In memory

Noor Ginai

“Dada Abu” · Police officer · Father of five · Six foot four

Son of Allah Ditta Ginai. He began at the Mombasa port railway yard, served under the King’s rifles in the Mau Mau campaign, and later worked at the cement factory in Tororo, where he rests.

His life

A tall man, thirty-four years, two countries of work

Noor stood six foot four. He began his working life at the port of Mombasa, in the railway yard, alongside his father Allah Ditta Ginai.

He became a police officer, and in the years of the Mau Mau campaign he served under the King’s rifles. The photographs of him in uniform and in the field are held by the family; the dates they were taken are not yet recorded.

Afterwards he moved to Tororo, in Uganda, and worked at the UCI cement factory.

He died on 23 April 1962, at thirty-six. The taxi he was travelling in was crossing the railway line when it was struck by a train. He left behind his wife Zarina, his father Allah Ditta, and five children — Shamim, Masood, Musharraf, Nasrin and Zaffer.

His birth (December 1925) and death (23 April 1962) are taken from the inscription on his headstone in Tororo, photographed on 4 February 2023. The exact day of his birth is not given on the stone.

Name: Noor Ginai
Born: December 1925 · per headstone
Known as: Dada Abu
Father: Allah Ditta Ginai
Height: 6 ft 4 in
First work: Mombasa port · railway yard
Service: Police officer · King's rifles, Mau Mau campaign
Later work: UCI cement factory, Tororo
Died: 23 April 1962 · aged 36 · railway crossing accident
Wife: Zarina Ginai
Children: Shamim, Masood, Musharraf, Nasrin, Zaffer
Rests at: Tororo, Uganda

The photographs

16 originals from the family collection

The uniform years, the sporting years, and three generations of Ginai men. Tell me which figure is Noor in the group photographs and I will mark him permanently.