1st South African Infantry Brigade raised at Potchefstroom, South Africa
The brigade is led by Major-General Sir Henry Timson ‘Tim’ Lukin who had been Donald’s commanding officer in the Cape Mounted Rifles back in 1898.
Donald is attached to the 4th Regiment (The South African Scottish) which was formed from elements of the former Transvaal Scottish and Cape Town Highlanders Regiments.
The 1st South African Infantry Brigade was the first unit raised by the Union of South Africa as part of the South African Overseas Expeditionary Force. It consisted of four regiments of infantry. However, an act of parliament prevented a South African defence force from South African forces from operating outside of the borders of the Union of South Africa and its immediate neighbours. Therefore, the Brigade was formed as a unit of regular British troops. There was some opposition from Afrikaners due to the relatively recent 2nd Anglo-Boer War and General Botha had to deal with that before being free to raise forces to fight with Great Britain.
The brigade consists of :-
- 4 infantry regiments
- 1st Regiment led by Lt.Col. F.S. Dawson
- 2nd Regiment led by Lt.Col. W.E.C. Tanner
- 3rd Regiment led by Lt.Col. E.F. Thackeray
- 4th Regiment (South African Scottish) led by Lt.Col. F.A. Jones
The brigade forms part of the South African Overseas Expeditionary Force which also contains :-
- 5 batteries of Heavy Artillery
- No 1 (Western Cape Province) Battery
- No 2 (Eastern Cape Province) Battery
- No 3 (Transvaal) Battery
- No 4 (Kimberley and the Diamond Districts) Battery
- No 5 (Province of Natal) Battery
- A Field Ambulance
- A Royal Engineers Signal Company
- A General Hospital
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