Rand Light Infantry

Country

South Africa

Allegiance

Branch

Type

Infantry

Role

Light Infantry

Part of

South African Infantry Corps
Army Conventional Reserve

Motto(s)

Vincit qui patitur
(He conquers who endures)

Engagements

Battle honours

Battle Honours
Awarded
South West Africa 1914 - 1915
Western Desert 1941-43
Bardia
Gazala
El Alamein
Alamein Defence

Website

http://1rli.wordpress.com/

Commanders

Current
commander

Lt Col John Mellitchey

Insignia

Company level Insignia

SA Motorised Infantry beret bar circa 1992

SA Motorised Infantry beret bar

The Rand Light Infantry (RLI) is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Army Reserve unit or United States Army National Guard unit.

History

The history of this Regiment dates back to the Transvaal Cycle Corps, which was formed in Johannesburg on 1 October 1905 from the Bicycle Section of the Transvaal Scottish Regiment. A small section of this unit subsequently took part in the suppression of the Bambata Rebellion in Zululand.^[1]^[2]

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.^[2] This led to the renaming of the unit in 1909 to the Transvaal Cycle and Motor Corps.^[1]

On 1 July 1913 the Regiment was renamed the 11th Infantry (Rand Light Infantry) and transferred to the Active Citizen Force of the Union Defence Force.^[2] Simultaneously, the unit was converted to a normal infantry regiment. The Regiment's Pretoria detachment was transferred to the 12th Infantry (Pretoria Regiment).^[1]

During World War I the Regiment took part in the South-West Africa, suffering light casualties – only two dead and eleven wounded.^[1]

In 1932 the Regiment was renamed the Rand Light Infantry.^[1]^[2]

The RLI was mobilized for World War II in June 1940 and gained fame in North Africa where it took part in many front line engagements and earned battle honours at Bardia, Gazala and El Alamein. (See 1st SA Infantry Division) After the defeat of Rommel’s Afrika Korps, 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 in Italy.^[1]^[2]

The Regiment took part in the South African Border War.^[3]

Regimental Symbols

Regimental motto: "Vincit qui patitur" (He conquers who endures)^[2]
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 Regiment^[2]^:22
Regimental March: One and All and Trelawney.
Regimental slow march: Duke of York and Preobajensky March.
Regimental double march: Keel Row.

Alliances

United Kingdom – The Rifles

Battle honours

The RLI has been awarded the following Battle Honours:^[2]^:21

South West Africa 1914-1915
Western Desert 1941 – 1943
Bardia
Gazala
El Alamein
Alamein Defence

Leadership

Leadership
From	Colonels in Chief^[2]^:40	To
1906	Field Marshall, His Royal Highness, The Duke of Connaught KG KT GCSI GCMG GCIE GCVO	1942
1947	Her Royal Highness, The Princess Margaret	n.d.
From	Honorary Colonels^[2]^:41	To
1910	Col Sir William van Hulsteyn KT VD	1939
1940	Col A.D. Viney	1968
1971	Col G.B. Brown JCD MC	n.d.
From	Commanding Officers^[2]^:42	To
1905	Lt Col H.A. Woolf	1909
1909	Lt Col G.H. Hamilton-Dickson MVO	1912
1912	Lt Col J.M. Fairweather DSO	1915
1915	Lt Col W.J. Thompson DSO VD Croix de Guerre	1920
1920	Lt Col J.H. Blaney DSO DCM	1922
1923	Lt Col W.A. Abbott VD	1925
1925	Lt Col W.A.D. Cherrington VD	1927
1927	Lt Col H.E. Jackson DCM VD	1931
1931	Lt Col W.J. Endean MC	1932
1932	Lt Col A.A. Hayton DSO VD	1937
1937	Col J.O. Henrey MBE VD	1942
1942	Lt Col A.C. Thomas	1943
1944	Amalgamated with CTR	1945
1946	Lt Col C.D. Hancock ED	1950
1950	Cmdt W.P.F. Clark ED	1955
1955	Cmdt G.B. Brown JCD MC	1962
1963	Cmdt R.S. Munton JCD	1966
1967	Cmdt B.G. Simpkins JCD with 30 Yr Clasp	1969
1969	Cmdt J.D. Vos SM JCD	1975
1975	Cmdt A.B. Dalgleish JCD	1977
1977	Cmdt J.M. Smuts JCD	1980
1981	Cmdt C.E. Story JCD	1983
1983	Cmdt Kevin G.E. Mulligan	n.d.
n.d.	Lt Col John Mellitchey	Present
From	Regimental Sergeants Major^[2]^:42-43	To
1906	RSM E. Evans	1910
1911	H.A.E. Hall	1914
1914	S. Piggott	1917
1918	A.H. Miller	1923
1924	J.S. Porter	1925
1925	D. Suttie	1925
1925	R.G.B. Heydenrych	1928
1929	H.R. Lahner	1942
1942	G. Trobridge	1943
1944	Amalgamated with CTR	1945
1946	G.C. Webb	1947
1948	V. Dove	1951
1952	D.N. Rathbone	1962
1963	E.L. Hansen	1964
1964	J.H. Honey	1967
1968	J.L. Keene PMM	1979
1980	S. Rogoff JCD	1984
1985	N.P. Wegener	n.d.

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 "Rand Light Infantry" (pdf). rfdiv.mil.za. Reserve Force Division, SANDF. Retrieved 23 October 2014.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Mulligan, Commandant K.G.E. (1986). RLI Guide for Officers. Johannesburg: Rand Light Infantry.
↑ Mulligan, Kevin (March 2009). Carry On Regardless. Durban, South Africa: Just Done Productions Publishing. ISBN 978-1-920169-87-9. Retrieved 23 October 2014.

External links

RLI Roll of Honour
Rand Light Infantry Blog
RLI Facebook page
Lt Col Kevin Mulligan Past Commanding Officer

South African Army Units

Department of Defence, South African National Defence Force, South African Army

Divisions and Brigades

Brigades	43 South African Brigade 44 Parachute Brigade 46 South African Brigade

Armoured Formation (SAAAF)

Training	School of Armour

Tank	Regular 1 South African Tank Regiment Reserve Pretoria Regiment Natal Mounted Rifles Regiment President Steyn

Armoured Car	Regular 1 Special Service Battalion Reserve Umvoti Mounted Rifles Regiment Oranjerivier Regiment Mooirivier Light Horse Regiment

Infantry Formation (SAAIF)

Training	South African Infantry School

Parachute Infantry	Regular 44 Para 1 Para 44 Pathfinders 13 Signal Squadron 18 Light Regiment 44 Medical Task Group 101 Air Supply Unit SAOSC 44 Training Wing Parachute Packing Wing Reserve 2 Para 3 Para

Air Assault Infantry	Regular 6 SAI Reserve First City Regiment Prince Alfred's Guard

Seaborne Infantry	Regular 9 SAI Reserve Cape Town Rifles ("Duke's")

Light Infantry	Regular 21 SAI Reserve Rand Light Infantry Regiment Oos Rand Regiment Paul Kruger

Mechanised Infantry	Regular 1 SAI 8 SAI Reserve Regiment De La Rey Regiment Northern Transvaal Cape Town Highlanders Regiment Western Province Witwatersrand Rifles

Motorised Infantry	Regular 2 SAI 4 SAI 5 SAI 7 SAI 10 SAI 14 SAI 15 SAI 121 SAI Reserve Regiment Botha Regiment Christiaan Beyers Johannesburg Regiment South African Irish Transvaal Scottish Tshwane Regiment Buffalo Volunteer Regiment Durban Regiment Durban Light Infantry Kimberly Regiment Natal Carbineers Regiment Bloemspruit Regiment Piet Retief

Artillery Formation

Training	School of Artillery (South Africa)

Regular	HQ Artillery Mobilisation Regiment 4 Artillery Regiment

Reserve	Cape Field Artillery Natal Field Artillery Transvaal Horse Artillery Regiment Potchefstroom Universiteit Transvaalse Staatsartillerie Vrystaatse Artillerie Regiment Pretoria Highlanders 18 Light Regiment

Air Defence Artillery Formation

Training	School of Air Defence Artillery (South Africa)

Regular	HQ 6 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment 10 Anti-Aircraft Regiment 44 Parachute Anti-Aircraft Regiment

Reserve	Cape Garrison Artillery Regiment Vaalriver Regiment Oos Transvaal 7 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (1969–97) Regiment Overvaal

Engineer Formation

Training	South African Army Engineer School

Regular	HQ 2 Field Engineer Regiment 35 Engineer Support Regiment 1 Construction Regiment Engineer Terrain Intelligence Unit

Reserve	3 Field Engineer Regiment 19 Field Engineer Regiment 44 Parachute Engineer Regiment

Training Formation

3 SAI (Training Depot)
SAACTC
Army Gymnasium
Army College
de Brug Training Area
Wallmannsthal Training Area

Support Formation

Army Support Bases (Eastern Cape, Johannesburg, Kimberley, KZN, Limpopo, Potcheftstroom, Western Cape, Mpumalanga)
Mobilisation Centre
Main Ordnance Depot
National Ceremonial Guard
15 Maint Unit
Other Maintenance Units
37 Field Workshop SAOSC
Other Field Workshops

Signals Formation

Regular	1 Sig Regt 2 Sig Regt 3 Sig Regt 4 Sig Regt 5 Sig Regt

Reserve	6 Signal Regt 7 Signal Group 11 Field Postal Unit 71 Signals Unit 84 Sigs Unit

Disbanded or Amalgamated Units

Commands	Eastern Province Command (Port Elizabeth) Natal Command Northern Transvaal Command Northern Cape Command Orange Free State Command (Bloemfontein) Western Province Command (Cape Town) West Transvaal Command Witwatersrand Command (Johannesburg) Far North Command

Corps	I South African Corps Cape Corps

Divisions	1st South African Infantry Division 2nd South African Division 6th South African Armoured Division 7th South African Infantry Division 8th South African Armoured Division 9th South African Division 10 South African Division (Operation Prone)

Brigades	16 Brigade (see 81 Armoured Brigade) 17 Brigade (see 71 Motorised Brigade) 18 Brigade (see 72 Motorised Brigade) 19 Brigade (see 82 Mechanised Brigade) 20 Brigade 60 Brigade (Battlegroups HQ Lohatla) 71 Motorised Brigade 72 Motorised Brigade 73 Motorised Brigade 74 Brigade (see 8th Armoured Division) 75 Brigade (see 9th Division) 81 Armoured Brigade 82 Mechanised Brigade 83 Brigade (planned but never existed) 84 Motorised Brigade 10 Artillery Brigade Other brigades

Battlegroups	Combat Group Juliet 61 Mech 62 Mech 63 Mech

Regiments	Artillery Locating Regiments Regiment Algoa Bay Regiment Congella Regiment Dan Pienaar Regiment De Wet Regiment Groot Karoo Regiment Highveld Regiment Hillcrest Regiment Langenhoven Regiment Louw Wepener/Oos Vrystaat Regiment Molopo Regiment North Natal Regiment Port Natal Regiment Pretorius Regiment Springs Regiment Skoonspruit Regiment University of Cape Town Regiment University of the Free State Regiment University of Pretoria Regiment University of Stellenbosch Regiment Vanderbiljpark Regiment Vrystaat 5 Forward Air Delivery Squadron 6 Field Artillery Regiment 7 Medium Artillery Regiment 10 Armoured Squadron 14 Field Artillery Regiment 19 Rocket Regiment 24 Field Artillery 25 Field Artillery 26 Field Artillery SA Army Troop Information Unit

Battalions	32 Battalion SSB 2 Special Service Battalion 11 SAI 12 SAI 13 SAI 111 Battalion 112 Battalion 113 Battalion 115 Battalion 116 Battalion 117 Battalion 121 Battalion 151 Battalion

Military Areas	Walvis Bay Military Area Soutpansberg Military Area

Commando System	South African Commando System

State Presidents Guard	State Presidents Guard

SWATF	Regular Infantry Battalions 31/201 Battalion 33/701 Battalion 34/202 Battalion 35/101 Battalion 301 Battalion 36/203 Battalion 37/102 Battalion 41/911 Battalion/Regiment Windhoek 912 Battalion/Regiment Erongo 913 Battalion/Regiment Namutoni Modular Infantry Battalions 51 Battalion 52 Battalion 53 Battalion 54 Battalion 55 Battalion SWATF Brigade 91 Reaction Force Brigade Support Structures Logistics Brigade SWA Mil School Special Forces 1 SWA Specialist Unit 2 SWA Specialist Unit 1 SWA Parachute Battalion Air Component 1 SWA Commando Squadron

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