British & Commonwealth Orders of Battle

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East Africa Force

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East Africa Force was rapidly expanded following the Italian declaration of war in June 1940.  Colonial units were increased in size and scope and East African troops were reinforced by contingents from West Africa (Nigeria, The Gold Coast, Sierra Leone and Gambia) and the Union of South Africa.  By November 1940, an impressive field force had been organised and deployed.

 

Order of Battle for East Africa Force on 6th November 1940

Based on Public Record Office document WO 201/324

East Africa Force                                                                                              Nairobi                     

   Force Troops (East Africa Force)

      1st East African Armoured Car Regiment                                                                        Nanyuki. Less one sqn  at Arbo

      The Somaliland Camel Corps                                              detachment                           Nairobi                     

      27th Mountain Battery, Indian Artillery                                                                            Kijabe                      

      53rd (East Africa) Light Battery, EAA                                                                            Kabete                     

      1/3rd Battalion, King's African Rifles                                     machine gun battalion              Nyeri, less 'A' Coy - Garissa, 'B' Coy -

                                                                                                                               Wajir-Arbi, one pln 'C' Coy - Lamu

      1/4th Battalion, King's African Rifles                                                                              mile 139 on the Nairobi-Garissa road

      2/4th Battalion, King's African Rifles                               detached from 25th (EA) Infantry Brigade     Lokitaung, less one coy at Kalin               

      1st Battalion, Northern Rhodesia Regiment                                                                      Malindi                     

      1st (East Africa) Pioneer Battalion                                                                                Wajir                       

      2nd (East Africa) Pioneer Battalion                                                                               Isiolo                       

      Kenya Independent Squadron                                                                                     Isiolo                       

    1st (Africa) Infantry Division

      1st Anti-Tank Battery, SAA                                                                                        Mitubiri, less one section at Wajir

          one section, 5th Antiaircraft Battery, SAA                           attached                             Garissa                    

      52nd (Nigeria) Light Battery                                                                                        Mitubiri                     

      16th Field Company, SAE                                                                                          Garissa                    

      51st (Nigeria) Field Company                                                                                      Bura, less one section at Malindi

      53rd (Gold Coast) Field Company                                                                                 Garissa                    

      21st (East Africa) Infantry Brigade                                                                           Garissa                    

          1/2nd Battalion, King's African Rifles                                                                         Bura with one coy at Mile 254 Garissa-Liboi

                                                                                                                               Rd, one coy at Garissa

          1/4th Battalion, King's African Rifles

      23rd (Nigeria) Infantry Brigade                                                                               Mitubiri                     

          1st Battalion, The Nigeria Regiment                                                                           Mitubiri                     

          2nd Battalion, The Nigeria Regiment                                                                          Mitubiri                     

          3rd Battalion, The Nigeria Regiment                                                                           Mitubiri                     

   2nd (Africa) Infantry Division                                                                                   Mitubiri                     

      51st (Gold Coast) Light Battery                                                                                   Nanyuki                    

      22nd Mountain Battery, Indian Artillery (ex 26th Mountain                                                     Habaswein                

      Regiment, IndianArtillery)

      52nd (Gold Coast) Field Company                                                                                 Wajir                       

      54th (East Africa) Field Company, EAE                                                                           Marsabit, less one section at Archer's Post

      1st South African Infantry Brigade                                   attached                              Habaswein                

          1st Transvaal Scottish                                                                                          Habaswein               

          1st Duke of Edinburgh's Own Rifles                                                                          Habaswein               

          1st Royal Natal Carabineers                                                                                   Malka Tulla                

      22nd (East Africa) Infantry Brigade                                                                          Marsabit                   

          1/1st Battalion, King's African Rifles                                                                          Marsabit                   

          5th Battalion, King's African Rifles                                                                            Marsabit                   

          1/6th Battalion, King's African Rifles                                                                          Marsabit                   

      24th (Gold Coast) Infantry Brigade                                                                           Arbo                       

          1st Battalion, The Gold Coast Regiment                                                                       Mile 4 on the Wajir-Arbo road

          2nd Battalion, The Gold Coast Regiment                                                                      Wajir                       

          3rd Battalion, The Gold Coast Regiment                                                                      East Shalante, with coys and detachments

                                                                                                                               at Ruska, El Bey, El Tulli  & Alati

   25th (East Africa) Infantry Brigade                                                                           Nairobi                     

      2/3rd Battalion, King's African Rifles

      3/4th Battalion, King's African Rifles                                                                              Bombo                     

      4/4th Battalion, King's African Rifles                                                                              Bombo                     

      3/6th Battalion, King's African Rifles                                                                              Moshi                      

      2/4th Battalion, King's African Rifles                                     Force Troops 06-21-Nov-40

   27th (Northern Rhodesia) Infantry Brigade                        formerly 7th (Northern              Lusaka                     

                                                                                      Rhodesia) Infantry Brigade

      2nd Battalion, Northern Rhodesia Regiment                                                                      Bwana Mkuba            

      3rd Battalion, Northern Rhodesia Regiment                              forming                               Lusaka                     

      2/1st Battalion, King's African Rifles                                     attached                              Ekwendini                 

      2/2nd Battalion, King's African Rifles                                     attached                              Namweras                

      4th Battalion, Northern Rhodesia Regiment                              attached - forming (?)              Lusaka                     

   South African Forces                                                     previously known as ‘Mobile Field Force’

      No 1 South African Light Tank Company, SATC                                                                 Arbo                       

      No 2 South African Armoured Car Company, SATC                                                            Mitubiri                     

      No 3 South African Armoured Car Company, SATC                                                            Nanyuki                    

      No 1 South African Motor-Cycle Company, SATC                                                              Gilgil                        

      3rd Field Brigade, THA, SAA                                              4 gun battery only, main body     Gilgil                        

                                                                                      arrived from SA 23-Oct-40

          7th Field Battery, SAA                                                                                           Nanyuki                    

          8th Field Battery, SAA                                                                                           Gilgil                        

          9th Field Battery, SAA                                                                                           Gilgil                        

      4th Field Brigade, SAA                                                                                              Arbo                       

          10th Field Battery, SAA                                                                                         Arbo                       

          11th Field Battery, SAA                                                                                         Arbo                       

          12th Field Battery, SAA                                                                                         Arbo                       

      1st Medium Brigade, SAA                                                                                          Gilgil                        

          1st Medium Battery, SAA                                                                                       Gilgil                        

          2nd Medium Battery, SAA                                                                                      Gilgil                        

      1st Antiaircraft Brigade, SAA                                 under command HQ Mombasa Fortress      Mombasa                  

          1st Antiaircraft Battery, SAA                                                                                   Mombasa                  

          2nd Antiaircraft Battery, SAA                                                                                  Mombasa                  

          3rd Antiaircraft Battery, SAA                                                                                   Mombasa                  

          1st Searchlight Battery, SAA                                                                                   Mombasa                  

      2nd Antiaircraft Brigade, SAA                                                                                      Kabete                     

          4th Antiaircraft Battery, SAA                                                                                   Mombasa, less one section at Kabete

          5th Antiaircraft Battery, SAA                                                                                   Kabete, less sections at Garissa and Nakuru

          6th Antiaircraft Battery, SAA                                                                                   Nanyuki                    

      1st Anti-Tank Battery, SAA                                                ? Also with 1st (Africa) Division? Wajir, less one section at Gilgil

          one section, 5th Antiaircraft Battery, SAA                           attached                             Garissa                    

      2nd Anti-Tank Battery, SAA                                                                                       Gilgil                        

      3rd Anti-Tank Battery, SAA                                                                                        Gilgil                        

      4th Rhodesian Anti-Tank Battery                                                                                  Gilgil                        

      1st Field Company, SAE                                                                                            Wajir                       

      16th Field Company, SAE

      3rd Field Company, SAE                                                                                           Nanyuki                    

      19th Field Park Company, SAE                                                                                    Garba Tulla                

      1st South African Infantry Brigade                     attached to 2nd (Africa) Infantry Division     Habaswein                

          1st Transvaal Scottish                                                                                          Habaswein               

          1st Duke of Edinburgh's Own Rifles                                                                          Habaswein               

          1st Royal Natal Carabineers                                                                                   Malka Tulla                

      2nd South African Infantry Brigade                                                                          Gilgil                        

          1st Field Force Battalion                                                                                        Gilgil                        

          2nd Field Force Battalion                                                                                       Gilgil                        

          1st Natal Mounted Rifles                                                                                        Gilgil                        

   Line of Communications (East Africa Force)

      HQ Line of Communications (EAF)                                                                                Nairobi                     

      HQ Mombasa Fortress                                                                                              Mombasa                  

          Coast Defence Battery (Mombasa)                                                                           Mombasa                  

          4th Antiaircraft Battery, SAA                                           under command

          1st Antiaircraft Brigade, SAA                                          attached                             Mombasa                  

              1st Antiaircraft Battery, SAA                                                                              Mombasa                  

              2nd Antiaircraft Battery, SAA                                                                             Mombasa                  

              3rd Antiaircraft Battery, SAA                                                                              Mombasa                  

              1st Searchlight Battery, SAA                                                                              Mombasa                  

          Coast Defence Rifle Company                                                                                 Mombasa                  

          Kenya Arab Company                                                                                           Mombasa                  

          two garrison companies                                                                                        Mombasa                  

      HQ Nairobi and Local British Forces                                                                              Nairobi                     

          Nairobi Battalion, Kenya Defence Force                                                                      Nairobi and Mombasa   

          'Y' Garrison Company                                                   less one section                    Nairobi and Thika         

      HQ Moshi Area                                                                                                       Arusha                    

      HQ Nanyuki Area                                                                                                    Nanyuki                    

          'S' Garrison Company                                                                                           Nanyuki                    

          'T' Garrison Company                                                                                           Nanyuki                    

          'W' Garrison Company                                                                                          Nanyuki                    

          'X' Garrison Company                                                                                           Nanyuki                    

      HQ Nakuru Area                                                                                                     Nakuru                     

          Kenya Regiment                                                                                                 Eldoret                     

          'Y' Garrison Company                                                   one section                         Nakuru                     

      HQ Uganda Area                                                                                                    Bombo                     

          7th Battalion, King's African Rifles                                                                            Entebbe, less one company at Soroti

      HQ Tanganyika Sub-Area                                                                                          Dar-es-Salaam           

          one garrison company                                                                                          Dar-es-Salaam           

      HQ Nyasaland Area                                                                                                 Zomba                     

          internal security battalion                                                                                       Zomba                     

      HQ Northern Rhodesia Area                                                                                       Lusaka          

 

03 March 2002

           

 

Contact Steve Rothwell with comments and additional information