The King's African Rifles (KAR) was a

British Colonial Auxiliary Forces The British Colonial Auxiliary Forces were the various military forces (each composed of one or more units or corps) of Britain's colonial empire which were not considered part of the British Army proper. Whether a British ("Home" or "Colonia ...

regiment raised from Britain's East African colonies in 1902. It primarily carried out

internal security Internal security is the act of keeping peace within the borders of a sovereign state or other Self-governance, self-governing territories, generally by upholding the national law and defending against internal security threats. This task and rol ...

duties within these colonies along with military service elsewhere during the

world war A world war is an international War, conflict that involves most or all of the world's major powers. Conventionally, the term is reserved for two major international conflicts that occurred during the first half of the 20th century, World War I ...

s and other conflicts, such as the

Malayan Emergency The Malayan Emergency, also known as the Anti–British National Liberation War, was a guerrilla warfare, guerrilla war fought in Federation of Malaya, Malaya between communist pro-independence fighters of the Malayan National Liberation Arm ...

and the

Mau Mau uprising The Mau Mau rebellion (1952–1960), also known as the Mau Mau uprising, Mau Mau revolt, or Kenya Emergency, was a war in the British Kenya Colony (1920–1963) between the Kenya Land and Freedom Army (KLFA), also known as the Mau Mau, and the ...

. The regiment's enlisted soldiers were drawn from the native Africans, while most officers were seconded from the

British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...

. During the 1960s, as part of the

decolonisation of Africa The decolonisation of Africa was a series of political developments in Africa that spanned from the mid-1950s to 1975, during the Cold War. Colony, Colonial governments gave way to sovereign states in a process often marred by violence, politic ...

, more African officers were commissioned into the regiment before it was gradually disbanded. KAR battalions would go on to form the core of newly established armed forces throughout

East Africa East Africa, also known as Eastern Africa or the East of Africa, is a region at the eastern edge of the Africa, African continent, distinguished by its unique geographical, historical, and cultural landscape. Defined in varying scopes, the regi ...

Uniforms

Until independence, the parade uniform of the KAR comprised

khaki The color khaki (, ) is a light shade of tan (color), tan with a slight yellowish tinge. Khaki has been used by many armies around the world for uniforms and equipment, particularly in arid or desert regions, where it provides camouflage rela ...

drill A drill is a tool used for making round holes or driving fasteners. It is fitted with a drill bit for making holes, or a screwdriver bit for securing fasteners. Historically, they were powered by hand, and later mains power, but cordless b ...

, with tall fezzes and

cummerbund A cummerbund is a broad waist sash, usually pleated, which is often worn with single-breasted dinner jackets (or ''tuxedos''). The cummerbund was adopted by British military officers in colonial India, where they saw it worn by sepoys (Indian so ...

s. The latter items were normally red, although there were some battalion distinctions with

Nyasaland Nyasaland () was a British protectorate in Africa that was established in 1907 when the former British Central Africa Protectorate changed its name. Between 1953 and 1963, Nyasaland was part of the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. After ...

units, for example, wearing black fezzes. Prior to 1914, the regiment's field service uniforms consisted of a dark blue

jersey Jersey ( ; ), officially the Bailiwick of Jersey, is an autonomous and self-governing island territory of the British Islands. Although as a British Crown Dependency it is not a sovereign state, it has its own distinguishing civil and gov ...

and

puttee file:Puttees from American Infantry Chauchat.jpg, Close-up of a World War I era United States Army infantryman's puttees A puttee (also spelled ''puttie'', adapted from the Hindi language, Hindi ''wikt:पट्टी, paṭṭī'', meaning "band ...

s, khaki shorts and a khaki fez cover with integral foldable cloth peak and neck flap, the designs according to Sealed Patterns procured from India. To note, although this was official regulation, a caption from 1898 describes the equipment and uniforms as being 'anything procurable' and equipment shortages plagued the regiment throughout its early years. In 1898, good conduct stripes were also introduced, carrying an extra shilling (from originally 5 shillings a month) for those who had not been sentenced for imprisonment, confined to barracks for seven days, to a fine of more than five shillings, or corporal punishment. In addition, they also wore brown leather equipment similar to the 1888 Slade–Wallace British equivalent, but locally produced.

Askari An askari or ascari (from Somali, Swahili, and Arabic , , meaning 'soldier' or 'military', also 'police' in Somali) was a local soldier serving in the armies of the European colonial powers in Africa, particularly in the African Great Lakes, ...

s wore sandals or were barefoot, on the rationale that the heavy military boots of the period were unsuitable for African recruits who had not previously worn footwear. Fezzes bore an Arabic or Roman number with the wartime-raised battalions wearing theirs on geometric-shaped patches of cloth. During the

Great War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, all the dark blue items were replaced with khaki equivalents and a short

pillbox hat A pillbox hat is a small hat with a flat crown, straight, upright sides, and no brim. It is named after the small cylindrical or hexagonal cases that were used for storing or carrying a small number of pills.angora shirt called a "greyback". Officers and senior NCOs wore slouch hats with coloured

hackle The hackle is a clipped plume or short spray of coloured feathers that is attached to a military headdress, with different colours being associated with particular regiments. In the British Army and the armies of some Commonwealth countries, ...

Formation

Six

battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of up to one thousand soldiers. A battalion is commanded by a lieutenant colonel and subdivided into several Company (military unit), companies, each typically commanded by a Major (rank), ...

s were formed in 1902 by the amalgamation of the Central Africa Regiment (CAR), East Africa Rifles (EAR) and Uganda Rifles, with one or two battalions located in each of

Kenya Kenya, officially the Republic of Kenya, is a country located in East Africa. With an estimated population of more than 52.4 million as of mid-2024, Kenya is the 27th-most-populous country in the world and the 7th most populous in Africa. ...

Uganda Uganda, officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered to the east by Kenya, to the north by South Sudan, to the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, to the south-west by Rwanda, and to the ...

and

British Somaliland British Somaliland, officially the Somaliland Protectorate (), was a protectorate of the United Kingdom in modern Somaliland. It was bordered by Italian Somalia, French Somali Coast and Ethiopian Empire, Abyssinia (Italian Ethiopia from 1936 ...

: * 1st (Nyasaland) Battalion 902–1964with eight companies (formerly 1CAR) * 2nd (Nyasaland) Battalion 902–1963with six companies (formerly 2CAR) The 1st and 2nd Battalions were also known as the 1st and 2nd Central African Battalions: * 3rd (Kenya) Battalion 902–1963with seven companies and a camel company (formerly the East African Rifles) * 4th (Uganda) Battalion 902–1962with nine companies (formerly the African Companies of the Uganda Rifles) * 5th (Uganda) Battalion 902–1904with four companies (formerly the Indian Contingent of the Uganda Rifles) – the senior battalion as it was the first to be raised. * 6th (British Somaliland) Battalion 902–1910formed from three infantry companies, the camel corps, militia and mounted infantry of the local forces in British Somaliland. On formation, there was no regular staff system in connection with these six battalions beyond the usual regimental staff and an Inspector-General who made two annual tours and reported to the

Foreign Office Foreign may refer to: Government * Foreign policy, how a country interacts with other countries * Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in many countries ** Foreign Office, a department of the UK government ** Foreign office and foreign minister * United ...

. The 5th and 6th battalions were disbanded by 1910 as a cost-saving measure by the

Colonial Office The Colonial Office was a government department of the Kingdom of Great Britain and later of the United Kingdom, first created in 1768 from the Southern Department to deal with colonial affairs in North America (particularly the Thirteen Colo ...

and out of white-settler concern over the existence of a large indigenous armed force.

Operational history

Somaliland campaigns

During the early 1900s the King's African Rifles took part in the

Somaliland campaign The Somaliland campaign, also called the Anglo-Somali War or the Dervish rebellion, was a series of military expeditions that took place between 1900 and 1920 in modern-day Somaliland. The British were assisted in their offensives by the Ethiop ...

against

Mohammed Abdullah Hassan Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the monotheistic teachings of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, ...

(known to the British as the 'Mad Mullah') and the

Dervishes Dervish, Darvesh, or Darwīsh (from ) in Islam can refer broadly to members of a Sufi fraternity (''tariqah''), or more narrowly to a religious mendicant, who chose or accepted material poverty. The latter usage is found particularly in Persi ...

. Lt-Col.

Alexander Cobbe General (United Kingdom), General Sir Alexander Stanhope Cobbe (6 June 1870 – 29 June 1931) was a senior British Indian Army officer and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be a ...

of 1st (Central Africa) Battalion KAR, was awarded the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

for his action at Erego, on 6 October 1902. The KAR were part of the British air and ground force that defeated the Dervish movement in 1920.

First World War

The National Archives UK - CO 1069-144-3

The KAR began the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

with 21 small companies in three battalions (each with up to eight companies following the British pre-1913 half-company establishment): the 1st Nyasaland (half of the battalion was located in the northeast

), 3rd East Africa (with one company on

Zanzibar Zanzibar is a Tanzanian archipelago off the coast of East Africa. It is located in the Indian Ocean, and consists of many small Island, islands and two large ones: Unguja (the main island, referred to informally as Zanzibar) and Pemba Island. ...

) and the 4th Uganda, both of the latter included the 4th platoon of Sudanese with the 4th platoon of 4th battalion being led by Sudanese officers. Additionally, the companies were scattered over British East Africa. Full strength of the KAR in 1914 was 70 British officers, three British NCOs, and 2,325 Africans. There were no organic heavy weapons (each company had one machine gun), including artillery or organised reserves and the companies were, in reality, large platoons of 70 to 80 men. In 1915 the KAR was expanded by having the three battalions reorganised into standard four-company battalions, which were then brought up to full strength at 1,045 men each. It was not until early 1916 that the 2nd Nyasaland and 5th Kenya battalions 916–1963were re-raised, this being due to do with white sensitivities in Kenya about arming and training large numbers of black African troops. Later in 1916 the 2nd, 3rd and 4th battalions were expanded into two battalions each through recruiting in their home areas. It was not until General Hoskins (formerly the Inspector General of the KAR) was appointed to command British East African forces in 1917 that genuine expansion began. The 1st Battalion was doubled, and the 6th (Tanganyika Territory) Battalion was raised from ''

Schutztruppe (, Protection Force) was the official name of the colonial troops in the African territories of the German colonial empire from the late 19th century to 1918. Similar to other colonial armies, the consisted of volunteer European commissioned a ...

'' of the former

German East Africa German East Africa (GEA; ) was a German colonial empire, German colony in the African Great Lakes region, which included present-day Burundi, Rwanda, the Tanzania mainland, and the Kionga Triangle, a small region later incorporated into Portugu ...

and then it too was doubled. The 7th was formed from the Zanzibar Armed Constabulary and the

Mafia "Mafia", as an informal or general term, is often used to describe criminal organizations that bear a strong similarity to the Sicilian Mafia, original Mafia in Sicily, to the Italian-American Mafia, or to other Organized crime in Italy, organiz ...

Constabulary. Later in 1917 many other duplicate battalions were created as the first four battalions (now called regiments in the British tradition) each raised a 3rd battalion and a 4th or Training Battalion. The 4th Regiment raised an additional two battalions, the 5th, and 6th through recruiting in Uganda. The KAR Mounted Infantry Unit (on camels), originally part of the 3rd regiment and the KAR Signals Company were also raised. Thus, in late 1918, the KAR consisted of 22 battalions as follows: * Western Force: 1st KAR Regiment with 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalions; plus 1st and 2nd Battalions 4th KAR Regt * Eastern Force: 2nd KAR Regiment with 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions; 1st and 2nd Battalion of the 3rd KAR; plus 3rd and 4th Battalions 4th KAR Regt * German East Africa Garrison: 3rd Battalion of the 3rd KAR, 5th battalion of the 4th KAR, 2nd battalion of the 6th KAR, 1st Battalion of the 7th KAR. * British East Africa Garrison: 1st Battalion of the 5th KAR, 1st Battalion of the 6th KAR * KAR Training Force: 4th Battalion 1st KAR, 4th Battalion 2nd KAR, 4th Battalion 3rd KAR, 6th Battalion 4th KAR Part of the KAR's expansion involved bringing up unit strengths to the same size as British and

Indian Army The Indian Army (IA) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the Land warfare, land-based branch and largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Commander-in-Chief, Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head ...

Imperial Service units, while also increasing the numbers of white officers and NCOs. The increase in cadres was difficult due to the shortage of

Swahili Swahili may refer to: * Swahili language, a Bantu language officially used in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda and widely spoken in the African Great Lakes. * Swahili people, an ethnic group in East Africa. * Swahili culture, the culture of the Swahili p ...

-speaking whites, as many white settlers had already formed segregated units such as the

East African Mounted Rifles The East African Mounted Rifles was a regiment of mounted infantry raised in the British Colony of Kenya for service in the East African Campaign of the First World War. Formed at the start of the war from volunteers, it was entirely white and ...

, the East African Regiment, the Uganda Volunteer Rifles and the Zanzibar Volunteer Defence Force. The regiment fought in the East African Campaign against the German commander Paul Erich von Lettow-Vorbeck and his forces in German East Africa. Transport and support into the interior were provided by over 400,000 porters of the

Carrier Corps The Carrier Corps was a labour corps created in Kenya during the First World War to provide military labour to support the British campaign against the German Army in East Africa. Service Whereas the Germans, commanded by Paul von Lettow-Vorb ...

. By the end of the Great War, the KAR comprised 1,193 British officers, 1,497 British NCOs and 30,658 Africans (33,348 total) in 22 battalions, including two made up of former German askaris, as noted above. In ''Armies in East Africa 1914–18'', Peter Abbot notes that the KAR units recruited from former prisoners of war were used as garrison troops by the British, to avoid any conflict of loyalties. However, one of these battalions was involved in the pursuit of a force under Hauptman Wintgens from February to October 1917. KAR casualties in the First World War were 5,117 killed and wounded with another 3,039 dying from diseases.

Inter-war period

During the

interwar period In the history of the 20th century, the interwar period, also known as the interbellum (), lasted from 11 November 1918 to 1 September 1939 (20 years, 9 months, 21 days) – from the end of World War I (WWI) to the beginning of World War II ( ...

, the KAR was slowly demobilised to a peacetime establishment of six battalions, at which strength the regiment remained until the Second World War. In 1938, the regiment was composed of two brigade-strength units organised as a "Northern Brigade" and a "Southern Brigade." The combined strength of both units amounted to 94 officers, 60 non-commissioned officers, and 2,821 African other ranks. After the outbreak of war, these units provided the trained nucleus for the rapid expansion of the KAR. By March 1940, the strength of the KAR had reached 883 officers, 1,374 non-commissioned officers, and 20,026 African other ranks.Andrew Mollo, ''The Armed Forces of World War II'', p. 133

Second World War

Africa Settentrionale prigionieri del Commonwealth catturati nel novembre 1941 dall armata italo tedesca

The KAR fought in several campaigns during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. It fought against the Italians in

Italian East Africa Italian East Africa (, A.O.I.) was a short-lived colonial possession of Fascist Italy from 1936 to 1941 in the Horn of Africa. It was established following the Second Italo-Ethiopian War, which led to the military occupation of the Ethiopian ...

during the East African Campaign, against the

Vichy French Vichy France (; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was a French rump state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II, established as a result of the French capitulation after the defeat against G ...

in Madagascar during the

Battle of Madagascar The Battle of Madagascar (5 May – 6 November 1942) was an Allied campaign to capture the Vichy French-controlled island Madagascar during World War II. The seizure of the island by the British was to deny Madagascar's ports to the Imperial ...

, and against the Japanese in

Burma Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and ha ...

during the

Burma Campaign The Burma campaign was a series of battles fought in the British colony of British rule in Burma, Burma as part of the South-East Asian theatre of World War II. It primarily involved forces of the Allies of World War II, Allies (mainly from ...

. The Somaliland battalions defended the colony against the Italian invasion of August 1940, but were forced to retreat and evacuate after defeat in the

Battle of Tug Argan The Battle of Tug Argan was fought between forces of the British Empire and the Kingdom of Italy from 11 to 15 August 1940 in the Somaliland Protectorate (British Somaliland, , now Somaliland). The battle determined the result of the Italian i ...

from 11 to 15 August. KAR units were deployed as part of the 1st East African Infantry Brigade and the 2nd East African Infantry Brigade. The first brigade was responsible for coastal defence and the second for the defence of the interior. (See 1st SA Infantry Division). By the end of July 1940, two additional East African brigades were formed, the 3rd East African Infantry Brigade and the 6th East African Infantry Brigade. Initially a Coastal Division and a Northern Frontier District Division were planned, but, instead, the 11th African Division and the 12th African Division was formed. African Troops in Burma during the Second World War SE1884

African Troops in Burma during the Second World War SE1884

The two divisions included East African,

Ghana Ghana, officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It is situated along the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, and shares borders with Côte d’Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, and Togo to t ...

ian,

Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...

n, and South African troops. The Ghanaian and Nigerian troops came from the

Royal West African Frontier Force The West African Frontier Force (WAFF) was a multi-battalion field force, formed by the British Colonial Office in 1900 to garrison the British West Africa, West African colonies of Nigeria, Gold Coast (British colony), Gold Coast, Sierra Leone ...

. Under the terms of a war contingency plan, a brigade each was provided from the Gold Coast (now Ghana) and from Nigeria for service in Kenya. A Nigerian brigade, together with two East African brigades (the KAR brigades) and some South Africans, formed the 11th African Division. The 12th African Division was similarly formed, but with the Ghanaian brigade instead of the Nigerian brigade. In 1941, during the East African Campaign, Sergeant

Nigel Gray Leakey Nigel Gray Leakey VC (1 January 1913 – 19 May 1941) was a British soldier and a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Early life Leake ...

of the 1/6th Battalion was awarded the

(VC). The 11th African Division was disbanded in November 1941 and the 12th African Division was disbanded in April 1943. In 1943, the

11th (East Africa) Division The 11th (East Africa) Infantry Division was a British infantry division consisting of troops from the British Colonial Auxiliary Forces which was formed in February 1943 during World War II. Consisting of East African troops, the division fough ...

was formed and it fought in

. Two independent infantry brigades were sent from East Africa to India for service in Burma. The 22 (East Africa) Infantry Brigade served in the Arakan in XV Indian Corps, while the 28th (East Africa) Infantry Brigade was in IV Corps, playing a crucial role in the crossing of the Irrawaddy River. By the end of the war, the regiment had raised forty-three battalions (including two in British Somaliland), nine independent garrison companies, an armoured car regiment, an artillery unit, as well as engineer, signal and transport sections.

After the Second World War

The regiment played a major role in operations during the

Mau Mau rebellion The Mau Mau rebellion (1952–1960), also known as the Mau Mau uprising, Mau Mau revolt, or Kenya Emergency, was a war in the British Kenya Colony (1920–1963) between the Kenya Land and Freedom Army (KLFA), also known as the Mau Mau, and the ...

in Kenya (1952–1960). In 1952, the 7th (Kenya) Battalion was reformed; it was renumbered as the 11th (Kenya) Battalion in 1956. 2nd/3rd Battalion, a reserve unit, was raised during the military phase of the emergency in Kenya and was under consideration for disbandment by 1957. A company of the regiment perpetrated the

Chuka massacre The Chuka massacre, which happened in Chuka, Kenya, was perpetrated by members of B Company, 5th Battalion, King's African Rifles (KAR) in June 1953 with 20 unarmed people killed during the Mau Mau uprising. The massacre The 5th KAR B Company ...

in June 1953. The 1st, 2nd, and 3rd battalions saw service in the

, where they were heavily involved in fighting Communist rebels, suffering 23 dead. The regiment was retitled the East African Land Forces in 1957. The last

Colonel-in-Chief Colonel-in-Chief is a ceremonial position in an army regiment. It is in common use in several Commonwealth armies, where it is held by the regiment's patron, usually a member of the royal family. Some armed forces take a light-hearted approach to ...

of the KAR was

Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...

. When the various territories from which the KAR was recruited became independent, the regiment began to break up: * 1st Battalion1st Battalion,

Malawi Rifles The Malawi Defence Force is the state military organisation responsible for defending Malawi. It originated from elements of the British King's African Rifles, colonial units formed before independence in 1964. The military is organized under ...

* 2nd Battalion2nd Battalion,

Northern Rhodesia Regiment The Northern Rhodesia Regiment (NRR) was a British Colonial Auxiliary Forces regiment raised from the protectorate of Northern Rhodesia Northern Rhodesia was a British protectorate in Southern Africa, now the independent country of Zambia. ...

(subsequently Zambia Regiment) * 3rd Battalion3rd Battalion, Kenya RiflesKenya Yearbook 2010 * 4th Battalion1st Battalion, Uganda Rifles (later formed basis of the Ugandan Army) * 5th Battalion5th Battalion, Kenya Rifles * 6th Battalion1st Battalion,

Tanganyika Rifles The Tanganyika Rifles was the sole regiment in the Tanganyika (1961–1964), Tanganyikan army, from 1961 to 1964. History With the independence of Tanganyika (1961–1964), Tanganyika in December 1961, the two battalions of the King's African R ...

* 11th Battalion11th Battalion, Kenya Rifles * 26th Battalion2nd Battalion, Tanganyika Rifles The extent to which KAR traditions influence the modern national armies of the former East African colonies varies from country to country. In Tanzania, a mutiny in 1964 led to a conscious decision to move away from the British military model. In Kenya, on the other hand, the title of Kenya Rifles survives and the various campaigns in which the KAR distinguished itself in both World Wars are still commemorated. On the island of

Mauritius Mauritius, officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island country in the Indian Ocean, about off the southeastern coast of East Africa, east of Madagascar. It includes the main island (also called Mauritius), as well as Rodrigues, Ag ...

which is off the eastern coast of Africa, a detachment of the King's African Rifles was present until 1960. It was gradually replaced by the newly formed

Special Mobile Force The Special Mobile Force () is a paramilitary unit of Mauritius that ensures the country's internal and external security. As Mauritius has no dedicated military, the SMF forms part of the Mauritius Police Force, with its personnel on long-term ...

(SMF) and Police Riot Unit (PRU). Only the Kenya Rifles and the

still exist.

Battle honours

The regiment's battalions were not awarded

colours Color (or colour in Commonwealth English; see spelling differences) is the visual perception based on the electromagnetic spectrum. Though color is not an inherent property of matter, color perception is related to an object's light absorpt ...

until 1924, as colours were not traditionally carried by rifle regiments. The colours had many of the regiment's

battle honour A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or Military operation, operation on its flags ("colours"), uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible. In ...

s emblazoned on it. The old colours were replaced in the 1950s. * Ashanti 1900 (awarded 1908 for services of The Central Africa Regiment), British Somaliland 1901–04 * The Great War (7 battalions): Kilimanjaro, Narungombe, Nyangao, East Africa 1914–18 * The Second World War: Afodu,

Moyale Moyale is a city situated on the border between Ethiopia and Kenya. In Ethiopia, it serves as the administrative centre for two Ethiopian woredas: Moyale of the Oromia Region and Moyale of the Somali Region. In Kenya, it is the largest tow ...

, Todenyang-Namuraputh, Soroppa, Juba, Beles Gugani, Awash, Fike, Colito, Omo,

Gondar Gondar, also spelled Gonder (Amharic: ጎንደር, ''Gonder'' or ''Gondär''; formerly , ''Gʷandar'' or ''Gʷender''), is a city and woreda in Ethiopia. Located in the North Gondar Zone of the Amhara Region, Gondar is north of Lake Tana on ...

, Ambazzo, Kulkaber, Abyssinia 1940–41, Tug Argan: British Somaliland 1940,

Madagascar Madagascar, officially the Republic of Madagascar, is an island country that includes the island of Madagascar and numerous smaller peripheral islands. Lying off the southeastern coast of Africa, it is the world's List of islands by area, f ...

, Middle East 1942,

Mawlaik Mawlaik ( ; ) is a town in Mawlaik District, Sagaing Region in north-west Myanmar, It is located along the Chindwin River, which is the largest tributary of the country's main river, the Ayeyarwady. Etymology " Mawlaik" derives from the Shan la ...

, Kalewa,

Seikpyu Seikphyu () is the principal town and administrative seat for Seikphyu Township in Pakokku District in the Magway Division of Myanmar, on the right (western) bank of the Irrawaddy immediately below its confluence with the Yaw River. It is locate ...

, Letse, Arakan Beaches, Taungup, Burma 1944–45

List of commanders

;Inspectors-general * October 1901 – 1907 Brigadier-General

William Henry Manning Brigadier-General Sir William Henry Manning (19 July 1863 – 1 January 1932) was a British Indian Army officer and colonial administrator. Early life Manning was born in Droitwich on 19 July 1863. He was educated at the University of Cambr ...

* John Gough * 1909 – 1913 Colonel

George Thesiger Major General George Handcock Thesiger, (6 October 1868 – 27 September 1915) was a senior officer in the British Army during the First World War who was killed in action during the Battle of Loos by German shellfire. His career had encom ...

Notable servicemen

* Gen. Sir George Giffard (1886-1964)- Served K.A.R. 1913–1919, British Army officer * Gen. Jackson Mulinge (1924-2014) - Served K.A.R. 1942-1961, Kenya Army officer * Lt. Gen. Tito Okello Lutwa (1914-1996)- Served K.A.R. 1940–1962, Uganda National Liberation Army (1979–1986), President of Uganda (1985) * Lt-Gen. David Musuguri (b.1920)- Served K.A.R. 1942–1957, Tanzanian People's Defence Force officer * Maj-Gen. Sir Freddie de Guingand (1900-1979)- Served K.A.R. 1926–1931, British Army officer * Maj-Gen. John Butler Walden (1939-2002)- Served K.A.R. 1957–1961, Tanzanian People's Defence Force officer * Brig-Gen. Shaban Opolot (1924-2005)- Served K.A.R. 1945–1962, Ugandan Army officer * Brig-Gen. Henry Walker DSO (1874-1953)- Served K.A.R. 1900–1910, British Army officer * Col. Richard Meinertzhagen (1878-1967)- Served K.A.R. 1902–1906, British intelligence officer and ornithologist * Lt-Col. Colin Mitchell (1925-1996)- Served K.A.R. 1960s, British soldier and politician * Lt-Col. Eric Wilson VC (1912-2008)- Served K.A.R. 1937–1946, British Army officer and recipient of the

* Cpt. Tracy Philipps MC (1888-1959)- Served K.A.R. 1913–1917, British public servant * Cpt. David Gordon Hines (1915-2000)- Served K.A.R. 1939–1942, British accountant and colonial administrator * Lt. Idi Amin (1925-2003)- Served 1946–1962, President of Uganda (1971-1979) * Lt. Roald Dahl (1916-1990)- Served K.A.R. 1939, British novelist and children's author * Lt. Peter Hopkirk (1930-2014)- Served 1950s, British journalist and historian * Lt. George Shepperson (1922-2020)- Served 1943–1946, British historian * 2-Lt. Cyril Taylor (1935-2018)- Served 1954–1956, British educationist and social entrepreneur * Sgt. Nigel Leakey VC (1913-1941)- Served 1939–1941, British soldier and recipient of the Victoria Cross * Cpl. Waruhiu Itote (1922-1993)- Served 1942–1945, leading figure of the

* Robert Fraser (1937-1986)- Served 1950s, British art-dealer * P. J. Marshall (b.1933)- Served 1950s, British historian *

John Nunneley John Hewlett Nunneley MBE (22 November 1922 – 27 July 2013) was a British Army officer and businessman. A veteran of the Burma campaign, he later worked for reconciliation between Japanese and British. He was born in Sydney, Australia and ed ...

(1922-2013)- Served 1941–1945, British Army officer and businessman * John Seymour (1914-2004)- Served 1939–1945, British author and activist * Sgt. George Smith (1921-2013) footballer

Uniforms

Formation

Operational history

Somaliland campaigns

First World War

Inter-war period

Second World War

After the Second World War

Battle honours

List of commanders

Notable servicemen

See also

Notes

References

External links

Further reading