The 1st Battalion The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers served twice in Kenya; from 1953-1955 and 1960-1963. During the former period, the Battalion was flown to the colony at short notice during the Mau Mau uprising.
Mau Mau, drawn mainly from the Kikuyu tribe, concentrated on raiding European farms, destroying crops and animals, and killing or intimidating both white and black Kenyans. The Battalion alternated between Nairobi, operating roadblocks, cordon and search operations and in the area northeast of Mount Kenya where patrols, sweeps and ambushes were carried out. In 1955, the Regiment was awarded the Freedom of the City of Nairobi, a unique honour as no other British regiment has ever been awarded the Freedom of a colonial city.
The second period of service in Kenya was markedly different from the first in that it was a planned ‘Arms Plot move’ to join 24 Brigade as part of the Strategic Reserve. The Battalion travelled out by troopship on HMT Devonshire, although A and B Companies were detached for a year in Bahrain.
In 1961 Iraq attempted to invade Kuwait on the expiry of a British-Kuwaiti defence agreement. At very short notice, the Battalion was flown to Kuwait on Operation VANTAGE along with the 2nd Battalion The Coldstream Guards and the 1st Battalion The Kings Regiment. They occupied a defensive position on the Mutla Ridge from where they were able to dominate ground to the north and west of Kuwait City up to the Iraq Border. Three months were spent in Kuwait during the hottest part of the year before staging through Bahrain for a further three weeks before returning to Kenya where the new barracks at Kahawa was occupied for the first time.
Preparation then began in earnest for the presentation of new Colours by the Colonel-in-Chief in February 1962. Prior to leaving Kenya, the battalion was able to exercise the Freedom of Nairobi by marching through the city with ‘Colours flying, bayonets fixed and bands playing” on two occassions, firstly in 1960 and again in 1962. On the latter occasion, the first African-Kenyan mayor of Nairobi, Charles Wanyoike Rubia, took the salute.
Making sure that nobody is overweight for the air move to Kenya.
Embarking on HMS Triumph for passage to Mombasa.
The Freedom of Nairobi was granted to 1st Inniskillings in June 1955
His Royal Highness, the Duke of Gloucester, Earl of Ulster presented new Colours to the 1st Battalion The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers at Kahawa Barracks in Kenya on 20 January 1962. Lieutenant P V Kendall-Jones receives the Regimental Colour, Lieutenant D J C Stewart having received the Queens Colour.
31 March 1960; the 1st Battalion The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers exercise their rights as Freemen of the City of Nairobi to march with 'Colours flying, bayonets fixed and bands playing' on the occasion of the 10th anniversary of the Granting of the Charter to the City of Nairobi. The Colour Party consists of (L to R) Lt F M Elliott, CSM Nelson, Sgt E McFeeters, Lt D J C Stewart and C/Sgt J Donnegan
On 2 June 1955, Lieutenant Colonel G F Maxwell, Commanding Officer, 1st Battalion The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, receives the Freedom Scroll from the Mayor of Nairobi, Alderman R S Alexander.
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