The Royal African Rifles


The Royal African Rifles is a 1953 Cinecolor First World War adventure film set in British East Africa but filmed on location in the Los Angeles County Arboretum and Botanic Garden. Directed by Lesley Selander, it stars Louis Hayward, Veronica Hurst and Michael Pate. The film was the first production of Louis Hayward's production company Associated Film Artists, Inc, but Hayward's company made no other films. The working title was The Queen’s African Rifles. In reality there was never a military unit called “The Royal African Rifles”, though the King's African Rifles served in Africa during the war. The film was retitled Storm Over Africa in the United Kingdom.

Plot

In August 1914 a consignment of Vickers machine guns are stolen off a Royal Navy ship, HMS Marlin. An RN Lieutenant aboard the ship goes undercover as a white hunter through British East Africa to find the weapons before they get into the hands of the Germans and alter the balance of power in Africa.

Cast