Sierra Leone Army - Colonial History
The origin of the RSLAF could be traced as far back as the late 19th century. The detachment of garrison artillery, shown by the distribution lists of the Royal Regiment of Artillery for June, 1894, was known as the Sierra Leone detachment. Stationed at Devonport, it was the detachment necessary for the defence of Sierra Leone in the event of war, and commonly known as the Sierra Leone emergency detachment. The intention was that that detachment, with or without a theoretic increase on mobilisation in the event of war, was afterwards to be despatched to Sierra Leone.
At that time, the existing garrison on the spot consisted only of the headquarters and two or three companies of a battalion of the West India Regiment, of a company of native sappers, and of a detachment of native gunners. Inquirier were made into the possibility of increasing the coloured force, capable of supporting the climate, for the defence of this coaling station and anchorage, which had been officially declared to be necessary to the Navy for the security of the Cape route in time of war.
The British colonial masters nurtured the idea of raising a fighting force to contain French colonial expansion in territories bordering on Northern Nigeria and to garrison the entire West African colonies of Nigeria, Ghana (then The Gold Coast), Sierra Leone and The Gambia. Britain secured vast Hinterlands for these colonies which otherwise would have been shut in, and which became spheres of influence or British protectorates.
At that time Britain had no force whatever worth the name that could protect British rights and position in West Africa, while foreign countries had huge forces at their disposal. The whole force was raised in 1897 by General Lugard and amalgamated under a unified command designated as West African Field Force, though as early as February 1898 it was described as the West African Frontier Force.
The various drilled levies in West Africa were organised into a single military body, of which two battalions will be stationed in the Niger territories, a battalion on the Gold Coast, half a battalion in Sierra Leone and Lagos respectively. Each of these units was commanded by an officer with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel and the whole were under an inspecting officer, who would actually take the command in the event of any considerable war. The various police forces incorporated received a more strictly military training, and the officers will have military titles; but the force was under the Colonial Office. Only the West African regiment maintained at Sierra Leone, for the defence of the coaling station, remained under the War Office. Uniformity of control and of equipment was given to the newly constituted little army.
The West African Field Force was later re-named West African Frontier Force (WAFF) in 1900. In June 1899, an inter-departmental committee, of which Lord Selborne was chairman, recommended the amalgamation of the Colonial Military Forces of West Africa under the designation of "The West African Frontier Force," the assimilation, as far as possible, of pay and conditions of service, and the appointment of an Inspector-General. The Force consisted of six units:—Northern Nigeria regiment, Southern Nigeria regiment, Gold Coast regiment, Lagos battalion, Sierra Leone battalion, and the Gambia company. Artillery corps were attached to the first three units.
The regulations as to discipline contained in the King's Regulations at all times applied to officers and British N.C.O.'s of the West African Field Force. The provisions of the Army Act relating to discipline apply to native N.C.O.'s and privates of the West African Field Force when on active service provided that any native N.C.O. or private who is guilty of any offence when on active service may be punished as provided by the Ordinances and Proclamations which apply to the various regiments and battalions of the West African Field Force. The Army Act also applies to native N.C.O.'s and privates during their residence in the United Kingdom when sent there for the purpose of undergoing instruction.
The desirability of forming a reserve for the YVest African Field Force had been recognised, and an unsuccessful attempt was made to form one. It was decided, in view of the rapidity with which the native soldier forgot his drill and of the difficulty of compelling soldiers once discharged to come up for drill, to abandon the idea of forming a reserve.
This force first saw real action during the Great War from 1914-1918. he British colonies on the seaboard of the continent increased the West African Field Force to seven thousand men. It fought with extreme bravery alongside British troops in the Cameroons and East Africa against German occupation; where they won several battle honors. In recognition of their great effort, the force received royal patronage in 1928 and it was further re-named Royal West African Frontier Force (RWAFF).
The experience gained during the Great War in difficult terrain against stubborn resistance, made the RWAFF a valuable reinforcement to the British Empire forces in World War II from 1939-1945; as the force served as cadre for the 81st and 82nd (West African) Division, with their administration upgraded from colonial office to war office.
By the end of World War II, the strength of Sierra Leonean troops in the RWAFF was a Regiment (battalion plus), with a company of Gambian troops attached to it. In 1957, the British colony of ‘The Gold Coast’ 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.
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