The Chief Makhanda Regiment (formerly known as the First City) is a reserve

air assault Air assault is the movement of ground-based military forces by vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft, such as helicopters, to seize and hold key terrain that has not been fully secured, and to directly engage enemy forces behind enemy l ...

infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who march and fight on foot. In modern usage, the term broadl ...

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 ...

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 The Xhosa Wars (also known as the Cape Frontier Wars or the Kaffir Wars) were a series of nine wars (from 1779 to 1879) between the Xhosa people, Xhosa Kingdom and the British Empire as well as Trekboers from the Dutch colonial empire in what ...

and the 9th Frontier War (1877–1878). The QVR fought in the Morosi Campaign (1879). The FCV fought in the

Basutoland Gun War The Basuto Gun War, also known as the Basutoland Rebellion, was a conflict between the Basuto and the British Cape Colony. It lasted from 13 September 1880 to 29 April 1881 and ended in a Basuto victory. Following Basutoland's transformation int ...

(1880–1881). The QVR and the FCV later fought in the Bechuanaland campaign (1897), and in the

Second Boer War The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic and ...

(1899–1902).

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 German South West Africa () was a colony of the German Empire from 1884 until 1915, though Germany did not officially recognise its loss of this territory until the 1919 Treaty of Versailles. German rule over this territory was punctuated by ...

1914–1915. 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 A uniform is a variety of costume worn by members of an organization while usually participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are most often worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency serv ...

, including the Graham of Montrose

tartan Tartan or plaid ( ) is a patterned cloth consisting of crossing horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours, forming repeating symmetrical patterns known as ''setts''. Originating in woven wool, tartan is most strongly associated wi ...

World War II

During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, 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 The Cape Town Highlanders is a reserve mechanised infantry regiment of the South African Army. History Origins Descendants of Scotland, Scottish immigrants to South Africa raised the Cape Town Highlanders in 1885. On 24 April of the same year, ...

to form the FC/CTH which was part of the 12th South African Motorised Brigade of the

South African 6th Armoured Division The 6th South African Armoured Division was the second armoured warfare, armoured division (military), division of the South African Army and was formed during World War II. Established in early 1943, it was based on a nucleus of men from the ...

. The "marriage" lasted until 8 May 1945. After completing its training in Egypt, the division landed at

Taranto Taranto (; ; previously called Tarent in English) is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Taranto, serving as an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base. Founded by Spartans ...

, Italy on 20 April 1944 and fought exclusively in Italy during its existence. In 1946, the regiment was reconstituted as a component of the country's part-time forces and reformed ''First City''. 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 The South African Border War, also known as the Namibian War of Independence, and sometimes denoted in South Africa as the Angolan Bush War, was a largely asymmetric conflict that occurred in Namibia (then South West Africa), Zambia, and Angol ...

from 1977 to 1986, and was also involved from 1983 until 1994 in Internal Operations. 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 A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The fem ...

, 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.

Name change

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

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 Flash-FC-1924-1935

Headdress

Blue

Balmoral bonnet The Balmoral bonnet (also known as a Balmoral cap or Kilmarnock bonnet) is a traditional Scottish hat that can be worn as part of formal or informal Highland dress. Developed from the earlier blue bonnet, dating to at least the 16th century, ...

with blue and white dicing, with a red

toorie A pom-pom – also spelled pom-pon, pompom or pompon – is a decorative ball or tuft of fibrous material. The term may refer to large tufts used by cheerleaders, or a small, tighter ball attached to the top of a hat, also known as ...

in 1935. The regiment's

Highland Highlands or uplands are areas of high elevation such as a mountainous region, elevated mountainous plateau or high hills. Generally, ''upland'' refers to a range of hills, typically from up to , while ''highland'' is usually reserved for range ...

company wore a Tam o'shanter without the toorie from 1906 to 1913, while the pipers wore a dark blue

Glengarry The Glengarry bonnet is a traditional Scots cap made of thick-milled woollen material, decorated with a toorie on top, frequently a rosette cockade on the left side, and ribbons hanging behind. It is normally worn as part of Scottish military ...

. 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

kilt A kilt ( ) is a garment resembling a wrap-around knee-length skirt, made of twill-woven worsted wool with heavy pleats at the sides and back and traditionally a tartan pattern. Originating in the Scottish Highland dress for men, it is first r ...

ed in 1906, while the

officer An officer is a person who has a position of authority in a hierarchical organization. The term derives from Old French ''oficier'' "officer, official" (early 14c., Modern French ''officier''), from Medieval Latin ''officiarius'' "an officer," fro ...

s and

warrant officers Warrant officer (WO) is a Military rank, rank or category of ranks in the armed forces of many countries. Depending on the country, service, or historical context, warrant officers are sometimes classified as the most junior of the commissioned ...

were allowed to wear

trews Trews (or truis, ) are men's clothing for the legs and lower abdomen, a traditional form of tartan trousers from Scottish Highland dress. Trews could be trimmed with leather, usually buckskin, especially on the inner leg to prevent wear from ...

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

Alliances

* British: The Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment (from 1928 to 1958), then renamed The Royal Anglian Regiment (1958 to 1961).

Battle honours

Leadership

Notes

References

{{SAArmy Units Infantry regiments of South Africa Military units and formations in Grahamstown 1875 establishments in the British Empire Military history of South Africa 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 the Border War Military units and formations established in 1875