Roger Courtney Books

Roger James Allen 'Jumbo' Courtney MC (1902 -1949) was a bank clerk in Leeds, England before he became a professional white hunter and gold prospector in East Africa. He was also a sergeant in the Palestinian Police Force and was influential in the establishment of the Special Boat Service which saw action in World War II. Read more about Roger 'Jumbo' Courtney and the Special Boat Service.

He spent 6 months as the Chief Locust Control Officer for Kenya and after World War II worked with Mike Cottar on cinematography safaris. He married Evelyn Cottar, one of Charles Cottar's daughters.

African Escapade by Roger Courtney (1939) are extraordinary true stories of adventure including a 3000 mile journey from Lake Albert by canoe.

Claws of Africa: A White Hunter's Adventurous Life In Africa by Roger Courtney (1934) are the author's big game adventures in the African wilds at the turn of the last century. This book details his elephant hunting experiences in the Lorian Swamp, hunting buffalo, lion, rhino and roan antelope near Lake Mara and Lake Natron in British East Africa. A well written account, there are numerous exciting adventures not least of which when the author and his gun bearer were attacked by a swarm of bees while stalking rhinoceros and sought refuge in a rhino wallow.

Africa Calling: The True Account Of The Author's Strange Workaday Experiences In Kenya, Uganda, And The Belgian Congo by Roger Courtney (1935) is primarily concerned with his actitivies and occupations during the intervals which "there was little activity in the White Hunting business", which did, however, include shooting big game. Free eBook

A Greenhorn In Africa by Roger Courtney (1940) is about the author's early days in Africa working as a as a clerk in a Nairobi store, in a saw-mill and on a ranch. He then had a job as manager of another saw-mill and timber concession before getting involved in mining.

Footloose In The Congo by Roger Courtney (1948) a very scarce account of the efforts of the author as a Field Officer, to control locusts in East-Central Africa.

African Argosy by Roger Courtney (1953) is an account of a lone journey in a collapsible rubber canoe from the source of the Nile at Victoria Nyanza to the sea at Alexandria through some great hunting country.

Page Updated: Oct 2020