Fact file: Witwatersrand Rifles

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Wits Rifles is South Africa’s only Lowland regiment (it carries on the traditions of the Cameronians [Scottish Rifles] and wears Douglas tartan). It is often remarked that the Cape Town Highlanders are the only coastal Highlanders and Wits Rifles are the only highland Lowlanders.

The unit was established on May Day 1903, by merging Major LI Seymour’s Railway Pioneer Regiment and the Rand Rifles, both of which had fought with the British in the recently ended Anglo South African War. Seymour, after whom a street is named in Parktown, Johannesburg, was an American engineer who during the Anglo South African War suggested the enrolment of the many skilled men from the Rand mines made refugee in the Cape. The unit was duly formed and spent its time repairing the damage done to the railways by the Boers. Seymour was killed in action at Rooiwal in 1900 by Free State Chief Commandant Christian De Wet’s men and buried in the Kroonstad military cemetery. After October 1900, the regiment’s four battalions were used on military police and outpost duty on the Rand.

Wits Rifles was the third British-style reserve regiment formed in the Transvaal, the first two being the Transvaal Scottish and the Transvaal Light Infantry (TLI). The TLI later merged with the WR, which was known as the 10th Infantry, Active Citizen Force from 1913 to 1932. The regiment served in Damaraland and in the north of German South West Africa during the campaign there in 1914-1915. Later, 94% of officers and 80% of other ranks volunteered for overseas duty. Wits Rifles was again mobilised in 1922 for the suppression of the Rand Revolt. With the Transvaal Scottish and the Royal Durban Light Infantry, Wits Rifles cleared Fordsburg of the last rebels on March 14. Two battalions were raised for World war Two, but drafts of the second ended up serving with Regiment Botha in Egypt in 1942. The Wits Rifles battalion was merged with Regiment de la Rey for service with 6 SA Armoured Division’s 12 Motorised Brigade, the combined unit becoming known as the “Royal Boere”, whose watchword was “ODJ” (Op die job). The composite battalion saw much service in the Apennines, especially in April 1945, on the eve of the war’s end, suffering heavy losses at Monte Caprara (April 15).

In 1947 Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, became colonel-in-chief an remained so until 1961, when South Africa left the commonwealth. That same year, the unit motto was adjusted from For God, King and Country to For God and Country. From 1976 to 1986 the unit was involved in the Namibian War. In 1981 it converted in role from motorised to mechanised infantry and from 1982 to 1993 was also committed to urban counterinsurgency in between training exercises at the Army Battle School and tours to Namibia. The WR took part in both Operation Jambu and Acapantha, the military’s support for the 1994 and 1999 elections respectively. After 1999, the unit acted in further support of the civil authority in combating crime. In 2000, the WR sent a contingent to London to mark the 100th birthday of the Queen Mother and two years later attended her funeral.

Current role: Mechanised infantry.

Current base: Germiston

Battle honours:

  • South West Africa 1914-1915
  • Italy 1944-1945
  • Monte Querciabella
  • Monte Salvaro
  • The Greve
  • Casino II
  • Monte Fili
  • Monte Sole/Caprara
  • Allerona
  • Gothic Line
  • Po Valley
  • Florence
  • Monte Stanco
  • Camposanto Bridge

Motto: Pro Deo et Patria (For God and Country).