African soldeirs in WWII

[Red]

This topic is near and dear to my heart as it is RARELY talked about. Also my now late gradfather came was a memeber of the 81st West African Division and he saw action in Burma where he lost a leg. I just want to educate some folks out there who may not know this aspect of British Commonwealth history so enjoy and add links if you have any.

http://www.national-army-museum.ac.uk/exhibitions/shortVisits/animals/page18.shtml

http://www.wewerethere.mod.uk/ww2/africa_1.html

http://www.mgtrust.org/afr2.htm

[madjack]

I think "Quartered Safe Out here" by George Macdonald Frasier has some mentions of the African troops in Burma.
And weren't there some with the Chindits and at the battles around Imphal-Kohima?

[Red]

I think "Quartered Safe Out here" by George Macdonald Frasier has some mentions of the African troops in Burma.
And weren't there some with the Chindits and at the battles around Imphal-Kohima?
I believe the 81st west Africa Div was seconded to the Chindits or at least some of them.

Here is a good link http://www.wewerethere.mod.uk/wewerethere_old/intro.html

[gaijinsamurai]

Very interesting links. Thanks, Red! Where in particular was your grandfather from?

[Liptow]

I think it was Moroccian soldiers - goumiers - under Free French command who did the breakthrough of the Gustav line close to Monte Cassino.

[RECON DOC]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif
In pictures: Africa's World War II veterans


http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/06/africa_africa0s_world_war_ii_veterans/img/1.jpg http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/shared/img/o.gif Untold story
The African soldiers who fought for the British Empire in World War II are remembered in an exhibition at the Imperial War Museum North in Manchester, UK. "This is the untold story of the forgotten heroes of the Commonwealth," says Zimbabwean artist Raphael Chikukwa, the curator of the exhibition.
This photo shows troops of the 11th East African Division on the road to Kalewa, Burma, during the Chindwin River crossing.
Photo: Imperial War Museum

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://news.bbc.co.uk/nol/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/06/africa_africa0s_world_war_ii_veterans/img/1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/picture_gallery/06/africa_africa0s_world_war_ii_veterans/html/1.stm&h=300&w=416&sz=42&hl=en&start=2&tbnid=l2R9gdujvNGOlM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=125&prev=/images%3Fq%3DAfrican%2Bsoldiers%2BWWII%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D20%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

[Macaca sylvanus]

Anybody seen the film "Indigenes", marketed as "Days of Glory" in the US and UK? Brilliant film about Algerian and Moroccan troops in France during WWII, well worth a view

[[WDW]Megaraptor]

France also had West African soldiers from their colonies.

I know Nigerian troops also made up much of the British force that captured Ethiopia from the Italians in 1942.