Douglas Jardine

Douglas Jardine served as the Secretary to the Administration of Somaliland from 1916 to 1921. His position gave him unique access to internal state documents from the Colonial Office and the Somaliland Government, which he utilized to ensure his account was authoritative and reliable. He spent five or six "strenuous years" focused on the Dervish movement.

Jardine’s writing is noted for its "freshness and buoyancy," making the history of the administration live for the reader. He expresses a deep respect for his colleagues and the Somali people, particularly those who remained loyal to the administration under the "detestable conditions" of the Dervish revolt. He was a contemporary of figures like Sir Geoffrey Francis Archer and Musa Farah.

His work was seen as a significant contribution to the knowledge of a region that was largely unknown to the world at large. Jardine himself notes that the Mullah was seldom out of his "official thoughts" during his tenure. His perspective is that of a seasoned colonial administrator navigating a difficult and "savage" terrain.