Prince Alfred's Guard

Prince Alfred's Guard

Active	19 September 1856 to present
Country	South Africa
Allegiance	Republic of South Africa Republic of South Africa
Branch	South African Army South African Army
Type	Light Infantry
Size	One battalion
Part of	South African Infantry Corps Army Conventional Reserve
Garrison/HQ	Port Elizabeth
Motto	Fidelis et Fortis (Faithful and Brave)
Anniversaries	19 September (Regimental Day)
Equipment	Eland Mk7 (formerly)
Engagements	South African Border War
Battle honours	Gaika-Gcaleka 1877 Transkei 1877 - 1878 Umzintzani Basutoland 1880 - 1881 Bechuanaland 1897 South Africa 1899 - 1902 Italy 1944 - 1945 Celleno Florence The Greve Gothic Line Po Valley
Commanders
Current commander	Lt Col Cyril Masangwana
Insignia
Company level Inisgnia
SA Motorised Infantry beret bar circa 1992	SA Motorised Infantry beret bar

Prince Alfred's Guard (PAG) 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. The Regiment is located in the city of Port Elizabeth.

History

Prince Alfred's Guard was established on 19 September 1856^[1] as the Port Elizabeth Volunteer Rifle Corps.^[2] In 1860 the title Prince Alfred's Guard was assumed unofficially (after Prince Alfred, Duke of Edinburgh) and on 11 July 1874 this name was officially sanctioned as Prince Alfred's Volunteer Guard. The name was later changed to Prince Alfred's Guard.

Xhosa Wars

The Regiment first saw action on 2 December 1877, against the Gcaleka tribesmen in the Battle of Umzintzani during the Ninth Xhosa War. The next conflict that the PAG participated in was the Basutoland Campaign of 1880 to 1881, during which a 500 metre bayonet charge by the Regiment which led to the capture of the village of Lerotholi, an enemy village. The Regiment also took part in the Bechuanaland Campaign of 1897.^[3]

Anglo Boer War

The Regiment also served in the Second Anglo-Boer War of 1899 to 1902 - as mounted infantry - and took part in campaigns in the Orange Free State and the South African Republic.

World War One

Members of the PAG volunteered for service in World War I, but there was dissension in the ranks after a long deployment on sentry duty in Cape Town. As a result the contingent was disbanded and most of its members saw active service during the war in other South African units.

Union Defence Force

In 1913 the regiment was redesignated the 3rd Infantry Regiment (Prince Alfred's Guard) of the Active Citizen Force of the Union Defence Force, but regained its former name in 1934.

World War Two

During World War II, the regiment first served as link battalion for the 2nd Brigade, South African Infantry in North Africa, sending drafts of men to the fighting units, among which many went to the Field Force Battalion. The PAG was subsequently converted to an armoured unit and saw further active service with the 11th South African Armoured Brigade,^[4] South African 6th Armoured Division^[4] in Italy as a tank unit.

Bush War and Namibia

Re-equipped with Eland-90 armoured cars in the postwar period, the PAG also took part in several skirmishes during subsequent border conflicts in Angola and South-West Africa (Namibia).

Regimental Symbols

Prince Alfred's Guard Drill Hall

The Prince Alfred's Guard Museum in Port Elizabeth houses military exhibits in the Regiment's Victorian Drill Hall (built in 1880). It is a national monument and one of the finest surviving examples of its type.

Alliances

United Kingdom - The Royal Highland Fusiliers

Battle honours

Gaika-Gcaleka 1877
Transkei 1877 - 1878
Umzintzani
Basutoland 1880 - 1881
Bechuanaland 1897
South Africa 1899 - 1902
Italy 1944 - 1945
Celleno
Florence
The Greve
Gothic Line
Po Valley

Leadership

Leadership
From	Honorary Colonels	To
10 August 1928	Colonel T.A. Bromilow-Downing VD	27 August 1931
11 April 1947	Colonel J.R. Reis VD	19 April 1951
29 December 1954	Colonel W.E. Hawkins ED	n.d.
From	Commanding Officers	To
1856	Colonel J.M. Hill	1857
1857	Colonel A.J. Clairmonte	1857
n.d.	Colonel A. Ogilvie	1860
1861	Colonel A.C. Wylde	1865
1865	Captain W. Fleming	1865
1874	Colonel A.C. Wylde	1876
1876	Major G.R. Deare	1888
1888	Lt Col. G. Gordon	1898
1898	Major G.C. Clark CMG VD	1899
1899	Lt Col. H.W. Court VD	10 April 1915
10 April 1915	Lt Col. J.N. Neylan DSO	01 November 1915
01 November 1915	Lt Col. A.P.J. Wares VD	31 May 1925
01 June 1925	Lt Col. Whitehead DSO	06 January 1926
*Frank Perridge H06 January 1916	Lt Col. F.L.A. Buchanan MC VD	30 June 1930
01 July 1935	Lt Col. J.L. Reis VD	13 September 1942
14 September	Lt Col. H.A. Olsen DSO ED	11 December 1945
05 February 1946	Lt Col. W.E. Hawkins ED	30 June 1952
01 July 1952	Commandant G.M. Human	30 April 1955
01 May 1955	Commandant J.N. Erasmus JCD	01 January 1959
01 January 1959	Commandant I.F. Nel SM JCD	n.d.
From	Regimental Sergeants Major	To

Books

Frank Perridge. HISTORY OF THE PRINCE ALBERT'S GUARD. E.H. Walton, Port Elizabeth 1939.

References

↑ Engelbrecht, Leon (7 January 2011). "Fact file: Prince Alfred’s Guard". Defenceweb.co.za. DefenceWeb. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
↑ Orpen, Neil D. (1967). Prince Alfred's Guard, 1856-1966. illustrated by P. Miller. Prince Alfred's Guard in conjunction with Books of Africa. OCLC 457923. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
↑ "SAHRA - Prince Alfreds Guard Memorial St Georges Park Port Elizabeth". SAHRA. South African Heritage Resources Agency. Retrieved 19 December 2014.
1 2 Engelbrecht, Leon (17 February 2010). "Fact file: 6 SA Armoured Division". Defenceweb.co.za. DefenceWeb. Retrieved 20 December 2014.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Prince Alfred's Guard.

Nelson Mandela Bay Museums

South African Army Units

Department of Defence, South African National Defence Force, South African Army

Joint Operations Division

Joint Tactical Headquarters	Nine Joint Operational Tactical HQs (one per province) (eg Joint Tactical HQ Limpopo)

Divisions and Brigades

Brigades	43 South African Brigade 44 Parachute Brigade 46 South African Brigade Special Forces Brigade

Armoured Formation (SAAAF)

Training	School of Armour

Tank	Regular 1 South African Tank Regiment Reserve Pretoria Regiment Natal Mounted Rifles Regiment President Steyn

Armoured Car	Regular 1 Special Service Battalion Reserve Umvoti Mounted Rifles Regiment Oranjerivier Regiment Mooirivier Light Horse Regiment

Infantry Formation (SAAIF)

Training	South African Infantry School

Parachute Infantry	Regular 44 Para 1 Para 44 Pathfinders 13 Signal Squadron 18 Light Regiment 44 Medical Task Group 101 Air Supply Unit SAOSC 44 Training Wing Parachute Packing Wing Reserve 2 Para 3 Para

Air Assault	Regular 6 SAI Reserve First City Regiment PAG

Seaborne	Regular 9 SAI Reserve Cape Town Rifles ("Duke's")

Light Infantry	Regular 21 SAI Reserve Rand Light Infantry Regiment Oos Rand Regiment Paul Kruger

Mechanised Infantry	Regular 1 SAI 8 SAI Reserve Regiment De La Rey Regiment Northern Transvaal Cape Town Highlanders Durban Light Infantry Regiment Western Province Witwatersrand Rifles

Motorised Infantry	Regular 2 SAI 4 SAI 5 SAI 7 SAI 10 SAI 13 SAI 14 SAI 15 SAI 121 SAI Reserve Regiment Botha Regiment Christiaan Beyers Johannesburg Regiment South African Irish Transvaal Scottish Tshwane Regiment Buffalo Volunteer Regiment Durban Regiment Kimberly Regiment Natal Carbineers Regiment Bloemspruit Regiment Piet Retief

Artillery Formation

Training	School of Artillery (South Africa)

Regular	HQ 4 Artillery Regiment Artillery Mobilisation Regiment

Reserve	Cape Field Artillery Natal Field Artillery Transvaal Horse Artillery Regiment Potchefstroom Universiteit Transvaalse Staatsartillerie Vrystaatse Artillerie Regiment Pretoria Highlanders 18 Light Regiment

Air Defence Artillery Formation

Training	School of Air Defence Artillery (South Africa)

Regular	HQ 6th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment 10th Anti-Aircraft Regiment 44 Parachute Anti-Aircraft Regiment

Reserve	Cape Garrison Artillery Regiment Vaalriver Regiment Oos Transvaal 7th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (1969–97) Regiment Overvaal

Engineer Formation (SAAEF)

Training	South African Army Engineer School

Regular	HQ 2 Field Regiment 35 Support Regiment 1 Construction Regiment Engineer Terrain Intelligence Unit

Reserve	3 Field Regiment 19 Field Regiment 44 Para Engineer Regiment

Training Formation

3 SAI (Training Depot)
SAACTC
Army Gym
Army College
Military Academy

Support Formation

Army Support Bases (Eastern Cape, Johannesburg, Kimberley, KZN, Limpopo, Potcheftstroom, Western Cape, Mpumalanga)
Mobilisation Centre
Main Ordnance Depot
National Ceremonial Guard
15 Maint Unit
Other Maintenance Units
37 Field Workshop SAOSC
Other Field Workshops

Signals Formation

Regular	1 Sig Regt 2 Sig Regt 3 Sig Regt 4 Sig Regt 5 Sig Regt

Reserve	6 Signal Regt 7 Signal Group 11 Field Postal Unit 71 Sigs Unit 84 Sigs Unit

Disbanded Units

Commands	Eastern Province Command (Port Elizabeth) Natal Command Northern Transvaal Command Northern Cape Command Orange Free State Command (Bloemfontein) Western Province Command (Cape Town) West Transvaal Command Witwatersrand Command (Johannesburg) Far North Command

Corps	I South African Corps

Divisions	1st South African Infantry Division 2nd South African Division 6th South African Armoured Division 7th South African Division 8th South African Armoured Division 9 South African Division 10 South African Division (Operation Prone)

Brigades	16 Brigade 17 Brigade 18 Brigade 19 Brigade 20 Brigade 60 Brigade 71 Motorised Brigade 72 Motorised Brigade 73 Motorised Brigade 74 Brigade 75 Brigade 81 Armoured Brigade 82 Mechanised Brigade 83 Brigade 84 Motorised Brigade 10 Artillery Brigade Other brigades

Battlegroups	61 Mech 62 Mech 63 Mech

SWATF	Regular Infantry Battalions 31/201 Battalion 33/701 Battalion 34/202 Battalion 35/101 Battalion 301 Battalion 36/203 Battalion 37/102 Battalion 41/911 Battalion/Regiment Windhoek 912 Battalion/Regiment Erongo 913 Battalion/Regiment Namutoni Modular Infantry Battalions 51 Battalion 52 Battalion 53 Battalion 54 Battalion 55 Battalion SWATF Brigade 91 Reaction Force Brigade Support Structures Logistics Brigade SWA Mil School Special Forces 1 SWA Specialist Unit 2 SWA Specialist Unit 1 SWA Parachute Battalion Air Component 1 SWA Commando Squadron

Other	32 Battalion SSB 2 Special Service Battalion 12 SAI Cape Corps RPN Regiment Skoonspruit 111 Battalion 112 Battalion 113 Battalion 115 Battalion 116 Battalion 117 Battalion 121 Battalion 151 Battalion

This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the Friday, October 30, 2015. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.