29,525
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
no edit summary
The King's African Rifles (KAR) was formed on 1 January 1902 from various local regiments, and were responsible for the defence of British colonies and protectorates in East Africa, initially Nyasaland, Kenya, Uganda, British Somaliland, and later Tanganyika Territory and Zanzibar. Each colony was responsible for recruiting and maintaining its own battalions.<ref>
[http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C5009 CO 820 Colonial Office: Military Original Correspondence] TNA.</ref> The 1st and 2nd (Nyasaland) Battalions [later Regiments] were established from the Central African Regiment, 3rd (Kenya) Battalion [later Regiment] from the East Africa Rifles, 4th and 5th (Uganda) Battalions [later Regiments] from the Uganda Rifles, and 6th (Somaliland) Battalion [later Regiment] from local Somaliland forces. In 1910 this was disbanded, though a 6th (Tanganyika) Regiment emerged in 1917.<ref> King's African Rifles Papers at the Bodleian Library, University of Oxford]</ref>At least during war time, each regiment could have multiple battalions. Men were recruited locally while officers , and at least some NCOs were from the British Army.
The ''Army and Navy Gazette'' 15 February 1902 (page 2) stated
*A researcher found an officer of the Uganda Rifles 1901-2 mentioned in [[The National Archives]] record "Africa: Protectorate staff lists (East Africa, Uganda, Somali Coast, Central Africa, King's African Rifles), 1896-1905 FO 403/556"<ref>LeoHickman. [http://www.victorianwars.com/viewtopic.php?f=82&t=12425#p66474 2nd Lt John Simeon WARD - Uganda Rifles (1899-1903)] ''Victorian Wars Forum'' 5 June 2018. Retrieved 7 June 2018</ref>
*Catalogue entry [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4724 CO 534 Colonial Office: King's African Rifles Original Correspondence] TNA. This series contains original correspondence relating to the King's African Rifles 1905-1926,
*Catalogue entry [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/h/C77646 Subseries within WO 106 King's African Rifles, including Somaliland Camel Corps] TNA. 1895-1937.
*Search [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk TNA Discovery] for WW1 (East Africa, Cameroon and West Africa: WO 95/5289-5388) and WW2 War Diaries.
*[http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/dept/scwmss/wmss/online/blcas/kings-african-rifles.html King's African Rifles Papers at the Bodleian Library, University of Oxford]
*Catalogue entry [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4635 CO 445 Colonial Office: Niger and West Africa Frontier Force and West Africa Frontier Force Original Correspondence] TNA This series contains original correspondence relating to the Niger and West Africa Frontier Force to 1899, the West Africa Frontier Force from 1900, and the Royal West Africa Frontier Force from 1918. It was raised locally in 1897 to protect the frontiers of the British protectorates in West Africa against the French. It was paid by the imperial government, and officered by the British Army. It took the title 'Royal' in April 1928, and was responsible for the defence of The Gambia, Gold Coast, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria.
*Catalogue entry [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C5009 CO 820 Colonial Office: Military Original Correspondence] TNA. From 1927 to 1938, the files relate principally to two colonial military forces: the King's African Rifles and the Royal West African Frontier Force. From 1939 there is also correspondence relating to other African colonial forces,
===Regimental histories===
*''The King's African Rifles. A Study in the Military History of East and Central Africa, 1890-1945'' by Lieut.-Colonel H Moyse-Bartlett 1956. Available at the British Library UIN: BLL01001096707. Sample pages only, reprint edition [https://books.google.com.au/books?id=Q3C-BAAAQBAJ&pg=PP2 Volume 1], [https://books.google.com.au/books?id=aHC-BAAAQBAJ&pg=PP3 Volume 2] Google Books. Includes Contents.
*Historical records of the 3rd Battalion [King's African Rifles] 1895-1933. TNA WO 106/270
*Record of the 3rd Battalion [King's African Rifles] during the campaign in East Africa TNA WO 106/273
*''The Story of the East African Mounted Rifles'' by C.J. Wilson 1938. Available at the British Library UIN: BLL01009620624. Also available in a reprint edition.<ref>[https://www.leonaur.com/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=25 ''The Story of the East African Mounted Rifles''] by C.J. Wilson leonaur.com.</ref>
