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| Buffalo Volunteer Rifles | |
|---|---|
 SANDF Buffalo Volunteers emblem | |
| Active | 1876 to present |
| Country | South Africa |
| Allegiance | |
| Branch | |
| Type | Infantry |
| Role | Infantry |
| Size | One battalion |
| Part of | South African Infantry Formation Army Conventional Reserve |
| Garrison/HQ | East London |
| Motto | Nunc animus (Now with courage) |
| Battle honours |
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| Insignia | |
| Company level Insignia |  |
| SA Motorised Infantry beret bar circa 1992 |  |
TheBuffalo Volunteer Rifles (BVR) (formerly theKaffrarian Rifles) is aninfantryregiment of theSouth African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of aBritishArmy Reserve or United StatesArmy National Guard unit.
This unit was formed inEast London in 1876, as theBuffalo Corps of Rifle Volunteers, for service in the9th Frontier War. It disbanded in 1879. (East London is situated on the Buffalo River, hence the name).[1]
The unit was re-formed in July 1883 and was named after the region ofKaffraria, the 19th-century name for the region around East London. There had previously been many other units from this region, from which the Regiment can also claim descent:
On 1 December 1900George Herbert Farrar was appointed as a Major in the Kaffrarian Rifles.
By 1913 the unit was embodied in the Citizen Force as the5th Infantry (Kaffrarian Rifles), but regained its old name in 1932. In March 1947 the regiment was formally inspected by King George VI on a visit to East London and a photo is available[2] The unit was temporarily amalgamated with theFirst City Regiment, as theFirst City/The Kaffrarian Rifles from 1954 to 1956.
This Regiment and its predecessors took part in all of South Africa's armed conflicts, including:
In order to keep pace with the changing political climate in South Africa, the regiment was renamed theBuffalo Volunteer Rifles in 1999, a revised form of the regiment's name when it was raised.[1] It is thus de facto and de jure the successor to the reserve SAA formations of the Eastern Cape.
As of 2014 this regiment is considered to be a "fully integrated and representative" army unit. Members have been attached to theUnited Nations Operation in Burundi and recently[when?] a Rifle company returned from theDemocratic Republic of the Congo after a six-month spell of active duty as part ofMONUSCO.[3]
| From | Honorary Colonel | To |
| From | Officer Commanding | To |
| From | Regimental Sergeants Major | To |
The Buffalo Volunteer Rifles still utilize a British Infantry tradition where officers had a red backing and ranks were blackened out on fatigues.
Gaika-Gcaleka 1877,Bechuanaland 1897, South Africa 1899 – 1902,South-West Africa 1914 – 1915, Western Desert 1941 – 1943, Bardia[a], South-West Africa/Zambia 1979, South-West Africa/Angola 1975 – 1976, South-West Africa/Angola 1976 – 1989
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The regiment claims four more battle honours, which have not been acknowledged:Transkei 1879, Transkei 1880 – 1881,Basutoland 1880 – 1881,Wepener.[b]
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