The Rand Light Infantry (RLI) is an

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 A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation. In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...

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 ...

. 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 unit or

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

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

Origin

The history of this regiment dates back to the ''Transvaal Cycle Corps'', which was formed in

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and Xhosa language, Xhosa: eGoli ) (colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, Jo'burg or "The City of Gold") is the most populous city in South Africa. With 5,538,596 people in the City of Johannesburg alon ...

on 1 October 1905 from the

Bicycle A bicycle, also called a pedal cycle, bike, push-bike or cycle, is a human-powered transport, human-powered or motorized bicycle, motor-assisted, bicycle pedal, pedal-driven, single-track vehicle, with two bicycle wheel, wheels attached to a ...

Section of the Transvaal Scottish Regiment. A small section of this unit subsequently took part in the suppression of the Bambata Rebellion in Zululand. After its return from this conflict the unit recognised the possibilities of mechanisation and members of the regiment manufactured three armoured cars, creating a motorised fighting unit. This led to the renaming of the unit in 1909 to the ''Transvaal Cycle and Motor Corps''. On 1 July 1913 the regiment was renamed the ''11th Infantry (Rand Light Infantry)'' and transferred to the

Active Citizen Force The South African Army is the principal 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 Service ...

of the Union Defence Force. Simultaneously, the unit was converted to a normal infantry regiment. The regiment's

Pretoria Pretoria ( ; ) is the Capital of South Africa, administrative capital of South Africa, serving as the seat of the Executive (government), executive branch of government, and as the host to all foreign embassies to the country. Pretoria strad ...

detachment was transferred to the ''12th Infantry (Pretoria Regiment)''.

World War One

During

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

the regiment took part in the

South-West Africa South West Africa was a territory under South African administration from 1915 to 1990. Renamed ''Namibia'' by the United Nations in 1968, it became independent under this name on 21 March 1990. South West Africa bordered Angola ( a Portu ...

, suffering light casualties – only two dead and eleven wounded. In 1932 the regiment was renamed the ''Rand Light Infantry''.

World War Two

The RLI was mobilized for

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 ...

in June 1940 and gained fame in North Africa where it took part in many front line engagements and earned

battle honour A battle honour is an award of a right by a government or sovereign to a military unit to emblazon the name of a battle or Military operation, operation on its flags ("colours"), uniforms or other accessories where ornamentation is possible. In ...

s at Bardia, Gazala and El Alamein. (See 1st SA Infantry Division) After the defeat of Rommel’s

Afrika Korps The German Africa Corps (, ; DAK), commonly known as Afrika Korps, was the German expeditionary force in Africa during the North African campaign of World War II. First sent as a holding force to shore up the Italian defense of its Africa ...

, the RLI returned to South Africa and was merged with the ''Duke of Edinburgh’s Own Rifles''. The remaining members of the regiment were trained in armour, and sent as reinforcements to 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 ...

Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...

Border War

The regiment took part 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 ...

Freedom of Entry

The exercised its freedom of entry into Johannesburg on 9 November 2013 as part of the centenary celebrations of the City of Johannesburg with fixed bayonets, colours flying and drums beating.

Regimental Symbols

*Regimental

motto A motto (derived from the Latin language, Latin , 'mutter', by way of Italian language, Italian , 'word' or 'sentence') is a Sentence (linguistics), sentence or phrase expressing a belief or purpose, or the general motivation or intention of a ...

: (He conquers who endures) *The RLI were allied to the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in 1932. This alliance later fell into abeyance but was resurrected in April 1995, when the regiment became allied with

The Light Infantry The Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Light Division. The regiment was one of four 'large' regiments formed after the 1966 Defence White Paper through the amalgamation of units of the Light Infantry Bri ...

Regiment *Regimental March: ''One and All'' and ''Trelawney''. *Regimental slow march: ''Duke of York'' and ''Preobajensky March''. *Regimental double march: ''Keel Row''.

Previous Dress Insignia

SADF and UDF era Rand Light Infantry insignia

Current Dress Insignia

Alliances

* –

The Rifles The Rifles is an infantry regiment of the British Army. Formed in 2007, it consists of four Regular battalions and three Reserve battalions. Each Regular battalion was formerly an individual battalion of one of the two large regiments of the ...

Battle honours

The RLI has been awarded the following Battle Honours: South West Africa 1914-1915, Western Desert 1941 – 1943, Bardia, Gazala, El Alamein, Alamein Defence

Leadership

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References

External links

*
RLI Roll of Honour
* * * {{Greater Johannesburg, mil Infantry regiments of South Africa Military units and formations in Johannesburg Military units and formations established in 1932 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