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List of South African Battle Honours

The South African National Defence Force follows the British Army system of awarding battle honours to military units, to recognize the battles and campaigns in which they have fought with distinction. The following is a list of battle honours with descriptions and listing the units for each battle honour:

Battle Honours of South Africa

South West Africa 1915

  • Name: South West Africa 1915

South West Africa 1914–1915

Bechuanaland 1896–97

  • Name: Bechuanaland 1896–97

South Africa 1899–1902

  • Name: South Africa 1899–1902

Western Desert 1941–43

  • Name: Western Desert 1941–43

Gazala

Alem Hamza

  • Name: Alem Hamza

Best Post

Alamein Defence

Alamein Box

El Alamein

Italy 1944–45

Casino II

Chiusi

Florence

The Greve

Gothic Line

Monte Stanco

Monte Pezza

Sole/Caprara

Po Valley

Gaika Gcaleka 1877

Transkei 1879

  • Name: Transkei 1879
  • A Cape unit, which was stationed in the Transkei to release a British regiment for active service, has this, its own honour for this period
  • Cape Town Rifles

Basutoland 1880–81

Bechuanaland 1897

East Africa 1940–41

El Wak

The Juba

Combolcia

Amba Alagi

Sidi Rezegh

South Africa 1879

Relief of Ladysmith

Natal 1906

Bardia

Point 204

Madagascar 1942

Griqualand West 1878

  • Name: Griqualand West 1878
  • Description: A campaign by Cape Colony forces against the Koranna on the colony's northern border (the Orange River) in 1878.
  • Kimberley Volunteer Regiment

Transkei 1880–81

  • Name: Transkei 1880–81
  • Description: One of two concurrent campaigns by Cape Colony forces against African subjects who resisted a government police outlawing ownership of firearms. This was conducted against the Xhosa in the Transkei from October 1880 until April 1881.
  • Kimberley Volunteer Regiment

Defence of Kimberley

  • Name: Defence of Kimberley
  • Description: From October 1899 until May 1902, British, Cape and Natal forces fought the neighbouring Boer republics, which eventually capitulated. Battle honours were authorised by the British government
  • Kimberley Volunteer Regiment

Celleno

Monte Porro del Bagno

Monte Vigese

Monte Salvaro

Defence of Ladysmith

Gibeon

Mersa Belafarit

Dadaba

Best Post

  • Name: Best Post

The Tiber

Madagascar

Bagno Regio

Sarteano

La Foce

Catarelto Ridge

Transkei 1877–78

  • Name: Transkei 1877–78
  • Description: Operations by British and Cape Colony forces against the Ngqika ("Gaika") and Gcaleka nations on the colony's eastern frontier, from September 1877 to June 1878.
  • Prince Alfred's Own Volunteer Guards

Umzintzani

  • Name: Umzintzani
  • Description: Operations by British and Cape Colony forces against the Ngqika ("Gaika") and Gcaleka nations on the colony's eastern frontier, from September 1877 to June 1878.
  • Prince Alfred's Own Volunteer Guards

Allerona

Monte Querciabella

Monte Fili

Campo Santo Bridge

Kilimanjaro

Behobeho

Nyangao

East Africa 1916–17

East Africa 1917–18

East Africa 1916–18

Megiddo

Cape of Good Hope

Nablus

Palestine 1918

Mega

Yonte

Diredawa

Sollum

Alem Hamza

Acroma Keep

Egypt 1916

Somme 1916

Delville Wood

Arras

Scarpe 1917

Ypres 1917

Menin Road

Selle

Sambre

  • Name: Sambre

France and Flanders 1916–18

El Mughar

Nebi Samwil

Tel Asur

Sharon

Narungombe

German East Africa 1916–18

Halfaya

Commonwealth Keep

Tobruk

Kunene

South West Africa/Angola 1975–1976

South West Africa/Angola 1976–1989

Rhodesia 1967–75

Gaza

Alem el Halfa

Paliano

Rome

  • Name: Rome

The Tiber

  • Name: The Tiber

South West Africa/Zambia 1979

Cuito Cuanaval

Mulemba/Mulola

Xangongo/Ongiva

Mavinga II

Mavinga III

Calueque

Bangui

Other

These are Battle Honours listed by units which are not in the cited source.

El Yibo

Springbok Road

Bir Temrad

Cassinga / Chetequera

Messines 1918

Hindenburg Line

Cambrai 1918

Pursuit to Mons

France and Flanders 1918

Le Transloy

Kemmel

Lys

Taieb el Essem

  • Name: Taieb el Essem
  • Description: The South African Units formed a component of the 1st Brigade force that held a defensive box south of Sidi Rezegh. On 24-25 November 1941, this force repelled a heavy German armoured assault.
  • Royal Natal Carbineers

Qattara Track

  • Name: Qattara Track
  • Description: On 26-27 July 1942 a detachment of the Carbineers was involved in this subsidiary action in the Alamein defensive battles of July 1942. These series of engagements were pivotal in blunting the eastward rush of Field-Marshal Erwin Rommel's Afrika Korps in the wake of the fall of Tobruk in June that year.
  • Royal Natal Carbineers

Bir Sciafsciuf

  • Name: Bir Sciafsciuf
  • Description: This minor engagement on 30 November 1941 was another episode in the Crusader offensive. A small Carbineer component was pitted against an enemy convoy in the vicinity of Sidi Rezegh.
  • Royal Natal Carbineers

Wepener

Battle Honours by Unit

Cape Town Highlanders

Natal Mounted Rifles

Royal Natal Carbineers

South African Police

Transvaal Scottish Regiment

Cape Town Rifles

General de_la Rey Regiment

Notes

References

Bibliography