Light Horse Regiment
Encyclopedia
The Light Horse Regiment (LHR), formerly the Imperial Light Horse (ILH), is a reserve unit of the South African Army
. The regiment is an armoured car reconnaissance
unit. It is part of the South African Army Armour Formation and is based at Mount Collins in Sandton, Johannesburg
.
The unit was raised in Johannesburg for service in the Second Anglo-Boer War on 21 September 1899 by Colonel
Aubrey Woolls-Sampson, Major
Walter Davies, Sir Percy Fitzpatrick
and Captain
Charles Mullins, it was named the Imperial Light Horse with the approval of Queen Victoria. First muster of the Regiment took place in Pietermaritzburg
. Informally known as the "Reformers Regiment" after the 10 later ILH officers that served on the Reform Committee, or more commonly the Uitlander Regiment by the Transvaal Government and ZAR Forces.
The first commander of the Regiment (consisting of 444 officers and men, chosen from 5,000 volunteers) was Colonel John James Scott-Chisholme
, who led the unit at its first engagement, the Battle of Elandslaagte
on 21 October 1899. During this battle two Victoria Cross
es were awarded (to Captain Charles Herbert Mullins
and Lieutenant Robert Johnston
) and Colonel Scott-Chisholme was killed, leading from the front.
The Regiment subsequently saw service at the Siege of Ladysmith
(where another Victoria Cross was awarded - to Trooper
Herman Albrecht
at Wagon Hill) Colenso
, the Battle of Spion Kop
and the Relief of Ladysmith
.
At Spioenkop, the ILH was successful in capturing Commandant Hendrik Frederik Prinsloo, the commander of the Carolina Boer Commando. The ILH was then specially selected to join the Mafeking Relief Column
under Colonel Mahon. Eight men under Major Karri Davies of the ILH were the first to enter Mafeking on the night of 16/17 May 1900 to break the siege, followed up by the joint relief columns the following morning. 209 men who had been involved in Relief of Ladysmith and 33 who had been besieged there were in Mahoon's Column as were 420 men who had been in the Defence of Kimberley.
In late 1900 a second battalion
- the 2nd Imperial Light Horse (2 ILH) - was formed, under Major Duncan McKenzie. Both Regiments then went on to fight in the South African Republic
and the Orange Free State Republic
until the end of the war. A fourth Victoria Cross was awarded - to Surgeon
Captain Thomas Joseph Crean
- due to his actions at Tyger Kloof Spruit near Bethlehem in 1901.
A Squadron from the ILH served with the Transvaal Mounted Rifles in 1906 during the Zulu Rebellion in Natal and Zululand
. The next action the Regiment took part in was the First Rand Revolt in 1913 when it, together with other military units, was mobilized to assist the South African Police
during a general strike
and rebellion.
On 1 July 1913 the Regiment was redesignated as the 5th Mounted Rifles (Imperial Light Horse) and transferred to the Active Citizen Force of the Union Defence Force
.
as the 5th Mounted Rifles as part of South Africa's contribution to World War I
, where the battle honor Gibeon was won by the 2nd ILH. Individual members served in the German East Africa campaign, in Egypt, Palestine and France. After the end of the war, the Regiment was placed on reserve until the Second Rand Revolt of 1922, when it was again mobilized to assist the South African Police and fought in the Battle of Ellis Park.
the 1st ILH was brought up to strength and the 2nd ILH reformed. Although both units were infantry
battalions, 2 ILH was soon transferred to the South African Tank Corps in order to form the 13th Armoured Car Company, which in turn was amalgamated with Royal Natal Carbineers in order to create the 6th Armoured Car Regiment. This unit later amalgamated with the 4th Armoured Car Regiment to form the 4th/6th Armoured Car Regiment.
The 1st ILH sailed from Durban
to Egypt
on 10 April 1941, as advance guard of the South African 2nd Infantry Division
. Less than a year later the Regiment, as part of the 3rd Brigade of the South African 1st Infantry Division
, played a crucial part in stopping Rommel's
Afrika Korps
during the First Battle of El Alamein
. The unit subsequently took part in other fighting in North Africa, including the Second Battle of El Alamein
.
The Regiment was subsequently shipped to South Africa where it was reorganized - 1 and 2 ILH Regiments were amalgamated with the Kimberley Regiment
to form the Imperial Light Horse/Kimberley Regiment (ILH/KimR). This combined Regiment sailed for Egypt again in September 1943 to join the South African 6th Armoured Division
in the role of a motorized battalion under command of Colonel R. Reeves-Moore, DSO, MC.
In April 1944 the Division sailed for Italy
, disembarking at Taranto
on 21 April where the ILH/KimR was attached to the 12th South African Motor Brigade, which was operating on a front in the mountains above Monte Cassino
. After a series of battles north of Rome
the Regiment entered Florence
on 4 August 1944, then as part of the 11th South African Armored Brigade.
The South African 6th Armored Division was then placed under the command of the United States 5th Army and was given the task of attacking the Gothic Line
, which culminated in the capture of Monte Porro del Bagno in September 1944. During the heavy fighting almost a quarter of the Regiment was killed or wounded. After taking part in other actions, including breaking through the German
defenses at Bologna
, the Regiment fought its last serious engagement at Finale south of Venice
. The ILH Band led the Allied victory parade at Monza on 14 May 1945. The ILH/KimR were then occupied with guarding duties in northern Italy and returned home in August 1945 for demobilisation.
In October 1959 the then Minister of Defense, Frans Erasmus
, proposed a defense reorganization plan, which included the disbandment of the Regiment. However, a cabinet
reshuffle took place soon afterwards and the new Minister of Defense, Jim Fouché
rescinded the decision in January 1960. During the same year the Union of South Africa
became the Republic of South Africa and left the Commonwealth
and thus the decision was taken to change the name of the unit to the Light Horse Regiment.
The Regiment went on to serve the South African Defence Force
as an armoured car Regiment. In 1975, when the unit's strength reached about 2000, a decision was taken to split the Regiment into 1 Light Horse Regiment and 2 Light Horse Regiment. These two Regiments formed part of 72 Motorized Infantry Brigade and 81 Armoured Brigade respectively.
Both Regiments took part in the South African Border War
in Northern South-West Africa and Angola
and were also deployed in South Africa's townships
in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
After the first fully democratic South African elections in 1994, the then newly formed South African National Defence Force
embarked on a rationalization campaign, as a result of which 1 LHR and 2 LHR were reformed into a single Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment - The Light Horse Regiment - in March 1997.
The Battle Honours Elandslaagte and Relief of Mafeking, which the regiment had assumed, were disallowed when pre-Union battle honours
were reviewed by the SA Defence Force in the 1960s.
South African Army
The South African Army is the army of South Africa, first formed after the Union of South Africa was created in 1910.The South African military evolved within the tradition of frontier warfare fought by commando forces, reinforced by the Afrikaners' historical distrust of large standing armies...
. The regiment is an armoured car reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
unit. It is part of the South African Army Armour Formation and is based at Mount Collins in Sandton, Johannesburg
Johannesburg
Johannesburg also known as Jozi, Jo'burg or Egoli, is the largest city in South Africa, by population. Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng, the wealthiest province in South Africa, having the largest economy of any metropolitan region in Sub-Saharan Africa...
.
Formation and Second Anglo-Boer War
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Aubrey Woolls-Sampson, Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
Walter Davies, Sir Percy Fitzpatrick
Percy Fitzpatrick
Sir James Percy FitzPatrick, KCMG , known as Percy FitzPatrick, was a South African author, politician, mining financier and pioneer of the fruit industry. He authored the classic children's book, Jock of the Bushveld ....
and Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
Charles Mullins, it was named the Imperial Light Horse with the approval of Queen Victoria. First muster of the Regiment took place in Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg
Pietermaritzburg is the capital and second largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1838, and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. Its "purist" Zulu name is umGungundlovu, and this is the name used for the district municipality...
. Informally known as the "Reformers Regiment" after the 10 later ILH officers that served on the Reform Committee, or more commonly the Uitlander Regiment by the Transvaal Government and ZAR Forces.
The first commander of the Regiment (consisting of 444 officers and men, chosen from 5,000 volunteers) was Colonel John James Scott-Chisholme
John James Scott-Chisholme
John James Scott Chisholme was a British cavalry officer who died heroically leading a charge that turned the Battle of Elandslaagte in the Second Anglo-Boer War....
, who led the unit at its first engagement, the Battle of Elandslaagte
Battle of Elandslaagte
The Battle of Elandslaagte was a battle of the Second Boer War, and one of the few clear-cut tactical victories won by the British during that conflict...
on 21 October 1899. During this battle two Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
es were awarded (to Captain Charles Herbert Mullins
Charles Herbert Mullins
Major Charles Herbert Mullins VC CMG was a South African recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces....
and Lieutenant Robert Johnston
Robert Johnston (VC)
Major Robert Johnston VC was an Irish rugby union player and soldier. During the Second Boer War, Johnston was awarded the Victoria Cross while serving with the Imperial Light Horse. The medal is displayed at the Light Horse Bar at The Saturday Club in Kolkata, India...
) and Colonel Scott-Chisholme was killed, leading from the front.
The Regiment subsequently saw service at the Siege of Ladysmith
Siege of Ladysmith
The Siege of Ladysmith was a protracted engagement in the Second Boer War, taking place between 30 October 1899 and 28 February 1900 at Ladysmith, Natal.-Background:...
(where another Victoria Cross was awarded - to Trooper
Trooper (rank)
Trooper from the French "troupier" is the equivalent rank to private in a regiment with a cavalry tradition in the British Army and many other Commonwealth armies, including those of Australia, Canada, South Africa and New Zealand. Today, most cavalry units operate in the armoured role, equipped...
Herman Albrecht
Herman Albrecht
Herman Albrecht VC was a South African recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.- Details :...
at Wagon Hill) Colenso
Battle of Colenso
The Battle of Colenso was the third and final battle fought during the Black Week of the Second Boer War. It was fought between British and Boer forces from the independent South African Republic and Orange Free State in and around Colenso, Natal, South Africa on 15 December 1899.Inadequate...
, the Battle of Spion Kop
Battle of Spion Kop
The Battle of Spion Kop was fought about west-south-west of Ladysmith on the hilltop of Spioenkop along the Tugela River, Natal in South Africa from 23–24 January 1900...
and the Relief of Ladysmith
Relief of Ladysmith
When the Second Boer War broke out on 11 October 1899, the Boers had a numeric superiority within Southern Africa. They quickly invaded the British territory and laid siege to Ladysmith, Kimberley and Mafeking...
.
At Spioenkop, the ILH was successful in capturing Commandant Hendrik Frederik Prinsloo, the commander of the Carolina Boer Commando. The ILH was then specially selected to join the Mafeking Relief Column
Siege of Mafeking
The Siege of Mafeking was the most famous British action in the Second Boer War. It took place at the town of Mafeking in South Africa over a period of 217 days, from October 1899 to May 1900, and turned Robert Baden-Powell, who went on to found the Scouting Movement, into a national hero...
under Colonel Mahon. Eight men under Major Karri Davies of the ILH were the first to enter Mafeking on the night of 16/17 May 1900 to break the siege, followed up by the joint relief columns the following morning. 209 men who had been involved in Relief of Ladysmith and 33 who had been besieged there were in Mahoon's Column as were 420 men who had been in the Defence of Kimberley.
In late 1900 a second battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
- the 2nd Imperial Light Horse (2 ILH) - was formed, under Major Duncan McKenzie. Both Regiments then went on to fight in the South African Republic
South African Republic
The South African Republic , often informally known as the Transvaal Republic, was an independent Boer-ruled country in Southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century. Not to be confused with the present-day Republic of South Africa, it occupied the area later known as the South African...
and the Orange Free State Republic
Orange Free State
The Orange Free State was an independent Boer republic in southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, and later a British colony and a province of the Union of South Africa. It is the historical precursor to the present-day Free State province...
until the end of the war. A fourth Victoria Cross was awarded - to Surgeon
Surgeon
In medicine, a surgeon is a specialist in surgery. Surgery is a broad category of invasive medical treatment that involves the cutting of a body, whether human or animal, for a specific reason such as the removal of diseased tissue or to repair a tear or breakage...
Captain Thomas Joseph Crean
Thomas Joseph Crean
Major Dr. Thomas Joseph Crean, VC, DSO was an Irish rugby union player, British Army soldier and doctor. During the Second Boer War, while serving with the Imperial Light Horse, he was awarded the Victoria Cross. His VC medal is displayed at the Army Medical Services Museum...
- due to his actions at Tyger Kloof Spruit near Bethlehem in 1901.
Inter-War
In December 1902 the Regiment was reorganized at Johannesburg as two Wings in the volunteer Transvaal Army, but in 1904 the left Wing was separated and redesignated the Western Rifles.A Squadron from the ILH served with the Transvaal Mounted Rifles in 1906 during the Zulu Rebellion in Natal and Zululand
Zulu Kingdom
The Zulu Kingdom, sometimes referred to as the Zulu Empire or, rather imprecisely, Zululand, was a monarchy in Southern Africa that extended along the coast of the Indian Ocean from the Tugela River in the south to Pongola River in the north....
. The next action the Regiment took part in was the First Rand Revolt in 1913 when it, together with other military units, was mobilized to assist the South African Police
South African Police
The South African Police was the country's police force until 1994. The SAP traced its origin to the Dutch Watch, a paramilitary organization formed by settlers in the Cape in 1655, initially to protect civilians against attack and later to maintain law and order...
during a general strike
General strike
A general strike is a strike action by a critical mass of the labour force in a city, region, or country. While a general strike can be for political goals, economic goals, or both, it tends to gain its momentum from the ideological or class sympathies of the participants...
and rebellion.
On 1 July 1913 the Regiment was redesignated as the 5th Mounted Rifles (Imperial Light Horse) and transferred to the Active Citizen Force of the Union Defence Force
South African Army
The South African Army is the army of South Africa, first formed after the Union of South Africa was created in 1910.The South African military evolved within the tradition of frontier warfare fought by commando forces, reinforced by the Afrikaners' historical distrust of large standing armies...
.
World War I
The Regiment took part in the German South-West Africa CampaignSouth-West Africa Campaign
The South-West Africa Campaign was the conquest and occupation of German South West Africa, now called Namibia, by forces from the Union of South Africa acting on behalf of the British Imperial Government at the beginning of the First World War.-Background:...
as the 5th Mounted Rifles as part of South Africa's contribution to World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, where the battle honor Gibeon was won by the 2nd ILH. Individual members served in the German East Africa campaign, in Egypt, Palestine and France. After the end of the war, the Regiment was placed on reserve until the Second Rand Revolt of 1922, when it was again mobilized to assist the South African Police and fought in the Battle of Ellis Park.
World War II
At the outbreak of World War IIWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
the 1st ILH was brought up to strength and the 2nd ILH reformed. Although both units were infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
battalions, 2 ILH was soon transferred to the South African Tank Corps in order to form the 13th Armoured Car Company, which in turn was amalgamated with Royal Natal Carbineers in order to create the 6th Armoured Car Regiment. This unit later amalgamated with the 4th Armoured Car Regiment to form the 4th/6th Armoured Car Regiment.
The 1st ILH sailed from Durban
Durban
Durban is the largest city in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal and the third largest city in South Africa. It forms part of the eThekwini metropolitan municipality. Durban is famous for being the busiest port in South Africa. It is also seen as one of the major centres of tourism...
to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
on 10 April 1941, as advance guard of the South African 2nd Infantry Division
South African 2nd Infantry Division
The South African 2nd Infantry Division was an infantry division of the army of the Union of South Africa during World War II. The Division was formed on 23 October 1940 and served in the Western Desert Campaign and was captured by German and Italian forces at Tobruk on 21 June 1942...
. Less than a year later the Regiment, as part of the 3rd Brigade of the South African 1st Infantry Division
South African 1st Infantry Division
The South African 1st Infantry Division was an infantry division of the army of the Union of South Africa. The Division served in East Africa from 1940 to 1941 and in the Western Desert Campaign from 1941 to 1942. The Division was disbanded on 1 January 1943, for conversion into what would become...
, played a crucial part in stopping Rommel's
Erwin Rommel
Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel , popularly known as the Desert Fox , was a German Field Marshal of World War II. He won the respect of both his own troops and the enemies he fought....
Afrika Korps
Afrika Korps
The German Africa Corps , or the Afrika Korps as it was popularly called, was the German expeditionary force in Libya and Tunisia during the North African Campaign of World War II...
during the First Battle of El Alamein
First Battle of El Alamein
The First Battle of El Alamein was a battle of the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War, fought between Axis forces of the Panzer Army Africa commanded by Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, and Allied forces The First Battle of El Alamein (1–27 July 1942) was a battle of the Western Desert...
. The unit subsequently took part in other fighting in North Africa, including the Second Battle of El Alamein
Second Battle of El Alamein
The Second Battle of El Alamein marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. The battle took place over 20 days from 23 October – 11 November 1942. The First Battle of El Alamein had stalled the Axis advance. Thereafter, Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery...
.
The Regiment was subsequently shipped to South Africa where it was reorganized - 1 and 2 ILH Regiments were amalgamated with the Kimberley Regiment
Kimberley Regiment
The Kimberley Regiment is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Territorial Army or United States Army National Guard unit.-History:...
to form the Imperial Light Horse/Kimberley Regiment (ILH/KimR). This combined Regiment sailed for Egypt again in September 1943 to join the South African 6th Armoured Division
South African 6th Armoured Division
The South African 6th Armoured Division was the first armoured division in the South African Army and was formed during World War II. Established in 1943, it was based on a nucleus of men from the former South African 1st Infantry Division who had returned to South Africa after the Second Battle...
in the role of a motorized battalion under command of Colonel R. Reeves-Moore, DSO, MC.
In April 1944 the Division sailed for Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, disembarking at Taranto
Taranto
Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....
on 21 April where the ILH/KimR was attached to the 12th South African Motor Brigade, which was operating on a front in the mountains above Monte Cassino
Monte Cassino
Monte Cassino is a rocky hill about southeast of Rome, Italy, c. to the west of the town of Cassino and altitude. St. Benedict of Nursia established his first monastery, the source of the Benedictine Order, here around 529. It was the site of Battle of Monte Cassino in 1944...
. After a series of battles north of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
the Regiment entered Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
on 4 August 1944, then as part of the 11th South African Armored Brigade.
The South African 6th Armored Division was then placed under the command of the United States 5th Army and was given the task of attacking the Gothic Line
Gothic Line
The Gothic Line formed Field Marshal Albert Kesselring's last major line of defence in the final stages of World War II along the summits of the Apennines during the fighting retreat of German forces in Italy against the Allied Armies in Italy commanded by General Sir Harold Alexander.Adolf Hitler...
, which culminated in the capture of Monte Porro del Bagno in September 1944. During the heavy fighting almost a quarter of the Regiment was killed or wounded. After taking part in other actions, including breaking through the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
defenses at Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
, the Regiment fought its last serious engagement at Finale south of Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
. The ILH Band led the Allied victory parade at Monza on 14 May 1945. The ILH/KimR were then occupied with guarding duties in northern Italy and returned home in August 1945 for demobilisation.
Post-War
The Regiment was reformed as an armored regiment in South Africa's Citizen Force and equipped with Sherman tanks in 1949.In October 1959 the then Minister of Defense, Frans Erasmus
Frans Erasmus
Frans C. Erasmus was a South African National Party politician and Minister of Defence from June 1948 to 1959 as well as Minister of justice from 1959 - August 1961.A Fast Attack Craft of the South African Navy was named after him....
, proposed a defense reorganization plan, which included the disbandment of the Regiment. However, a cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
reshuffle took place soon afterwards and the new Minister of Defense, Jim Fouché
Jacobus Johannes Fouché
Jacobus Johannes Fouché served as the second President of South Africa from 1968 to 1975.Born in the Boer republic of the Orange Free State , Fouché was a successful farmer...
rescinded the decision in January 1960. During the same year the Union of South Africa
Union of South Africa
The Union of South Africa is the historic predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into being on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the previously separate colonies of the Cape, Natal, Transvaal and the Orange Free State...
became the Republic of South Africa and left the Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
and thus the decision was taken to change the name of the unit to the Light Horse Regiment.
The Regiment went on to serve the South African Defence Force
South African Defence Force
The South African Defence Force was the South African armed forces from 1957 until 1994. The former Union Defence Force was renamed to the South African Defence Force in the Defence Act of 1957...
as an armoured car Regiment. In 1975, when the unit's strength reached about 2000, a decision was taken to split the Regiment into 1 Light Horse Regiment and 2 Light Horse Regiment. These two Regiments formed part of 72 Motorized Infantry Brigade and 81 Armoured Brigade respectively.
Both Regiments took part in the South African Border War
South African Border War
The South African Border War, commonly referred to as the Angolan Bush War in South Africa, was a conflict that took place from 1966 to 1989 in South-West Africa and Angola between South Africa and its allied forces on the one side and the Angolan government, South-West Africa People's...
in Northern South-West Africa and Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
and were also deployed in South Africa's townships
Township (South Africa)
In South Africa, the term township and location usually refers to the urban living areas that, from the late 19th century until the end of Apartheid, were reserved for non-whites . Townships were usually built on the periphery of towns and cities...
in the late 1980s and early 1990s.
After the first fully democratic South African elections in 1994, the then newly formed South African National Defence Force
South African National Defence Force
The South African National Defence Force is the armed forces of South Africa. The military as it exists today was created in 1994, following South Africa's first post-apartheid national elections and the adoption of a new constitution...
embarked on a rationalization campaign, as a result of which 1 LHR and 2 LHR were reformed into a single Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment - The Light Horse Regiment - in March 1997.
Regimental symbols
The Regimental device for both headdress and collar dogs are a set of crossed flags mounted on lances. The flags are those of the RSA and the Regiment.- Regimental mottoMottoA motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
: Imperium et libertas (Latin: "Empire and Freedom") as the ILH and Patria et Libertas (Latin: "Country and Freedom") as LHR. - The Regiment received the King's Colour from Princess Helena Christian in 1904 and again from King George VIGeorge VI of the United KingdomGeorge VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
(the Regiment's Colonel-in-ChiefColonel-in-ChiefIn the various Commonwealth armies, the Colonel-in-Chief of a regiment is its patron. This position is distinct from that of Colonel of the Regiment. They do not have an operational role. They are however kept informed of all important activities of the regiment, and pay occasional visits to its...
at the time) in 1947. Regimental Colours were also presented to the unit in 1947, and then again in 1969 by the Hon. P.W. Botha. The National Color was presented to 1 LHR and 2 LHR in 1993. - During the Regiment's sixtieth anniversary celebrations in 1959, the Freedom of the CitiesFreedom of the CityFreedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Rhodesia to esteemed members of its community and to organisations to be honoured, often for service to the community;...
of Johannesburg, Mafeking and LadysmithLadysmith, KwaZulu-NatalLadysmith is a city in the Uthukela District of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is north-west of Durban and south of Johannesburg. Important industries in the area include food processing, textile and tyre production...
were awarded to it.
Alliances
- RSA - The Kimberley Regiment (Formal) - The Queen's Royal Hussars (The Queen's Own and Royal Irish)(Formal)
- Australia - 2/14th Australian Light Horse (Informal)
- GBR - The Grenadier GuardsGrenadier GuardsThe Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
(Informal)
Battle honors
In total 31 battle honors have been awarded to 1 LHR and 2 LHR, 23 of which are currently displayed on the Regimental Color:- South Africa 1899-1902
- Defence of Ladysmith
- Relief of Ladysmith
- Natal 1906
- South West Africa 1914-1915
- Gibeon
- Western Desert 1941-43Western Desert CampaignThe Western Desert Campaign, also known as the Desert War, was the initial stage of the North African Campaign during the Second World War. The campaign was heavily influenced by the availability of supplies and transport. The ability of the Allied forces, operating from besieged Malta, to...
- Marsa Belafrit
- Bardia
- Gazala
- Alamein Defence
- Alamein Box
- El Alamein
- Italy 1944-45
- Cassino
- Celleno
- Florence
- The Greve
- Gothic LineGothic LineThe Gothic Line formed Field Marshal Albert Kesselring's last major line of defence in the final stages of World War II along the summits of the Apennines during the fighting retreat of German forces in Italy against the Allied Armies in Italy commanded by General Sir Harold Alexander.Adolf Hitler...
- Monte Porro del Bagno
- Monte Vigese
- Monte Salvaro
- Po Valley
The Battle Honours Elandslaagte and Relief of Mafeking, which the regiment had assumed, were disallowed when pre-Union battle honours
Battle honours of South Africa
South Africa follows the British system of awarding battle honours to military units, to recognise the wars and battles in which they have fought.-History:...
were reviewed by the SA Defence Force in the 1960s.
External links
- - The Transvaal Horse Artillery shares premises with the Light Horse Regiment.