South Africa Forces

This page lists the South African units and links to other pages with more specific information. In total, some 52,000 troops were raised in South Africa.

In the information that follows, approximate numbers for the number of medals issued to each unit have been given. This is based on information from a wide variety of sources. Click here for a summary of South African casualties. The awards to South African forces were 10 VC, 12 CB, 34 CMG, 125 DSO, 191 DCM.

The units are in alphabetical order. Use Ctrl + F to search the page or click on a letter below to go to the appropriate section of the list:

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A ____________________

Aberdeen District Mounted Troops

Aberdeen Town Guard

Adelaide District Mounted Troops

Adelaide Town Guard
Albany District Mounted Troops
Albany Town Guard

Albert District Mounted Troops

Albert Town Guard

Alexandria District Mounted Troops

Alexandria Town Guard
    Clasps: None
Alice Town Guard
    60 medals to unit
    Clasps: None
Alicedale Town Guard
Aliwal North District Mounted Troops
Aliwal North Town Guard
    70 medals to the unit

Ashburner's Light Horse
    Clasps: CC, OFS, Tvl

B ____________________

Baia Contingent

Balfour Town Guard

Barberton Town Guard
Barkley East Town Guard
Barkley West Town Guard
    Clasp: DofM (2 awarded)
Bayly's District Mounted Rifles
Bayly's Horse

Beaufort West District Mounted Troops
    17 medals to the unit
    Clasps: None
Beaufort West Town Guard
Bechuanaland Rifle Volunteers
Bechuanaland Police
Bechuanaland Rifles
    Clasps: DofM, Tvl

Beddy's Scouts
Bedford District Mounted Troops
Bedford Town Guard
Belfour Town Guard
Berkly East Town Guard

Berkly West Town Guard

Bethulie Town Guard

Bethune's Mounted Infantry
    Clasps: CC, OFS, RofL, Tvl, TH, Tr, SA01

Blandy's Scouts
Bluecliff and Glenconnor Town Guard
Bodyguard Corps of Cattle Rangers

Border Horse
    Clasps: CC, Witt, DofM (1)

Border Mounted Police

Border Mounted Rifles
    Clasps: DofL, Tvl, LN, OFS, Eland (1)

Border Scouts

Boshof Town Guard

Brabant's Horse
    Clasps: CC, Wep, Tvl, Witt, DofM (3)
Brandfort Town Guard
Bredasdorp Town Guard
Brett's Scouts
British South Africa Police
    Clasps: Rhod, RofM, Tvl, SA01
Britstown Town Guard
Burgher Police

Burghers Camps Department

Burghersdorp District Mounted Troops
    90 medals to unit
    Clasps: None

Burghersdorp Town guard
    280 medals to unit
    Clasps: None

Bushmanland Borderers
Bushveldt Carbineers
Byng's Scouts

C ____________________

Cala Mounted Natives Levies
Cala Town Guard

Caledon District Mounted Troops

Calvinia Town Guar

Campbell Town Guard

Camperdown and District Rifle Association
    Clasps: None

Canadian Scouts

Cape Boys Contingent

Cape Colonial Defence Department

Cape Colonial Defence Force

Cape Colonial Forces
    Clasps: CC, SA02

Cape Colonial Ordinance Department
    Clasps: CC, SA01, SA02

Cape Colonial Pay Department
Cape Colony Cyclist Corps
    Clasps: CC, SA01
Cape Garrison Artillery
    Clasps: CC

Cape Government Railways
    Clasps: None, CC, SA01
Cape Infantry
    Formerly the Permanent Duty Company of the CP Regiment
    Served as Lines of Communications troops in the north west districts of the Cape
    Clasps: None
Cape Medical Staff Corps

Cape Mounted Police

Cape Mounted Rifles
    Clasps: CC, Wep, Tr, Witt, Belf, SA01, SA02

Cape Peninsula Regiment
Cape Police
    Clasps: CC, OFS, DofK, RofM, Tvl
Cape Railway Sharpshooters
    Clasps: CC, SA01
Cape Town Highlanders
    Clasps: CC
Cape Town Town Guard

Captain Huntley's Special Squadron

Carnavon District Mounted Troops

Cathcart District Mounted Troops

Cathcart Town Guard

Cathcart Special Mounted Police

Central South African Railway Engineer Corps

Ceres Scouts
Ceres Town Guard
Christiana District Mounted Rifles
City of Grahamstown Volunteers
ClanWilliam Convoy Guard

ClanWilliam Town Guard

Cleremont TG

Clarke's Light Horse
    Clasps: None
    This unit was formed in the Eastern Cape and operated with the Tembuland Field Force

Clifford's Scouts
Colesburg District Mounted Troops
    74 medals to the unit, 26 returned unclaimed
    Clasps: None
Colesburg Town Guard
    84 medals issues to the unit, 55 returned unclaimed
    Clasps: None

Colonial Light Horse
Colonial Scouts
    Clasps: RofL
Commander in Chief's Bodyguard
    Clasps: CC, OFS, Tvl, Eland (4), SA01

Composite Cyclist Corps
Composite Regiment Natal
Concordia Town Guard (Namaqualand Town Guard)

Cookhouse Town Guard
Craddock Town Guard
Criminal Investigation Department

Cullinan's Horse

Cyphergat Town Guard

D ____________________

Damant's Horse
    Clasps: CC, OFS, Tvl, SA01, SA02
Daniel's Kuil Town Guard

Darling Town Guard
De Aar Town Guard
De Doorns District Mounted Troops (Hex River)

De Beers Maxim Battery
De Montmerency's Scouts
Dennison's Scouts

Diamond Fields Artillery

Diamond Fields Horse

District Mounted Police
    Clasps: None
District Mounted Rifles
Dordrecht District Volunteer Guard
    Clasps: CC, OFS

Dordrecht Town Guard
Douglas Town Guard
    18 medals to the unit
    Clasps: None
Driscoll's Scouts
    Clasps: CC, OFS, Tvl, SA01, SA02

Dundee Town Guard
245 medals to unit
Clasp: Talana

Duke of Edinburgh's Own Volunteer Rifles
    Clasps: CC, SA01

Dundee Rifle Association
47 medals to unit
Clasp: Talana
Durban Light Infantry
    Clasps: RofL
Durban Road Town Guard

Durbanville Town Guard

E ____________________

East Griqualand Field Force

East Griqualand Mounted Rifle
Clasps: CC, Drie, Joh, DH, Belf

East Griqualand Mounted Volunteers
East London District Mounted Troops
East London Town Guard

Eastern Province Horse
Clasps: CC, OFS, Tvl, SA01
Eastern Rifles
Eastern Transvaal Scouts

Edenburg Town Guard
Edwards's Scouts
Elliot Border Scouts

Elsie's River District Mounted Troops

Errol's Scouts (see Nesbitt's Horse)

F ____________________

Farmers' Guard (Burgher Police)

Fauresmith Town Guard

Field Intelligence Department

Field Forces Canteens

Fingo Levies
    18 medals all to officers issued to this unit
    The unit was called out on three occasions
    Clasps: None
First City Volunteers (Grahamstown Volunteers)
    Clasps: CC, OFS

Fort Beaufort Town Guard

Fraserburg District Mounted Troops

Fraserburg Road Town Guard
Fraserburg Town Guard
Fraserburg Scouts

French's Scouts
    Clasps: Eland (2)

Frontier Light Horse
    Clasps: DofK, CC, OFS, Tvl, SA01
Frontier Mounted Rifles
Fuller's Scouts

G ____________________

Gatacre's Scouts
Geoghegan's Scouts

George District Mounted Troops

George Town Guard

Glen Gray Native Levy
    Clasps: None
Gorringe' Fighting Scouts
Gorringe's Flying Column
    Clasps: CC, SA02

Graaff-Reinet Mounted Troops

Graaff-Reinet Town Guard
    266 medals to unit
Grahamstown Town Guard
Grahamstown Volunteer Mounted Infantry

Green River District Mounted Troops
    29 medals to the unit
    Clasps: None

Griquatown Defence Corps

Griquatown West Light Horse

H ____________________

Hanney's Scouts
    Clasps: None
Hanover Town Guard

Harrismith Volunteer Light Horse

Hawick Rifle Association

Heidelberg Volunteers and Scouts
    Clasps: Tvl

Herbert Mounted Rifles

Hermanus Town Guard

Herschel Mounted Volunteers
Herschel Native Police
Herschel Special Police

Hex River District Mounted Troops
    23 medals to the unit
    Clasps: None

Highland Rifle Associatio

Hopefield District Mounted Troops
    Clasps: None
Hopetown Town Guard
Houw Hock District Mounted Troops

Humansdorp District Mounted Troops

Humansdorp Town Guard
    58 medals issued.
    Clasps: None

I ____________________

Imperial Bearer Corps

Imperial Hospital Corps
    Clasps: SA01, SA02

Imperial Irregular Corps Depot Staff

Imperial Light Horse
    Clasps: Eland (378), DofL, DofM (1), CC, OFS, Tr, Rhod, RofM, SA01

Imperial Light Infantry
    Clasps: Th, RofL, Tvl, LN

Imperial Military Railway
    Clasps: None, OFS, Tvl, DofM (2)
Imperial Transport Service
    Clasps: CC, OFS, Tvl, SA01, SA02
    Raised by Julius Weil
Imperial Yeomanry Scouts

lndwe District Mounted Troops

Indwe Town Guard
    137 medals issued. 60 returned unclaimed
    Clasps: None

J ____________________

Jagersfontein Town Guard
    77 medals issued:
    Clasps: None
Jamestown Town Guard
Jansenville District Mounted Troops

Jansenville Town Guard
Johannesburg Fire Brigade
Johannesburg Mounted Rifles
    Clasps: Tvl, CC, Rhod, TH, RofL, Wep, DH, Witt, Eland (3), DofM (1), SA01, SA02

Johannesburg District Mounted Police

K ____________________

Kaffrarian Rifles
    Clasps: CC, Wep, Tvl, Witt
Kalk Bay - Muizerberg Town Guard

Karkloop Rifle Association

Katberg Town Guard

Keeley's Vryburg Farmer's Association

Hei Road Section Colonial Defence Force

Keimols Town Guard
Kenhardt Town Guard
Kenilworth Defence Force

Kimberley Horse
    Clasps: CC, Rhod, OFS, Tvl
Kimberley Light Horse
    Clasps: DofK, OFS
Kimberley Mounted Corps

Kimberley Regiment
Kimberley Town Guard
    Clasps: DofK, OFS, Tvl, none
Kimberley Volunteer Regiment
    Clasps: RofM, DofK, OFS, Tvl, SA01

King Williamstown District Mounted Troops

King Williamstown Town Guard
    Clasps: None

Kitchener's Fighting Scouts
    Clasps: RofM, Tvl, CC, OFS

Kitchener's Horse
    Clasps: RofK, Paar, Drie, Joh, Eland (1)

Klaarstroom Town Guard

Klerksdorp Town Guard
Klip River Rifle Association
Klipdam District Mounted Troops

Klipdam Town Guard

Klipplaat Town Guard

Knysna District Mounted Troops

Knysna Rangers

Knysna Town Guard
Koffyfontein Defence Force
Koffyfontein Town Guard
Kokstad Town Guard
Komgha District Mounted Troops

Komgha Town Guard
    40 medals to this unit
    Clasps: None

Koniga District Mounted Troops

Koniga Town Guard

Kraisfontein Native Scouts
Krom River District Mounted Troops
    25 medals to this unit
    Clasps: None
    Krom River station is between Beaufort West and Victoria West
Kroonstad Scouts
Kuruman Scouts

Kuruman Town Guard

L ____________________

Ladismith District Mounted Troops

Ladismith Town Guard
Ladismith Reserve Town Guard
Lady Frere Town Guard

Lady Grey Town Guard

Ladybrand Town Guard
Ladysmith Town Guard
Laingsburg Town Guard

Le Gros Scouts

Loch's Horse
Clasps: CC, OFS, Joh, DH
Loxton's Horse
Loyal Burgher Corps

Loyal Farmers Light Horse

Lydenburg Civil Mounted Rifles

M ____________________

Maclean's Scouts
Mafeking Cadet Corps
    Clasp: DofM (38)

Mafeking Railway Volunteers
    Clasp: DofM (26)
Mafeking Town Guard
    Clasps: DofM (513)
Malmesbury Police Force
    Clasps: None

Malmesbury Town Guard
Maraisburg Town Guard
    21 medals to the unit
    Clasps: None
    Maraisburg is located between Middelburg and Tarkastad. Its name changed to Hofmeyr in 1913
Maritzani Mounted Irregulars

Maritzburg Ambulance Corps
    Clasps: Nat

Marshall's Horse
    Clasps: Eland (2), DofM (1)

Mashonaland Police

Matatiele District Defence Force

Matatiele Native Contingent
    Clasps: None

Matjiesfontein District Mounted Troops

Melmoth Rifle Association
    Clasps: None

Menne's Scouts
    Clasps: Tvl, Eland (1)

Middelburg Town Guard
    100 medals to the unit
    Clasps: None

Midland Mounted Police
    Clasps: Belm, MR, OFS, Tvl
Midland Mounted Rifles
    Clasps: CC, SA01
Middleton Town Guard
     36 medals to the unit
    Clasps: None

Modderfontein Town Guard
Molteno Town Guard
Montmorency's Scouts

Montagu Town Guard
    32 - 27 medals to the unit
    Clasps: None

Morley's Scouts
Mossel Bay Town Guard
    118 medals to the unit
Mounted Rifle Clubs, Cape

Muller's Scouts
Murray's Horse
    Clasps: Nat

N ____________________

Naauwpoort District Mounted Troops
    128 medals to the unit but half unclaimed
    Clasps: None

Naauwport Town Guard
    Clasps: None
Namaqualand Borderers
Namaqualand Border Scouts

Namaqualand District Mounted Police
Namaqualand Town Guard
    Clasps: None
Natal Border Police

Natal Bridge Guards
Natal Carbineers
    Clasps: Eland (14), DofL, LN, OFS, TH, RofL, Tvl, SA01
Natal Composite Regiment
    Clasps: Tvl, OFS, Eland (3)

Natal Government Railways
    Clasps:
Natal Guides
    Clasps: TH, OFS, RofL, Tvl, LN
Natal Horse
Natal Indian Volunteer Ambulance Corps
    Clasps: TH, RoL
Natal Light Horse

Natal Mounted Infantry
    Clasps: SA02
Natal Mounted Rifles
    Clasps: Eland (161)
Natal Naval Artillery
Natal Naval Volunteers
Natal Police
    Clasps: Nat, TH, RofL, Belf, OFS, SA01

NataI Royal Rifles
    Clasps: RofL

Natal Transport Corps
    62 medals issued to the unit

Natal Voluntary Medical Corps
    Clasps: Eland (3)
Natal Voluntary Veterinary Corps
    Clasps: Eland (1)
Natal Volunteer Ambulance Corps
Natal Volunteer Composite Regiment
Natal Volunteer Field Artillery
    Clasps: Eland (88)
Natal Volunteer Hotchkiss Battery
Natal Volunteer Police and Guides
National Scouts
Nesbitt's Horse
    Clasps: CC, Paard, Drie, DofM (3)
New England Mounted Rifles
    Clasps: None
New England Volunteer Contingent

Newcastle Town Guard

New Hanover Rifle Association
    Clasps: None
    18 medals to the unit

Neylan's Orange River Scouts
    Clasps: CC, OFS, SA02
Niger River Town Guard
Northern Districts Mounted Rifles

Norvals Pont Town Guard

Nottingham Road Rifle Association
    Clasps: None

O ____________________

O'Okiep Town Guard
Orange River Colony Provisional Mounted Police
    Clasps: OFS
Orange River Colony Volunteers
Orange River Scouts
    Clasps: OFS, Tvl, SA01, SA02
    Raised by Col Nolan Neylan (see next
Orpen's Horse
    Clasps: CC, OFS, Tvl
Oudtshoorn Town Guard
    Clasps: None

Oudtshoorn Volunteer Rifles

P ____________________

Paarl District Mounted Troops
Paarl Town Guard
Pearston Town Guard
Peddie District Mounted Troops
    251 medals to the unit. Medals normally issued without clasps
Peninsular Horse
Petrust Town Guard
Petrusville Town Guard
    40 medals to the unit
    Clasps: None
    Petrusville is situated in the Northern Cape
Pietersburg Light Horse
    Clasps: CC, OFS, Tr, SA01, SA02
Pietersburg Town Guard

Piquetberg District Mounted Troops
    Clasps: None

Piquetberg Town Guard
    12 medals to the unit
    Clasps: Tr, SA02. Issued in error and not recovered
Piquetberg Road Town Guard
Port Alfred Imperial Mounted Police

Port Elizabeth Town Guard
    562 medals to the unit
    Clasps: None
Port Nolloth Town Guard
Potchefstroom Provincial Police

Potchefstroom Town Guard
Pretoria Police
Prieska Town Guard
Prince Albert's District Mounted Troops
Prince Albert Town Guard
Prince Albert Road Town Guard
Prince Alfred's Guards Mounted Infantry

Prince Alfred's Own Cape Artillery
    Clasps: CC, OFS, SA01
Prince Alfred's Own Volunteer Guard
    Clasps: CC, Witt
Prince of Wales' Light Horse
    Clasps: CC, OFS

Protectorate Regiment
    Clasps: DofM

Provisional Transvaal Constabulary

Q ____________________

Queenstown District Mounted troops
Queenstown Rifle Volunteers
Clasps: None, CC, OFS, SA01
Queenstown Town Guard
Clasps: None

Qumbu Native Reserves

R ____________________

Railway Detachment

Railway Pioneer Regiment
    Clasps: CC, OFS, Tvl

Rand Rifles
    Functioned as the Johannesburg Town Guard
    Clasps: None

Red House Town Guard

Rhodesian Field Force
    Clasps: CC, Rhod, OFS, Tvl
Rhodesian Regiment
Richmond Town Guard

Rimington's Guides

Riversdale Town Guard
Roberts' Horse
    Clasps: RofK, Paar, Drie, DofM (2)
Robertson District Mounted Troops

Robertson Town Guard
Rosmead Town Guard
Ross Machine Gun Battery

Rundle's Scouts

S ____________________

Sandflats District Mounted Troops
    Clasps: None

Sandflats Town Guard
    33 medals to the unit
    Clasps: None

Scottish Horse, 1st and 2nd Regiment (Marquis of Tallabardine's)
    Clasps: Eland (1), Wep, CC, OFS, Tvl, SA01, SA02

Scottish Rifles
    Clasps: TH, RofL, Tvl, LN

Scott's Railway Guards
    Clasps: CC, Tvl, DoK, CC

Settle's Scouts

Seymour Town Guard

Simonstown Town Guard

Sir Lowry's Pass District Mounted Troops
Somerset East District Mounted Troops
    Clasps: None
Somerset East Town Guard
    Clasps: None

Somerset Strand Town Guard
Somerset West Town Guard
South African Constabulary
    Clasps: CC, OFS, Tvl, Eland (36), SA01, SA02

South African Light Horse
    Clasps: CC, OFS, Tvl, Eland (2), SA01
South African Mounted lrregular Forces
    Clasps: CC, OFS, Tvl, LN, Belf, SA01
South Rhodesian Volunteers
    Clasps: Rhod, RofM, Tvl
Special Police Contingent Mafikeng
Springbokfontein Town Guard

Standerton Mounted Police
    Clasps: Tvl
Standerton Scouts
Steinaecker's Horse
    Clasps: Tvl, DofM (6), SA01, SA02
Stellenbosch District Mounted Troops
    Clasps: None
Stellenbosch Mounted Infantry
Sterkstroom Town Guard
Steynsburg Town Guard
Steytlerville Town Guard
    100 medals to the unit
    Clasps: None
Stockenstroom District Mounted Corps

Stormberg Town Guard

Struben's Scouts

Stutterheim District Mounted Troops
    38 medals to the unit
    Clasps: None
Sutherland Town Guard
Swellendam District Mounted Troops
    42 medals to the unit
    Clasps: None

Swellendam Town Guard
    50 medals to the unit
    Clasps: None

T ____________________

Tarkastad Mounted Troops
Tarkastad Town Guard
Tembuland Mounted Rifle Club
Tempest's Scouts
Thorneycroft's Mounted Infantry
    Clasps: OFS, Tvl, LN, TH, CC, RofL, Eland (3)
Transkei Mounted Rifles
    Clasps: CC, DofM (1)
Tsomo Mounted Rifle Club
    Clasps: None

Touws River Town Guard

U ____________________

Uitenhage District Mounted Troops
    286 medals to the unit

Uitenhage Town Guard
    893 medals to the unit
    Clasps: None
Uitenhage Volunteer Rifles
    Clasps: CC, OFS, SA01, SA02
Umvoti Mounted Rifles
    Clasps: TH, RofL

Umzimkulu Reserves
    19 medals to the unit
    Clasps: None

Uniondale District Mounted Troops

Upington Town Guard
Utrecht Mounted Police
Utrecht / Vryheid Mounted Police
    Clasps: Eland (1)

V ____________________

Veldrift Town Guard

Victoria West Town Guard
Vryheid Mounted Police
Vryburg Scouts

Vryburg Special Police
Vryburg Town Guard

W ____________________

Walden's Scouts
Waldron's Scouts
Warren's Scouts

Warren's Mounted Infantry
    Clasps: CC, SA01

Warrenton Town guard

Warwick's Scouts
Wedburg Town Guard
Wellington District Mounted Troops
    60 medals to this unit
    Clasps: None

Wellington Town Guard

Western Light Horse
    Clasps: CC, SA02
Western Province Mounted Rifles
    Clasps: CC, DofM (2), SA01
Weston Rifle Association
    Clasps: None

Willowmore Rifle Club

Willowmore Town Guard

Windsorton/Wedbrug Town Guard

Winterberg Mounted Rifles
    Clasps: None, CC

Wodehouse Yeomanry
    Clasps: None

Worcester District Mounted Troops
    Clasps: None
Worcester Town Guard

X ____________________

Xalanga Border Mounted Rifles

Xalanga Mounted Rifle Club

Y ____________________

Young Husband's Horse

Z ____________________

Zeerust Town Guard
Zoutleif Town Guard
Zululand Police

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