Which company employed Roald Dahl in East Africa before World War II?

Shell Petroleum Company employed Roald Dahl in East Africa before World War II.

After leaving Repton School, Dahl joined Shell in 1934. The company sent him to East Africa, where he initially worked in Mombasa, Kenya, before moving to Dar es Salaam in Tanganyika, now Tanzania. His work involved the petroleum trade rather than writing.

Dahl’s time in East Africa ended when World War II began. In 1939, he joined the Royal Air Force and trained as a fighter pilot. His wartime experiences later influenced his early writing, including stories about aviation and military service.

Shell is sometimes confused with British oil companies that operated in the region, but Dahl’s employer is specifically identified as Shell Petroleum Company. His prewar career is an important part of the unusual path that led from office work and colonial travel to aviation and eventually children’s literature.