Order of Battle for East Africa Command on 20th December 1942

Based on Public Record Office document WO33/1980

East Africa Command

  Command Troops (East Africa Command)

        East African Armoured Car Regiment                                                attached 25th EA Infantry Brigade

        Kenya Armoured Car Regiment                                                         less 'C Squadron detached to HQ 12th (Africa) Division

        1st (East Africa) Field Regiment                                                        forming

        2nd (East Africa) Field Regiment                                                       forming

                58th (East Africa) Field Battery, EAA

                59th (East Africa) Field Battery, EAA

                101st (East African) Anti-Tank Battery, EAA

        Fire Command Mombasa

             1st Coast Battery

             9th Coast Battery (AMTB)

        Fire Command Zanzibar

             6th Coast Battery

             7th Coast Battery

             8th Coast Battery

 

             2nd Coast Battery                                                                        Independent

             3rd Coast Battery                                                                         Independent

             4th Coast Battery                                                                         Independent

             5th Coast Battery                                                                         Independent

             10th Coast Battery (AMTB)                                                          Independent

             11th Coast Battery                                                                       Independent

             64th (East Africa) Field Company                                                forming

             65th (East Africa) Field Company                                                forming

             66th (East Africa) Field Company                                                forming

             55th Survey Company, EAE

             57th Survey Company, EAE

             East Africa Survey Group

             Road Construction Group, EAE

             Road Maintenance Company, EAE

        1st (East Africa) Pioneer Battalion

   HQ East Africa Garrison

   HQ NFD Sub-Area

   HQ Nairobi Sub-Area

   HQ West Sub-Area

HQ 12th Africa Division (Ethiopia Area)

             'C' Squadron, Kenya Armoured Car Regiment                             attached

             12th (Africa) Infantry Division Defence & Employment

             12th (Africa) Infantry Division Protection Company

        3/6th Battalion, King's African Rifles                                                  attached, less 3 companies, en route to 26th EA Infantry Brigade from mid-Jan-43

        FFL, CFS and FFCC (?)

        HQ 3rd Group Somali Companies

             31st - 36th Somali Companies

        28th (East Africa) Infantry Brigade

             2/1st Battalion, King's African Rifles

             4/6th Battalion, King's African Rifles

             7th Battalion, King's African Rifles

    HQ Harar Sub-Area       

    HQ Troops British Somaliland

             The Somaliland Camel Corps

             3/6th Battalion, King's African Rifles                                             three companies

             15th Battalion, King's African Rifles

             1st (Somali) Battalion, King's African Rifles

    HQ Southern Somalia Sub-Area   

             9th Battalion, King's African Rifles                                               

             Somali Gendarmerie

    Central Area (East Africa)

        Southern Rhodesia Armoured Car Regiment                                    

        3/1st Battalion, King's African Rifles (MMG)                                      less one company detached to Mombasa Fortress

        18th Battalion, King's African Rifles (Garrison Battalion)

        20th Battalion, King's African Rifles (Garrison Battalion)

        21st Battalion, King's African Rifles (Garrison Battalion)

        22nd Battalion, King's African Rifles

        23rd Battalion, King's African Rifles (Garrison Battalion)                  forming

        24th Battalion, King's African Rifles                                                   forming

        25th Battalion, King's African Rifles                                                   forming                                          Gilgil                                 East Africa

        26th Battalion, King's African Rifles                                                   forming

        6th Battalion, Northern Rhodesia Regiment                                        garrison battalion

             11th (Africa) Infantry Division Protection Company  

        1st (East Africa) Holding Battalion

        1st Nairobi ADF Battalion

        2nd Nairobi ADF Battalion

        Central Kenya Battalion, Kenya Defence Force

        Nairobi Battalion, Kenya Defence Force

        Tanganyika Defence Force

        Uganda Defence Force HQ

        Western Battalion, Kenya Defence Force

        HQ Coast Irregulars

        HQ 1st Group Coast (Irregular) Companies

             1st-5th Irregular Companies

        HQ 2nd Group Coast (Irregular) Companies

             6th-9th Irregular Companies

        HQ Mombasa Fortress                     

             TAA Ops Room

             19th Anti-Aircraft Brigade

                   123rd Heavy Antiaircraft Regiment, RA 
                   15th (East Africa) Heavy Antiaircraft Regiment, EAA            ex-'F' AA Regiment, RA from 14-Nov-42

                   96th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA 

                   62nd (East Africa) Field Park Company

             2/3rd Battalion, King's African Rifles                                            ex 25th EA InfantryBrigade

             16th Battalion, King's African Rifles                                              moving from Mombasa to Yatta

             17th Battalion, King's African Rifles (Garrison Battalion)

                   one company 3/1st Battalion, King's African Rifles (MMG)  

                   Mombasa Company, Kenya Defence Force
       HQ Tanganyika Sub-Area

             12th Battalion, King's African Rifles

        25th (East Africa) Infantry Brigade

             11th Battalion, King's African Rifles

             East African Armoured Car Regiment                                           Command Troops, less one                  embarked for Madagascar      
                                                                                                                   squadron detached to 29th EA           
                                                                                                                   Infantry Brigade

        26th (East Africa) Infantry Brigade

             2/2nd Battalion, King's African Rifles

             4/4th Battalion, King's African Rifles

        29th (East Africa) Infantry Brigade                                              en route to HQ 12th Africa Division (Ethiopia Area)

             5/6th Battalion, King's African Rifles

             5th Battalion, Northern Rhodesia Regiment

             2/4th Battalion, King's African Rifles

                   East African Armoured Car Regiment                                    one squadron, attached

                   3rd Armoured Reconnaissance Squadron                            attached

                   61st (East Africa) Field Company

        30th (East Africa) Infantry Brigade

             13th Battalion, King's African Rifles

             14th Battalion, King's African Rifles                                                                                                          Mariakani Camp       

                   63rd (East Africa) Field Company                                          Command Troops

    HQ Southern Sub-Area

        2/6th Battalion, King's African Rifles                                                  ex 25th EA Infantry Brigade

        27th Battalion, King's African Rifles                                                   forming, moving to Central Area

        7th Battalion, Northern Rhodesia Regiment                                        moving to Central Area

        2nd (East Africa) Holding Battalion

        Northern Rhodesia Defence Force HQ

        Nyasaland Defence Force HQ

    HQ Islands Area                                               

        Area Troops (Islands Area)

                   Pointe de Vue Coast Battery

                   Windsor Castle Coast Battery

                   Grangea Fire Command

                   154th Heavy Antiaircraft Battery, RA                                   

                   145th Independent Light Antiaircraft Troop, RA

                   238th Light Antiaircraft Battery, RA

                   detachment, 13th Section, 139th Mechanical Equipment Company, RE

                   1st Survey Detachment                                                        

             3/4th Battalion, King's African Rifles

             19th Battalion, King's African Rifles (Garrison Battalion)            

        HQ Majunga Sub-Area

        22nd (East Africa) Infantry Brigade

             1/1st Battalion, King's African Rifles

             5th Battalion, King's African Rifles

             1/6th Battalion, King's African Rifles

                   56th (Uganda) Field Battery, EAA

                   60th (East Africa) Field Company

        27th (Northern Rhodesia) Infantry Brigade

             2nd Battalion, Northern Rhodesia Regiment

             3rd Battalion, Northern Rhodesia Regiment

             4th Battalion, Northern Rhodesia Regiment

                   55th (Tanganyika) Light Battery

                   57th (East Africa) Field Battery, EAA

                   59th (East Africa) Field Company

        HQ Mauritius Garrison               

                   25th Coast Battery, RA

                   43rd Fortress Company, RE                                                   disbanded 01-Oct-42?                         

                   Mauritius Defence Force

                   Mauritius Territorial Force Garrison Company

                   Harbour Defence Detachment

                   Mauritius Home Guard

        Rodriguez                                                                                       

                   Rodriguez Anti-Raider Battery

                   Rodriguez Company                                                               Mauritius Territorial Force

        HQ Troops Seychelles

                   27th Coast Battery, HKSRA

                   HQ Seychelles Defence Force                                              about one company

                          transport unit

                          RE unit

                          Rifle and Machine Gun Unit, Seychelles Defence Force

                          Coast Watching Unit

                   3rd Indian Garrison Company

                   Diego Garcia Garrison Company