Is anyone aware of any action in East Africa in 1944 involving the RWAFF and South African troops engaging the Italians? Also : I would appreciate an explanation of the difference between an acting officer and a temporary officer. Thanks HZL
Found this short history, that does give information that the RWAFF DID engage the Italians. And also posted articles of them in Burma. Newspapers.com literally has “thousands” of articles on the unit in papers in Canada, the US and Britain. I got 60,000 hits of the units name in newspaper articles just from 1938 to 1945. If the articles that I posted below are to “hard to read”, I can send them to you by e-mail if you like. Just PM me on this site and I can forward if you wish The Edmonton Bulletin Edmonton, Alberta, Canada 22 May 1945, Tue • Page 4
Thank you, Temujin. These are quite interesting. In your research did you find information about the RWAFF fighting in East Africa in 1943-1945? My father, an officer with the RWAFF, told of stopping in East Africa on the way to Burma, then having to withdraw to let South African troops " officially " take the city (Addis Abba?). But he did not join the RWAFF till around 1943, so was not with those African troops who fought in the earlier Abyssinian campaign. I expect that this information is in the war diaries, but the relevant documents are at Kew and I am in NY!
I’ll have to look, as I remarked, there seems to be hundreds of newspaper articles on the Unit……dated from 1938 to 1945. I’ll take a look in the specific years from 1943 to 1945, and I’ll also check to see if I can spot articles on SA troops taking Addis Abba and if they have any info on the RWAFF
Here’s an article on Addis ABBA’s capture by SA Troops, Apr 1941 (does this seem the right date for you father’s travels???”) This is from TROVE, and is an Australian newspaper article
Here’s a newspaper article that talks about EXACTLY what your father said The Daily Telegraph London, Greater London, England 04 Aug 1941, Mon • Page 3
Royal West African Frontier Force strength, 1939-1945 Twenty-eight battalions, including training battalions, were raised during the Second World War. Gold Coast Regiment 1st Battalion Gold Coast Regiment – served in East Africa with 24 G.C. Brigade and Burma with 2 (W.A.) Brigade, 82 (W.A.) Division 2nd Battalion Gold Coast Regiment – served in East Africa with 24 G.C. Brigade and Burma with 2 (W.A.) Brigade, 82 (W.A.) Division 3rd Battalion Gold Coast Regiment – served in East Africa with 24 G.C. Brigade and Burma with 2 (W.A.) Brigade, 82 (W.A.) Division 4th Battalion Gold Coast Regiment – sent to Gambia 5th Battalion Gold Coast Regiment – served in Burma with 5 (W.A.) Brigade, 81 (W.A.) Division 6th Battalion Gold Coast Regiment – Training battalion 7th Battalion Gold Coast Regiment – served in Burma with 5 (W.A.) Brigade, 81 (W.A.) Division 8th Battalion Gold Coast Regiment – served in Burma with 5 (W.A.) Brigade, 81 (W.A.) Division 9th Battalion Gold Coast Regiment – Coast Defence/ area defence battalion for Takoradi Nigeria Regiment 1st Battalion Nigeria Regiment – served in East Africa with 23 Nigeria Brigade and Burma with 1 (W.A.) Brigade, 82 (W.A.) Division 2nd Battalion Nigeria Regiment – served in East Africa with 23 Nigeria Brigade and Burma with 1 (W.A.) Brigade, 82 (W.A.) Division 3rd Battalion Nigeria Regiment – served in East Africa with 23 Nigeria Brigade and Burma with 1 (W.A.) Brigade, 82 (W.A.) Division 4th Battalion Nigeria Regiment – served in Burma with 6 (W.A.) Brigade, 81 (W.A.) Division 5th Battalion Nigeria Regiment – served in Burma with 4 (W.A.) Brigade, 82 (W.A.) Division 6th Battalion Nigeria Regiment – served in Burma with 4 (W.A.) Brigade, 82 (W.A.) Division 7th Battalion Nigeria Regiment – served in Burma with 3 (W.A.) Brigade, 81 (W.A.) Division 8th Battalion Nigeria Regiment – Training battalion 9th Battalion Nigeria Regiment – served in Burma with 3 (W.A.) Brigade, 81 (W.A.) Division 10th Battalion Nigeria Regiment – served in Burma with 4 (W.A.) Brigade, 82 (W.A.) Division 11th Battalion Nigeria Regiment 12th Battalion Nigeria Regiment – served in Burma with 3 (W.A.) Brigade, 81 (W.A.) Division 13th Battalion Nigeria Regiment – Coast Defence battalion for Lagos. 14th Battalion Nigeria Regiment Sierra Leone Regiment 1st Battalion Sierra Leone Regiment – served in Burma with 6 (W.A.) Brigade, 81 (W.A.) Division 2nd Battalion Sierra Leone Regiment 3rd Battalion Sierra Leone Regiment – Coast Defence/ area defence battalion for Freetown Gambia Regiment 1st Battalion Gambia Regiment – served in Burma with 6 W.A. Brigade, 81 (W.A.) Division 2nd Battalion Gambia Regiment – Coast Defence/ area defence battalion for Gambia
Ranks are given in sequence from lowest to highest. The date of promotion is the administrative date and doesn't necessarily indicate an actual date. E.g. someone is promoted Lieutenant on 01.01.1940, but receives a correction on this date somewhere in 1942, backdating his promotion to 01.01.1939. Such cases are indicated with "backdated" or "seniority". Between two promotions officers can hold an "acting" rank (indicated with "A/"). Usually an officer held an acting rank, which, after having held for a certain (limited) period of time, was converted into a temporary rank. Having held a temporary rank for some time resulted in a war substantive appointment. So, usually the order of sequence is: A/, T/, WS/. The date of retirement from active service is indicated with "retired" (retd) for permanent commissions (career officers) and "released" (reld) for emergency commissions. Upon retirement an officer was entitled to the highest (war) substantive or temporary rank [not acting rank] he held. A/ Acting - [rank for a certain period; after 3 months usually "upgraded'' to Temporary rank] T/ Temporary - [rank for a certain period] WS/ War Substantive - [for the duration of wartime service only]
The History of the Royal West African Frontier Force can be purchased at Barnes & Noble for a reasonable price (in my opinion). Here’s a link to B&N page for the book https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/th...rican-frontier-force-a-col-haywood/1122427204
