2 Infantry Battalion

Brief History of 2 Infantry Battalion

2 Infantry Battalion Is The Only Unit Besides 1 Infantry Battalion With Direct Origins From The GCR At The Time That It Was Amalgamated Into The WAFF On 1 January 1901. The Battalion Was Formed From The Northern Territories Battalion (2 GCR) With Headquarters At Gambaga In August 1901. It Was Disbanded In 1907 To Be Replaced By The Newly Formed Northern Territories Constabulary (Police) Into Which Most Of The Men Re-Enlisted. It Was Again Re-Formed Under The Reorganised Gold Coast (2 WA) Brigade On 1 November 1918 Under Brig Gen Rose Alongside 1 GCR, 3 GCR And A Battery Projected For Service In Palestine. It Was Once Again Disbanded By The End Of December 1918 When The War Ended In November Of That Year. The Unit Was Re-Formed In 1932 With Headquarters And 2 Rifle Companies Each Of 3 Platoons. In 1936, A Support Company And The Fourth Platoon For The Companies Were Introduced. The Unit Was Reorganised/Designated 2 (Territorial) Battalion (Also Cadre Battalion) At Tamale In 1938 With Battalion Heaquarters, Headquarters Company And 2 Rifle Companies.

In 1939, 2 GCR Was Grouped With 2 (WA) Brigade (24 Gold Coast Brigade) And Was Commanded By Brig CEM Richards For Service In East Africa (1940-41) Alongside 1 GCR And 3 GCR. It Returned In October – November 1941 And Was Deployed To The Gambia Up To November 1942 With GCR And 3 GCR. It Moved To Nigeria In Late 1943 In Preparation For Burma And Sailed To Ranchi, Western India, In November 1944 – January 1945 Under Command Of 2 (WA) Brigade, 82 (WA) Division, Grouping 1 GCR, 2 GCR And 3 GCR. It Therefore Saw Action In Burma. It Returned To The Gold Coast In April – May 1946.

ORGANIZATION OF UNIT

All Other Battalions Were Disbanded From 1946 Leaving Only 2 Battalion (Accra) And 1 Battalion (Tamale). This Was Effectively A Rotation Of Two Oldest Battalions. A Company Of The Unit Was, However, Stationed At Takoradi. The Unit Remained Under Command Of 3 British Cos With Lt Col RE Patrick, OBE, DSO (1948 - 54) Being The First. Elements Of 2 Battalion (And Possibly 1 Battalion) Were Deployed To Egypt In 1945 – 46. The Unit Returned To Home Establishment In 1947 And Was Stationed At Tamale. After The 28 February Cross-Road Disturbances In 1948, It Moved To Takoradi. The Unit Was Re-Designated 2 Battalion, Ghana Regiment In March 1957. The First Ghanaian CO Was Lt Col JE Michel (15 November 1959 – 29 July 1960). The Delta Company Was Abolished In December 1970 Under The New Establishment Of The Ghana Army.

OPERATIONS

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:

• ONUC Congo (1960-64). Three Tours. First Tour With HQ At Lac Mukambu, Kasai Province Under Lt Col DA Hansen (18 July – November 1960), Second Tour With HQ At Luluaburg (Lulu Dist: Nweka, Bukuanga And Port Franqui Areas) Under Lt Col NA Aferi (January – May 1961). It Suffered The Port Franqui Massacre With 43 Men Of A Company And 2 British Officers Killed On 22 May 1961. The HQ For The Third Tour Was At Kamina (Congo) Base Under Lt Col EK Kotoka, GSO (September 1962 – February 1963). The Unit Participated In The UN Katanga Operations And Fought In The Battles Of MITOBE, LUKAKA And Kamina Area.
• UNEF, Sinai Egypt (1973 - 79). Two Tours. First Tour As Ghanbatt 4 With HQ At Camp El-Fanara Under Lt Col JC Agbleze/Lt Col RK Dzogbenuku (1975 - 76), And The Second Tour As Ghanbatt 11 With HQ At Mitla Camp Under Lt Col IGMK Kpeto (February – August 1979).
• UNIFIL, Lebanon (From August 1979 Onward). Four Tours. First Tour As Ghanbatt 11, With HQ At Kafr Dunin Under Lt Col IGMK Kpeto (August – November 1979), Second As Ghanbatt 28 With HQ At Marakeh Under Lt Col CA Okae (June – December 1987), Third As Ghanbatt 35 With HQ At Marakeh Under Lt Col G Aryiku (March – September 1991) And Fourth Tour As Ghanbatt 47 With HQ At Al Qaranis Under Lt Col JK Kumah (August 1997 – March 1998).
• ECOMOG, Liberia (1990 – 1999). One Tour As Ghanbatt 1 With HQ In Monrovia (Free Port) Under Lt Col G Aryiku (August 1990 – January 1991).
• UNTAC, Cambodia (1992 - 93). One Tour As Ghanbatt 2 With HQ At Roussey Keo Under Lt Col GE Amamoo (March – October 1993).
• UNAMIR, Rwanda (1994 - 95). One Tour As Ghanbatt 3 With HQ At Kibungo Under Lt Col GE Amamoo (May 1995 – March 1996).

The Unit Was First Presented With The Queen’s Colours In 1937 By The Governor Of The Gold Coast, HE Sir Arnold Hodson, KCMG. It Was Again Presented With New Colours At Takoradi In 1955 By The Governor And C-In-C Of The Gold Coast, Sir Charles Arden Clarke, KCMG, And Again In December 1959 By The Governor General And C-In-C, HE Right Honourable Earl Of Listowel, PC, GCMG.

BATTLE HONOURS

Ashant 1873-74; Ashanti 1900; West African Medal And Clasp 1903; Kamina 1914; Duala; Cameroons 1914-16; Narungumbe 1916-18; East Africa 1916-18; Wal Garis; El Wak; Juba; Bulo Brillo, Gelib, Alessandra; Wadarra; Abyssinia 1940-41; North Arakan; Kaladan, Tinma, Mayu Valley; Myohaung, Arakan Beaches, Kangaw, Taungup; Burma 1943-1945.

MOTTO

“One Unit One Mission, One Mission One Unit” Signifying Unit Esprit-De-Corps, “Together We Fight As One Body With One Aim.” Initiated June 1987 At Kpetoe By Lt Col CA Okae (21st CO, 3 July 1985 – September 1988).

ANTHEM

The Unit Anthem, “Will Your Anchor Hold, ” Was Adopted By Lt Col GE Amamoo (23rd CO, 3 January 1993 – 13 February 1997) During UNAMIR Operations In September 1995.

EMBLEM

“The Fighting Spirit ”. Adopted By Lt Col IK Amoah (13th CO, November 1972 – April 1975) To Depict The Extraordinary Fighting Qualities Of The Unit. It Was Carved On Wood As Essikadu, Near Sekondi.