1 Infantry Battalion

Brief History of 1 Infantry Battalion

The 1st Battalion Of Infantry Was The First Battalion To Be Established In The History Of Ghana Armed Forces. This History However Dates Back To The Colonial Period. By 1900, Military Units Were Raised In The British West African Colonies For The West African Frontier Force (WAFF). The 1st Battalion Gold Coast Regiment (GCR) Which Takes Its Roots From The Gold Coast Constabulary (GCC) Was Established On 1 Jan 1901 And Was Part Of WAFF. The 1st Battalion (GCR) Was Then Headquartered In Kumasi With Detachments Scattered In The Southern Part Of The Then Gold Coast. By 1907, 1st Battalion GCR Was Organized Into Eight Companies With A Battery Of Light Guns.

The First Battalion (GCR) As The Main Component Of The Force Saw Action During The First World War In The Cameroons And In The East African Campaigns. It Is On Records That The Gold Coast Regiment Had The Distinction Of Being The First Allied Unit To Capture The German Territory Of The Togoland. On The Outbreak Of The 2nd World War, The 2nd And 3rd Battalions Were Formed And Added To The 1st Battalion To Form The 2nd West African Brigade Of The 82 West African Division. On Return From Burma In 1946, The 2nd West African Brigade Was Disbanded And 1st Battalion Which Was Then Reconstituted, Moved To Tamale. In March 1957, The 1st Battalion GCR Was Re-Designated 1st Battalion Ghana Regiment. In March 1958, 1st Battalion Was Again Moved From Tamale To Kumasi And The Following Year 1959, The Unit Was Once Again Moved To Takoradi (Ranchi Barracks). Even In Takoradi, The Unit Moved From Ranchi Barracks To Myohaung Barracks In 1963. The Final Move Of The Unit Up Till This Date Was The Move From Myohaung Barracks To The Unit Present Location In Michel Camp. This Was In 1968. The 1st Battalion Participated In The First And Second World Wars, And Distinguished Itself.

ORGANIZATION OF UNIT

The Unit From Its Inception Had Gone Through Series Of Organization And Re-Organizations. However, The Basic Structure Has Always Been Maintained. There Were Times The Number Of Companies In The Unit Was Up To Eight. Currently, The Basic Structure Of Battalion Headquarters And Five (5) Companies Is Still Maintained. Presently, The Unit Has Five Companies (Namely Alpha, Bravo, Charlie, Support And Headquarters) Under The Battalion Headquarters. The Alpha, Bravo And Charlie Companies Are The Manoeuvre Companies (I.E. The Front Line Troops), With The Support Company Providing Support Through The Mortar Platoon, Machine Gun Platoon, Anti Tank And The Assault Pioneer Platoon. The Headquarters Company Is The Logistic Provider To The Rest Of The Companies And Controls The Transport, Communication, Quartermaster Platoons. The Medical Platoon Is Under The Battalion Headquarters And Defence Platoon.

DUTIES

Every Unit In The Ghana Armed Forces Has Its Own Area Of Responsibility (AOR). Currently 1st Battalion Area Is The Eastern Region.
The unit duties include:

• Assisting The Civil Authority To Restore And Maintain Law
• Humanitarian Assistance During Disasters
• Security For The Armed Forces Base Ammunition Depot (BAD).
• Provide Security For Vital Installations Within Its AOR.
• Participation In Peacekeeping/Peace Enforcement Duties Both Internal And External.

UNIT MOTTO

ONLY YOU!

UNIT SLOGAN

• One Battalion - The Best
• One Battalion - Ready And Willing
• One Battalion - Sure To Deliver

LOGO/MASCOT

“The Unit Logo is a dragon with a soldier with a spear killing the dragon. The grip on the dragon by a soldier on the unit badge indicates the strength of the Unit and its capability to destroy any enemy. Attached as Annexes A and B are the list of past Commanding Officers, RSMs and Magajias of the Unit.”