History Cape Town Highlanders Regiment

1 history

1.1 bechuanaland campaign
1.2 anglo-boer war
1.3 world war 1
1.4 world war 2
1.5 border war

history

descendants of scottish immigrants south africa raised cape town highlanders in 1885. on 24 april of same year, services accepted – since then, date has been celebrated regiment s official birthday.

bechuanaland campaign

the regiment first saw active duty during bechuanaland campaign fought in northern cape in 1896.

anglo-boer war

at outbreak of second anglo-boer war regiment again mobilised active duty. during war regiment or elements thereof took part in several actions, including relief of kimberley.

the duke of connaught , strathearn became colonel-in-chief of regiment in 1906, , regiment s name changed duke of connaught , strathearn s own cape town highlanders. when regiment embodied in union defence force (udf) citizen force in 1913, title changed 6th infantry (duke of connaught , strathearn s own cape town highlanders).

world war 1

during world war cape town highlanders first fought against germany in german south-west africa, subsequently combined transvaal scottish regiment form 4th south african infantry (south african scottish) regiment, part of 1st south african brigade. (the south african scottish, various similar units, formed south african government since clause in defence act of time prohibited existing units serving far outside country s borders.) after fighting in senussi campaign in north africa brigade shipped france, took part in many battles between 1916 , 1918, including famous battle of delville wood. during time on western front, south african brigade , scottish heritage 4th battalion, first served lengthy stint british 9th (scottish) division, , following brigade s decimation in march 1918, reconstituted , incorporated in september 66th (2nd east lancashire) division until end of war.

the title changed again, in 1932, cape town highlanders (duke of connaught , strathearn s own).

world war 2

at outbreak of world war ii in 1939 regiment again mobilised. however, did not fight in first campaign of south african army in war, abyssinian campaign of 1940 1941. however, in mid-1941, regiment briefly sent egypt escort thousands of italian prisoners of war internment camps in south africa; returned egypt in late june of same year join newly arrived south african 1st infantry division in western desert.

the cape town highlanders fought in of major battles of western desert campaign, including battle of el alamein. indeed, regiment 1 of 3 in world (all of them south african) have not usual 2 alamein battle honours – alamein defence , el alamein – third, alamein box , resulted separate action during initial defence. action played significant role in halting rommel’s advance on tired , depleted british eighth army.

during regiment s subsequent deployment italy, regiment temporarily combined south africa s senior scottish unit, first city regiment, form first city/cape town highlanders. combined unit fought battle of monte cassino alps, culminating in heroic capture @ bayonet-point of strategic peak of monte sole part of south african 6th armoured division.

in 1947, queen elizabeth (later queen elizabeth queen mother) appointed colonel-in-chief, , 1948 until south africa became republic in 1961, regiment queen s own cape town highlanders.

border war

the first significant post-war action of cape town highlanders took place in january 1976, during operation savannah. first large-scale incursion south african defence force (sadf) angola during 23-year-long border war in south-west africa (now namibia). during following years regiment mobilised several times, including operation prone , others.the last mobilisation during period occurred in october 1988.