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"Flower of Scotland"

The Cape Town Highlanders are a Mechanized Infantry Battalion which falls under the command of the South African Infantry Formation. As part of the Formation, the Regiment participates in their schedule as far as training, operational services etc., goes. The Regiment uses the Ratel Infantry Combat Vehicle (ICV) as its primary mode of transport. Recently the unit has had members deployed in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burundi in a Peace keeping roll as part of 9 SAI, 7 SAI and 1 SAI under the United Nations.

Guarding and ceremonial duties at the Castle of Good Hope has been one of the more visible duties that the unit has been fulfilling of the past few years. The last operational camp took place in the northern South West Africa region (now Namibia) when South Africa was involved in offensives against the Cuban/Angolan forces in 1988. The CTH battle group, lead by Col. Tony Marriner, performed their duties well under particularly adverse conditions. Shortly afterwards, Namibia was granted independence and the South African forces departed from the country. Regular training camps take place, usually every alternate year at the Combat Training College. These normally comprise of a training period followed by a Divisional or Brigade manoeuvre.

In April 1994 the Regiment was once again mobilized to do duty during the historic election in South Africa which saw Mr. Nelson Mandela elected as President. The Regiment, which consisted largely of volunteers, operated in the Western Transvaal as well as in the province of Natal. History records that the elections were a peaceful affair, but the Gordon tartan was there "just in case!"

Mid 1994 saw the 200th Birthday celebration of the Gordon Highlanders in Aberdeen, Scotland. The CTH have been affiliated to the Gordon's since 1930 and a contingent went over to join them in their festivities. The CTH group were fortunate enough to be entertained by Her Majesty the Queen, the Queen Mother who was Honorary Colonel of the CTH prior to South Africa becoming a republic 1961. The Regiment's official name prior to 1961 was in fact " The Queen's Own Cape Town Highlanders".

In March 1995, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II visited Cape Town and the CTH were privileged to provide a Guard of Honour for her during a wreath laying ceremony at a memorial for British soldier who fell during World War II.

The Regiment performs a valuable ceremonial role in Cape Town and the Pipe band is rated as one of the best countrywide. In recent years the Regimental HQ has physically moved back into castle of Good Hope, one of the top historical tourist attractions in South Africa. The Regiment now compromises wholly of volunteers - as it did in 1885 when founded by a group of patriotic expatriate Scotsmen - and is actively looking for new recruits or anyone with previous military experience who has a hankering towards a kilt. The Regiment is also very active in training and inter-unit and inter-company competitions. The Pace Stick Drill Team team hold the Reserve Force floating trophy for 1997.

These are not official Pages of the South African National Defence Force
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