Copy of the signal and a local newspaper clipping reporting the enteritis epidemic in June 1966 provided  by Lieutenant P C D Norman RN who was Supply Officer in HMS Carysfort at that time.  (Many thanks for this.)

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   ROUTINE  260526Z

   FROM        CARYSFORT

   TO            M.O.D. (NAVY)

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UNCLASSIFIED.   RTT FOR DPR.

        OF 35 PERSONNEL FROM CARYSFORT CONFINED ISOLATION WARDS IN VICTORIA GOVERNMENT HOSPITAL SEYCHELLES WITH ACUTE ENTERITIS INFECTION WHICH HAS QUARANTINED THE SHIP ABOUT HALF ARE ALLOWED UP AND OCCUPIED IN IMPROVEMENTS TO HOSPITAL.

     PATIENTS HAVE RADIO LINK WITH SHIP USED MAINLY FOR ARRANGING DAILY SUPPLIES OF SHIPS FOOD TO SUIT MATRONS DIET SHEET.

      LATEST STORES DEMAND FROM PATIENTS INCLUDED ONE TOOTHBRUSH, ONE WATCH LEFT IN OVERALLS, 5 GALLONS OF PAINT, WHITE SPIRIT, 50 YARDS ELECTRIC CABLE, AVOMETER, SANDPAPER, SCREWS AND TIMBER. 

INTEREST SPREADING TO HOSPITAL GARDEN AND REPAIR OF EQUIPMENT  FROM TB SANITORIUM NEARBY.

     NUMBER OF FRESH CASES INDICATED EPIDEMIC SLOWLY DIMINISHING.   ONBOARD SHIP ANCHORED CLOSE BUT ISOLATED FROM SHORES:  MANY PASTIMES ORGANISED INCLUDING FISHING COMPETITION.  BIGGEST SO FAR 7 LBS  BUT MONSTERS ESCAPE DAILY.  

      DESPITE EPIDEMIC SHIP REMAINS READY TO LAND ARMED PLATOON IF SECURITY SITUATION IN SEYCHELLES DETERIORATED.

      PRECAUTIONS ONBOARD INCLUDE STRINGENT HYGIENE MEASURES TO PREVENT CROSS- INFECTION AMONGST THE 160 PERSONNEL REMAINING WELL. 

     50 DISAPPOINTED RATINGS DUE TO FLY HOME FOR LEAVE ON 28 JUNE AFTER 2 ½ YEARS ONBOARD MUST WAIT UNTIL INFECTION FINALLY ELIMINATED.

CAUSE UNDER URGENT INVESTIGATION AND SOME POINTERS EMERGING.

DTG …260526Z/JUNE 66

The following was taken from a magazine article:

The year 1966 saw, for the first time in the history of Seychelles, a May Day procession. The protests against poor working and living conditions were gaining momentum. At the beginning of the year the workers who were employed by the W&C French construction company and who were members of the Transport and General Workers Union went on an unofficial strike. The Union officials had to ask them to call off the strike though the officials wrote to government to ask for an increase in wages of labourers working for government. However, in June the colony was on the verge of a national strike. Thousands of workers belonging to the Transport and General Workers Union and the newly-formed Building and Construction Workers Union joined the strike which had been sparked by a government’s offer of a wage increase of only 11%. The unions had been asking for a 40% increase as the cost of living was said to have risen by almost 100% over the recent years. As the strike extended to the other main islands, Praslin and La Digue, the country was virtually paralysed with only the essential services running. It was then that the colonial authorities called for the British troops to intervene and a contingent armed with rifles and bayonets were landed from the warship, HMS Carysfort, which arrived from Mombasa. Police had already been given orders to arrest people assembling in any public places.  An agreement was finally reached as the workers returned to work and none were dismissed. They were awarded a 28% pay rise though there was much delay in awarding it. Meanwhile, at the United Nations there was a strong protest against the British ‘gun-boat policy’.