The King's African Rifles, was a British colonial regiment in East Africa until independence in the 1960s. It performed both military and security functions as noted by its wearing of a grey-blue shirt with its khaki uniforms.

Six battalions were formed in 1902 with one or two battalions located in each of Nyasaland, Kenya, Uganda and Somaliland.

• 1st (Nyasaland) Battalion [1902-1964]
• 2nd (Nyasaland) Battalion [1902-1963]
• 3rd (Kenya) Battalion [1902-1963]
• 4th (Uganda) Battalion [1902-1962]
• 5th (Uganda) Battalion [1902-1904]
• 6th (Somaliland) Battalion [1902-1910]

Further battalions were formed during the First World War, and then after the Second World War:

• 5th (Kenya) Battalion [1916-1963]
• 6th (Tanganyika Territory) Battalion [1917-1961]
• 7th (Kenya) Battalion [1952-1956]
• 11th (Kenya) Battalion [1941-1946, 1956-1963]
• 26th (Tanganyika Territory) Battalion [1939-1961]
• 71st (Somali) Battalion [1942-1945]
• 72nd (Somali) Battalion [1942-1945]

The regiment fought against the German commander Paul Erich von Lettow-Vorbeck and his forces in German East Africa during World War I after which askaris of the former German East Africa became a battalion of the Kings African Rifles. The regiment fought against Italy in Abyssinia and against Japan in Burma during World War II. At one stage the regiment had 44 battalions. Its most infamous member was Idi Amin.

It later saw service in the Malayan Emergency where the regiment was involved in heavy fighting, suffering 23 lost. The regiment's last Colonel-in-Chief was HM Queen Elizabeth II.

When the various nations that made up the regiment became independent, the regiment began to break up.

• 1st Battalion - 1st Battalion, Malawi Rifles
• 2nd Battalion - 2nd Battalion, Malawi Rifles
• 3rd Battalion - 1st Battalion, Kenya Rifles
• 4th Battalion - 1st Battalion, Uganda Rifles
• 5th Battalion - 2nd Battalion, Kenya Rifles
• 6th Battalion - 1st Battalion, Tanganyika Rifles
• 11th Battalion - 3rd Battalion, Kenya Rifles
• 26th Battalion - 2nd Battalion, Tanganyika Rifles

• Battle Honours

Ashanti 1900¹, Somaliland 1901-04

The Great War (7 battalions): Kilimanjaro, Narungombe, Nyangao, East Africa 1914-18

The Second World War: Afodu, Moyale, Todenyang-Namuraputh, Soroppa, Juba, Beles Gugani, Awash, Fike, Colito, Omo, Gondar, Ambazzo, Kulkaber, Abyssinia 1940-41, Tug Argan, British Somaliland 1940, Madagascar, Middle East 1942, Mawlaik, Kalewa, Seikpyu, Letse, Arakan Beaches, Taungup, Burma 1944-45

1. awarded 1908 for services of The Central Africa Regiment

See Also

• Royal West African Frontier Force
• West India Regiment