Kar: a History of the King's African Rifles

The King's African Rifles and East African Forces had their origins in the suppression of the slave trade and the activities of Christian missionaries in East and Central Africa before the establishment of colonial rule. The King's African Rifles were formed officially on 1 January 1902, having already begun their first major campaign, against the Mullah in Somaliland. Thereafter they fought against von Lettow Vorbeck in what was German East Africa in World War One, expanding to 22 KAR battalions, a mounted infantry unit and a signal Squadron. In World War Two they contributed 43 battalions to the Allied cause and had their own armoured, artillery, engineers, signals, supplies and transport, medical, ordnance and EME units. Their major campaigns were in Somaliland, Ethiopia, Madagascar and Burma. In the post-war period they were active in Malaya and against Mau Mau. With independence they provided the foundations of the armies of the new nations. This book tells their story from the beginning to the end; it includes much hitherto unpublished material.