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1 Light Horse RegimentPatria et Libertas - Country and Liberty |
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| 1 Light Horse Regiment - (12 members)
The Light Horse Regiment (LHR) was Formerly the Imperial Light Horse, the regiment was raised on the authority of the War Office (London) on September 21, 1899 from Uitlander refugees in Natal, a long history brought with it With the institution of the Republic and the break from the Commonwealth the name was to the Light Horse Regiment. Its official establishment date is given as 12 Dec 1902. In 1975 the Regiment was split into 1 LHR and 2 LHR, 1 LHR is here depicted.
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| Light Horse Regiment - (12 members)
The Light Horse Regiment (LHR) was Formerly the Imperial Light Horse, the regiment was raised on the authority of the War Office (London) on September 21, 1899 from Uitlander refugees in Natal, a long history brought with it With the institution of the Republic and the break from the Commonwealth the name was to the Light Horse Regiment. Its official establishment date is given as 12 Dec 1902. In 1975 the Regiment was split into 1 LHR and 2 LHR, 1 LHR is here depicted.
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| | Patria et Libertas - Country and Liberty |
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| MOTTO
Patria et Libertas (Country and Liberty)
In total 31 battle honours have been awarded to 1 LHR and 2 LHR collectively, 23 of which are currently displayed on the Regimental Colour: South Africa 1899-1902, Defence of Ladysmith, Relief of Ladysmith, Natal 1906, South West Africa 1914-1915, Gibeon, Western Desert 1941-43, Marsa Belafrit, Bardia, Gazala, Alamein Defence, Alamein Box, El Alamein, Italy 1944-45, Cassino, Celleno, Florence, The Greve, Gothic Line, Monte Porro del Bagno, Monte Vigese, Monte Salvaro, Po Valley. The Battle Honours Elandslaagte and Relief of Mafeking were removed by the Nationalist Government after 1961 but has been re applied for post 1994 and will be re-instated.
SHORT HISTORY
The Light Horse Regiment (LHR), formerly the Imperial Light Horse (ILH), is an Armoured Car Reconnaissance Regiment of the South African Army.
Formation and Second Anglo-Boer War
The unit was raised in Johannesburg for service in the Second Anglo-Boer War by Major Aubrey Woolls-Sampson, Major Walter Karri-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 on 21 September 1899. Informally known as the Reformers Regiment after the 10 later ILH officers that served on the Reform Committee, more commonly referred to as the Uitlander Regiment by the Transvaal Government and ZAR Forces. The first Officer Commanding of the Regiment (consisting of 444 officers and men, chosen from 5000 volunteers) was Colonel John James Scott-Chisholme, who led the unit at its first engagement – at Elandslaagte on 21 October 1899. During this battle two Victoria Crosses were awarded to the ILH (to Captain Charles Herbert Mullins and Captain Robert Johnston). Colonel Scott-Chisholme was killed whilst leading from the front during this battle. The Regiment subsequently saw service at the Siege of Ladysmith (where another Victoria Cross was awarded – to Trooper Herman Albrecht at Wagon Hill), Colenso, Spioenkop and the Relief of Ladysmith. The ILH was then specially selected to join the Mafeking Relief Column under Colonel Mahon. 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, for his actions at the Tyger Kloof Spruit near Bethlehem in 1901.
Inter-War
In December 1902 the Regiment was re-organised at Johannesburg as two Wings in the Transvaal Volunteers, but in 1904 the left Wing was separated and re-designated the Western Rifles. 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 mobilised to assist the South African Police during a general strike and rebellion. On 1 July 1913 the Regiment was re-designated as the 5th Mounted Rifles (Imperial Light Horse) and transferred to the Active Citizen Force of the Union Defence Force.
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| World War I
The Regiment took part in the German South-West Africa Campaign as the 5th Mounted Rifles as part of South Africa’s contribution to World War I, where the battle honour 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 mobilised to assist the South African Police and fought in the Battle of Ellis Park.
World War II
At the outbreak of World War II 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 re-organised – 1 and 2 ILH Regiments were amalgamated with the Kimberley Regiment to form the Imperial Light Horse/Kimberley Regiment (ILH/KimR). This composite Regiment sailed for Egypt again in September 1943 to join the South African 6th Armoured Division in the role of a motorised battalion. In April 1944 the Division sailed for Italy, where the ILH/KimR was attached to the 12th South African Motorised 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. The South African 6th Armoured 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 Porre 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 defences at Bologna, the Regiment fought its last serious engagement at Finale south of Venice. The ILH Band led the Allied victory parade at Monza.
Post-War
The Regiment was reformed as an armoured regiment in South Africa’s Citizen Force and equipped with Sherman tanks in 1949. In October 1959 the then Minister of Defence, Frans Erasmus, proposed a defence reorganisation plan, which included the disbandment of the Regiment. However, a cabinet reshuffle took place soon afterwards and the new Minister of Defence, 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 Hor...
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| | Light Horse Regiment olours (as per Art Card):...
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| | Light Horse Regiment Emblem...
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| | [Photo from Roy Jackson]...
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| | [Photo from Roy Jackson]...
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| | [Photo from Roy Jackson]...
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| | Art Card for the 1 Light Horse Regiment Shoulder Flash, approved 1976:...
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| | Art Card for the 1 Light Horse Regiment Coloured Emblem, approved 1964:...
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| | Art Card for the Light Horse Regiment Chrome Cap and Collar Badge, approved 2002:...
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| | Art Card for the Light Horse Regiment Unit Emblem, approved 2002:...
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| | Art Card for the Light Horse Regiment Shoulder Title, approved 1972...
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| The Light Horse Regiment had been granted the Freedom of Entry into the City of Johannesburg on 5 September 1959. On 12 November 2011 the regiment exercised this privilege by marching through the streets of the City of Johannesburg with fixed bayonets, colours flying and drums beating, as part of the Centenary Celebrations of the City of Johannesburg.
Source: www.joburg.org.za...
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| | For a High(er) Quality image of the 1 Light Horse Regiment Flash, click here......
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All 5 images below are from the Personal Photo Collections of members of this portal which had been tagged with the 1 Light Horse Regiment Tag. Please note that while some images may be copyrighted by their respective owners, most have been loaded in good faith that you would not reuse them without written consent of the relevant member. PLEASE do contact the member first before you use his photos... its just common courtesy! |
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