This article needs additional citations for verification .(January 2021) |
Bambatha Rifles Witwatersrand Rifles | |
---|---|
Active | 1 May 1903–present |
Country | South Africa |
Allegiance | |
Branch | |
Type | Infantry |
Role | Mechanised infantry |
Size | One battalion |
Part of | South African Infantry Formation Army Reserve |
Garrison/HQ | Germiston |
Motto(s) | Pro Deo et Patria (Latin) (For God and Country) |
March | Within a mile O' Edinburgh town |
Anniversaries | 1 May 1903 (Regimental Day) |
Commanders | |
Colonel of the Regiment | Col. (Hon) J.L. Job, SM MMM JCD |
Insignia | |
Company level Insignia | |
SA Mechanised Infantry beret bar circa 1992 | SA mechanised infantry beret bar circa 1992 |
Abbreviation | BR |
The Bambatha Rifles (formerly the Witwatersrand Rifles) is a reserve mechanised infantry regiment of the South African Army.
The Witwatersrand Rifles (often familiarly known as the "Wits Rifles or the Wit Rifles") was formed by proclamation on 1 May 1903 and absorbed the members of the Railway Pioneer Regiment and the Rand Rifles, both of which had fought on the British side during the Second Anglo-Boer War of 1899 – 1902.
As befitted a regiment based from the gold-rich Witwatersrand region, it had a very close relationship with the mining establishment of the time; and its cap badge further emphasised this link.
The regiment first saw action during the Bambata Rebellion of 1906, when it deployed a contingent to (the then) Zululand.
In 1907 the regiment was further strengthened when it absorbed the Transvaal Light Infantry Regiment.
The regiment was mobilised again when World War I broke out.
The first action that it took part in was the South African invasion of German South-West Africa (now Namibia).
After the successful conclusion of this campaign, virtually all members volunteered for overseas service.
Most of the volunteers were consequently assigned to the 3rd South African Infantry Battalion. (Due to the South African military law of the time, soldiers could not be forced to serve overseas, nor could existing military units be deployed there.) The most well-known action that this unit took part in was the Battle of Delville Wood in the Somme.
Other members of the regiment served in the Witwatersrand Rifles company of 7th Infantry ACF, which served in German East Africa against the forces of General von Lettow-Vorbeck.
The inter-war years saw the regiment deployed during the 1922 Rand Revolt, when rebellious South African Communist Party miners attempted to overthrow the government of General Jan Smuts.
In the early 1930s the regiment affiliated with the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) Regiment of the British Army. As a consequence, the Witwatersrand Rifles adopted the uniform and many of the traditions of this Scottish Lowland regiment. Despite the Cameronians' disbandment in 1968, the Wits Rifles still continues this heritage today.
As a result of the outbreak of World War II in 1939, the regiment was expanded to two battalions. However, due to the battalions being used to supply replacements in a piecemeal fashion to depleted South African units taking part in the North African campaign, the Witwatersrand Rifles was only deployed as a coherent unit (to Egypt) in 1943.
During its service in North Africa, the Witwatersrand Rifles was amalgamated with Regiment de la Rey. This combined regiment, was nicknamed the "Royal Boere" and saw extensive action in Italy as part of the South African 6th Armoured Division, particularly at Monte Caprara and Monte Stanco.
From 1970 until the first all-race democratic elections in 1994, the regiment saw action in the South African Border War in South-West Africa (now Namibia) and Angola as well as on the South Africa/Botswana border and in South African townships.
When conscription ended in 1993, the regiment began an active recruitment drive to maintain reserve troop strength. During South Africa's second democratic election in 1999, the regiment deployed 180 volunteers in support of the South African Police Service (SAPS).
Late in its history the Witwatersrand Rifles Regiment attracted volunteers for regular part-time training.
To maintain its Scottish links, the regiment had formed alliances with the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) and the King's Own Scottish Borderers (now amalgamated into the Royal Scots Borderers). Up to the disbandment and name change, members of the regiment continued to maintain their traditional Scottish Lowland uniforms and traditions and uphold very high standards of discipline and effective military training.
The regiment also had an active pipe band as well as one of the top shooting teams in the country and was ably supported by a Regimental Council, a very active Regimental Association and a Ladies Committee up to the point of the renaming process.
The Witwatersrand Rifles Regiment provided troops for internal operations in support of the South African Police Service and on the border (as part of Operation Corona) as well as for United Nations peacekeeping operations in the DRC and the Sudan. [1]
In August 2019, 52 Reserve Force units had their names changed to reflect the diverse military history of South Africa. [2] The Witwatersrand Rifles became the Bambatha Rifles, and have 3 years to design and implement new regimental insignia. [3]
The Regiment holds the Freedom of the Cities of Johannesburg and Germiston as well as the town of Barberton.
(This Honorary post officially fell away in 1961 when the Union of South Africa became a Republic)
From | Honorary Colonel | To |
1908 | Col. Sir, L. Phillips – Bart | 1937 |
1909 | Col. R.W. Schumacher – Ffennel | 1923 |
1937 | Col. J.G. Hamilton | 1971 |
1937 | Col.The Hon. C.F. Stallard | 1971 |
1972 | Brig. J.B. Bester | 1985 |
1985 | Lt Gen. W.R. Van Der Riet | 1988 |
1989 | Maj Gen. W.N.A. Barends | 2002 |
2002 | Col. (Dr.) J.L. Job | 2019 |
From | Officer Commanding | To |
1903 | Lt Col. J.G. Hamilton | c. 1905 |
1906 | Lt Col. T.J. Macfarlane | c. 1908 |
1908 | Lt Col. R.W. Schumacher – Ffennell | c. 1909 |
1909 | Lt Col. C.B. Saner | c. 1912 |
1912 | Lt Col. J.W. Smyth | c. 1919 |
1919 | Lt Col. S.B. Schlam | c. 1923 |
1923 | Lt Col. R. Dukoff – Gordon | c. 1928 |
1928 | Lt Col. W.C.M. Howarth | c. 1931 |
1931 | Lt Col. W. Crewe – Brown | c. 1936 |
1936 | Lt Col. L.F. Sprenger | c. 1939 |
1939 | Lt Col. W. James | c. 1942 |
1942 | Lt Col. H.C. Sumner | c. 1943 |
1943 | Lt Col. J.B. Bester | c. 1945 |
1945 | Lt Col. W.R. Van Der Riet | c. 1946 |
1946 | Lt Col. G.M. St.L. Daines | c. 1951 |
1951 | Cmdt. C.J.R. Nicholls | c. 1956 |
1956 | Cmdt. E.C. Harris | c. 1962 |
1962 | Cmdt. C.L. Pitt | c. 1965 |
1965 | Cmdt. R.C. Gradige | c. 1968 |
1968 | Cmdt. C.J. Derby–Lewis | c. 1973 |
1973 | Cmdt. D.C. Fletcher | c. 1981 |
1981 | Cmdt. (Dr.) J.L. Job | c. 1986 |
1986 | Cmdt. A.E. Dixon – Seager | c. 1989 |
1989 | Lt Col. K.J. Townsend | c. 1997 |
1997 | Lt Col. E.L. Carton – Barber | c. 2002 |
2002 | Lt Col. C.E. Casey | c. 2005 |
2005 | Lt Col. M.F. Robberts | c. 2007 |
2007 | Lt Col. J.C.L. Valentine | c. 2013 |
2013 | Lt Col. L.H. Malakoane | c. 2014 |
2014 | Lt Col. S.G. Mooketsi | c. 2015 |
2015 | Maj. A.M. Mosehlana | c. 2016 |
2016 | Lt. Col. G. Mazibuko | c. 2019 |
From | Regimental Sergeant Major | To |
1903 | Unknown | 1910 |
1910 | WO1. G. Eliot | 1914 |
1914 | WO1. G.H. Forsyth (Later Capt.) | 1915 |
1915 | WO1. W.K. Lawson | 1916 |
1916 | WO1. W.R. Watson | 1917 |
1917 | WO1. D. Smith | 1918 |
1918 | Unknown | 1932 |
1932 | WO1. J. Suttie | 1940 |
1940 | WO1. E. Owen | 1943 |
1943 | WO1. C.H.C. Wheeler (KIA) | 1944 |
1944 | WO1. C.W.B. Walsh | 1946 |
1946 | WO1. R.W. Thorpe, JCD | 1961 |
1961 | WO1. A.J. Norton | 1963 |
1963 | WO1. R.W. Thorpe, JCD | 1968 |
1968 | WO1. D. Morton | 1971 |
1971 | WO1. J.M. Bruigom, PMM, JCD | 1981 |
1981 | WO1. M. Bonette, JCD | 1988 |
1988 | WO1. A.E. van den Berg, JCD | 1992 |
1992 | WO1. D.J. Vosloo, JCD | 1997 |
1997 | SWO. D. Williams, JCD | 2006 |
2006 | SWO. M.M. Motlohi | 2019 |
From | Honorary Colonel | To |
From | Officer Commanding | To |
1940 | Lt Col. W.A.D. Cherrington | c. 1941 |
From | Regimental Sergeant Major | To |
c. 1940 | WO1. W. Watson | c. 1941 |
As a Rifle regiment, the Witwatersrand Rifles did not carry colours. Instead the honours banner was displayed on the pipes of the Pipe Major. The Witwatersrand Rifles had the following battle honours:
South West Africa 1914–1915
Italy 1944–45, Cassino II, Allerona, Florence, Monte Querciabella, Monte Fili, The Greve, Gothic Line, Monte Stanco, Monte Salvaro, Sole/Caprara, Po Valley, Campo Santo Bridge
Awarded to Witwatersrand Rifles |
---|
The Solomon Mahlangu Regiment is a reserve infantry regiment of the South African Army.
The Cape Town Highlanders is a reserve mechanised infantry regiment of the South African Army.
The 52nd Lowland Volunteers is a battalion in the British Army's Army Reserve or reserve force in the Scottish Lowlands, forming the 6th Battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland, also known as 6 SCOTS. Due to its erstwhile association with the 1st Regiment of Foot, it is the senior Reserve line infantry battalion in the British Army. It is one of two Reserve battalions in the Royal Regiment of Scotland, along with 51st Highland, a similar unit located in the Scottish Highlands.
The Durban Light Infantry is a Motorised Infantry regiment of the South African Army. It lost its status as a Mechanised infantry regiment in 2010 in line with the rationalisation of resources. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Army Reserve or United States Army National Guard unit.
The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (Duke of Edinburgh's Own) is a Canadian Army Primary Reserve infantry regiment.
The South African Army Infantry Formation supervises all infantry within the South African Army.
The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) was a rifle regiment of the British Army, the only regiment of rifles amongst the Scottish regiments of infantry. It was formed in 1881 under the Childers Reforms by the amalgamation of the 26th Cameronian Regiment and the 90th Perthshire Light Infantry. In 1968, when reductions were required, the regiment chose to be disbanded rather than amalgamated with another regiment, one of only two infantry regiments in the British Army to do so, with the other being the York and Lancaster Regiment. It can trace its roots to that of the Cameronians, later the 26th of Foot, who were raised in 1689. The 1881 amalgamation coincided with the Cameronian's selection to become the new Scottish Rifles.
The Lowland Brigade is a historical unit of the British Army which has been formed a number of times. It is traditionally Scottish as the name derives from the Scottish Lowlands.
Andrew Mlangeni Regiment is a reserve infantry regiment of the South African Army.
The Chief Langalibalele Rifles is a reserve infantry regiment of the South African Army.
The Buffalo Volunteer Rifles (BVR) is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Army Reserve or United States Army National Guard unit.
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 Army Reserve or United States Army National Guard unit.
A Scottish regiment is any regiment that at some time in its history has or had a name that referred to Scotland or some part thereof, and adopted items of Scottish dress. These regiments were created after the Acts of Union in 1707 between England and Scotland, either directly serving Britain during its various wars, or as part of the military establishments of Commonwealth countries. Their "Scottishness" is no longer necessarily due to recruitment in Scotland nor any proportion of members of Scottish ancestry.
The 28th Infantry Brigade was a British Army formation which served during the First World War, the Second World War, The Malayan Emergency and Indonesian Confrontation.
The Royal Regiment of Scotland (SCOTS) is the senior and only current Scottish line infantry regiment of the British Army Infantry. It consists of three regular and two reserve battalions, plus an incremental company, each formerly an individual regiment. However, three regular battalions maintain their former regimental pipes and drums to carry on the traditions of their antecedent regiments.
The Royal Scots Borderers, 1st Battalion, the Royal Regiment of Scotland was a battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The battalion formed on 1 August 2006 when its antecedent regiments - the Royal Scots and the King's Own Scottish Borderers - amalgamated just after the formation of the Royal Regiment of Scotland in 2006.
The General de la Rey Regiment is an reserve infantry regiment of the South African Army.
The 156th Brigade was an infantry brigade formation of the British Army. The brigade saw active service in both the First and the Second World Wars with the 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division.
The Glasgow Brigade was an infantry formation of Britain's Volunteer Force from 1890 to 1902. It was the forerunner of two formations of the Territorial Force that saw service in both World Wars.