Light Horse Regiment
| Light Horse Regiment | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Active | 21 September 1899 - |
| Country |
 South Africa
|
| Allegiance | |
| Branch | |
| Type | Armoured Car Regiment |
| Part of |
South African Armoured Formation Army Conventional Reserve |
| Garrison/HQ | Mount Collins in Sandton, Johannesburg |
| Motto(s) |
Patria et Libertas (Country and Liberty) |
| Commanders | |
| OC Angola campaign | Commandant Roy L. Jackson |
| OC | Colonel Heinrich Jansen |
| Insignia | |
| Beret Colour | Black |
| Armour Squadron emblems |  |
| Armour beret bar circa 1992 |  |
The Light Horse Regiment (LHR), formerly the Imperial Light Horse (ILH), is an armoured car reconnaissance unit 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. It is part of the South African Army Armour Formation and is based at Mount Collins in Sandton, Johannesburg.
The Imperial Light Horse was raised by the British in Johannesburg on 21 September 1899 for service in the Second Boer War. Its initial strength was 444 officers and men. It was informally known as the "Reformers Regiment" as many of its officers served on the Reform Committee, or more commonly the Uitlander Regiment by the Transvaal Government and the Boer Commandos.
The Light Horse was engaged through much of the war and fought its first battle at Elandslaagte 21 October 1899. The Regiment was present at the Siege of Ladysmith, (battle of Wagon Hill), Colenso, the Battle of Spion Kop (where they captured Commandant Hendrik Frederik Prinsloo, the commander of the Carolina Boer Commando) and the Relief of Ladysmith.
After the successful raising of the siege of Ladysmith the Light horse join the Mafeking Relief Column and were the first to enter the town on the night of 16/17 May 1900.
In late 1900 a second battalion – the 2nd Imperial Light Horse was raised and embodied. Both battalions then went on to fight in the Transvaal and the Orange Free State Republic until the end of the war. In total the members of the Regiment won four Victoria Crosses during the war:
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Wikipedia