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Durban Light Infantry

Regiment

Name history

  • Durban Light Infantry — this name
  • Regiment Port Natal
    Regiment Port Natal amalgamated into the Durban Light Infantry -- confirmed by John Dovey, 1 Sep 2026, per the (RPN) marker on the Durban Light Infantry Chapel SWA/Angola memorial plaque. Exact amalgamation date not given.
UDF 36 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

36 on the roll across 4 Force tags — this organisation name is shared by more than one defence force / era.

All (36) Colonial forces (pre-Union) (29) South African Defence Force (5) South African National Defence Force (1) Union Defence Force (1)
# Last Name First Name Initials Rank Force Regiment Corps Unit Date of Death
48809 Ashdown Edward William Dunston E W D Bugler COLONIAL Durban Light Infantry South African Infantry Corps 1900-10-24
48810 Barrett Henry Charles H C Private COLONIAL Durban Light Infantry South African Infantry Corps 1900-07-15
48811 Berry Charles Frederick C F Lieutenant COLONIAL Prince of Wales Light Horse South African Infantry Corps Durban Light Infantry 1901-02-02
48812 Booth J. Wood J W Private COLONIAL Natal Volunteer Composite Regiment South African Infantry Corps Durban Light Infantry 1900-10-02
48813 Brown David D Corporal COLONIAL Durban Light Infantry South African Infantry Corps 1899-12-22
48815 Cleghorn George Greenhill G G Private COLONIAL Durban Light Infantry South African Infantry Corps 1900-05-18
48814 Copeland F Private COLONIAL Durban Light Infantry South African Infantry Corps 1899-11-15
48816 Crosby James R J Sergeant Instructor Of Musketry COLONIAL Durban Light Infantry South African Infantry Corps 1900-08-24
48817 Currie George G Sergeant COLONIAL Natal Volunteer Composite Regiment South African Infantry Corps Durban Light Infantry 1901-02-12
48818 Donne Albert Edward A E Sergeant COLONIAL Durban Light Infantry South African Infantry Corps 1901-10-12
48819 Espeland Z Private COLONIAL Durban Light Infantry South African Infantry Corps 1899-11-16
48820 Francis G Private COLONIAL Durban Light Infantry South African Infantry Corps 1900-05-25
30516 Grant William Ernest W E Band Sergeant UDF Durban Light Infantry South African Infantry Corps 1922-10-08
48821 Hall Arthur William A W Surgeon Lieutenant COLONIAL Natal Volunteer Medical Corps South African Infantry Corps Durban Light Infantry 1900-03-20
30736 Holland Clifford Donald C D Rifleman SADF Durban Light Infantry South African Infantry Corps 1976-06-16
48822 Horsley William Leighton W L Private COLONIAL Durban Light Infantry South African Infantry Corps 1900-06-07
30802 Jacobs Andries Christiaan A C Rifleman SADF Durban Light Infantry Regiment Port Natal 1984-06-05
48823 McKay Ernest E Private COLONIAL Durban Light Infantry South African Infantry Corps 1900-05-17
48824 Moir David Watt D W Quartermaster Sergeant COLONIAL Durban Light Infantry South African Infantry Corps 1900-04-14
32003 Morrow Kevin James K J Rifleman SADF Durban Light Infantry Regiment Port Natal 1984-05-31
49325 Neill Q D Private COLONIAL Durban Light Infantry 1901-02-03
48825 Oglesby Thomas Davey T D Lieutenant COLONIAL Durban Light Infantry South African Infantry Corps 1900-05-08
49273 Oliver C R Rifleman SADF Durban Light Infantry Unknown
32371 Olivier Craig Rudolph C R Rifleman SADF South African Infantry Corps Durban Light Infantry 1984-05-25
48826 Paton Francis F Private COLONIAL Steinaecker's Horse South African Infantry Corps Durban Light Infantry 1901-04-23
48827 Plowman Charles S. C S Private COLONIAL Durban Light Infantry South African Infantry Corps 1900-05-31
49326 Rowe A Private COLONIAL Durban Light Infantry
48828 Shoesmith Thomas Edward T E Private COLONIAL Durban Light Infantry South African Infantry Corps 1900-09-21
48829 Smith E Private COLONIAL Durban Light Infantry South African Infantry Corps 1900-04-23
48830 Sturgeon Alfred Ricton A R Private COLONIAL Durban Light Infantry South African Infantry Corps 1900-07-06
48832 Walker Norman N Private COLONIAL Durban Light Infantry South African Infantry Corps 1902-08-11
48831 Waller John J Private COLONIAL Durban Light Infantry South African Infantry Corps 1900-11-08
48833 Welch Roderick R Private COLONIAL Durban Light Infantry South African Infantry Corps 1900-04-16
48834 Will Alexander William A W Corporal COLONIAL Durban Light Infantry South African Infantry Corps 1902-01-21
48835 Wilson J T P Private COLONIAL Durban Light Infantry South African Infantry Corps 1900-01-15
33943 Zondi S W Rifleman SANDF Durban Light Infantry South African Infantry Corps 2007-01-17