The Gambia Regiment was a British Army colonial regiment drawn from the Gambia Colony and Protectorate that existed between 1901 and 1958. Known as the Gambia Company from 1901 to 1939, and from 1945 to 1950, its strength fluctuated from peacetime and wartime, peaking at two battalions during World War II. It saw active service in both world wars, fighting in German colonies in Kamerun and East Africa during the first, and in Burma against the Japanese in the second. It was raised as part of the larger Royal West African Frontier Force, and was part of the 81st (West Africa) Division during its operations in WWII.
Early history
Throughout 1900 and 1901, the Gambia had experienced an insurgency against British colonial rule, which was eventually suppressed by a military expedition, known as the Gambia Field Force, under Lieutenant Colonel H. E. Brake. It consisted of soldiers from the West India Regiment and the Central Africa Regiment. With the West African Frontier Force (WAFF) being founded in 1898, the Colonial Office made the decision to raise a company in The Gambia, initially to be part of the Sierra Leone Battalion. Captain F. O. Graham of the Royal Marines oversaw its creation, with it formally being founded on 30 November 1901. Lieutenant Hoskyns of the Lincolnshire Regiment and Sergeant Noble of the Coldstream Guards, along with Graham, recruited a group of 75 Mendes from Sierra Leone to form part of the company. Lieutenant Morley of the Manchester Regiment and Colour Sergeant Wheatcroft of the Worcester Regiment oversaw the training of the Gambian native recruits.
By 2 February 1902, the company had reached its full strength of 120 men. One quarter were native Gambians with the remaining number being from Sierra Leone. In April, the Inspector General inspected the company, and it was reported on very creditably. On 16 April, a detachment of the company under Graham, escorted the Governor to punish some native Gambians in Bita Village, a Jola settlement in (Foni Bintang Karanai) District. During this period, Captain E. H. Hopkinson served as the Medical Officer. Later in 1902, the company was formally separated from the Sierra Leone Battalion. Throughout the following years, the initial Mende recruits were replaced with recruits from local tribes, primarily being Mandinka or Jollof, but also some Fula and Bambara.
In 1906, Captain Hastings of the Manchester Regiment replaced Graham as the company's commanding officer, and Lieutenant Heeles of the Royal Field Artillery replaced Morley. 1907 saw the company issued with SMLE (Lee-Enfield) rifles to replace their carbines. In March 1908, Captain R. D. F. Oldman succeeded Hastings as commander of the company, with Lieutenants Hasketh-Smith and J. A. Savage of the Northamptonshire Regiment joined the company in July. In January 1910, Lieutenant F. V. Manger of the Durham Light Infantry replaced Hasketh-Smith. In September that year, Captain H. T. Dobbin of the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry took over command from Oldman, with Captain V. B. Thurston of the Dorset Regiment replacing Savage and Freman of the Royal Artillery taking Manger's place.
First World War
At the outbreak of World War I, the Gambia Company had the strength of around 130 soldiers. Hamilton described it as "possibly the Empire's smallest 'regiment'." In September 1914, the signallers were dispatched to take part in the Kamerun campaign. Half the company under Captain V. B. Thurston was dispatched in January 1915, and the other half under H. G. V. M. Freeman was dispatched in September 1915. This left the Gambia Constabulary to garrison the colony.