Gambia Armed Forces defence and security in The Gambia was the responsibility of the Field Force. The Field Force was a paramilitary unit of the police, consisting of roughly 140 men at independence and rising to around 500 in 1980. It has been formed in 1958 following the disbandment of the Gambia Regiment, part of the British Army. There was little concern about security in The Gambia due to its small size and the safety provided by being totally surrounded by Senegal, with which it had signed a mutual defence pact in 1965. This lax attitude to defence changed following the 1981 coup
Rugby union in the Gambia Rugby union in the Gambia Rugby union in the Gambia is a minor but growing sport. Rugby union was introduced into the Gambia by the British, who ruled the country for a number of years. However, it was mainly played by the white population, who made little attempt to spread it to the native Gambians, meaning that the game declined when they left. In 1987 Warrant Officer Sergeant Major Hulme of the British Army Training Team (BATT) introduced the Gambian National Army (GNA) to the game, and the then vice President of the Gambia was invited to become president of