| Rand Light Infantry | |
|---|---|
 SANDF Rand Light Infantry emblem | |
| Country |  South Africa |
| Allegiance | |
| Branch | |
| Type | Infantry |
| Role | Light Infantry |
| Part of | South African Infantry Formation Army Conventional Reserve |
| Mottos | Vincit qui patitur (He conquers who endures) |
| March | Quick:One and All and Trelawney Slow:Duke of York/Preobajensky Double Time:Keel Row |
| Engagements | |
| Battle honours |
|
| Website | http://1rli.wordpress.com/ |
| Commanders | |
| Current commander | Lt Col John Mellitchey |
| Insignia | |
| Company level Insignia |  |
| SA Motorised Infantry beret bar circa 1992 |  |
TheRand Light Infantry (RLI) is aninfantryregiment of theSouth African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of aBritishArmy Reserve unit orUnited StatesArmy National Guard unit.
The history of this regiment dates back to theTransvaal Cycle Corps, which was formed inJohannesburg on 1 October 1905 from theBicycle Section of theTransvaal Scottish Regiment.[1] A small section of this unit subsequently took part in the suppression of theBambata Rebellion inZululand.[2][3]
After its return from this conflict the unit recognised the possibilities of mechanisation and members of the regiment manufactured threearmoured cars, creating a motorised fighting unit.[3] This led to the renaming of the unit in 1909 to theTransvaal Cycle and Motor Corps.[2]
On 1 July 1913 the regiment was renamed the11th Infantry (Rand Light Infantry) and transferred to theActive Citizen Force of theUnion Defence Force.[3] Simultaneously, the unit was converted to a normal infantry regiment. The regiment'sPretoria detachment was transferred to the12th Infantry (Pretoria Regiment).[2]
DuringWorld War I the regiment took part in theSouth-West Africa, suffering light casualties – only two dead and eleven wounded.[2]
In 1932 the regiment was renamed theRand Light Infantry.[2][3]
The RLI was mobilized forWorld War II in June 1940 and gained fame in North Africa where it took part in many front line engagements and earnedbattle honours at Bardia, Gazala and El Alamein. (See1st SA Infantry Division) After the defeat ofRommel’sAfrika Korps, the RLI returned to South Africa and was merged with theDuke of Edinburgh’s Own Rifles. The remaining members of the regiment were trained in armour, and sent as reinforcements to theSouth African 6th Armoured Division inItaly.[2][3]
The regiment took part in theSouth African Border War.[4]
The RLI has been awarded the following Battle Honours:[3]: 21 South West Africa 1914-1915, Western Desert 1941 – 1943, Bardia, Gazala,El Alamein, Alamein Defence
| Awarded to Rand Light Infantry |
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| From | Colonels in Chief[3]: 40 | To |
| 1906 | Field Marshall, His Royal Highness, The Duke of ConnaughtKG KT GCSI GCMG GCIE GCVO | 1942 |
| 1947 | Her Royal Highness, The Princess Margaret | 18 October 2025 |
| From | Honorary Colonels[3]: 41 | To |
| 1910 | Col Sir William van HulsteynKT VD | 1939 |
| 1940 | Col A.D. Viney | 1968 |
| 1971 | Col G.B. BrownJCD MC | 1991 |
| 1992 | Col J.D.VosSM JCD | 2012--> |
| From | Commanding Officers[3]: 42 | To |
| 1905 | Lt Col H.A. Woolf | 1909 |
| 1909 | Lt Col G.H. Hamilton-DicksonMVO | 1912 |
| 1912 | Lt Col J.M. FairweatherDSO | 1915 |
| 1915 | Lt Col W.J. ThompsonDSO VDCroix de Guerre | 1920 |
| 1920 | Lt Col J.H. BlaneyDSO DCM | 1922 |
| 1923 | Lt Col W.A. AbbottVD | 1925 |
| 1925 | Lt Col W.A.D. CherringtonVD | 1927 |
| 1927 | Lt Col H.E. JacksonDCM VD | 1931 |
| 1931 | Lt Col W.J. EndeanMC | 1932 |
| 1932 | Lt Col A.A. HaytonDSO VD | 1937 |
| 1937 | Col J.O. HenreyMBE VD | 1942 |
| 1942 | Lt Col A.C. Thomas | 1943 |
| 1944 | Amalgamated withCTR | 1945 |
| 1946 | Lt Col C.D. HancockED | 1950 |
| 1950 | Cmdt W.P.F. ClarkED | 1955 |
| 1955 | Cmdt G.B. BrownJCD MC | 1962 |
| 1963 | Cmdt R.S. MuntonJCD MM | 1966 |
| 1967 | Cmdt B.G. SimpkinsJCD with 30 Yr Clasp MM | 1969 |
| 1969 | Cmdt J.D. VosSM JCD | 1975 |
| 1975 | Cmdt A.B. DalgleishJCD | 1977 |
| 1977 | Cmdt J.M. SmutsJCD | 1980 |
| 1981 | Cmdt C.E. StoryJCD | 1983 |
| 1983 | Cmdt Kevin G.E. Mulligan | 1989 |
| 1990 | Cmdt B Durham | 1991 |
| 1992 | Lt Col S.J.VosMMM JCD | 2002 |
| 2003 | Lt Col Haydon GoumentJCD | 2005 |
| 2005 | Lt Col John MellitcheyDWD | 2016 |
| From | Regimental Sergeants Major[3]: 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 withCTR | 1945 |
| 1946 | G.C. Webb | 1947 |
| 1948 | V. Dove | 1951 |
| 1952 | D.N. Rathbone | 1962 |
| 1963 | E.L. Hansen | 1964 |
| 1964 | WO1 J.H. Honey | 1967 |
| 1968 | WO1 J.L. KeenePMM JCD | 1979 |
| 1980 | WO1 S. RogoffJCD | 1984 |
| 1985 | WO1 N.P. Wegener | 1989. |
| 1990 | WO1 PHR WellsMMM JCD | 2008 |
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