West Africa Command


West Africa Command was a Command of the British Army.

History

After the First World War, military forces in the four British West African colonies were under the control of the individual colonial governments. "The regiments of the four colonies were all under the umbrella of the Royal West African Frontier Force. An Inspector General of African Colonial Forces was appointed to oversee their training and act as military adviser to the colonial governments. H.Q. Military Forces West Africa was formed on the 7 July 1940 with the arrival of Lieutenant General George Giffard and one staff officer. The headquarters were established on the 15 July near Accra. His task was the defence of all West African territories and coordination of all Military resources in these colonies." Additionally the command was an important recruiting ground for allied servicemen: it recruited 200,000 soldiers for the allies while defending itself from Vichy aggression. The basis for the command was the units and establishments of the Royal West African Frontier Force.
Conflicting information indicates that the command was either based at Achimota College in Accra or in Nigeria. It was disbanded in 1956. Postwar plans to raise an infantry division in West Africa as part of a British strategic reserve were not realised due to lack of funding.
After disbandment, its infrastructure was used by the new Ghana Army.
Its insignia is still worn today by members of the British Peace Support Team, Ghana, including personnel based at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre.

Commanders-in-Chief

Commanders-in-Chief have included: