Cape Town Highlanders
The Cape Town Highlanders is a reserve mechanised infantry regiment of the South African Army.
Cape Town Highlanders
Duke of Connaught and Strathearn's Own Cape Town Highlanders
Queen's Own Cape Town Highlanders
24 April 1885
Mechanised infantry
One battalion
South African Infantry Formation
Army Conventional Reserve
Castle Barracks, Cape Town, South Africa
- Nemo Me Impune Lacessit (No One Assails Me with Impunity) (Latin)
- Bydand (abiding, steadfast, an adjectival use of the Middle Scots present participle of bide[1])
Quick: Cock o' the North
24 April (Regimental Day)
CTH
History[edit]
Bechuanaland Campaign[edit]
The regiment first saw active duty during the Bechuanaland Campaign that was fought in the Northern Cape between 1896 and 1897.
Anglo-Boer War[edit]
At the outbreak of the Second Anglo-Boer War the regiment was again mobilised for active duty. During the war the regiment or elements thereof took part in several actions, including the relief of Kimberley.
Volunteer era[edit]
The Duke of Connaught and Strathearn became colonel-in-chief of the regiment in 1906, and the regiment's name was thus changed to the Duke of Connaught and Strathearn's Own Cape Town Highlanders.
With the Union Defence Force[edit]
When the regiment was embodied in the Union Defence Force (UDF) Citizen Force in 1913, the title was changed to 6th Infantry (Duke of Connaught and Strathearn's Own Cape Town Highlanders).
Current capability[edit]
The regiment is currently a mechanised infantry regiment in the SANDF and has sent members as part of the peacekeeping contingent to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Burundi. It has also taken part in internal deployments in support of the police as well as protecting the border.[5]
The weekend of 24 April 2015 saw the 130-year anniversary of the Cape Town Highlanders' creation, marked by regimental celebration dinners, the exercising of the unit's right to the Freedom of the City in Cape Town, as well as a medal and church parade.
Until 1967 the Regiment served as a de facto guard of honour battalion as well as in imitation of the Foot Guards of the British Army.
Customs[edit]
The unit wears black instead of brown boots as a mark of mourning for a Scottish soldier, Major-General Sir John Moore, Commander of the Highland Brigade
Two types of headgear, the khaki Balmoral bonnet and the Glengarry, which is blue with red-and-white dicing. The Balmoral is worn during daytime as a general working headdress, regardless of the order of dress being worn or whether the wearer is in barracks or in the field, although in the latter case it is sometimes replaced by a bush-hat or helmet.
The glengarry is worn for walking out; on ceremonial, mess and social occasions; and after Retreat has been sounded at 18h00.
Officers carry an ash-plant walking stick on all occasions except mess and other formal functions; or when armed with a claymore or rifle.
Non-commissioned officers are entitled to carry a "swagger stick" as a mark of their important status in the regiment.
No officer or NCO may eat before his men have eaten.
