The Kings Gendarmery Corps, in existance since 1907, was subject to the jurisprudence of the Danish Ministry of Finance and the Danish West Indies Governor who became Commander-in-Chief of the whole force with the nominal rank of a colonel and, with the powers of a military judge and comprised one Kaptajns (major), three First Lieutenants, seven N.C.O.'s from the Danish Army (all these were mounted), and of approximately 140 privates enlisted for a three-year service period from among unnmarried soldiers honourably discharged from the Danish Army and furnished with certificates of sobriety. Any gendarme who completed his three-year service could apply for consecutive one-year service periods and veteran of several such extra hitches of service qualified then for permission to marry and to settle outside of quarters. Promotions up to the rank of sergeant were possible for a restricted number of veteran privates.

The Gendarmmery was as follows:

Christianisted
Staff, depots and workshops: One commanding officer, three NCOs, 40 privates, 15 horses (some of them riding ones), one field gun, one garrick for C.O., motor patrol cars and lorries for unit transporation.

Fort King Hill:

One Premier-Lieutenan; (Captain), one NCO, about 15 privates, nine horses and one usable field gun.

Frederiksfort:

One Premier-Lieutenant, three n.c.o's, about twenty-three other ranks, one field gun, one garrick for the C.O., ten horses, one wagon, (later one lorry) for unit transportation.

St.Thomas:

One Premier.Lieutenant, one n.c.o., and about sixty privates, two horses and one field gun (?)

Armaments comprised Model 1889 Krag-Jorgens en carbines, automatic pistols Model 1909, two modern field guns and an assortment of leftover mostly obsolete Army ordinance guns going as far back as 1775. French style bayonets were issued with the carbines.

For assistance to the Gendarmery then existed a King's Volunteer Militia. Corps whose foot components comprised Negroes while the Mounted Detachment enrolledwhites and Mulattoes. This Corps was stationed as follows.

Christiansted: Thirty foot privates.
Fredenikofort: Thirty foot privates.
St. Thomas: Forty foot privates,
St. Croix: Fifty mounted effectives of all rankd existing in the Force.

Although the officers and NCOs of the Militia were usually Danish Army lieutenants or former gendarmes, it is certain at least one Second lieutenant was a Negro. The Militia was trained in drill and shooting once a week except during harvest season, but could be called up anytime. The force also had two bands of thirty musicians each, one in St. Thomas and the other in St. Croix. As armaments, the Militia used Model 1867 single-shot Remington rifles for n.c.o.'s and other ranks while the officers carried Model 1880 revolvers.

In 1916 there broke out riots for better wages on the St. Croix, accompanied by a general strike and the burning of sugar cane fields which were suppressed with the help of landing parties of sailors from anchoring Danish warships without casualties to anybody. Next year Denmark responding to repeated U.S. urgings sold them all her Caribbean possessions.

Danish Colonial Troops in the West Indies 1666-1917

Army Period, 1666-1907
Constabulary Period: 1907-1917
Descriptions of some Danish Colonial uniforms