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Durban Light Infantry

Regiment

Name history

  • Durban Light Infantry (until 1912) — this name
  • 1st Infantry (Durban Light Infantry) (1912–1935)
    UDF constitution: "Durban Light Infantry" redesignated "1st Infantry (Durban Light Infantry)".
  • Royal Durban Light Infantry (1935–1961)
    "Royal" conferred by King George V (same act as Natal Carbineers).
  • Durban Light Infantry (from 1961) — this name
    Republic of South Africa, 31 May 1961: the title "Royal" was dropped and the regiment reverted to Durban Light Infantry.
UDF 31 records in this database

1st Durban Light Infantry in German South-West Africa infantry brigades (Whittall). Source: Whittall, With Botha and Smuts in Africa (1917/2009).

Wikipedia

Part of

Formation Type Relationship Dates
84 Motorised Brigade Brigade organic
army-oob:g11
German South West Africa Campaign 1915 › Units Category organic
army-oob:g15
Infantry Formation (SAAIF) — Motorised Infantry — Reserve Category organic
army-oob:infantry
Volunteer Militias 1903–1909 — Light Infantry Category organic
army-oob:g16
84 Motorised Brigade Brigade organic 1974-08-01 – 1992-12-31
Founding constituent of 84 Motorised Brigade (Durban, Natal Command / 8 SA Armoured Division) at its formation 1 Aug 1974; brigade disbanded 1992, no clear named successor documented.

Eras

Dates Force Role Status
until 1911-12-31 Colonial Infantry Colonial volunteer unit
Raised 1854 as D'Urban Volunteer Guard; several earlier name changes (Durban Rifle Guard 1859, Royal Durban Rifles 1873, Natal Royal Rifles 1889) before "Durban Light Infantry" from 1895. Source
1961-01-01 – 1993-12-31 SADF Infantry, later Mechanised Infantry Active Citizen Force / Army Conventional Reserve
Became a mechanised infantry regiment at an undocumented date within this era — no source found dates the transition. Source
1994-01-01 – 2009-12-31 SANDF Mechanised Infantry Army Conventional Reserve
Source
2010-01-01 SANDF Motorised Infantry Army Conventional Reserve
Lost mechanised infantry status in 2010 "in line with the rationalisation of resources" (Wikipedia). "Light Infantry" is part of the unit's proper name, not a separate documented role stage. Source

Personnel

# Last Name First Name Initials Rank Regiment Unit Date of Death
33943 Zondi Mondli Joseph S W Rifleman Durban Light Infantry 2007-01-17
48834 Witt A W Corporal Durban Light Infantry Durban Light Infantry 1902-01-21
48835 Wilson J T P Private Durban Light Infantry Durban Light Infantry 1900-01-15
48833 Welch R Private Durban Light Infantry Durban Light Infantry 1900-04-16
48831 Waller J Private Durban Light Infantry Durban Light Infantry 1900-11-08
48832 Walker N Private Durban Light Infantry Durban Light Infantry 1902-08-11
48830 Sturgeon A R Private Durban Light Infantry Durban Light Infantry 1900-07-06
48829 Smith E Private Durban Light Infantry Durban Light Infantry 1900-04-23
48828 Shoesmith T Private Durban Light Infantry Durban Light Infantry 1900-09-21
48827 Plowman C S Private Durban Light Infantry Durban Light Infantry 1900-05-31
48826 Paton F Private Durban Light Infantry Durban Light Infantry 1901-04-23
32371 Olivier Craig Rudolph C R Rifleman Durban Light Infantry 1984-05-25
48825 Oglesby T D Lieutenant Durban Light Infantry Durban Light Infantry 1900-05-08
48824 Moir D Quartermaster Sergeant Durban Light Infantry Durban Light Infantry 1900-04-14
48823 McKay E Private Durban Light Infantry Durban Light Infantry 1900-05-17
48822 Horsley W Private Durban Light Infantry Durban Light Infantry 1900-06-07
30736 Holland Clifford Donald C D Rifleman Durban Light Infantry 1976-06-16
48821 Hall A W Surgeon Lieutenant Durban Light Infantry Durban Light Infantry 1900-09-20
30516 Grant William Ernest W E Band Sergeant Durban Light Infantry 32 (Buffalo) Battalion 1922-10-08
48820 Francis G Private Durban Light Infantry Durban Light Infantry 1900-05-25
48819 Espeland E Private Durban Light Infantry Durban Light Infantry 1899-11-16
48818 Donne A E Sergeant Durban Light Infantry Durban Light Infantry 1901-10-12
48817 Currie C Sergeant Durban Light Infantry Durban Light Infantry 1901-02-12
48816 Crosby J Sergeant Instructor Durban Light Infantry Durban Light Infantry 1900-08-24
48814 Copeland F Private Durban Light Infantry Durban Light Infantry 1899-11-15
48815 Cleghorn G G Private Durban Light Infantry Durban Light Infantry 1900-05-18
48813 Brown D Corporal Durban Light Infantry Durban Light Infantry 1899-12-22
48812 Booth J W Private Durban Light Infantry Durban Light Infantry 1900-10-02
48811 Berry C F Private Durban Light Infantry Durban Light Infantry 1901-02-02
48810 Barrett H C Private Durban Light Infantry Durban Light Infantry 1900-07-15
48809 Ashdown E W D Bugler Durban Light Infantry Durban Light Infantry 1900-10-24