Battle honours Cape Town Highlanders Regiment

the cape town highlanders regiment has following battle honours on regimental colours:

bechuanaland 1896–97
south africa 1899–1902
south west africa 1915
gazala
alam hamza
best post
alamein box
alamein defence
alam el halfa
battle of el alamein
western desert 1941–43
cassino ii
paliano
chiusi
florence
gothic line
the greve
monte stanco
monte pezza
sole/caprara
po valley
italy 1944–45

the lost colours

the south african union defence act of 1914 prohibited deployment of south african troops beyond borders of south africa , immediate neighbouring territories. send troops europe support commonwealth in world war i, generals botha , smuts created south african overseas expeditionary force. however, because of limitations of defence act, issued general order (order 672 of 1915) stated south african overseas expeditionary force imperial , have status of regular british troops. status meant imply administrative purposes, britain paying maintenance of force in field sake of local political sensitivities.

on 8 june 1916 adjutant general s office @ defence headquarters issued note stating:

as such, below colours awarded unit, because of unit being imperial unit @ stage of award, right bear colours lapsed @ end of hostilities.

the fifteen missing battle honours awarded service in france , flanders 4th south african infantry (south african scottish) battalion include of famous in south africa’s military history:

egypt 1916
somme 1916
delville wood
arras 1917
ypres 1917
menin road
messines 1918
hindenburg line
cambrai 1918
pursuit mons
france , flanders 1918
le transloy
scarpe 1917
kemmel
lys




^ digby, peter. k. pyramids , poppies: 1st sa infantry brigade in libya, france , flanders: 1915 -1919 1993, ashanti, rivonia. pg 416