1953
The next call for help came in 1953. It was from British Guiana on the mainland of South America. Conditions there were worsening following the introduction of a constitution by Dr. Jagan, leader of the Peoples Progressive Party, who was publicly praising the Mau Mau for killing whites. Two companies of the Royal Welch were dispatched to British Guiana and they sailed into Georgetown on board two frigates ready to open up with all they had. They were met at the quayside by an official party, who assured the C.O. of the Royal Welch that there was no cause for alarm. Having changed from battle order to parade dress, the troops received a big welcome as they marched ashore. Dr. Jagan, meanwhile, expressed his amazement at the intrusion of the military when the situation was 'normal and peaceful'. The British thought otherwise so Guiana's constitution was suspended and a separate battalion was brought in from the U.K. for garrison duty. Arriving in the carrier HMS Implacable, the 1st Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders relieved the Royal Welch by the end of October.
The situation in Guiana remained outwardly quite calm as the troops, by their presence, had made the political climate stay that way. The Argylls were relieved by the 2nd Black Watch in October 1954, and in turn were relieved by the 1st Worcestershires, who had relieved the 1st Duke of
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1962
The spotlight switched back to British Guiana. There was mounting conflict of racial domination between those of Indian origin led by the Prime Minister, Dr. Jagan, and those of African origin led by Mr. Burnham. Violence erupted in February 1962 when a general strike was called in protest against Jagan's budget. On the 14th the threat of mass disorder and violence in Georgetown sent orders and appeals for troops. There was a swift response and B Company, 1st Royal Hampshires left Kingston Jamaica at about 4am. On the 15th the 1st/1st East Anglian (Royal Norfolks and Suffolk) were alerted and at 8pm that same night two companies of East Anglians flew out from Stanstead Airport. The police in Georgetown retained control until early afternoon on the 16th, when a summons arrived for the garrison, A Company of the Royal Hampshires, who were waiting at the old American airbase 28 miles inland. The sky was thick with smoke and fires blazed everywhere as they drove into Georgetown.
Two platoons were rushed off to guard Jagan's house and public installations, leaving a third platoon to undertake the task of clearing the streets of rioters. By steady advance, in box formation, they sent looters and rioters scuttling away from the main street. The rioters and looters were driven into the arms of the police and detained, adding another task for the troops of guarding them. At 4 pm the detachment from Jamaica arrived onboard HMS Troubridge, thus making two companies of Hampshires to continue the task of rounding up looters all through the night, with the occasional shot being fired to disperse crowds. The two companies of the East Anglians arrived on the morning of the 17th, to be followed by the remainder of the Battalion and a company of the Duke of Edinburgh's. The men were sent off to patrol the streets. The East Anglians found themselves being lauded by a complete mixture of every race and colour. They extended the hand of friendship and showed a most gratifying liking and respect for the British soldier. By the end of March, the East Anglians had assumed full responsibility for the garrison duties, keeping only the resident company of Hampshires until the latter's departure in June.
1963
British Guiana remained quiet for over a year and then in April 1963, another general strike was called for in protest against Jagan's government. The 1st Coldstream Guards were now the garrison battalion, having relieved the East Anglian the previous October for the unaccompanied tour that had become routine for this station. For the most part they stood by, while the police riot squads dispersed gangs of rioters. Famine set in and rioting gave way to more widely dispersed groups bent on murder and intimidation. The Coldstreams were soon stretched to the limit in providing escorts and patrolling the villages that lay on the fringes of the jungle. One patrol, under a subaltern, released one village that had been in the grip of one gang, while another patrol of six men encountered a mob that showed no inclination to disperse. A shot had to be fired and it killed three people and wounded one. Such was the use of minimum force, when applied by the high velocity self-loading rifle.
More troops had to be summoned and the 1st/2nd Green Jackets, at Colchester, were sent on the 3rd of July and they arrived on the 8th and took over the coastal sector from the Coldstream Guards, who were in the process of being relieved by the 2nd Grenadier Guards. The 1st/2nd Green Jackets (K.R.R.C.) fanned out east and west along the coast road and was eagerly welcomed by the villagers. No defiance was shown against them and within the month the tension had subsided.
1964
The Green Jackets returned to the U.K. in January 1964 with the Headquarters 2nd Brigade that had come out with them. Arson was the latest policy of the marauders and during 1964, once again violence broke out. Murders and burnings were the problems for the 1st Queen's Own Buffs, who had arrived in March 1964 to relieve the Grenadiers.
On May the 22nd, a state of emergency was declared and on the same day the 1st Devon and Dorset Regiment received 24-hour notice to move from Northern Ireland. The first company of the Devon and Dorsets flew in on the 24th and were rushed to the remote town of Mackenzie where they joined up with a company of Queen's Own Buffs in preventing the terrible vengeance wreaked by the Negro population on outnumbered Asians. The guarding, evacuation, and rehabilitation of the latter, and the protection of abandoned property kept the troops at full stretch for ten days, with only three hours sleep in twenty-four. It was all achieved without firing a shot. The Asian population sought retribution in Georgetown, where the Colony's senior civil servant was burned to death in his house with seven of his children. Wide scale searches and arrests were made with cordons and searches, roadblocks, and border patrols, and a Home Guard unit was raised. In July the 43rd (Lloyds Company) Medium Battery R.A. was brought in to ease the strain on the two battalions. The military exerted a firm hold over the colony and again violence receded.
On December the 5th, the general election resulted in the removal of Jagan's party from office in favour of a party dedicated to multi-racial consultation. For over a year the garrison remained at two-battalion strength. The Queen's Own Buffs were relieved by the 1st King's Own Royal Border Regiment after the election and in January 1965 the Devon and Dorsets, by the 1st Lancashire Fusiliers. These two in turn were relieved after a tour of nine months by the 1st King's and the 3rd Parachute Regiment and in March 1966, the garrison was reduced to one battalion, in the person of 1st Middlesex Regiment.
On May 26th 1966, the colony was granted independence, taking the name of Guyana. The Middlesex Regiment stayed on to train the Guyana Defence Force. In October, after a loudly applauded Beating of the Retreat, they flew home to Northern Ireland.
Source: The Iron Fist in a Velvet Glove The Caribbean 1948-1969