KENYA REGIMENT

[Mervyn Mitton]

Found these in a box the other day, and am showing for interest. They must date back to just prior to Independence. If anyone has details perhaps thay will add to thread.

[unit8]

They are for the Kenya Regiment Territorial Force, which was a Colonial era unit prior to WWII

Edited September 25, 2009 by unit8

[leigh kitchen]

I have a white metal collar badge, design as per badge shown but smaller, I thinkl that's the only Kenya Regiment item I have.

[PKeating]

Hallo Mervyn. I believe the 3rd Battalion Kenya Rifles was formed from 3rd Bn The King's African Rifles in 1963. 5th Bn The King's African Rifles became 5th Bn Kenya Rifles. You might be interested in this 1964 TIME magazine article: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,897079-2,00.html. This unrest was said to have inspired wonderful film Guns at Batasi (1964), starring Richard Attenborough and Jack Hawkins. However, the film was based on the 1962 novel The Siege of Battersea by Imjin veteran Robert Holles, who also wrote the screenplay. His novel was rather prescient. Your Kenya Rifles insignia appear to be early examples. The TIME article gives an insight into largely forgotten actions during the final stages of the disintegration of the British Empire in Africa.

PK

[James Hoard]

Hallo Mervyn. I believe the 3rd Battalion Kenya Rifles was formed from 3rd Bn The King's African Rifles in 1963. 5th Bn The King's African Rifles became 5th Bn Kenya Rifles. You might be interested in this 1964 TIME magazine article: http://www.time.com/...97079-2,00.html. This unrest was said to have inspired wonderful film Guns at Batasi (1964), starring Richard Attenborough and Jack Hawkins. However, the film was based on the 1962 novel The Siege of Battersea by Imjin veteran Robert Holles, who also wrote the screenplay. His novel was rather prescient. Your Kenya Rifles insignia appear to be early examples. The TIME article gives an insight into largely forgotten actions during the final stages of the disintegration of the British Empire in Africa.

The Kenya Rifles and the Kenya Regiment (TF) were entirely different units. The former is the successor unit to the Kenya raised regular battalions of the King's African Rifles.

The latter was a Territorial Force unit which originated as the Kenya Defence Force in 1928 and was formed into The Kenya Regiment (TF) in 1937. It was a part-time reserve force made up of European officers and other ranks, for local service and whose main purpose was to back-up the civilian power during periods of emergency. The regiment was expanded greatly during the Mau Mau uprising, with some regular officers and NCOs being seconded from British units. The regiment was disbanded just before independence in 1963.

Cheers

James

[Mervyn Mitton]

From a small item found in a box, it has brought some interesting information - and indeed, memories of a forgotten part of the old Empire. We occasionally get the African Service medals in, with Kenya Bar - that was mainly the Mau Mau. Have one now to a reserve chief inspector - I suppose they either joined the TF or the Police.

[James Hoard]

From a small item found in a box, it has brought some interesting information - and indeed, memories of a forgotten part of the old Empire. We occasionally get the African Service medals in, with Kenya Bar - that was mainly the Mau Mau. Have one now to a reserve chief inspector - I suppose they either joined the TF or the Police.

There's an interesting little book on the history of the regiment by Sir Guy Campbell, Bart, part of the Leo Cooper series, so it should be widely available.

Guy Campbell, The Charging Buffalo: A History of the Kenya Regiment, 1937-1963. Leo Cooper in assoc with Secker & Warburg, London, 1986. 9.5 x 6.25, ix + 180 pp, 30 mono photos, one map, bibliography, index, rolls of honour, list (incomplete) of former officers and other ranks.

Cheers,

James