Gold Coast Regiment.

Discussion in 'General' started by Owen, Apr 25, 2006.

  1. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    I've been trying to find something on this for awhile.
    Men of The Gold Coast Regiment served the Empire/Commonwealth in Two World Wars.
    They were particularly feared by the Japanese who thought they would be eaten if captured. Well that's what I've read.
    This is what happened to some of them soon after WW2.
    http://ghanawebnews.com/wreaths-were-laid-at-the-osu-cenotaph-on-tuesday-in-commemoration-of-the-58th-anniversary-of-the-three-ex-servicemen-who-were-gunned-down-at-the-christianborg-crossroads-on-february-28-1948-while-goin.html
    February 28, 2006

    Ghana remembers fallen heroes
    Wreaths were laid at the Osu Cenotaph on Tuesday in commemoration of the 58th anniversary of the three ex-servicemen who were gunned down at the Christianborg Crossroads on February 28, 1948, while going to present a petition to the British Colonial Governor, Sir Gerald Creasy.

    The victims were Sergeant Adjetey, Corporal Attipoe and Private Odartey Lamptey.
    Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor, Minister of Defence, laid a wreath on behalf of the government and people of Ghana and Lt-Gen J.B. Danquah, the Chief of Defence Staff, laid one on behalf of the security services. The Chairman of the Veterans Association of Ghana laid one on behalf of ex-servicemen while Nii Adote Obuor, Sempe Mantse and Acting President of Ga Traditional Area, laid one on behalf of traditional rulers.
    Over 120 men drawn from the Army, the Air Force, the Navy and the Police Service and three officers formed the parade, which was under the command of Major F. D. Arthur.
    Major D. B. Bangsiibu, Director of Religious Service of the Ghana Armed Forces, thanked God for sustaining the country since the colonial era and prayed for peace and stability in Ghana and in the world. Major S. S. Adam, Chief Imam of the Ghana Armed Forces, prayed for sustenance of peace and stability.
    The Osu Wulomo, poured the libation.
    On Saturday, February 28, 1948, a number of ex-servicemen were marching from Accra to Christianborg Castle to present a petition to the Governor on their unpaid war benefits when they were intercepted at the crossroads by a contingent of armed policemen.
    The contingent led by British Superintendent Mr Imray ordered that they dispersed when they refused to obey, he gave an order to the police to open fire and the three ex-servicemen were killed. The soldiers had fought alongside the allied forces in the Gold Coast Regiment of the Royal West African Frontier Force during the Second World War and had returned home poor and were not paid their gratuities.
    After several appeals to the colonial government to consider their plight had failed, the ex-servicemen decided that a direct approach should be made to the British Colonial Governor of the Gold Coast.
    News about the death of the servicemen spread rapidly, leading to a situation where law and order broke down in Accra and other parts of the country.
    It encouraged anti-colonial movements to press the British government to institute a committee to investigate the killings and general disorder.
    The Committee recommended self-government for the Gold Coast, which subsequently led to the attainment of political independence for the country.
     
  2. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Here's a story from a Gold Coast Regiment Veteran, backing up my story about the Japanese fear of being eaten.

    African participants in the Second World War

    Al-Haji Abdul Aziz Brimah, 81st West African Division (Gold Coast)




    We knew that if we didn’t volunteer the enemy would come. Our motives: one, the British helped us to quench our tribal wars. Two, if they have trouble elsewhere, it’s proper for us to help them. Three, it’s also in our own interest - these people have an expanding attitude to cover the whole world. If we did not go out to face them, they would come here ... This fight we took like a Jihad, a Holy Battle. So it was allowed to Muslims. If you don’t fight - they will come to your home, and kill you!'



    'When we were coming into India on our ship, rumours went round among the Indians: "The Africans are coming! They are cannibals; they chop [eat] people; they have tails!" So when we went to bathe in the streams, people asked us not to take our pants off - our blue PT pants - in case they would be frightened by our tails! Then the British authorities themselves began to spread the story: "We are bringing in the Africans. When they catch you, they will chop you alive" (laughs) This was the best way they had of putting fear into the Japanese.'



    'In the Burmese jungle there was something we called tiger leech. It’s very small, very thin. If it gets to your body it will suck your blood and get bigger and bigger. So we used a cigarette end or a match on the under of that thing; it will take its fangs out. But if you don’t do that, but just pull it off, the fangs will stay within your body, and it will go bad - very bad.'



    'The Japanese put leaves all over their bodies and they crawl gradually, as if they were trees or grass. We’d been trained and lectured as to all these tricks. If there’s two trees near together they can fix a machine-gun to each one and tie a rope to the triggers, then lie in the middle. If he see you coming, he’d pull this rope: kak-ak-ak-ak-ak! Then that one: kak-ak-ak-ak-ak! Then he’ll release a mortar bomb: bam-bam-bam! You’ll think there are so many people, but it may just be one or two.'



    If you are in a war you forget everything. There was no time to pray. This jungle war was not a child’s play - it was something very dangerous, I think unprecedented anywhere. You become a different person. You left behind every civilian attitude, every gentle attitude. You forgot ... everything. That is why, after the war, they did not let us come home straight away. They gave us two good months, with money, to go to any part of India. It was something to refresh us, to let us come back to a human being.’
     
  3. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

  4. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    I'm on a roll now,this is going to be my Gold coast Regiment threadhttp://www.wewerethere.mod.uk/popup/609.html



    Colour Sergeant Major Bawa Bazabarini MM

    Gold Coast Regiment


    Colour Sergeant Major Bawa Bazabarimi was awarded the Military Medal for his bravery during the East African Campaign at Bulo Erillo (in the former Italian Somaliland) on 13th February 1941. On that day his Company had come under heavy machine-gun and grenade fire from opposing Italian troops. After the death of one of the officers in the Company, Colour Sergeant Major Bazabarimi organised and led a successful bayonet charge against a machine-gun post. Despite being wounded in this attack, he continued to be involved in the fighting and took over the leadership of another platoon after the death of their officer.
     
  5. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Thanks for moving it, Lee.
     
  6. Story

    Story Member

  7. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Company Sergeant Major Bawa Bazabarimi MM, 2 Gold Coast Regiment, East Africa Force.

    Awarded Military Medal.

    Conspicuous Bravery in Action.

    CSM Bawa Bazabarimi was African Company Sergeant Major of 'C' Company during the engagement at Bulo Erillo on 13th February 1941. At one period the leading platoons of the company were held up by intense machine gun fire. 2/Lieut. P.J. Wauchope personally took a Bren gun forward to endeavour to subdue it but was instantly killed. The No.1 No.13051 Pte Ali Dagarti then took the gun from 2/Lieut. Wauchope but was at once wounded. CSM Bawa Bazabarimi then rushed the enemy trench, threw two grenades into and followed up with the bayonet. He was slightly wounded in doing so but on reaching the trench he found three Italians and four Africans in it, all dead as the result of his grenade throwing.

    Subsequently, despite his wounds, CSM Bawa Bazabarimi continued to give valuable assistance to CSM Twyman in controlling the Company after the Company Commander and 2nd-in-Command had been killed.


    LG 21.10.41
     
  8. Sproatave

    Sproatave New Member

    My father in law, John Frederick Goody, (Fred) was a captain in the 2nd Gold Coast Regt. and served in the Burma campaign. At the end of the war the regiment was involved in trying to get isolated Japanese units to surrender. A very dangerous job. Fred originally joined the Kings Own Royal Regt. and was seconded to the Gold Coast Regt. After the war he served in Bradford Police force and also became Vice Commandant at the Pannal Ash Police Training School in Harrogate Yorkshire. Unfortunately he died in 2013 aged 94. I have a Japanese NCO's sword that he brought back from Burma at the end of the war. He did admit that it was not taken in any heroic action but bought from a Sergeant for a fiver. His father was Lord Mayor of Carlisle at the end of WW1. Did not get to talk to him much about his wartime experiences as we moved to the States in 1982. Now I wish I had spent more time with him. He did recall several actions, including some where there no Japanese involved, just allied troops firing at each other during night alarms.
     
    Owen likes this.

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