View source for Chief Langalibalele Rifles

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2014}}
{{more citations needed|date=January 2021}}
{{Infobox military unit
|unit_name=Cape Rifle Corps<br/>Cape Royal Rifles<br/>Cape Town Volunteer Rifles<br/>Duke of Edinburgh's Own Rifles<br/>Cape Town Rifles<br/>Chief Langalibalele Rifles
|image=[[File:SANDF Cape Town Rifles emblem.jpg|200px|SANDF Cape Town Rifles emblem]]
|caption=SANDF Cape Town Rifles emblem
|start_date={{Start date and age|1855|11|28|df=yes}}
|country={{ZAF}}
|branch={{army|South Africa}}
|type=[[Infantry]]
|role=Amphibious Motorised infantry
|size=One battalion
|command_structure=[[South African Infantry Corps|South African Infantry Formation]]<br>Army Conventional Reserve
|current_commander= Lt Col Francois Marais {{Post-nominals|commas=on|country=ZAR|MMM}}, B Mil
|garrison=[[Cape Town]]
|ceremonial_chief=Colonel Les Masterson
|ceremonial_chief_label=Honorary Colonel
|colonel_of_the_regiment=
|colonel_of_the_regiment_label=
|nickname=
|patron=
|motto= ''Semper Eadem''
|colors=
|march=
|mascot=
|battles=
|notable_commanders=
|anniversaries=28 November (Regimental Day)
|decorations=
|battle_honours=
<!-- Insignia -->
|identification_symbol=[[File:SA Army Company Insignia.png|200px]]
|identification_symbol_label= Company level Insignia
|identification_symbol_2= [[File:SA motorised infantary beret bar.jpg|200px]]<br />SA Motorised Infantry beret bar
|identification_symbol_2_label= SA Motorised Infantry beret bar circa 1992
|identification_symbol_3=CLR
|identification_symbol_3_label=Abbreviation
|identification_symbol_4=
|identification_symbol_4_label=
}}

The '''Chief Langalibalele Rifles''' (formerly known as the '''Cape Town Rifles''' and '''Duke of Edinburgh's Own Rifles''') is a reserve [[infantry]] [[regiment]] of the [[South African Army]].

==History==
===Origin===
The Regiment was founded on 28 November 1855, as the '''Cape Rifle Corps'''.  It was the first volunteer unit in the Cape Colony.  

===Other names===
It was also known as the '''Cape Royal Rifles''', and later as the '''Cape Town Volunteer Rifles'''.  

===Association with Prince Alfred===
On 30 September 1867, [[Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha|Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh]] granted the CTVR the title the '''Duke of Edinburgh's Own Rifles''', after it had formed a guard of honour for him during a visit to [[Cape Town]].  The nickname "the Dukes" appears to have come into use in the 1880s.

===Role===
The Regiment's original purpose was home defence, to supplement the British Army garrison which was stationed in Cape Town.  It initially consisted of two companies, but later grew to five, the fifth (formed in 1859) being a Scottish company.  The Scottish company left the Regiment, and became a unit in its own right, in 1861, and disbanded in 1866.  During the depression of the 1860s and early 1870s, the Regiment shrank to only one company, and was one of the few volunteer units to remain in existence

===Early Campaigns===
On the outbreak of the [[Xhosa Wars|9th Frontier War]] in 1877, the Regiment volunteered for active service, and fielded a small contingent which served in the [[Transkei]] from October 1877 to January 1878.  Hundreds of volunteers joined the Regiment, and it was reorganised in April 1878, into six companies. 

Another contingent served in the 
Transkei from February to May 1879, to take the place of a British garrison unit which had been re-deployed to [[Zulu Kingdom|Zululand]] because of the [[Anglo-Zulu War]].

Half the Regiment served in the [[Basutoland Gun War]] in [[Basutoland]] (now [[Lesotho]]) from September 1880 to March 1881, and it was there that the Regiment suffered its first casualties.

The Regiment continued to grow after this period of campaigning, and a new Scottish company was formed in 1882.  It transferred to the newly formed [[Cape Town Highlanders]] in July 1885.  In 1891, the Dukes took over the Cape Town Irish Volunteer Rifles, and in 1894 the Regiment formed a mounted company.

From February to August 1897, the Dukes were on active service in [[Bechuanaland]], as part of a government military operation to capture dissident [[Tswana people|Tswana]] leaders who had taken refuge in the [[Langberg mountains]].

===Anglo-Boer War===

The Regiment played an active role in the [[Second Boer War|Anglo-Boer War]] (1899&ndash;1902). Initially, it was deployed to protect a long stretch of the railway line through the [[Western Cape]]. In May 1900, it was assigned to Lt Gen Sir [[Charles Warren]]'s column, to recapture areas of [[Griqualand West]] from Boer and Cape Rebel forces. The Dukes' commanding officer, Lt Col William Spence, was killed in action during a [[Battle of Faber's Put|Boer attack on the column's base on the farm Fabers Puts]] on 30 May 1900.

From June 1900 until the end of the war in May 1902, the Regiment was split up into small detachments, which manned outposts and blockhouses in the northern Cape.  

A second battalion was formed in Cape Town in January 1901, and in October 1901 it became a separate unit and was renamed the [[Colonial Light Horse]]. It disbanded after the end of the war.

===Citizen Force===

Together with most colonial volunteer units, the Dukes were embodied in the [[Active Citizen Force]] of the new [[Union Defence Force (South Africa)|Union Defence Force]] on 1 July 1913.  The word "volunteer" was removed from the title, which then became "2nd Infantry (Duke of Edinburgh's Own Rifles)".  The numerical designation was dropped in 1932.

===World War I===

Like other CF units, the Dukes played a limited role in [[World War I]], because the South African forces were restricted to operations in southern Africa.  The Regiment was on garrison duty in Cape Town from October 1914 to January 1915, and was deployed in German [[South West Africa]] (now [[Namibia]]) from February to July 1915.  It was used in a supporting role, and saw no action.

After the Dukes returned from GSWA, more than a hundred members volunteered for service in the new [[1st SA Infantry Regiment]], which served in [[Egypt]] and then on the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] in [[France]].  Some others volunteered for service in the British forces, and one "Duke", [[Andrew Beauchamp-Proctor]], became a [[Royal Air Force]] pilot and finished the war as South Africa's most highly decorated serviceman ever.

===World War II===

The Dukes served again in [[World War II]].  As a unit of the 1st SA Infantry Brigade, the Regiment served in [[East Africa]] ([[Kenya]], [[Somaliland]] and [[Ethiopia]]) from July 1940 to May 1941, and in [[North Africa]] ([[Egypt]] and [[Libya]]) from June 1941 to December 1942 as part of the [[1st Infantry Division (South Africa)|1st SA Infantry Division]].  The Dukes earned eleven battle honours in these two campaigns.

From February 1943 to March 1945, the Regiment was based in the [[Transvaal Province|Transvaal]], in South Africa, as a tank training battalion.  Being under-strength, it was temporarily amalgamated with the [[Rand Light Infantry]].  In March 1945, the DEOR/RLI amalgamated with the [[Transvaal Scottish]], to form the "DSR" battalion for service in [[Italy]].  However, operations in Italy ended before the battalion was ready for deployment.  It was used for peacekeeping and security duties in Italy until the end of 1945.

===Post-war===

When South Africa became a republic on 31 May 1961, the Duke of Edinburgh's Own Rifles were renamed the "Cape Town Rifles".  The official title was changed again, in October 1966, to "Cape Town Rifles (Dukes)".  The Regiment was granted the Freedom of the City of Cape Town on 10 October 1967.  National service, i.e. conscription of all medically fit White men, was introduced in 1968.

===Border War===
{{main|South African Border War}}
The Dukes were converted into a counter-insurgency (COIN) unit in 1974, and served several tours of duty in the [[South African Border War|Border War]], i.e. South African operations against the People's Liberation Army of Namibia.  The whole battalion served in [[Ovamboland|Owambo]] in 1977, and a small contingent served there again in December 1978.  Companies served in [[East Caprivi]] in 1979, in [[Kavango Region|Kavango]] in 1980, and in Owambo in 1981 and 1983.

===State of Emergency===

The Dukes were deployed on internal security duties in various part of South Africa in 1985, 1986, 1988, and 1990, during the 1985-1990 [[State of Emergency]], which was the government's response to the armed [[liberation struggle]] by the [[African National Congress]] and others.

==Present==
Since 1994, the Regiment has been a volunteer unit, and it celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2005 and continues to serve both on external and internal deployments.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Helfrich|first1=Kim|title=Reserves add value to Army operations|url=http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=31088:reserves-add-value-to-army-operations&catid=111:sa-defence&Itemid=242|website=defenceweb.co.za|date=8 July 2013 |publisher=DefenceWeb|access-date=27 October 2014|quote=Operation Corona deployment comprising a battalion of Western Cape Army Reserve Force units drawn from the Cape Town Rifles and the [[Cape Town Highlanders Regiment]].}}</ref>

===Name change===
In August 2019, 52 Reserve Force units had their names changed to reflect the diverse military history of South Africa.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.defenceweb.co.za/featured/new-reserve-force-unit-names/|title=New Reserve Force unit names|publisher=defenceWeb|date=7 August 2019|access-date=9 January 2021}}</ref> The Cape Town Rifles became the '''Chief Langalibalele Rifles''', and have 3 years to design and implement new regimental insignia.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.iol.co.za/news/opinion/renaming-process-has-resulted-in-an-army-structure-that-truly-represents-sa-30856190|title=Renaming process has resulted in an Army structure that truly represents SA|date=16 August 2019|publisher=IOL|access-date=8 January 2020}}</ref>

==Regimental Symbols==
*The regimental badge, worn since 1964, is an eight-pointed star, with a battlemented turret covering the top point.  An anchor is superimposed on the turret.  In the centre of the star is a stringed bugle horn, surrounded by a buckled strap inscribed "Semper Eadem".
*The previous badge, dating from the 1880s, was the star of the Order of the Thistle, with a royal duke's coronet covering the top point, and the regiment's title around the thistle in the centre of the star.
*The regimental helmet flash is pale gold with a pointed top, and a cherry red chevron across the centre.  A hackle (plume) of cherry and gold feathers is worn behind it.  The beret flash, worn behind the badge, is a diamond-shape divided horizontally into pale gold over cherry red.
*The Cape Town Rifles are the oldest regiment of Cape Town's five traditional volunteer regiments: the [[Cape Field Artillery]], the Cape Town Rifles (Dukes), the [[Cape Town Highlanders Regiment|Cape Town Highlanders]], the [[Cape Garrison Artillery]] and [[Regiment Westelike Provinsie]].<ref name=FactFileCTR>{{cite web|last1=Englebrecht|first1=Leon|title=Fact file: Cape Town Rifles (Dukes)|url=http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=8534:fact-file-cape-town-rifles-dukes&catid=79:fact-files&Itemid=159|website=defenceweb.co.za|publisher=DefenceWeb|access-date=26 October 2014|date=17 June 2010}}</ref>

===Previous Dress Insignia===
[[File:SADF era Cape Town Rifles insignia.jpg|thumb|center|900px|SADF era Cape Town Rifles insignia]]

==Alliances==
*{{GBR}} – [[The Rifles]]

==Battle honours==
{{See also|List of South African Battle Honours}}
{{BattleHonour|Title=Awarded to Cape Town Rifles| Gaika_Gcaleka_1877|Transkei_1879|Basutoland_1880_81|Bechuanaland_1897|South_Africa_1899_1902|South_West_Africa_1914_1915|East_Africa_1940_41|El_Wak|The_Juba|Combolcia|Amba_Alagi|Western_Desert_1941_43|Sidi_Rezegh|Gazala|Alem_Hamza|Alamein_Defence|El_Alamein}}

Gaika-Gcaleka 1877, [[Transkei]] 1879, [[Basutoland]] 1880{{snd}}1881, [[Bechuanaland]] 1897, South Africa 1899{{snd}}1902, [[South-West Africa]]  1914{{snd}}1915, [[East Africa]] 1940{{snd}}1941, El Wak, The Juba, Combolcia, Amba Alagi, [[Western Desert cultural bloc|Western Desert]] 1941{{snd}}1943, Sidi Rezegh, Gazala, Alem Hamza, Alamein Defence, [[El Alamein]]

== Leadership ==
{{Post-start|caption=Leadership|float=}}
{{Post-header|post-name=Colonel-In-Chief}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1930|post-incumbent=[[Alexander Cambridge, 1st Earl of Athlone|Major General the Earl of Athlone]] {{Post-nominals|KG|GCB|GCMG|GCVO|DSO|PC|ADC(P)|FRS}}|to-date=1957}}
{{Post-header|post-name=Honorary Colonel}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1935|post-incumbent=Colonel Cecil James Sibbett JP|to-date=1967}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1968|post-incumbent=Colonel Neil Herman Hare {{Post-nominals|commas=on|country=ZAR|ED}}|to-date=1989}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1991|post-incumbent=Colonel Helm Roos|to-date=1992}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1993|post-incumbent=Colonel Patrick Joseph O'Sullivan|to-date=2006}}
{{Post-member|from-date=2007|post-incumbent=Colonel Les Masterson|to-date=Present}}
<!-- {{Post-member|from-date=XXX|post-incumbent=XXX|to-date=XXX}} -->
{{Post-header|post-name=Commanding Officer}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1855|post-incumbent=Col. the Hon. William Hope|to-date=1858}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1858|post-incumbent=Col. [[John Thomas Eustace]]|to-date=1858}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1862|post-incumbent=Capt. Rice Daniel Jones|to-date=1872}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1872|post-incumbent=Capt. Francis Rennie|to-date=1874}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1874|post-incumbent=Capt. William Keal|to-date=1877}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1877|post-incumbent=Maj. Francis Gimber Goodliffe|to-date=1878}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1878|post-incumbent=Col. Zachary Stanley Bayly|to-date=1879}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1879|post-incumbent=Maj. Francis Gimber Goodliffe|to-date=1880}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1880|post-incumbent=Col. Archibald Graham Wavell|to-date=1881}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1881|post-incumbent=Maj. Francis Gimber Goodliffe|to-date=1882}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1882|post-incumbent=Maj. Henry Hamilton Jones|to-date=1884}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1884|post-incumbent=Col. Richard George Southey|to-date=1890}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1890|post-incumbent=Lt Col. William Alfred Spence {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|VD}}|to-date=1900}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1900|post-incumbent=Brevet Col. John Lewis|to-date=1900}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1900|post-incumbent=Col. Henry Woodhead, CMH, {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|VD}}|to-date=1914}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1914|post-incumbent=Lt Col. William Frederick Gregory {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|VD}}|to-date=1921}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1921|post-incumbent=Lt Col. George Rose {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|DSO|VD}}|to-date=1925}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1925|post-incumbent=Lt Col. Charles Ernst Samuel Bull {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|MC}}|to-date=1929}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1929|post-incumbent=Lt Col. Bertram Maynard Woodhead {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|DSO|VD}}|to-date=1933}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1933|post-incumbent=Lt Col. James Edward Harker {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|VD}}|to-date=1933}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1934|post-incumbent=Lt Col. John Hewitt {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|VD}}|to-date=1935}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1935|post-incumbent=Lt Col. Colin Graham Botha {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|VD}}|to-date=1937}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1937|post-incumbent=Lt Col. John Hewitt {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|VD}}|to-date=1938}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1938|post-incumbent=Lt Col. George Thomas Senescall {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|DSO}}|to-date=1941}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1941|post-incumbent=Lt Col. Harold Lewis Silberbauer {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|MC}}|to-date=1941}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1941|post-incumbent=Lt Col. George Thomas Senescall {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|DSO}}|to-date=1942}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1942|post-incumbent=Lt Col. Johannes Mattheus De Beer|to-date=1942}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1942|post-incumbent=Maj. Leslie Lees|to-date=1942}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1942|post-incumbent=Maj. Alexander Georgeu|to-date=1942}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1942|post-incumbent=Lt Col. Sydney Burdett Gwillam {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|MC}}|to-date=1943}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1943|post-incumbent=Lt Col. Pieter Gerhard Vincent dan der Byl {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|MC}}|to-date=1944}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1944|post-incumbent=Maj. Neil Herman Hare {{Post-nominals|commas=on|country=ZAR|ED}}|to-date=1945}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1945|post-incumbent=Lt Col. William Hedding DSR|to-date=1945}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1945|post-incumbent=Cmdt. Alexander Douglas Foxwell Sales {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|MC}}|to-date=1953}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1954|post-incumbent=Cmdt. Colin Ray Titteron {{Post-nominals|country=ZAR|JCD}}|to-date=1955}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1956|post-incumbent=Cmdt. Donald Ivan Moodie {{Post-nominals|country=ZAR|SM|JCD}}|to-date=1961}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1961|post-incumbent=Cmdt. Albert Joseph Bick {{Post-nominals|country=ZAR|JCD}}|to-date=1970}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1971|post-incumbent=Cmdt. Brian Donald Davison {{Post-nominals|country=ZAR|JCD}}|to-date=1973}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1973|post-incumbent=Cmdt. Albert Joseph Bick {{Post-nominals|country=ZAR|JCD}}|to-date=1974}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1975|post-incumbent=Cmdt. Leslie Clifford Masterson {{Post-nominals|commas=on|country=ZAR|MMM|JCD}}|to-date=1981}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1982|post-incumbent=Cmdt. Manfred Albert Krecklenberg {{Post-nominals|commas=on|country=ZAR|MMM|JCD}}|to-date=1988}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1988|post-incumbent=Lt Col. James Charles Anthony Gerstner|to-date=2001}}
{{Post-member|from-date=2001|post-incumbent=Lt Col. Ray Nesset {{Post-nominals|commas=on|country=ZAR|MMM|JCD}}|to-date=9 Feb 2014}}
{{Post-member|from-date=9 Feb 2014|post-incumbent=Lt Col. Francois Marais {{Post-nominals|commas=on|country=ZAR|MMM}}, B Mil|to-date=June 2018}}
{{Post-header|post-name=Regimental Sergeants Major}}
<!-- {{Post-member|from-date=XXX|post-incumbent=XXX|to-date=XXX}} -->
{{Post-member|from-date=1878|post-incumbent=RSM James Fergus McQuade|to-date=1902}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1903|post-incumbent=RSM John Edgar Pearson|to-date=1913}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1913|post-incumbent=RSM R. Bell|to-date=1915}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1926|post-incumbent=RSM J.A. Hallas|to-date=1926}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1927|post-incumbent=RSM C.J. Hunter|to-date=1929}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1929|post-incumbent=RSM W. Britton|to-date=1933}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1933|post-incumbent=RSM Lionel Higginbotham|to-date=1939}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1939|post-incumbent=RSM Douglas Saville Hoyle|to-date=1940}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1940|post-incumbent=RSM Christopher William Noel Gautier {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|MC}}|to-date=1941}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1941|post-incumbent=RSM Charles Wilfred Gudgeon {{Post-nominals|country=GBR|MC}}|to-date=1943}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1943|post-incumbent=RSM Louis Harry Nuns|to-date=1944}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1944|post-incumbent=RSM Dene Weitz Melvill DSR|to-date=1945}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1946|post-incumbent=RSM Ronald Andrews|to-date=1947}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1947|post-incumbent=RSM Colin Drummond Smith {{Post-nominals|commas=on|country=ZAR|JCD}}|to-date=1964}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1965|post-incumbent=RSM Johannes Ignatius Jakobus du Toit {{Post-nominals|commas=on|country=ZAR|MMM|JCD}}|to-date=1969}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1970|post-incumbent=RSM Roy Maxwell Kirsten {{Post-nominals|commas=on|country=ZAR|PMM|MMM|JCD}}|to-date=1987}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1987|post-incumbent=RSM Colin Jon Faure|to-date=1996}}
{{Post-member|from-date=1996|post-incumbent=RSM Kevin Wayne Bey-Leveld|to-date=2000}}
{{Post-member|from-date=2000|post-incumbent=RSM John Henry Tuck|to-date=2005}}
{{Post-member|from-date=2005|post-incumbent=RSM Pedro Miguel Dias Lobo|to-date=Present}}
{{Post-end}}

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book|last1=McKenzie|first1=A.G.|year=1957|title=The Dukes|publisher=Regimental Trust}}
* {{cite book|last1=Orpen|first1=Neil|year=1985|title=The Dukes 1855-1984|publisher=Regimental Trust}}
* {{cite book|author=Anon|year=1989|title=Cape Town Rifles Dukes|type=Booklet}}
* {{cite book|last1=Dorrington|first1=John|year=1989|title=Semper Eadem - The Cape Town Rifles (Dukes)|publisher=Regimental Trust}}

{{portal|South Africa}}
{{SA Army Units}}


[[Category:Infantry regiments of South Africa]]
[[Category:Military units and formations in Cape Town]]
[[Category:Military units and formations established in 1855]]
[[Category:Military units and formations of the Second Boer War]]
[[Category:Military units and formations of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Military units and formations of South Africa in World War I]]
[[Category:Regiments of South Africa in World War II]]
[[Category:Military units and formations of South Africa in the Border War]]