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Chief Makhanda Regiment

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First Eastern Rifles
First City
Chief Makhanda Regiment
SANDF First City emblem
Active1875 to present
Country South Africa
Allegiance
Branch
TypeLight Infantry
RoleAir Assault and Training
SizeOne Air Assault battalion & a Training Wing
Part ofSouth African Infantry Formation
Army Conventional Reserve
Garrison/HQ
  • RHQ: Drill Hall, Hill Street, Grahamstown
  • Training Base: Fort Ihlosi Training Base, Grahamstown Military Base
Nickname(s)
  • The Fighting Grahams
    (Airborne Highlanders)
  • During WW2 the FC/CTH wore the Green and Gold Hackle and were nicknamed "the Budgies"
Colours (8)
  1. 1876 Regimental FCVA
  2. 1904 Kings Colour QVR
  3. 1904 Kings Colour FCV
  4. 1905 Regimental Colour QVR
  5. 1905 Regimental Colour FCV
  6. 1965 Regimental Colour FC Damaged by fire
  7. 1969 Regimental Colour FC
  8. 1989 National Colour FC
MarchBonny Dundee
Mascot(s)Albany Leopard
Anniversaries
  • Founders Weekend closest weekend to 18 November
  • Delvillewood July of each year
Commanders
Colonel-in-Chief
Honorary ColonelCol Cecil Peter Jones-Phillipson SM (Appointed 2010)
Insignia
AbbreviationCMR
TartanGraham of Montrose
Company level Insignia
SA Motorised Infantry beret bar circa 1992
SA Motorised Infantry beret bar

The Chief Makhanda Regiment (formerly known as the First City) is a reserve air assault infantry regiment of the South African Army.[1]

History

Colony Frontier

The regiment was formed from the First City Volunteers (FCV) of Grahamstown that were formed in 1875 in Grahamstown and the Queenstown Rifle Volunteers (QVR) that were formed in 1860 (Re-raised 1883) in Queenstown and these regiments were formed due to the unrest on the then frontier.

The QVR and the FCV fought in the Cape Frontier Wars and the 9th Frontier War (1877–1878). The QVR fought in the Morosi Campaign (1879). The FCV fought in the Basutoland Gun War (1880–1881). The QVR and the FCV later fought in the Bechuanaland campaign (1897), and in the Second Boer War (1899–1902).[2]

Union Defence Force

On 1 July 1913, the QVR amalgamated with the FCV and was incorporated into the Citizen Force of the new Union Defence Force as the 4th Infantry (First Eastern Rifles). It served in German South-West Africa 1914–1915.[2]

However, in 1924 the First Eastern Rifles were renamed the 4th Infantry (First City). The numerical part of the title was dropped in 1932, making the regiment simply First City.

In the mid 1930s, the regiment adopted Scottish uniform, including the Graham of Montrose tartan.

World War 2

During World War II, FC served in the Madagascar campaign (1942). On 5 October 1943, First City, South Africa's senior Scottish unit, was temporarily "married up" with the Cape Town Highlanders to form the FC/CTH which was part of the 12th South African Motorised Brigade of the South African 6th Armoured Division. The "marriage" lasted until 8 May 1945. After completing its training in Egypt, the division landed at Taranto, Italy on 20 April 1944 and fought exclusively in Italy during its existence.[3] In 1946, the regiment was reconstituted as a component of the country's part-time forces and reformed First City.[2]

From 1954 to 1956, FC was amalgamated with the Kaffrarian Rifles, known as First City/Kaffrarian Rifles. In 1956 it reverted to being called First City.

Border War

The regiment served in the South African Border War from 1977 to 1986, and was also involved from 1983 until 1994 in Internal Operations.[clarification needed] The regiment was affiliated with 84 Motorised Brigade, part of 8th Armoured Division.

Post 1994

In 2004 it was decided to rebuild First City and by 2006 the regiment was training its own members as well as members of the Prince Alfred's Guard, The Buffalo Volunteer Rifles and Regiment Piet Retief these all being Eastern Cape regiments. Many members have also been trained in Air Assault. The Regiment has also sent members on UN & AU peace keeping missions to the DRC, Burundi and the Sudan.

2008 saw First City winning the trophy for the best reserve force regiment in the SA Army Infantry Formation. The regiment retained this award for 2009.[1]

Name Change

In August 2019, 52 Reserve Force units had their names changed to reflect the diverse military history of South Africa.[4] The First City became the Chief Makhanda Regiment, and have 3 years to design and implement new regimental insignia.[5]

Regimental Symbols

Badges

  • Bonny Badge: silver crest of Montrose; directly behind the void areas of the badge on the Montrose tartan the following is worn:
    • Scarlet – officers and warrant officers
    • Blue – All other members
    • Maroon – All Airborne qualified members
    • The officers & WOs wear a diamond-shaped tartan backing, while the NCOs and Rfn wear a square tartan backing.
  • Cap badge backing (1935– ): Graham of Montrose tartan. 1935 to 1943 pale red hackle also worn.
  • 1943 to 1945 only a green and gold hackle was worn during this period. FC/CTH
  • Collar badge: albany leopard on a branch
  • Shoulder & epaulette title: "First City"
    • Officers & WOs wear the gold metal epaulette designation on the red tab.
    • NCOs & Rfn wear a gold and green cloth shoulder title
SADF era First City Regiment insignia
Air Assault
(Qualification)
Black on Thatch beige, Embossed
Small Helicopter with wings


Headdress

Blue Balmoral bonnet with blue and white dicing, with a red toorie in 1935. The regiment's Highland company wore a Tam o'shanter without the toorie from 1906–1913, while the pipers wore a dark blue Glengarry. The new blue glengarry with blue and white dicing has the Maroon toorie to symbolise the regiment's airborne role. (Worn by officers & WOs) The khaki tam o'shanter when worn by air assault members has a maroon toorie. (Worn by S/Sgt/Rfn) The officers and WOs when in service/combat dress wear the light khaki balmoral.

Tartan

Graham of Montrose. The highland company was kilted in 1906, while the officers and warrant officers were allowed to wear trews from 1935 and the whole regiment was kilted in 1940.

Motto

New motto: "Expecto" (be alert/be prepared/I await)

  • Old FCV Motto: Virtute et opera (By Virtue and Deeds)
  • Old QVR Motto: Semper Paratus (Always Ready)

Current Dress Insignia

SANDF era Infantry Formation insignia

Alliances

Battle honours

Battle Honours
Awarded
Unknown: Gaika Gcaleka 1877

Please see the Template:BattleHonour for help

Unknown: Basutoland 1880-81

Please see the Template:BattleHonour for help

Unknown: Bechuanaland 1897

Please see the Template:BattleHonour for help

Unknown: South Africa 1899-1902

Please see the Template:BattleHonour for help

Unknown: South West Africa 1914-1915

Please see the Template:BattleHonour for help

Unknown: Madagascar 1942

Please see the Template:BattleHonour for help

Unknown: Italy 1944-45

Please see the Template:BattleHonour for help

Paliano
Unknown: Casino II

Please see the Template:BattleHonour for help

Chiusi
Florence
Unknown: The Greve

Please see the Template:BattleHonour for help

Unknown: Gothic Line

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Unknown: Monte Stanco

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Unknown: Monte Pezza

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Unknown: Sole/Caprara

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Unknown: Po Valley

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Unknown: South West Africa/Angola 1976-1989

Please see the Template:BattleHonour for help


Battle Honours
Outstanding
Unknown: South Africa 1879

Please see the Template:BattleHonour for help


Leadership

Leadership
From Colonel-in-Chief To
1935 The Duke of Kent, Maj Gen, Prince George KG MC GCVO 1942
1946 The Duke of Montrose KT CB 1961
From Honorary Colonel To
1989 Brig Gen A C Chemaly SM MMM JCD 2009
2009 Col Cecil Peter Jones-Phillipson SM Present
From Commanding Officer To
2017 Acting Maj Robin Collins Present
From Regimental Sergeants Major To
2003 MWO Craig Stuart Brown MMM JCD 2013

References

  1. ^ a b "First City - The Fighting Grahams" (PDF). Republic of South Africa: Defense Reserves. Retrieved 3 February 2017.
  2. ^ a b c "Unit Info First City Regiment". South African Military Units. Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  3. ^ "6 SA Armoured Div". Retrieved 10 November 2017.
  4. ^ "New Reserve Force unit names". defenceWeb. 7 August 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  5. ^ "Renaming process has resulted in an Army structure that truly represents SA". IOL. 16 August 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2020.
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