Chief Maqoma Regiment

  •  Republic of South Africa
  •  Republic of South Africa (1994–present)
Branch
  •  South African Army
  •  South African Army (1994–present)
TypeLight InfantrySizeOne battalionPart ofSouth African Infantry Formation
Army Conventional ReserveGarrison/HQPort ElizabethMotto(s)Fidelis et Fortis
(Faithful and Brave)Anniversaries19 September (Regimental Day)Battle honours
  • Gaika-Gcaleka 1877
  • Transkei 1877 - 1878
  • Umzintzani
  • Basutoland 1880 - 1881
  • Bechuanaland 1897
  • South Africa 1899 - 1902
  • Italy 1944 - 1945
  • Celleno
  • Florence
  • The Greve
  • Gothic Line
  • Po Valley
InsigniaCompany level insigniaSA Motorised Infantry beret bar circa 1992
SA Motorised Infantry beret bar
AbbreviationMR
Military unit

The Chief Maqoma Regiment (formerly Prince Alfred's Guard) is a reserve infantry regiment of the South African Army. The regiment is located in the city of Port Elizabeth.

History

Origin

Chief Maqoma Regiment was established on 19 September 1856[1] as the Port Elizabeth Volunteer Rifle Corps.[2] In 1860 the title Prince Alfred's Guard was assumed unofficially (after Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh) and on 11 July 1874 this name was officially sanctioned as Prince Alfred's Volunteer Guard. The name was later changed to Prince Alfred's Guard.

Xhosa Wars

The regiment first saw action on 2 December 1877, against the Gcaleka tribesmen in the Battle of Umzintzani during the Ninth Xhosa War. The next conflict that the unit participated in was the Basutoland Campaign of 1880 to 1881, during which a 500-metre bayonet charge by the regiment which led to the capture of the village of Lerotholi, an enemy village. The regiment also took part in the Bechuanaland Campaign of 1897.[3]

Anglo Boer War

The regiment also served in the Second Anglo-Boer War of 1899 to 1902 - as mounted infantry - and took part in campaigns in the Orange Free State and the South African Republic.

World War One

Members of the unit volunteered for service in World War I, but there was dissension in the ranks after a long deployment on sentry duty in Cape Town. As a result, the contingent was disbanded and most of its members saw active service during the war in other South African units.

With the Union Defence Force

In 1913 the regiment was redesignated the 3rd Infantry Regiment (Prince Alfred's Guard) of the Active Citizen Force of the Union Defence Force, but regained its former name in 1934.

World War Two

During World War II, the regiment first served as link battalion for the 2nd Brigade, South African Infantry in North Africa, sending drafts of men to the fighting units, among which many went to the Field Force Battalion.

Armour

The PAG was subsequently converted to an armoured unit and saw further active service with the 11th South African Armoured Brigade,[4] South African 6th Armoured Division[4] in Italy as a tank unit. On 20 April 1944, equipped with Mark V Shermans and Stuarts, the regiment landed at Taranto in the heel of Italy. They were to reinforce the Allies still trapped at Anzio, and worn out by bitter fighting at Cassino and along the Gustav line.

With the SADF

Bush War and South West Africa (Namibia)

Re-equipped with Eland-90 armoured cars in the postwar period, the PAG also took part in several skirmishes during subsequent border conflicts in Angola and South-West Africa (Namibia).

Eland 90 armored cars as ceremonial gate guards, Prince Alfred's Guard Drill Hall, Port Elizabeth, South Africa

Post 1994 and the SANDF

The PAG was converted to a reserve infantry regiment in the SANDF. Its members are currently trained to a large extent as air assault infantry.

Name Change

In August 2019, 52 Reserve Force units had their names changed to reflect the diverse military history of South Africa.[5] The Prince Alfred's Guard became the Chief Maqoma Regiment, and have 3 years to design and implement new regimental insignia.[6]

Regimental Symbols

  • The Prince Alfred's Guard Museum in Port Elizabeth houses military exhibits in the Regiment's Victorian Drill Hall (built in 1880). It is a national monument and one of the finest surviving examples of its type.
Prince Alfred's Guard Drill Hall

Insignia

Previous Dress Insignia

SADF era Prince Alfreds Guards insignia

Current Dress Insignia

SANDF era Infantry Formation insignia

Battle honours

Gaika Gcaleka 1877, Transkei 1877 - 1878, Umzintzani, Basutoland 1880 - 1881, Bechuanaland 1897, South Africa 1899 - 1902, Italy 1944 - 1945, Celleno, Florence, The Greve, Gothic Line, Po Valley


Battle Honours
Awarded to Prince Alfred's Guard
Gaika Gcaleka 1877
Transkei 1877-78
Umzintzani
Basutoland 1880-81
Bechuanaland 1897
South Africa 1899-1902
Italy 1944-45
Celleno
Florence
The Greve
Gothic Line
Po Valley


Leadership

Leadership
From Honorary Colonels To
10 August 1928 Colonel T.A. Bromilow-Downing VD 27 August 1931
11 April 1947 Colonel J.R. Reis VD 19 April 1951
29 December 1954 Colonel W.E. Hawkins ED nd
From Commanding Officers To
1856 Colonel J.M. Hill 1857
1857 Colonel A.J. Clairmonte 1857
nd Colonel A. Ogilvie 1860
1861 Colonel A.C. Wylde 1865
1865 Captain W. Fleming 1865
1874 Colonel A.C. Wylde 1876
1876 Major G.R. Deare 1888
1888 Lt Col. G. Gordon 1898
1898 Major G.C. Clark CMG VD 1899
1899 Lt Col. H.W. Court VD 10 April 1915
10 April 1915 Lt Col. J.N. Neylan DSO 1 November 1915
1 November 1915 Lt Col. A.P.J. Wares VD 31 May 1925
1 June 1925 Lt Col. Whitehead DSO 6 January 1926
6 January 1916 Lt Col. F.L.A. Buchanan MC VD 30 June 1930
1 July 1935 Lt Col. J.L. Reis VD 13 September 1942
14 September Lt Col. H.A. Olsen DSO ED 11 December 1945
5 February 1946 Lt Col. W.E. Hawkins ED 30 June 1952
1 July 1952 Commandant G.M. Human 30 April 1955
1 May 1955 Commandant J.N. Erasmus JCD 1 January 1959
1 January 1959 Commandant I.F. Nel SM JCD nd
From Regimental Sergeants Major To

Alliances

See also

  • flagSouth Africa portal

Books

  • Perridge, Frank (1939). HISTORY OF THE PRINCE ALBERT'S GUARD. Port Elizabeth: E.H. Walton.

References

  1. ^ Engelbrecht, Leon (7 January 2011). "Fact file: Prince Alfred's Guard". Defenceweb.co.za. DefenceWeb. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  2. ^ Orpen, Neil D. (1967). Prince Alfred's Guard, 1856-1966. illustrated by P. Miller. Prince Alfred's Guard in conjunction with Books of Africa. OCLC 457923. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  3. ^ "SAHRA - Prince Alfreds Guard Memorial St Georges Park Port Elizabeth". SAHRA. South African Heritage Resources Agency. Archived from the original on 19 February 2012. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
  4. ^ a b Engelbrecht, Leon (17 February 2010). "Fact file: 6 SA Armoured Division". Defenceweb.co.za. DefenceWeb. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  5. ^ "New Reserve Force unit names". defenceWeb. 7 August 2019. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
  6. ^ "Renaming process has resulted in an Army structure that truly represents SA". IOL. 16 August 2019. Retrieved 8 January 2020.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Prince Alfred's Guard.
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