Buffalo Volunteer Rifles


The Buffalo Volunteer Rifles 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 or United States Army National Guard unit.

History

Origin

This unit was formed in East London in 1876, as the Buffalo Corps of Rifle Volunteers, for service in the 9th Frontier War. It disbanded in 1879. .

Reformed

The unit was re-formed in July 1883 and was named after the region of Kaffraria, 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 1900 George Herbert Farrar was appointed as a Major in the Kaffrarian Rifles.

Under the Union Defence Force

By 1913 the unit was embodied in the Citizen Force as the 5th Infantry , but regained its old name in 1932. The unit was temporarily amalgamated with the First City Regiment, as the First City/The Kaffrarian Rifles from 1954 to 1956.

Conflicts

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 the Buffalo Volunteer Rifles in 1999.
As of 2014 this regiment is considered to be a "fully integrated and representative" army unit. Members have been attached to the United Nations Operation in Burundi and
recently a Rifle company returned from the Democratic Republic of the Congo after a six-month spell of active duty as part of MONUSCO.

Leadership

Regimental symbols

Current Dress Insignia

The Buffalo Volunteer Rifles still utilize a British Infantry tradition where officers had a red backing and ranks were blackened out on fatigues.

Alliances

The regiment claims four more battle honours, which have not been acknowledged: