81st (West Africa) Division
Encyclopedia
The 81st Division was formed under British control during World War II
. It took part in the Burma Campaign
.
, commander of the British Army's West Africa Command, who subsequently commanded India Command's Eastern Army, facing the Japanese army on the frontier between India and Burma. Giffard had wide experience with African troops, and was eager for them to participate in the war.
The framework around which the division was formed was the Royal West African Frontier Force
. One of the brigades (the 3rd West African) and several of the supporting units which formed the division had already seen action with the 11th (African) Division, against the Italians in East Africa.
The division was established as the 1st (West Africa) Division on 1 March, 1943. Three days later it was renamed the 81st (West Africa) Division, taking the next vacant number in the list of British infantry divisions. The division's badge was a spider, in black on a yellow circular background. This spider was a reference to Ananse, a cunning character in Ashanti mythology, and drawn so that when a soldier raised his weapon to fire, the spider would appear to be going forwards.
The division arrived in India on 14 August, 1943. The movement of the 5th (West Africa) Brigade was delayed, however, after the troopship which was to attack it was lost in the German attack on Convoy Faith
off Portugal on the night of 11/12 July 1943. 3rd (West Africa) Brigade was detached to the Chindits
, intended to garrison jungle bases for the raiding columns. The remainder of the division took part in the second Arakan campaign from February to May, 1944, operating in the Kaladan Valley on the flank of Indian XV Corps
. Towards the end of the campaign, the division was forced to withdraw up the valley.
Rejoined by 3rd Brigade, and converted to a standard establishment, the division subsequently took part in the third Arakan Campaign in December, 1944. This time, the Japanese abandoned the province. The division was withdrawn to India to rest on 22 April, 1945. On 31 August, it was returned to West Africa and disbanded.
3 (West Africa) Infantry Brigade (detached to Special Force)
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It took part in the Burma Campaign
Burma Campaign
The Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was fought primarily between British Commonwealth, Chinese and United States forces against the forces of the Empire of Japan, Thailand, and the Indian National Army. British Commonwealth land forces were drawn primarily from...
.
History
The inspiration for the division's formation came from General George GiffardGeorge Giffard
General Sir George Giffard GCB DSO was a British military officer, who had a distinguished career in command of African troops in World War I, rising to command an Army Group in South East Asia in World War II.-Early career:...
, commander of the British Army's West Africa Command, who subsequently commanded India Command's Eastern Army, facing the Japanese army on the frontier between India and Burma. Giffard had wide experience with African troops, and was eager for them to participate in the war.
The framework around which the division was formed was the Royal West African Frontier Force
Royal West African Frontier Force
The West African Frontier Force was a multi-battalion field force, formed by the British Colonial Office in 1900 to garrison the West African colonies of Nigeria, Gold Coast, Sierra Leone and Gambia. The decision to raise this force was taken in 1897 because of concern at French colonial...
. One of the brigades (the 3rd West African) and several of the supporting units which formed the division had already seen action with the 11th (African) Division, against the Italians in East Africa.
The division was established as the 1st (West Africa) Division on 1 March, 1943. Three days later it was renamed the 81st (West Africa) Division, taking the next vacant number in the list of British infantry divisions. The division's badge was a spider, in black on a yellow circular background. This spider was a reference to Ananse, a cunning character in Ashanti mythology, and drawn so that when a soldier raised his weapon to fire, the spider would appear to be going forwards.
The division arrived in India on 14 August, 1943. The movement of the 5th (West Africa) Brigade was delayed, however, after the troopship which was to attack it was lost in the German attack on Convoy Faith
Convoy Faith
Convoy Faith was an Allied convoy of World War II that suffered heavy casualties after being attacked by German Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor long-range bomber aircraft on the night of 11/12 July 1943. The convoy departed Greenock, Scotland on 8 July bound for Freetown in Sierra Leone and...
off Portugal on the night of 11/12 July 1943. 3rd (West Africa) Brigade was detached to the Chindits
Chindits
The Chindits were a British India "Special Force" that served in Burma and India in 1943 and 1944 during the Burma Campaign in World War II. They were formed into long range penetration groups trained to operate deep behind Japanese lines...
, intended to garrison jungle bases for the raiding columns. The remainder of the division took part in the second Arakan campaign from February to May, 1944, operating in the Kaladan Valley on the flank of Indian XV Corps
XV Corps (British India)
The XV Corps was a formation of the British Indian Army, which was formed in India during World War II. It took part in the Burma Campaign and was disbanded after the end of the war.-World War II:...
. Towards the end of the campaign, the division was forced to withdraw up the valley.
Rejoined by 3rd Brigade, and converted to a standard establishment, the division subsequently took part in the third Arakan Campaign in December, 1944. This time, the Japanese abandoned the province. The division was withdrawn to India to rest on 22 April, 1945. On 31 August, it was returned to West Africa and disbanded.
Character and Organisation
The division was originally intended to operate on a pack basis, with porters carrying all equipment and supplies. Lieutenant General William Slim, then commanding XV Corps, commented on first inspecting units of the division in late 1943:Their discipline and smartness were impressive, and they were more obviously at home in the jungle than any troops I had yet seen... I was at once struck by two things. First, by the horde of unarmed porters who were needed to carry supplies, ammunition, baggage and the heavier weapons, and secondly by the large number of white men in a unit, fifty or sixty to a battalion. Accustomed as I was to Indian battalions in the field with usually only seven or eight Europeans, it struck me as an unnecessarily generous supply.
Order of Battle (as of February 1, 1944)
General Officer Commanding : Major General Frederick Joseph Loftus-Tottenham- 5 (West Africa) Infantry Brigade
- 5th Bn. The Gold Coast RegimentGhana RegimentThe Ghana Regiment is an infantry regiment that forms the main fighting element of the Ghanaian Army.The regiment was formed in 1879 as the Gold Coast Constabulary, from personnel of the Hausa Constabulary of Southern Nigeria, to perform internal security and police duties in the British colony of...
- 7th Bn. The Gold Coast Regiment
- 8th Bn. The Gold Coast Regiment
- 5th Light Battery, West African Artillery
- 3rd Field Company, West African Engineers
- 5th Bn. The Gold Coast Regiment
- 6 (West Africa) Infantry Brigade
- 1st Bn. The Gambia Regiment
- 1st Bn. The Sierra Leone Regiment
- 4th Bn. The Nigeria Regiment
- 3rd Light Battery WAA
- 6th Field Company WAE
- Divisional Units
- 11th (East Africa) Division Scouts
- 81st (West Africa) Infantry Division Regiment
- 1st Light Anti-Aircraft/Anti-Tank Regiment WAA
- 8th Field Park Company WAE
3 (West Africa) Infantry Brigade (detached to Special Force)
- 6th Bn. The Nigeria RegimentNigeria RegimentThe Nigeria Regiment, Royal West African Frontier Force, was formed by the amalgamation of the Northern Nigeria Regiment and the Southern Nigeria Regiment on January 1 1914...
- 7th Bn. The Nigeria Regiment
- 12th Bn. The Nigeria Regiment