Arthur Raikes

Who was Arthur Raikes?

Arthur Edward Harington Raikes was a British army officer.

Raikes was born on 5 February 1867 to Reverend Charles Hall Raikes and Charlotte d'Ende Arbuthnot. Raikes served as a Lieutenant in the Wiltshire Regiment before moving to Zanzibar where he was appointed Brigadier-General in the Sultan's army. In 1896 he was involved in the Anglo-Zanzibar War, caused by the succession of a sultan unfavourable to the British, and led 900 pro-British Askaris during the bombardment of the Sultan's palace. In return for his service he was appointed a First Class member of the Order of the Brilliant Star of Zanzibar on 24 September 1896, a First Class member of the Zanzibari Order of Hamondieh on 25 August 1897 and later promoted to Commander of the Zanzibar armies.

By 1902 Raikes had been promoted to Captain of the Wiltshire Regiment. On 6 November 1903 he was granted approval to accept and wear the Cross of a Commander of the Order of Franz Joseph awarded to him by Francis Joseph I of Austria when he visited Zanzibar on board SMS Zenta. On 26 July 1905 he was given approval to accept and wear the insignia of a Knight Commander of the Order of Christ, awarded to him by the Carlos I of Portugal in return for valuable services. On 12 July 1906 Raikes was appointed a First Class Member of the Order of El Aliyeh for services rendered to the Sultan of Zanzibar.