recollections of a Soldier’s Son and, later, a Military Pensioner’s Son, 1935-1953. JSAHR  93 (2015) 60-67.

How far was the loyalty of Muslim soldiers in the Indian Army more in doubt than usual throughout the First World War? JSAHR, 87 (2009), pp. 225-233.

Publications:  Notes

Military Evidence dating the emergence of a common Cockney rhyming slang phrase:  Note 1989, JSAHR 96 (2018) 293-4.

‘Bromide’, Note 1943, JSAHR 92 (2014) 340.

‘Evidence of a protection scheme for ‘turned’ combatants from the Second Anglo-Boer War’, JSAHR 90 (2012) 70.

 ‘Seeking out “Germans” during the First World War”, JSAHR 89 (2011) 336, Note 1912.

‘Firearms accidents’, JSAHR 89 (2011) 91, Note 1898.

 ‘On the mechanization of British and Indian units serving in India’, JSAHR 89 (2011), 91, Note 1897.

‘Working parties of British Prisoners of War in German hands in World War II’, JSAHR 88 (2010), 341-2, Note 1895.

‘Detonating mines offensively and defensively in land warfare’, JSAHR  87 (2009), 185-6, Note 1876.

'How machine guns might be used effectively', JSAHR 86 (2008), 177-179, Note 1860.

'Direct and open British recruitment in the United States', JSAHR 86 (2008), 177, Note 1859.

'Unit morale and challenges to higher command in the field', JSAHR 85 (2007), 94-95, Note 1826.

'Combatant service under three flags', JSAHR  85 (2007), 83, Note 1816.

'The British Empire Hospitality Bureau', JSAHR 84 (2006), 195-196, Note 1791.

'The first prototype SAS operation' JSAHR 84 (2006), 195, Note 1790.

'Air-Trooping', JSAHR 83 (2005), 82, Note 1736.

'Combat camouflage', JSAHR 83 (2005), 81, Note1735.

'The last muzzle-loader', JSAHR 82 (2004), 85-86, Note1702.

'A fragging incident' JSAHR 82 (2004), 85, Note1701.

'Numerous matters relating to grenades', JSAHR 81 (2003), Note 1668, pp.168-177].

'What was the Maritime Royal Artillery?', JSAHR 80 (2002), 355-356, Note 1653.

'The use of decoys or dummies', JSAHR 80 (2002), Note1644, pp.268-269.

'The re-introduction of hand-grenades', JSAHR vol.79, Number 320 (Winter 2001), pp.339-341.

'Canadian residents recruited as Other Ranks', JSAHR 81(2003), 58-61, Note 1659.

'When were placards first used...?', JSAHR vol.79, Number 320 (Winter 2001), p.341.

'Military Air-Supply "Firsts"', JSAHR Vol.79, Number 319, (Autumn 2001), pp.253-256.

'How many men have served in all three armed forces?', JSAHR Vol.79, Number 317, (Spring 2001), pp.85-86.

'American aid to Britain, 1941', JSAHR, Vol.78, Number 316, (Winter 2000), p.304.

'Sir Alfred E. Turner', JSAHR, Vol.78, Number 315, (Autumn 2000), p.226.

'Gays in the Armed Forces', in the JSAHR, 78 (2000),142-143 .

'Was Richard Humpton both an American General and a former British Major?', JSAHR, Vol.78, Number 315,(Autumn 2000), pp.218-219.

'The Polish Resettlement Corps', JSAHR 78 (2000),142.

'Portable containers', in JSAHR, 78 (2000),141-142.       

'Sir Henry Brackenbury', JSAHR 77 (1999), 302.

'Hand-grenades', JSAHR, 77 (1999), 128-129.

'Police Award', JSAHR, 77 (1999), 59.

'General Sir James Hope Grant', in JSAHR, Vol.LXXVI, Number 308 (Winter, 1998), 288.  

'When was wireless telegraphy equipment first used successfully in a British colonial campaign?', JSAHR, Vol.LXXVI, No.306 (Summer, 1998), pp.140-141.

'Landmines', in JSAHR, Vol. LXXVI, No.305 (Spring, 1998), pp.57-58.

'What is known about the antecedents of members of the South African Burgher Contingent employed in Somaliland in 1903?', in JSAHR, Vol. LXXVI, No.305 (Spring, 1998), pp.56-57.

'The Photographers of the 1867-8 Abyssinian Expedition', JSAHR, Vol.LXXVI, No.306 (Summer, 1998), pp.139-140.  

'X-Ray Equipment', in JSAHR, Vol.LXXV, Number 304 (Winter, 1997), p.272.

'When was wire first used habitually to create a defensive obstacle by regular British forces?', in JSAHR, Vol.LXXV, Number 304 (Winter, 1997), pp.271-272.

'The ill-fortune of ex-Sergeant William Potts', in JSAHR, Vol.Lxxv, No. 303 (Autumn, 1997), pp.170-171.

“’A Major. R.E., doubling as a Colonial Chief Justice’, JSAHR, Lxxiv, No, 299 (Autumn, 1996), 167-168.

‘Trade in Ex-Army Uniform Jackets’, JSAHR, LXXII, No. 292 (Winter, 1994), 256.

‘The Army’s need for Porters in the German East African Campaign’, JSAHR, Lxxii, No. 290 (Summer, 1994), 103-105.

‘Elephants in Abyssinia in 1868’, JSAHR, LXXI, No. 285 (Spring, 1993), 57-59.

‘Reconsideration of the role of the Gatling Gun in the Ashanti Campaign of 1893/4’, JSAHR, LXX, No. 284 (Winter, 1992), 271-273.

‘The acquisition of machine guns by the British Army’, JSAHR, LXX, No. 282 (Summer, 1992), 129-131.

‘James F. Church and J. Macquire of the Corps of Royal sappers and Miners’, JSAHR, LXIX, No. 280 (Winter, 1991), 263-264.

‘The Cape Mounted Riflemen, their financial records, and the Nile Expedition, 1860-1863’, JSAHR, LXIX, No. 277 (Spring, 1991), 54-55.

‘Colonel William Driscoll Gosset, R.E.’, JSAHR, LXVIII, No. 276 (Winter, 1990), 275-276.

‘The treatment accorded to medically unfit covert militiamen recruited into the Regular Army, 1866’, JSAHR, LXVIII, No. 274 (Summer, 1990), 136.

‘The debate over British Engineers in 1870’, Canadian Journal of History, XXV, No. 1 (April, 1990), 157-158.

‘ ‘The experimental employment of imperial Cape Mounted Riflemen on East African exploration, 1860-1861’, JSAHR, LXVIII, No. 273 (Spring, 1990), 68-70.

Publications:  Book Reviews.

Chengetai J. M. Zvobgo,  A History of Zimbabwe, 1890-2000 and Postscript, Zimbabwe, 2001-2008 (Newcastle upon Tyne:  Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2009), in The Historian, 73 (2011) number 4, 805-806.

Linda Heywood, Contested Power in Angola, 1840s to the Present (Rochester, NY: University of Rochester Press, 2000), in The Historian, vol. 65, No.3,[2003] pp.702-703.

Roy MacLaren, ed. African Exploits: The Diaries of William Stairs, 1887-1892 (Montreal and Kingston: McGill-Queen's University Press, 1998);

and

Peter Harrington and Frederic A.Sharf, eds., Omdurman 1898: The Eye-Witnesses Speak: The British Conquest of the Sudan as Described by Participants in Letters, Diaries, Photos, and Drawings (London and Mechanicsburg, Pa.: Greenhill and Stackpole Books, 1998), pp.236. £20.00.

Together in The International History Review, XXI.4: December1999, pp.1038-1039.

Ngwabi Bhebe and Terence Ranger, eds: Soldiers in Zimbabwe's Liberation War (London: James Currey, Portsmouth; NH/ Heinemann, Harare: University of Zimbabwe Publications, 1995), in The Canadian Journal of African Studies, 31, No.1/1997, pp.171-172.

Harms, R.W., Miller, J.C., Newburg, D.S. and Wagner, M.D. (eds), Paths toward the Past: African Historical Essays in Honor of Jan Vansina (Atlanta: African Studies Association Press, 1994), in The Canadian Journal of African Studies, 30, No.2/1996, pp.290-291.

Juhani Kaponen, Development for Exploitation: German Colonial Policies in Mainland Tanzania, 1884-1914 (Helsinki: Finnish Historical society/Studia Historica; Hamburg, Lit Verlag; Boulder, Colorado:  Westview Press. 1995 [swcond corrected edition]) in Canadian Journal of History, XXXI (August, 1996), 348-349.

Clifton C. Crais, White Supremacy and Black Resistance in Pre-Industrial South Africa:  the Making of the Colonial Order in the Eastern Cape (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1992), in Canadian Journal of History, XXIX (August, 1994), 443- 444.

Timothy Holmes (ed.), David Livingstone: Letters and Documents, 1841-1872.  The Zambian Collection at the Livingstone Museum… (Bloomington: Indiana University Press,1990), and

John Bierman, Dark Safari: the life behind the legend of Henry Morton Stanley (New York:  Alfred A. Knopf, 1990), in

Canadian Journal of History, XXVI, No. 2 (August, 1991), 366-368.

Ole Therkildsen, Watering White Elephants? Lesson from donor-funded planning and implementation of rural water supplies in Tanzania’ (Uppsala:  Scandinavian Institute of African Studies, 1988), in Canadian Journal of African Studies, 24, No. 3, 1990), 482-483.

Paul E. Lovejoy, Salt of the Desert: a history of salt production and trade in the Central Sudan (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1986), in Canadian Journal of History, XXIII, No. 1 (April; 1988), 123-124.

G. Wesley Johnson (ed.), Double Impact:  France and Africa in the Age of Imperialism (Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1985), in Canadian Journal of History, XXII, No.1 (April, 1987), 136-137.

Charles van Onselen, Studies in the Social and Economic History of the Witwatersrand 1886-1914, 1:  New Babylon, and 2: New Nineveh (Harlow: Longman, 1982), in Labour/Le Travail, 15 (1985), 256-258.

Adele Smith Simmons, Modern Mauritius:  the politics of decolonization (Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1982), in Canadian Review of Studies in Nationalism, XI, No. 1 (1984), 172-173.

Prosser Gifford and Wm. Roger Louis (eds), The Transfer of Power in Africa:  Decolonization 1940-1960 (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1982), in Canadian Review of Studies in Nationalism, XI, No. 1 (1984), 171-172.

Peter Stiff and R.R.Daly, Selous Scouts – Top Secret War (Alberton, South Africa:  Galago Publishing, 1982), in Canadian Journal of African Studies, 18, No. 1 (1984), 253-255.

Norman H. Pollock, Jr., Nyasaland and Northern Rhodesia: Corridor to the North (Pittsburgh:  Duquesne University Press, 1971}, in Canadian Journal of African Studies, 12, No.1 (1978), 140-141.

Apa Pant, A Moment in Time (London, Hodder & Stoughton, 1974), in Canadian review of studies in Nationalism, 4, No. 2 (1977), 130-131.

Larry W. Bowman, Politics in Rhodesia: White Power in and African State (Cambridge, Mass.:  Harvard University Press, 1973), in Canadian Review of Studies in Nationalism, 2, No. 2 (1974), 356-357.

H.H. Patel, Indians in Uganda and Rhodesia:  some comparative perspectives on a minority in Africa (Denver: University of Denver, Center on International Race relations Studies in Race and Nations, 5, i,1973) in Zambezia 3, ii (1974), 126-127.

Publications:  Academic Propaganda.

‘African History at Simon Fraser University, British Columbia”, Journal of Modern African Studies, V, no. 4 (1967) 558-559.