The 2nd (African) Division was a

British Empire The British Empire was composed of the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom and its predecessor states. It began with the overseas possessions and trading posts e ...

colonial unit that fought during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

. On 19 July 1940, the 2nd (African) Division was formed in

Kenya ) , national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

British East Africa East Africa Protectorate (also known as British East Africa) was an area in the African Great Lakes occupying roughly the same terrain as present-day Kenya from the Indian Ocean inland to the border with Uganda in the west. Controlled by Bri ...

. On 24 November of that year, the division was redesignated as the British Army's 12th (African) Division. The 12th (African) Division was also known as the 12th (East African) Division when in October 1941 its West African brigade from the Gold Coast was reassigned and replaced with a third East African brigade. The division was disbanded in

East Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territories make up Eastern Africa: Due to the historica ...

on 18 April 1943.

Background

In 1938, the

King's African Rifles The King's African Rifles (KAR) was a multi-battalion British colonial regiment raised from Britain's various possessions in East Africa from 1902 until independence in the 1960s. It performed both military and internal security functions within ...

(KAR) in

Kenya ) , national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

had been composed of two brigade-strength units organized 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. The size of a KAR battalion was established at 36 officers, 44 non-commissioned officers and other ranks, and 1,050 African other ranks.Andrew Mollo, ''The Armed Forces of World War II'', p. 133 Initially the KAR deployed as the 1st East African Infantry Brigade and the 2nd East African Infantry Brigade. The first brigade was responsible for coastal defense and the second was responsible for the defense of the interior. By the end of July, 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, on 19 July, the

1st (African) Division The 1st (African) Division was a British Empire colonial unit during the Second World War. The division was formed on 24 July 1940 in East Africa. On 24 November of that year, the division was re-designated as the British Army's 11th (African) ...

and the 2nd (African) Division were formed. On 24 November, these divisions became the 11th African Division and the 12th African Division. By July 1940, under the terms of a war contingency plan, the Royal West African Frontier Force provided two brigades for service in

Kenya ) , national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

. One brigade was from the Gold Coast (

Ghana Ghana (; tw, Gaana, ee, Gana), officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country in West Africa. It abuts the Gulf of Guinea and the Atlantic Ocean to the south, sharing borders with Ivory Coast in the west, Burkina Faso in the north, and Tog ...

) and one brigade was from

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

. The Nigerian brigade, together with two East African brigades (KAR brigades) and some South Africans, formed 11th African Division. The 12th African Division had a similar formation with a Ghanaian brigade taking the place of a Nigerian brigade.

History

The 12th African Division was one of the three divisions under Lieutenant-General

Alan Cunningham General Sir Alan Gordon Cunningham, (1 May 1887 – 30 January 1983) was a senior officer of the British Army noted for his victories over Italian forces in the East African Campaign during the Second World War. Later he served as the seventh ...

in Kenya. During the East African Campaign, the 12th African Division attacked from Kenya into

Italian Somaliland Italian Somalia ( it, Somalia Italiana; ar, الصومال الإيطالي, Al-Sumal Al-Italiy; so, Dhulka Talyaaniga ee Soomaalida), was a protectorate and later colony of the Kingdom of Italy in present-day Somalia. Ruled in the 19th centu ...

and then advanced into

Ethiopia Ethiopia, , om, Itiyoophiyaa, so, Itoobiya, ti, ኢትዮጵያ, Ítiyop'iya, aa, Itiyoppiya officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a landlocked country in the Horn of Africa. It shares borders with Eritrea to the ...

Order of battle

On formation

On formation as 2nd (African) Division 19 July to 24 November 1940. The division was renamed as the 12th (African) Division on 18 October 1940.Joslen pp.119-120 * 2nd (East Africa) Infantry Brigade **1st Battalion,

''(as the 1/1st battalion after 17 October 1940)'' **5th Battalion, King's African Rifles **6th Battalion, King's African Rifles ''(as the 1/6th battalion after 17 October 1940)'' Renamed the 22nd (East Africa) Infantry Brigade on 18 October 1940 * 4th (Gold Coast) Infantry Brigade **1st Battalion,

Gold Coast Regiment The Ghana Regiment is an infantry regiment that forms the main fighting element of the Ghanaian Army (GA). History The regiment was formed in 1879 as the Gold Coast Constabulary, from personnel of the Hausa Constabulary of Southern Nigeria, to pe ...

**2nd Battalion, Gold Coast Regiment **3rd Battalion, Gold Coast Regiment Renamed the 24th (Gold Coast) Infantry Brigade on 18 October 1940. *Artillery **1st (Gold Coast) Light Battery, West African Artillery **22nd Indian Mountain Battery The 1st (Gold Coast) Light Battery was renamed the 51st (Gold Coast) Light Battery on 18 October 1940. *Engineers **1st (East Africa) Field Company, East African Engineers **2nd (Gold Coast) Field Company, West African Engineers Renamed the 54th (East Africa) Field Company, East African Engineers and 52nd (Gold Coast) Field Company, West African Engineers respectively on 18 October 1940. *Division troops **2nd (African) Division Signals Renamed the 12th (African) Division Signals on 18 October 1940.

As 12th (African) Division

As the 12th (African) Division in East Africa and, from 10 February to 6 April 1941,

, fighting in the

Juba Juba () is the capital and largest city of South Sudan. The city is situated on the White Nile and also serves as the capital of the Central Equatoria State. It is the world's newest capital city to be elevated as such, and had a population ...

in February 1941. *22nd (East Africa) Infantry Brigade ''(left 12 December 1940, rejoined 6 January 1941, left 23 February, rejoined 2 March 1941, left 11 March, swapping with

11th (African) Division 11 (eleven) is the natural number following 10 and preceding 12. It is the first repdigit. In English, it is the smallest positive integer whose name has three syllables. Name "Eleven" derives from the Old English ', which is first atteste ...

)'' **1/1st Battalion, King's African Rifles **5th Battalion, King's African Rifles **1/6th Battalion, King's African Rifles *24th (Gold Coast) Infantry Brigade **1st Battalion, Gold Coast Regiment **2nd Battalion, Gold Coast Regiment **3rd Battalion, Gold Coast Regiment *Artillery **51st (Gold Coast) Light Battery, West African Artillery **53rd (East Africa )Light Battery, East African Artillery **22nd Indian Mountain Battery ''(left 2 December 1940, rejoined 8 January to 22 February 1941)'' *Engineers **52nd (Gold Coast) Field Company, West African Engineers **54th (East Africa) Field Company, East African Engineers ''(left 2 December 1940, rejoined 8 January to 23 February 1941)'' **53rd (Gold Coast) Field Company, West African Engineers ''(joined 23 to 27 February 1941)'' *Division troops **12th (African) Division Signals

Abyssinia and after

From the division's deployment to Abyssinia to its disbanding on 17 April 1943, fighting at Gondar in October and November 1941. *22nd (East Africa) Infantry Brigade ''(rejoined 27 July 1941 left 22 December 1941)'' **1/1st Battalion, King's African Rifles **5th Battalion, King's African Rifles **1/6th Battalion, King's African Rifles *24th (Gold Coast) Infantry Brigade ''(left 11 October 1941)'' **1st Battalion, Gold Coast Regiment **2nd Battalion, Gold Coast Regiment **3rd Battalion, Gold Coast Regiment *

25th (East Africa) Infantry Brigade The 25th (East Africa) Infantry Brigade was a brigade sized formation of the British Army, which was founded on 11 October 1940 in British East Africa. The brigade was initially called the 5th (East Africa) Infantry Brigade, but was redesignated ...

''(from 7 April to 13 July 1941: from 19 September 1941 to 12 March 1942)'' **2/3rd Battalion, King's African Rifles **2/4th Battalion, King's African Rifles **3/4th Battalion, King's African Rifles ''(from 18 June)'' **6th (Uganda) Field Ambulance *26th (East Africa) Infantry Brigade ''(from 20 October 1941 to 18 December 1942)'' **2/2nd Battalion, King's African Rifles **4/4th Battalion, King's African Rifles **3/6th Battalion, King's African Rifles *28th (East Africa) Infantry Brigade ''(from 8 March 1942)'' **4/6th Battalion, King's African Rifles **2/1st Battalion, King's African Rifles **7th Battalion, King's African Rifles **28th (East Africa) Infantry Brigade Group Company East African Army Service Corps ''(from 1 January 1942)'' **8th (East Africa) Field Ambulance ''(from 18 march 1943)'' *29th (East Africa) Infantry BrigadeJoslen p. 429 ''(from 21 January 1943)'' **2/4th Battalion, King's African Rifles **5/6th Battalion, King's African Rifles **5th Battalion

Northern Rhodesia Regiment The Northern Rhodesia Regiment (NRR) was a multi-battalion British colonial regiment raised from the protectorate of Northern Rhodesia. It was formed in 1933 from elements of the Northern Rhodesia Police, which had been formed during Company ...

**29th (East Africa) Infantry Brigade Group Company East African Army Service Corps *Artillery **51st (Gold Coast) Light Battery, West African Artillery ''(left 6 December 1941)'' **53rd (East Africa )Light Battery, East African Artillery ''(from 7 April to 13 July 1941; from 13 August to 7 December 1941)'' **22nd Indian Mountain Battery ''(from 27 July to 5 December 1941)'' **18th Indian Mountain Battery ''(from 27 July to 11 August 1941; from 9 October to 5 December 1941)'' *Engineers **52nd (Gold Coast) Field Company, West African Engineers ''(left 11 October 1941)'' **54th (East Africa) Field Company, East African Engineers ''(from 27 July 1941)'' **53rd (Gold Coast) Field Company, West African Engineers ''(from 7 April to 6 December 1941)'' *Division troops **12th (African) Division Signals ''(left 21 February 1943)''

Commanding officers

* Major-General

Alfred Reade Godwin-Austen General Sir Alfred Reade Godwin-Austen, (17 April 1889 – 20 March 1963) was a British Army officer who served during the First and the Second World Wars. Early life and military career The second son of Lieutenant Colonel A. G. Godwin-Austen ...

1940–1941 * Major-General Charles Christopher Fowkes 1941–1943

References

External links

British Military History - East Africa 1940 - 47
{{British Divisions in World War II 02 02 02 02 02 Military units and formations established in 1940 Military units and formations disestablished in 1941

Background

History

Order of battle

On formation

As 12th (African) Division

Abyssinia and after

Commanding officers

See also

References

External links