The Durban Light Infantry is a

Motorised Infantry Motorized infantry is infantry that is transported by trucks or other motor vehicles. It is distinguished from mechanized infantry, which is carried in armoured personnel carriers or infantry fighting vehicles, and from light infantry, which c ...

regiment of the

South African Army The South African Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of South Africa, a part of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), along with the South African Air Force, South African Navy and South African Military Health Servi ...

. It lost its status as a

Mechanised infantry Mechanized infantry are infantry units equipped with Armoured personnel carrier, armored personnel carriers (APCs) or infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) for transport and combat (see also armoured corps). As defined by the United States Army, me ...

regiment in 2010 in line with the rationalisation of resources. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. * British national identity, the characteristics of British people and culture ...

Army Reserve Army Reserve refers to a land-based military reserve force, including: *Army Reserve (Ireland) *Army Reserve (United Kingdom) *Australian Army Reserve *Canadian Army Reserve * New Zealand Army Reserve *United States Army Reserve *United States Navy ...

or United States

Army National Guard The Army National Guard (ARNG) is an organized Militia (United States), militia force and a Reserve components of the United States Armed Forces, federal military reserve force of the United States Army. It is simultaneously part of two differen ...

unit.

History

The full history of the regiment is recounted in an exhaustive but vivid and readable two-volume history by Lt.Col A.C.Martin, M.C.,V.D.,B.A.(Cape), Hon Ph.D (Natal). The first volume (368 pages) cover the period 1854-1934, and the second (487 pages) the period 1935-1960. The volumes are illustrated with over 100 photographs and maps.Martin, Lieut Col A.C. MC VD BA (Cape) Hon.PhD (Natal) (1969). Durban Light Infantry: The History of the Durban Light Infantry Incorporating that of the Sixth South African Infantry, 1935 to 1960

Origin

The Regiment was formed as the ''D’Urban Volunteer Guard'', in May 1854. In 1859 the unit became the ''Durban Rifle Guard''. In 1873 the unit became known as the ''Royal Durban Rifles''. In 1889 the unit became known as the ''Natal Royal Rifles (Left half Battalion)''. In 1895 it became the ''Durban Light Infantry''.

With the Union Defence Force

On the constitution of the ''Union Defence Force'' in 1912, the Unit became the ''Durban Light Infantry'', renamed the ''1st Infantry, (Durban Light Infantry)''. In consequence the Unit was permitted to add to its badge " ''in Africa"'', the motto retained by the unit today in recognition of its foundation.

Seniority

In 1935,

King George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. George was born during the reign of his pa ...

conferred the title ''Royal'' on two Regiments being the ''Royal Durban Light Infantry'' and the

Royal Natal Carbineers Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family or royalty Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, ...

, as a recognition of their seniority and service. In 1961 with the formation of the Republic, the title "Royal" was considered incompatible and the Regiment reverted to being the ''Durban Light Infantry''.

Regimental Colours

At the centre of the '

Regimental Colour In military organizations, the practice of carrying colours, standards, flags, or guidons, both to act as a rallying point for troops and to mark the location of the commander, is thought to have originated in Ancient Egypt some 5,000 year ...

' is the badge worn by the Regiment since 1961. It consists of the recognised ''Infantry Silver Bugle'' with tassels and a shield with two

wildebeest Wildebeest ( , ,), also called gnu ( or ), are antelopes of the genus ''Connochaetes'' and native to Eastern and Southern Africa. They belong to the family Bovidae, which includes true antelopes, cattle, goats, sheep, and other even-toed ...

and a ''crown''. The wildebeest are symbolic of the Province, while the crown retained as a ''traditional device'' is reminiscent of the ''title "Royal"'' bestowed upon the Regiment by

in 1935. The words " ''in Africa"'' are superimposed within a scroll. The crest is composed of a lion

passant guardant In heraldry, the term attitude describes the ''position'' in which a figure (animal or human) is emblazoned as a charge, a supporter, or as a crest. The attitude of a heraldic figure always precedes any reference to the tincture of the figure an ...

on three mounds – the centre mound being charged with a pyramid. The lion is symbolic of strength, courage and fortitude. The three mounds are symbolic of the battles fought in World War II – Monte Stanco, Monte Peza and Monte Sole/Caprara. The pyramid is symbolic of the 1941–1943 Egyptian Campaign. The ''garland'' which surrounds the coloured badge comprises the

Thistle Thistle is the common name of a group of flowering plants characterized by leaves with sharp spikes on the margins, mostly in the family Asteraceae. Prickles can also occur all over the planton the stem and on the flat parts of the leaves. T ...

of Scotland, the Tudor Rose of England and the

Shamrock A shamrock is a type of clover, used as a symbol of Ireland. The name ''shamrock'' comes from Irish (), which is the diminutive of the Irish word and simply means "young clover". At most times'', Shamrock'' refers to either the species ...

of Ireland – symbols taken from the old colour – and the other two flowers, the

Protea ''Protea'' () is a genus of South African flowering plants, also called sugarbushes (Afrikaans: ''suikerbos''). It is the type genus of the Proteaceae family. About 92% of the species occur only in the Cape Floristic Region, a narrow belt of mo ...

, the

National flower of South Africa ''Protea cynaroides'', also called the king protea (from , ), is a flowering plant. It is a distinctive member of ''Protea'', having the largest head (botany), flower head in the genus. The species is also known as giant protea, honeypot, or ki ...

, and the

Strelitzia ''Strelitzia'' is a genus of five species of perennial plants, native to South Africa. It belongs to the plant family Strelitziaceae. A common name of the genus is bird of paradise flower/plant, because of a resemblance of its flowers to bird ...

, the flower of Natal (now KwaZulu-Natal).

Previous Dress Insignia

Current Dress Insignia

Active Service

Battle Honours

Service

# South Africa, Anglo-Zulu War 1879 # South Africa, Anglo-Boer War 18991902 # Relief of Ladysmith 1900 # Natal, Bambatha Rebellion 1906 # South West Africa 19141915 # East Africa 19161918 # Rand Miners' Revolt 1922 # World War II ## Western Desert 19411943 (See 1st SA Infantry Division) ## Bardia ## Gazala ## Alamein Defence ## Alamein Box ## El Alamein ## Italy 19441945 ## Casino II ## Florence ## Gothic Line ## Monte Stanco ## Monte Pezza ## Sole/Caprara ## Po Valley # South West Africa – Namibia 19761994, five tours. # Internally in South Africa in support of the SAPS (SA. Police Service) in the following actions; ## 1949, 1960, 1961 ## 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1992 (mainly rural areas) ## 1994 Elections. ## 1996 Elections. ## 1999 Elections. # 2006 Op in Burundi. Detached members to Standing Army control structures. # 20072014. Internal operations.

Leadership

Regimental Headquarters

The regimental headquarters of the DLI has been declared as a National Monument. File:dli east wing.jpg, East Wing of the Drill Hall File:Durban Light Infantry (DLI) HQ entrance detail of logo, Durban.JPG, Durban Light Infantry (DLI) HQ entrance detail of logo, Durban File:RDLI Bowling Club.jpg, RDLI Bowling Club Entrance File:DLI Logo Window - Sgts Mess.jpg, DLI Logo Window - Sgts Mess File:DLI Concecrated Flag.jpg, DLI Consecrated Flag File:DLI Clock Tower.jpg, DLI Clock Tower File:DLI Clock Tower Plaque.jpg, DLI Clock Tower Plaque

Peacekeeping deployments and training

The Regiment is being deployed in Africa,

Burundi Burundi, officially the Republic of Burundi, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is located in the Great Rift Valley at the junction between the African Great Lakes region and Southeast Africa, with a population of over 14 million peop ...

DRC The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), also known as the DR Congo, Congo-Kinshasa, or simply the Congo (the last ambiguously also referring to the neighbouring Republic of the Congo), is a country in Central Africa. By land area, it is t ...

; in support of the United Nations and African Union mandate All members of the Regiment are volunteers, with employment in the civilian roles, they fulfil their responsibilities and duties on top of their duties and responsibilities to their Families and Employers. An enormous commitment to the safety and security of the Republic of South Africa. Training is mandatory with the current requirements of Equality and Equity in line with the SANDF Policy. The duration of training places an enormous pressure on members to get Employers to relieve them to attend the courses and training exercises.

Regimental history

was published in 1969. It is out of print. An illustrated history of the 150 years of the Regiment has been prepared by

Prof. Brian Kearney Professor (commonly abbreviated as Prof.) is an academic rank at universities and other post-secondary education and research institutions in most countries. Literally, ''professor'' derives from Latin as a 'person who professes'. Professors ...

, Mr Dave Matthews and Lieut Col "Bill" Olivier (Retd.). The book is being sold by the Headquarters Board.

Affiliations

The Rifle Brigade The Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own) was an infantry rifle regiment of the British Army formed in January 1800 as the "Experimental Corps of Riflemen" to provide sharpshooters, scouts, and skirmishers. They were soon renamed the "Rifle ...

1920. * The Royal Green Jackets RGJ 1966

Notes

References

External links

Record of the Durban Light Infantry
{{SA Army Units Infantry regiments of South Africa Military units and formations in Durban Military units and formations of the Second Boer War Military units and formations of the British Empire Military units and formations of South Africa in World War I Regiments of South Africa in World War II Military units and formations of South Africa in the Border War Military units and formations established in 1854 1854 establishments in the British Empire