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{{short description|British soldier and colonial officer (1924–2012)}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2011}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2021}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Bob Astles
| image =
| other_names = "Major Bob"<br>"The White Rat"
| birth_name = Robert Asketill
| birth_date = {{birth_date|1924|03|23|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Ashford, Kent]], [[United Kingdom|UK]]
| death_date = {{death_date_and_age|2012|12|29|1924|03|23|df=y}}
| death_place = South West [[London]], UK
| citizenship = British<br>Ugandan (until 1985)
| occupation = Soldier, colonial officer
| known_for = Association with Ugandan dictator [[Idi Amin]]
| spouse = {{marriage|Monica Astles|1958|1959|end=div}}<br>{{marriage|Mary Senkatuka|1959}}
| children = 2
| module = {{Infobox military person
| branch = {{army|British India}}<br>{{army|United Kingdom}}
| branch_label = Branches
| rank = Lieutenant
| unit = [[Royal Engineers]]
| battles = [[World War II]]
| battles_label = War
| embed = yes
}}
}}
'''Robert Astles''', [[British Empire Medal|BEM]] (born '''Robert Asketill'''; 23 March 1924<ref name="telegraph obituary">{{cite web | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/9873981/Bob-Astles.html | title=Bob Astles Obituary | work=The Telegraph| date=15 February 2013 | accessdate=16 February 2013}}</ref> – 29 December 2012<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thelondoneveningpost.com/bob-astles-is-dead/ |title=Bob Astles is dead! |work=The London Evening Post|date=2012-12-29 |accessdate=2013-01-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130328064738/http://www.thelondoneveningpost.com/bob-astles-is-dead/ |archive-date=28 March 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>) was a British soldier and colonial officer who lived in [[Uganda]] and became an associate of presidents [[Milton Obote]] and [[Idi Amin]].

==Early life==
Bob Astles was born in [[Ashford, Kent]]. He joined the [[British Indian Army]] as a teenager and then the [[Royal Engineers]], reaching the rank of Lieutenant. Of his war service, he recalled: "I enjoyed being with other nationalities and their fights for world recognition during [[World War II]]."<ref name ="telegraph obituary"/> He was 21 when he left the United Kingdom for Africa.

==Ugandan career==
In 1949, Astles was sent on special duties during the Bataka uprising in [[Buganda]]. His first job in Uganda was as a colonial officer with the [[Ministry of Works (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Works]], then with [[£]]100 he set up Uganda Aviation Services Ltd., the first airline in Uganda to employ Africans. As [[History of Uganda (1962–1971)#Move to independence|Uganda's independence]] approached in 1962, Astles became involved with a number of political groups. One of these was led by [[Milton Obote]], who led the country to independence.

=== Idi Amin ===
Astles worked in Obote's government until the [[1971 Ugandan coup d'état|1971 coup d'état]], when he transferred his allegiance to Amin.

In December, suspicion fell on Astles because of his previous support for Obote. Amin sent him to [[Makindye Prison]] where he spent 17 weeks, often shackled and brutally interrogated. Astles later said, "Amin called me a 'rotten apple' on the radio, and [[nationalisation|nationalised]] my airline. It was ordinary Africans who helped me to survive. One guard was kicked to death for helping me."<ref name ="telegraph obituary"/>

In 1975, Astles joined Amin's service, becoming the head of the [[anti-corruption]] squad and advising the president on British affairs, while running a [[pineapple]] farm. He also presided over an aviation service that transported members of the government. Astles later said "I kept my eyes shut, I said nothing about what I saw, which is what they liked". What Astles did or did not do during Amin's reign is a matter of conjecture. Some considered him to be a malign influence on the dictator; others thought he was a moderating presence. That was Astles's own claim. In an interview inside a Ugandan prison, with the journalist [[Paul Vallely]] who had secured it after smuggling a message inside a Bible to Amin's former right-hand man, he claimed: "I was the only person he could trust because I never asked him for anything – no fine house, no privileges, no [[Mercedes-Benz]]. I was the only one, perhaps because I was white, who he could be sure was not after his job and his life. If Idi Amin ever had a sincere friend, it was Bob Astles. I was the only person who could cope with him. The other members of his Government would phone me and say: 'Can you come quickly, he is out of control.' I would go and let him shout and rail at me and then I would try to calm him down. I was one of the few people he trusted."<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160312124135/http://paulvallely.com/archive/?p=2682], interview in The Times, 10 December 1985.</ref> Astles came to be known as "Major" Bob (the title of Major was given to him by Amin) or "the White Rat" among other white Ugandans.<ref name ="telegraph obituary"/>

==Imprisonment==
Following the [[Uganda–Tanzania War]], Astles fled Uganda by crossing [[Lake Victoria]] in a [[canoe]] to [[Kenya]] on 10 April 1979. The following day, Amin fled to [[Libya]], the capital [[Fall of Kampala|Kampala was captured]] by the combined forces of the [[military of Tanzania|Tanzanian Army]] and the [[Uganda National Liberation Army]], and Amin's rule over Uganda ended. In [[Kisumu]], Astles surrendered to Kenyan authorities, who then detained him.<ref name= former>"Former white aide to Amin brought back to Uganda". ''Afro-American'' (Baltimore, Maryland, USA). 16 June 1979. p. 16.</ref> While detained in Kenya, Astles tried to jump from a third-story window in a suicide attempt in [[Nairobi]].<ref>"Suicide Attempt". ''The Globe and Mail'' (Toronto, Ontario, Canada). 12 June 1979. p. B1.</ref>

Kenyan authorities handed him over to Ugandan police in accordance with their request on 9 June. Astles was brought back to Uganda to face criminal charges.<ref>"Uganda Asks Kenya To Extradite Astles, Top Aide to Amin". ''The Washington Post''. 26 April 1979. p. A27.</ref><ref name= former/>

At the time Kenyan newspapers linked the charges to the death of [[Bruce Mackenzie (British intelligence operative)|Bruce McKenzie]], one of Kenya's former ministers, in an aircraft explosion. Nevertheless, it was suspected that the bomb was actually meant for Astles, who had refused to fly on the aircraft.<ref name ="telegraph obituary"/><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=8ZkOsqK-X5AC&pg=PA432 New Scientist 10 May 1979]</ref> Astles was imprisoned for his alleged association with Amin's security apparatus.

Astles was charged with murder, armed robbery, theft, shopbreaking, and stealing from a private house. Astles [[not guilty plea|pleaded not guilty]] to all charges.<ref>"New Uganda charges". ''The Sun'' (Baltimore, Maryland, USA). 10 July 1979. p. A4.</ref>

Astles said he had never committed any murders, never witnessed any murders, never heard Amin order any murders, and never saw Amin murder anyone. Astles said he had lived in constant fear while in Amin's administration, and that he had remained in his position because he thought he could do some good for Uganda.<ref name= former/>

Astles was [[acquit]]ted of the charges, but he remained in [[Luzira Maximum Security Prison|Luzira Prison]] for another four years under a detention order because he was considered a threat to state security.<ref name= frees>"Uganda frees top Amin aide". ''The Gazette'' (Montreal, Quebec, Canada). 4 December 1985. p. A12.</ref><ref>"Amin's right-hand man freed". ''United Press International''. Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Illinois, USA). 4 December 1985. p. 4.</ref>

Astles renounced his Ugandan citizenship on 4 December 1985 and he was freed from prison the following day.<ref name= frees/> He returned to the United Kingdom five days later.<ref>"Amin's aide back in Britain". ''The Globe and Mail''. (Toronto, Ontario, Canada). 9 December 1985. p. A11.</ref><ref>"[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/hardtalk/3380523.stm Guilt by association?" (Bob Astles interviewed by Tim Sebastian). ''BBC HARDtalk''. January 7, 2004.]</ref>

==Personal life==
In 1958, he married Monica, who had come to Uganda with him from [[Kent]]. A year later, after they had divorced, Astles married an aristocratic member of the [[Buganda]] kingdom, Mary Senkatuka, and they later adopted two children.

==Later life==
Astles later lived in [[Wimbledon, London]], and continued to deny the allegations for which he was imprisoned.<ref>Foden, Giles (4 March 1998). "Portrait Thoughts of Major Bob". ''The Guardian'' (London, United Kingdom). p. T4.</ref> After returning to Britain, he dedicated his life to campaigning against superpower interference in African political and economic affairs. He also contributed political commentaries to a number of publications associated with Africa.

==Death==
Astles died in South West London on 29 December 2012 at the age of 88. The obituary in ''[[The Daily Telegraph|The Telegraph]]'' described him as "the most hated white man in postcolonial Africa."<ref name ="telegraph obituary"/>

==Film==
Bob Astles was played by [[Leonard Trolley]] in the 1982 film ''[[Rise and Fall of Idi Amin|Amin: the Rise and Fall]]''. The fictional character of Nicholas Garrigan in the book and film ''[[The Last King of Scotland]]'' was, according to author [[Giles Foden]], loosely based on some events in Astles' life. Foden interviewed Astles while writing his novel.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.randomhouse.com/boldtype/1298/foden/interview.html| title = An Interview with Giles Foden| accessdate = 13 October 2014| publisher = Random House}}</ref> He also drew on Vallely's lengthy interview in ''The Times''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://prezi.com/8h5j3vmwxf6o/the-last-king-of-scotland/|title=The Last King of Scotland}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==

*{{cite web|url=http://www.dailynews.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=502&fArticleId=210731 |title=Uganda's white Rat |accessdate=2009-08-08 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20040125235821/http://www.dailynews.co.za/index.php?fSectionId=502&fArticleId=210731 |archivedate=25 January 2004}}
*[http://www.randomhouse.com/boldtype/1298/foden/interview.html Interview with ''Last King of Scotland'' author Giles Foden]
*[http://www.blackstarnews.com/?c=122&a=2270 "Bob Astles' Memories"] by Norman S. Miwambo, ''Black Star News'' (New York), 30 July 2006
*Kakembo, Titus. "[http://www.newvision.co.ug/news/639819-bob-astles-joins-idi-amin-dada.html Bob Astles Joins Idi Amin Dada]." ''[[New Vision]]''. 13 February 2013.

===Bob Astles' commentaries===
*[http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa5391/is_200312/ai_n21340486 "In defence of Milton Obote"], ''[[New African]]'', 1 December 2003
*[http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qa5391/is_200411/ai_n21360715 "Darfur another view"], ''New African'', 1 November 2004
*"Who will best lead Uganda?", ''[[The Monitor (Uganda)|Daily Monitor]]'', 17 January 2006
*[http://www.blackstarnews.com/?c=122&a=2940 "Ethiopia Opens Pandora's Box"], ''Black Star News'', 29 January 2007
*[http://www.blackstarnews.com/?c=122&a=2978 "U.S. Tentacles Spread In Africa"], ''Black Star News'', 6 February 2007
*[http://www.blackstarnews.com/?c=122&a=3016 "South Africa Rejects US Africa Militarism"], ''Black Star News'', 16 February 2007
*[http://www.blackstarnews.com/?c=122&a=3026 "Killers In The Mist"], ''Black Star News'', 20 February 2007
*[http://www.blackstarnews.com/?c=122&a=3124 "Americans Milk Africa To Death"], ''Black Star News'', 16 March 2007
*[http://www.blackstarnews.com/?c=122&a=4170 "Ousting Nubians For Profit’s Spoils"], ''Black Star News'', 27 January 2008
*[http://www.blackstarnews.com/?c=122&a=4203 "Obama And Source Of The Nile"], ''Black Star News'', 5 February 2008

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Astles, Bob}}
[[Category:1924 births]]
[[Category:2012 deaths]]
[[Category:British emigrants to Uganda]]
[[Category:People from Ashford, Kent]]
[[Category:Royal Engineers officers]]
[[Category:British Indian Army soldiers]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Colonial Service officers]]
[[Category:Idi Amin]]
[[Category:People acquitted of murder]]
[[Category:Ugandan prisoners and detainees]]
[[Category:Prisoners and detainees of Uganda]]
[[Category:People extradited from Kenya]]
[[Category:People extradited to Uganda]]
[[Category:Uganda Protectorate people]]
[[Category:Naturalized citizens of Uganda]]
[[Category:Royal Engineers soldiers]]
[[Category:Recipients of the British Empire Medal]]

Bob Astles - Revision history

CleanupBot II at 18:29, 13 August 2023