6-691: The Sarawak Rangers were a paramilitary force founded in 1862 by the second White Rajah of the Raj of Sarawak , Charles Brooke . Sarawak rangers evolved from the fortmen which were raised to defend Kuching in 1846. The Sarawak Rangers were first commanded by William Henry Rodway, from 1862 until 1870 where Major F.A. Walter, a retired officer from 97th foot, succeeded him. Rodway assumed control again on Sarawak Rangers from 1872 to his retirement in 1881, and were highly skilled in jungle warfare and general policing duties, being equipped with various western rifles, cannons and native weaponry. They were based in
12-456: A number of forts constructed at strategic locations in towns and at river mouths. Aside from protecting Sarawak 's borders, they were used to fight any rebels and were engaged in a number of campaigns during their history. In times of emergency or war, they could depend on the support of the local population and tribespeople. The Sarawak Rangers were disbanded for a few years until 1932, only to be reformed as Sarawak Constabulary and mobilised for
18-674: Is usually equivalent to a light infantry or special forces in terms of strength, firepower, and organizational structure. Paramilitaries use combat-capable kit/equipment (such as internal security / SWAT vehicles ), or even actual military equipment (such as long guns and armored personnel carriers ; usually military surplus resources), skills (such as battlefield medicine and bomb disposal ), and tactics (such as urban warfare and close-quarters combat ) that are compatible with their purpose, often combining them with skills from other relevant fields such as law enforcement , coast guard , or search and rescue . A paramilitary may fall under
24-797: The Second World War in which they attempted to defend Sarawak from Japanese invasion in 1942 at the start of the Pacific War . After the abdication of Charles Vyner Brooke in 1946 and the creation of the Crown Colony of Sarawak , the Sarawak Rangers became a colonial unit under direct British control and saw action in both the Malayan Emergency and the Borneo Confrontation . In 1963, upon
30-405: The formation of Malaysia , the Sarawak Rangers were transformed into the 1st Battalion, Royal Ranger Regiment . Paramilitary A paramilitary is a military that is not a part of a country's official or legitimate armed forces. The Oxford English Dictionary traces the use of the term "paramilitary" as far back as 1934. Though a paramilitary is, by definition, not a military , it
36-441: The command of a military , train alongside them, or have permission to use their resources, despite not actually being part of them. Under the law of war , a state may incorporate a paramilitary organization or armed agency (such as a law enforcement agency or a private volunteer militia ) into its combatant armed forces. Some countries' constitutions prohibit paramilitary organizations outside government use . Depending on
#727272