Cape Mounted Riflemen
Encyclopedia
The Cape Mounted Riflemen were South African military units. There were two separate successive regiments of that name. Some military historians distinguish between them by labelling the first as "imperial" and the second as "colonial".
in 1793, to enlarge its garrison because of the threat posed by the war in Europe
. It was originally called the Corps van Pandoeren, i.e. "Corps of Pandours", and consisted of Khoisan
and Coloured
men under White officers.
The British retained the unit after taking over the colony in 1795, and renamed it the Cape Regiment. When the Dutch resumed the administration in 1803, they changed the name to the Corps van Vrye Hottentotten, i.e. "Corps of Free Hottentots" and again, in 1805, to the Hottentot Ligte Infanterie, i.e. "Hottentot Light Infantry".
After British rule was reinstated in 1806, the unit was called the Cape Regiment again. In 1817, it was divided into mounted and infantry sections, and was renamed the Cape Corps of Cavalry and Infantry, or "Cape Corps" for short. When the infantry section was disbanded in 1827, the corps was renamed Cape Mounted Riflemen.
The unit was deployed in several operations and campaigns: the 4th Frontier War (1811-1812), the 5th Frontier War (1818-1819), the 6th Frontier War (1834-1835), the siege of Durban (1842), the 7th Frontier War (1846-1847), the 8th Frontier War (1850-1853), and the Basuto War
1850-1852.
The CMR were disbanded in 1870. The name was later given to another unit, and in 1915 the earlier name, "Cape Corps
", was revived for a unit of Coloured soldiers. The name Cape Regiment was revived for another Coloured unit, in 1986.
government in 1855, as the para-military Frontier Armed and Mounted Police. Its function was to maintain law and order in the districts along the colony's frontier with the Xhosa kingdoms in the Transkei
.
The FAMP was operationally deployed in the Transkei in 1858, against the Koranna in 1869, in apprehending the Zulu chief Langalibalele
in 1873, in Griqualand West
in 1875, and in the 9th Frontier War (1877-1878).
In 1878, the FAMP were fully militarised, as a unit of the Colonial Forces
, and renamed Cape Mounted Riflemen.
The CMR fought in the Moorosi campaign in 1879, the Basutoland Gun War (1880-1881), the Matabeleland campaign (1893-1894), the Bechuanaland campaign in 1897, and the Second Boer War
(1899-1902).
In 1913, the CMR were incorporated into the new Union Defence Forces
as the 1st South African Mounted Riflemen. In World War I
they fought in the German South West Africa campaign (1914-1915). In 1922, they were deployed in operations to crush the Rand Revolt on the Witwatersrand
.
The 1st SAMR were disbanded in 1926, for financial reasons.
Cape Mounted Riflemen (1827-1870)
The first, so-called "imperial", unit, was formed by the Dutch administration of the Cape ColonyCape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
in 1793, to enlarge its garrison because of the threat posed by the war in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. It was originally called the Corps van Pandoeren, i.e. "Corps of Pandours", and consisted of Khoisan
Khoisan
Khoisan is a unifying name for two ethnic groups of Southern Africa, who share physical and putative linguistic characteristics distinct from the Bantu majority of the region. Culturally, the Khoisan are divided into the foraging San and the pastoral Khoi...
and Coloured
Coloured
In the South African, Namibian, Zambian, Botswana and Zimbabwean context, the term Coloured refers to an heterogenous ethnic group who possess ancestry from Europe, various Khoisan and Bantu tribes of Southern Africa, West Africa, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaya, India, Mozambique,...
men under White officers.
The British retained the unit after taking over the colony in 1795, and renamed it the Cape Regiment. When the Dutch resumed the administration in 1803, they changed the name to the Corps van Vrye Hottentotten, i.e. "Corps of Free Hottentots" and again, in 1805, to the Hottentot Ligte Infanterie, i.e. "Hottentot Light Infantry".
After British rule was reinstated in 1806, the unit was called the Cape Regiment again. In 1817, it was divided into mounted and infantry sections, and was renamed the Cape Corps of Cavalry and Infantry, or "Cape Corps" for short. When the infantry section was disbanded in 1827, the corps was renamed Cape Mounted Riflemen.
The unit was deployed in several operations and campaigns: the 4th Frontier War (1811-1812), the 5th Frontier War (1818-1819), the 6th Frontier War (1834-1835), the siege of Durban (1842), the 7th Frontier War (1846-1847), the 8th Frontier War (1850-1853), and the Basuto War
Basuto War
The Basuto War may refer to either of two conflicts*The Free State-Basotho War*The Gun War...
1850-1852.
The CMR were disbanded in 1870. The name was later given to another unit, and in 1915 the earlier name, "Cape Corps
Cape Corps
The Cape Corps and its predecessor units were the main military organizations in which the Coloured members of South Africa's population served.- 1781 - 1878 :...
", was revived for a unit of Coloured soldiers. The name Cape Regiment was revived for another Coloured unit, in 1986.
Cape Mounted Riflemen (1878-1913)
The second, so-called "colonial", unit, was formed by the Cape ColonyCape Colony
The Cape Colony, part of modern South Africa, was established by the Dutch East India Company in 1652, with the founding of Cape Town. It was subsequently occupied by the British in 1795 when the Netherlands were occupied by revolutionary France, so that the French revolutionaries could not take...
government in 1855, as the para-military Frontier Armed and Mounted Police. Its function was to maintain law and order in the districts along the colony's frontier with the Xhosa kingdoms in the Transkei
Transkei
The Transkei , officially the Republic of Transkei , was a Bantustan—an area set aside for members of a specific ethnicity—and nominal parliamentary democracy in the southeastern region of South Africa...
.
The FAMP was operationally deployed in the Transkei in 1858, against the Koranna in 1869, in apprehending the Zulu chief Langalibalele
Langalibalele
Langalibalele , also known as Mtetwa, was king of the amaHlubi, a bantu tribe in what is the modern-day province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. He was born on the eve of the arrival of European settlers in the province. During the diamond rush, many of his young men worked on the mines in...
in 1873, in Griqualand West
Griqualand West
Griqualand West is an area of central South Africa with an area of 40,000 km² that now forms part of the Northern Cape Province. It was inhabited by the Griqua people - a semi-nomadic, Afrikaans-speaking nation of mixed-race origin, who established several states outside the expanding frontier...
in 1875, and in the 9th Frontier War (1877-1878).
In 1878, the FAMP were fully militarised, as a unit of the Colonial Forces
Cape Colonial Forces
The Cape Colonial Forces were the official defence organisation of the Cape Colony in South Africa. Established in 1855, they were taken over by the Union of South Africa in 1910, and disbanded when the Union Defence Forces were formed in 1912....
, and renamed Cape Mounted Riflemen.
The CMR fought in the Moorosi campaign in 1879, the Basutoland Gun War (1880-1881), the Matabeleland campaign (1893-1894), the Bechuanaland campaign in 1897, and the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
(1899-1902).
In 1913, the CMR were incorporated into the new Union Defence Forces
South African Army
The South African Army is the army of South Africa, first formed after the Union of South Africa was created in 1910.The South African military evolved within the tradition of frontier warfare fought by commando forces, reinforced by the Afrikaners' historical distrust of large standing armies...
as the 1st South African Mounted Riflemen. In World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
they fought in the German South West Africa campaign (1914-1915). In 1922, they were deployed in operations to crush the Rand Revolt on the Witwatersrand
Witwatersrand
The Witwatersrand is a low, sedimentary range of hills, at an elevation of 1700–1800 metres above sea-level, which runs in an east-west direction through Gauteng in South Africa. The word in Afrikaans means "the ridge of white waters". Geologically it is complex, but the principal formations...
.
The 1st SAMR were disbanded in 1926, for financial reasons.