Royal West African Frontier Force
Encyclopedia
The West African Frontier Force (RWAFF) was a multi-battalion field force
, formed by the British Colonial Office
in 1900 to garrison the West Africa
n 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 expansion in territories bordering on Northern Nigeria. The first troops were from that area and thought of by the British as "Hausas
" and to the end of colonial rule the Hausa
language was a lingua franca in a very multi-tribal force, especially in Nigeria.
On formation in 1900, the RWAFF comprised:
By 1908 the RWAFF in Northern Nigeria comprised two battalion
s of infantry
, two batteries
of artillery
and one company
of engineers. The infantry battalions at that time had an establishment of 1,200 men, the artillery 175 and the engineers 46. There were 217 British officers, non-commissioned officers and specialists. Mounted infantry
detachments were subsequently raised. The standard weapon was the .303
Martini-Enfield
carbine, with QF 2.95 inch mountain gun
s (quick firing pack howitzers) for the artillery.
of the RWAFF throughout its history was a distinctive one. It comprised khaki
drill
shorts with red fezes
. Scarlet zouave
style jackets edged in yellow and red cummerbund
s. Artillery units wore blue jackets with yellow braid and engineers red with blue braid. African warrant officers were distinguished by yellow braiding on the front of their jackets. The badge on the fez was a palm tree. For field dress khaki shirt, shorts, jersey and puttee
s were worn with a round kilmarnock
cap.
British officers wore khaki serge or drill uniforms with tropical helmets (later bush or slouch hat
) for review order and field dress. A green and black hackle was worn in the bush hats. A white mess uniform with rolled collar was worn for evening functions with cummerbunds in blue for artillery and battalion colours for infantry officers.
Because of its identification with colonial rule this uniform was replaced shortly after Nigeria
n independence by a high collared dark green tunic, peaked cap and light coloured trousers. In Ghana
(formerly the Gold Coast) a scarlet and blue British style dress uniform was adopted.
(present day Cameroon
). The experience gained during in this campaign during 1914-15, in difficult terrain against stubborn resistance, made the West Africans a valuable reinforcement to the British Empire forces operating against the German Schutztruppe
(colonial troops) in East Africa led by General Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck
. A single battalion of the Gold Coast Regiment arrived in German East Africa
in 1916 and was soon joined by four battalions of the Nigerian Regiment. All remained active in this theatre of war until 1918.
control. Under the leadership of General George Giffard
(GOC West Africa) the RWAFF served as a cadre for the formation of 81st (West Africa) Division
and 82nd (West Africa) Division
. Both divisions saw service during the Second World War
serving in Italian Somaliland
, Abyssinia
, and Burma
. In 1947 the RWAFF reverted to Colonial Office control. After the war the RWAFF comprised the Nigeria Regiment (five battalions, stationed at Ibadan, Abeokuta, Enugu, and two in Kaduna, with a field battery of artillery and a field company of engineers), the Gold Coast Regiment, and the Sierra Leone Regiment (including a company in Gambia). When Queen Elizabeth II visited Nigeria in 1956 she gave the Nigeria Regiment the title "Queen's Own Nigeria Regiment".
Despite the approach of independence, the military authorities were very slow in commissioning African officers. For example, at the time of the Queen's visit the lst battalion of the Nigeria Regiment had only two African officers, both lieutenants, Kur Mohammed (later assassinated with Abubakar Tafawa Balewa
) and Robert Adebayo (commissioned in 1953 as the 23rd West African military officer). Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi
was at that time the only African who had advanced to the rank of major, and this accounted for his becoming the first military ruler of independent Nigeria.
. From 1945 the force was administered by a Colonel Commandant
.
:
obtained independence as Ghana
and the Gold Coast Regiment was withdrawn from the RWAFF to form the Ghana Regiment of Infantry
in the newly independent nation.
The RWAFF was finally disbanded in 1960 as the British colonies of Nigeria
, Sierra Leone
and The Gambia moved towards independence. The former RWAFF units formed the basis of the new national armies of their respective states.
Field Force
A Field Force in British and Indian Army military parlance is a combined arms land force operating under actual or assumed combat circumstances usually for the length of a specific military campaign....
, formed by the British Colonial Office
Colonial Office
Colonial Office is the government agency which serves to oversee and supervise their colony* Colonial Office - The British Government department* Office of Insular Affairs - the American government agency* Reichskolonialamt - the German Colonial Office...
in 1900 to garrison the West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
n colonies of Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, Gold Coast
Gold Coast (British colony)
The Gold Coast was a British colony on the Gulf of Guinea in west Africa that became the independent nation of Ghana in 1957.-Overview:The first Europeans to arrive at the coast were the Portuguese in 1471. They encountered a variety of African kingdoms, some of which controlled substantial...
, Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
and Gambia. The decision to raise this force was taken in 1897 because of concern at French colonial expansion in territories bordering on Northern Nigeria. The first troops were from that area and thought of by the British as "Hausas
Hausa people
The Hausa are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. They are a Sahelian people chiefly located in northern Nigeria and southeastern Niger, but having significant numbers living in regions of Cameroon, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Chad and Sudan...
" and to the end of colonial rule the Hausa
Hausa language
Hausa is the Chadic language with the largest number of speakers, spoken as a first language by about 25 million people, and as a second language by about 18 million more, an approximate total of 43 million people...
language was a lingua franca in a very multi-tribal force, especially in Nigeria.
Origins
The task of raising the new locally recruited force was entrusted to Colonel F.D. Lugard who arrived in Nigeria in 1898. The following year an interdepartmental committee recommended the amalgamation of all existing British colonial military forces in West Africa under the designation of the West African Field Force.On formation in 1900, the RWAFF comprised:
- Northern Nigeria Regiment - 3 battalions
- Southern Nigeria RegimentSouthern Nigeria RegimentThe Southern Nigeria Regiment was a British colonial regiment which operated in Nigeria in the early part of the 20th century.The Regiment was formed out of the Niger Coast Protectorate Force and part of the Royal Niger Constabulary...
- 2 battalions - 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...
- 1 battalion - The Sierra Leone Battalion - 1 battalion
- The Gambia Company - 1 company
By 1908 the RWAFF in Northern Nigeria comprised two battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
s of infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
, two batteries
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
of artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
and one company
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
of engineers. The infantry battalions at that time had an establishment of 1,200 men, the artillery 175 and the engineers 46. There were 217 British officers, non-commissioned officers and specialists. Mounted infantry
Mounted infantry
Mounted infantry were soldiers who rode horses instead of marching, but actually fought on foot . The original dragoons were essentially mounted infantry...
detachments were subsequently raised. The standard weapon was the .303
.303
.303 may refer to:* .303 British, a rifle cartridge* .303 Savage, a rifle cartridge* Lee-Enfield rifle* .303 , a short film...
Martini-Enfield
Martini-Enfield
Martini-Enfield rifles were, by and large, conversions of the Zulu War era .450/577 Martini-Henry, rechambering the rifle for use with the newly introduced .303 British cartridge...
carbine, with QF 2.95 inch mountain gun
QF 2.95 inch Mountain Gun
The QF 2.95 inch mountain gun was the designation given by the British to a Vickers 75mm gun. It was originally produced for the Egyptian Army. It was taken into British service in the late 19th Century to provide the 'movable armament' at some coaling stations...
s (quick firing pack howitzers) for the artillery.
Uniforms
The parade uniformMilitary uniform
Military uniforms comprises standardised dress worn by members of the armed forces and paramilitaries of various nations. Military dress and military styles have gone through great changes over the centuries from colourful and elaborate to extremely utilitarian...
of the RWAFF throughout its history was a distinctive one. It comprised khaki
Khaki
This article is about the fabric. For the color, see Khaki . Kaki, another name for the persimmon, is often misspelled "Khaki".Khaki is a type of fabric or the color of such fabric...
drill
Drill (fabric)
Drill is stout durable cotton fabric with a strong bias in the weave. It can be used unbleached, although it is more often bleached or dyed.-Use in clothing:...
shorts with red fezes
Fez (clothing)
The fez , or tarboosh is a felt hat either in the shape of a red truncated cone or in the shape of a short cylinder made of kilim fabric. Both usually have tassels...
. Scarlet zouave
Zouave
Zouave was the title given to certain light infantry regiments in the French Army, normally serving in French North Africa between 1831 and 1962. The name was also adopted during the 19th century by units in other armies, especially volunteer regiments raised for service in the American Civil War...
style jackets edged in yellow and red cummerbund
Cummerbund
A cummerbund is a broad waist sash, usually pleated, which is often worn with single-breasted dinner jackets . The cummerbund was first adopted by British military officers in colonial India as an alternative to a waistcoat, and later spread to civilian use...
s. Artillery units wore blue jackets with yellow braid and engineers red with blue braid. African warrant officers were distinguished by yellow braiding on the front of their jackets. The badge on the fez was a palm tree. For field dress khaki shirt, shorts, jersey and puttee
Puttee
A puttee, also spelled puttie, is the name, adapted from the Hindi patti, bandage , for a covering for the lower part of the leg from the ankle to the knee, consisting of a long narrow piece of cloth wound tightly and spirally round the leg, and serving both as a support and protection, worn...
s were worn with a round kilmarnock
Kilmarnock
Kilmarnock is a large burgh in East Ayrshire, Scotland, with a population of 44,734. It is the second largest town in Ayrshire. The River Irvine runs through its eastern section, and the Kilmarnock Water passes through it, giving rise to the name 'Bank Street'...
cap.
British officers wore khaki serge or drill uniforms with tropical helmets (later bush or slouch hat
Slouch hat
A slouch hat is a wide-brimmed felt or cloth hat with a chinstrap, most commonly worn as part of a military uniform. It is a survivor of the felt hats worn by certain 18th century armies. Since then, the slouch hat has been worn by military personnel from many nations including Australia, Britain,...
) for review order and field dress. A green and black hackle was worn in the bush hats. A white mess uniform with rolled collar was worn for evening functions with cummerbunds in blue for artillery and battalion colours for infantry officers.
Because of its identification with colonial rule this uniform was replaced shortly after Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n independence by a high collared dark green tunic, peaked cap and light coloured trousers. In Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
(formerly the Gold Coast) a scarlet and blue British style dress uniform was adopted.
First World War (1914-1918)
The West African Frontier Force saw initial action during the occupation of the German KamerunKamerun
German Cameroon was a West African colony of the German Empire from 1884 to 1916 in the region of today's Republic of Cameroon.-History:-1800s:...
(present day Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
). The experience gained during in this campaign during 1914-15, in difficult terrain against stubborn resistance, made the West Africans a valuable reinforcement to the British Empire forces operating against the German Schutztruppe
Schutztruppe
Schutztruppe was the African colonial armed force of Imperial Germany from the late 19th century to 1918, when Germany lost its colonies. Similar to other colonial forces, the Schutztruppe consisted of volunteer European commissioned and non-commissioned officers, medical and veterinary officers. ...
(colonial troops) in East Africa led by General Paul von Lettow-Vorbeck
Paul Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck
Paul Emil von Lettow-Vorbeck was a general in the Imperial German Army and the commander of the German East Africa campaign. For four years, with a force that never exceeded about 14,000 , he held in check a much larger force of 300,000 British, Belgian, and Portuguese troops...
. A single battalion of the Gold Coast Regiment arrived in German East Africa
German East Africa
German East Africa was a German colony in East Africa, which included what are now :Burundi, :Rwanda and Tanganyika . Its area was , nearly three times the size of Germany today....
in 1916 and was soon joined by four battalions of the Nigerian Regiment. All remained active in this theatre of war until 1918.
RWAFF strength 1914-18
- The Queen’s Own Nigeria Regiment: 9 battalions
- The Gold Coast Regiment: 5 battalions
- The Royal Sierra Leone Regiment: 1 battalion
- The Gambia Regiment: 2 companies
Battle honours 1914-18
Battle honours were awarded separately to the constituent regiments of the RWAFF. These include:- KaminaKaminaKamina is a city in Katanga Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is located at around . It is the provincial capital.- Transport :...
- DualaDoualaDouala is the largest city in Cameroon and the capital of Cameroon's Littoral Province. Home to Cameroon's largest port and its major international airport, Douala International Airport, it is the commercial capital of the country...
- Garua
- Banyo
- Cameroons 1914-16
- Behobeho
- Nyangao
- East Africa 1916-18East African Campaign (World War I)The East African Campaign was a series of battles and guerrilla actions which started in German East Africa and ultimately affected portions of Mozambique, Northern Rhodesia, British East Africa, Uganda, and the Belgian Congo. The campaign was effectively ended in November 1917...
Second World War (1939-1945) and after
In 1939 the RWAFF was transferred from Colonial Office to War OfficeWar Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
control. Under the leadership of General George Giffard
George 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:...
(GOC West Africa) the RWAFF served as a cadre for the formation of 81st (West Africa) Division
81st (West Africa) Division
The 81st Division was formed under British control during World War II. It took part in the Burma Campaign.-History:The inspiration for the division's formation came from General George Giffard, commander of the British Army's West Africa Command, who subsequently commanded India Command's Eastern...
and 82nd (West Africa) Division
82nd (West Africa) Division
The 82nd Division was formed under British control during World War II. It took part in the later stages of the Burma Campaign and was disbanded in Burma between May and September 1946.-Formation:...
. Both divisions saw service during the Second World War
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...
serving in Italian Somaliland
Italian Somaliland
Italian Somaliland , also known as Italian Somalia, was a colony of the Kingdom of Italy from the 1880s until 1936 in the region of modern-day Somalia. Ruled in the 19th century by the Somali Sultanate of Hobyo and the Majeerteen Sultanate, the territory was later acquired by Italy through various...
, Abyssinia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
, and Burma
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...
. In 1947 the RWAFF reverted to Colonial Office control. After the war the RWAFF comprised the Nigeria Regiment (five battalions, stationed at Ibadan, Abeokuta, Enugu, and two in Kaduna, with a field battery of artillery and a field company of engineers), the Gold Coast Regiment, and the Sierra Leone Regiment (including a company in Gambia). When Queen Elizabeth II visited Nigeria in 1956 she gave the Nigeria Regiment the title "Queen's Own Nigeria Regiment".
Despite the approach of independence, the military authorities were very slow in commissioning African officers. For example, at the time of the Queen's visit the lst battalion of the Nigeria Regiment had only two African officers, both lieutenants, Kur Mohammed (later assassinated with Abubakar Tafawa Balewa
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa
Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, KBE was a Nigerian politician, and the only prime minister of an independent Nigeria. Originally a trained teacher, he became a vocal leader for Northern interest as one of the few educated Nigerians of his time...
) and Robert Adebayo (commissioned in 1953 as the 23rd West African military officer). Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi
Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi
Major General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi was a Nigerian soldier. He served as the Head of State of Nigeria from January 16, 1966 until he was overthrown and killed on July 29, 1966 by a group of northern army officers who revolted against the government.- Early life :Thomas Umunnakwe...
was at that time the only African who had advanced to the rank of major, and this accounted for his becoming the first military ruler of independent Nigeria.
Commanders
From 1901-1938 the RWAFF was administered by an Inspector GeneralInspector General
An Inspector General is an investigative official in a civil or military organization. The plural of the term is Inspectors General.-Bangladesh:...
. From 1945 the force was administered by a Colonel Commandant
Colonel Commandant
Colonel Commandant is a military title used in the armed forces of some English-speaking countries. The title, not a substantive rank, could denote a senior colonel with authority over fellow colonels...
.
Inspector General
- Brigadier G. V. KembellGeorge KemballMajor-General Sir George Vero Kemball, KCMG, CB, DSO, R.A. was a British Army officer of the 19th and early 20th century. He was a career officer in the British Army spending most of his career in India and Africa.- Early life and family :...
, DSO - 1901-1905 - Brevet Colonel Thomas MorlandThomas MorlandGeneral Sir Thomas Lethbridge Napier Morland KCMG, DSO was a British general during the First World War.-Biography:Born in Montreal, Canada East, Morland was the son of Thomas Morland and Helen Servante...
DSO - 1905-1909 - Major-General Sir Percival Spearman Wilkinson, KCMG, CB - 1909-1913
- Brevet Colonel C. M. Dobell, DSO - 1913-1914
- Vacant - 1914-1920
- Colonel A. H. W. Haywood, CMG, CBE, DSO - 1920-1924
- Colonel R. D. F. Oldman, CMG, DSO
- Colonel S. S. Butler, CMG, DSO - 1926-1930
- Vacant - 1930-1932
- Brigadier C. C. Norman, CMG, CBE, DSO - 1932-1936
- General Sir George GiffardGeorge GiffardGeneral 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:...
GCB, DSO - 1936-1938 - Vacant - 1938-1945 (role filled by General Officer CommandingGeneral Officer CommandingGeneral Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
West Africa CommandWest Africa Command-History:After the First World War, military forces in the four British West African colonies were under the control of the individual colonial governments. "The regiments of the four colonies were all under the umbrella of the Royal West African Frontier Force...
)
Colonel Commandant
- General Sir George James Giffard, GCB, DSOGeorge GiffardGeneral 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:...
- 1945-1954 - Brigadier Charles Roger Alan Swynnerton, CB, DSO - 1954-1958
- General Sir Lashmer Gordon Whistler, GCB, KBE, DSOLashmer WhistlerGeneral Sir Lashmer Gordon Whistler GCB, KBE, DSO & Two Bars, DL , known as Bolo, was a British army officer who served in the First and Second World Wars. In the Second World War he achieved senior ranks serving with Field Marshal Montgomery in North Africa and Europe...
- 1958-1960
Colonel-in-Chief
The RWAFF received royal patronage through its Colonels-in-ChiefColonel-in-Chief
In the various Commonwealth armies, the Colonel-in-Chief of a regiment is its patron. This position is distinct from that of Colonel of the Regiment. They do not have an operational role. They are however kept informed of all important activities of the regiment, and pay occasional visits to its...
:
- 1928 FM HMMajestyMajesty is an English word derived ultimately from the Latin maiestas, meaning "greatness".- Origin :Originally, during the Roman republic, the word maiestas was the legal term for the supreme status and dignity of the state, to be respected above everything else...
King George VGeorge V of the United KingdomGeorge V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936.... - 1936 FM HM King Edward VIIIEdward VIII of the United KingdomEdward VIII was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth, and Emperor of India, from 20 January to 11 December 1936.Before his accession to the throne, Edward was Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay...
- 1936 FM HM King George VIGeorge VI of the United KingdomGeorge VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
- 1953 HM Queen Elizabeth IIElizabeth II of the United KingdomElizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
RWAFF disbanded at independence
In 1957 the British colony of The Gold CoastGold Coast (British colony)
The Gold Coast was a British colony on the Gulf of Guinea in west Africa that became the independent nation of Ghana in 1957.-Overview:The first Europeans to arrive at the coast were the Portuguese in 1471. They encountered a variety of African kingdoms, some of which controlled substantial...
obtained independence as Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
and the Gold Coast Regiment was withdrawn from the RWAFF to form the Ghana Regiment of Infantry
Ghana Regiment
The 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...
in the newly independent nation.
The RWAFF was finally disbanded in 1960 as the British colonies of Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
and The Gambia moved towards independence. The former RWAFF units formed the basis of the new national armies of their respective states.
See also
- East African Campaign (World War II)East African Campaign (World War II)The East African Campaign was a series of battles fought in East Africa during World War II by the British Empire, the British Commonwealth of Nations and several allies against the forces of Italy from June 1940 to November 1941....
- 1st (West Africa) Infantry Brigade1st (West Africa) Infantry BrigadeThe 1st Infantry Brigade was an infantry formation of the British Army during World War II. It was formed in 1940 from battalions of the Royal West African Frontier Force and served in the East African campaign against the Italians and against the Japanese in Burma.-History:The 1st Infantry...
- 2nd (West Africa) Infantry Brigade2nd (West Africa) Infantry BrigadeThe 2nd Infantry Brigade was a World War II unit of the British Army it was formed from battalions of the Royal West African Frontier Force in 1940...
- Hugh Trenchard in NigeriaHugh Trenchard in NigeriaHugh Trenchard saw service in Nigeria from 1903 to 1910 where he was involved in efforts to bring the interior under settled British rule and quell inter-tribal violence...