West African Soldiers in Britain's Colonial Army, 1860-1960

The book West African Soldiers in Britain's Colonial Army explores the history of West African soldiers who were recruited in the region to serve in the British colonial army. It looks at the development of this colonial military from the late nineteenth century to decolonization in the 1950s, focusing on themes such as identity, culture, daily life, and violence.

Format: Hardback
Length: 400 pages
Publication date: 17 December 2021
Publisher: Boydell & Brewer Ltd

West African Soldiers in Britain's Colonial Army delves into the intricate and evolving journey of West African soldiers serving under British command in Nigeria, the Gold Coast (now Ghana), Sierra Leone, and the Gambia. Due to factors such as cost and the prevalence of tropical diseases, British metropolitan troops were limited in their deployment to the region, making locally recruited soldiers and their families crucial to British colonial rule in West Africa. This contingent eventually became Britain's largest colonial army in Sub-Saharan Africa.

West African Soldiers examines the evolution of this colonial military from the late nineteenth century to the era of decolonization in the 1950s. Rather than focusing solely on the numerous battles fought by this army both regionally and overseas, the book explores the broad and interconnected themes of identity, culture, daily life, and violence. Chapter topics encompass various aspects, including the historical roots of the force, the formation of military identities, including the myth of martial races, religious practices, the significance of visual symbols such as uniforms and insignia, healthcare challenges related to tropical and sexually transmitted diseases, the experiences of army wives, the practice of disciplinary flogging, mutinies, the daily violence perpetrated by troops, and the subsequent employment of former soldiers by the colonial state.

Drawing upon archival research conducted in five countries, West African Soldiers finds inspiration from previous studies on ordinary African soldiers in the British, German, and French colonies of East Africa and French West Africa. This multidisciplinary approach provides a comprehensive understanding of the experiences of West African soldiers during the colonial era.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781648250255