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.
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.
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:
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.
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.
“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).
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.
“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.