Creation of The Platoon
According to historian, K.L. Gillion, the platoon was created within the Fiji Defence Force in 1934 as part of Governor Fletcher's policy of giving Fiji Indians greater recognition and opportunity to participate in the general life of the Colony of Fiji and to encourage them to regard Fiji as their permanent home. The platoon was made up of ethnic Indians but the platoon commannder and the non-commissioned officers were Europeans. The formation of the platoon was opposed by the two prominent European members of the Legislative Council, Sir Maynard Hedstrom and Sir Henry Scott.
According to John Dunham Kelly and Martha Kaplan, the platoon had been constituted to celebrate a Royal visit - "the Colonial Secretary had visions of a line of red turbans to complement the dramatic jagged-edged black-and-white uniforma of the Armed Native Constabulary" . The turban never materialised but the commandant found the attachment of this unit to an otherwise European battalion, "awkward".
Read more about this topic: Indian Platoon (Fiji)
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