| Unit Name: | Buffalo Volunteer Rifles |
| Dates: | 1876 to present |
| Country: | South Africa |
| Allegiance: | |
| Branch: | |
| Type: | Infantry |
| Role: | Infantry |
| Size: | One battalion |
| Command Structure: | South African Infantry Formation Army Conventional Reserve |
| Garrison: | East London |
| Ceremonial Chief Label: | Honourary Colonel |
| Motto: | Nunc animus (Now with courage) |
| Battle Honours: |
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| Identification Symbol Label: | Company level Insignia |
| Identification Symbol 2 Label: | SA Motorised Infantry beret bar circa 1992 |
The Buffalo Volunteer Rifles (BVR) (formerly the Kaffrarian Rifles) 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.
This unit was formed in East London in 1876, as the Buffalo Corps of Rifle Volunteers, for service in the 9th Frontier War. It disbanded in 1879. (East London is situated on the Buffalo River, hence the name).[1]
The unit was re-formed in July 1883 and was named after the region of Kaffraria, the 19th-century name for the region around East London. There had previously been many other units from this region, from which the Regiment can also claim descent:
On 1 December 1900 George Herbert Farrar was appointed as a Major in the Kaffrarian Rifles.
By 1913 the unit was embodied in the Citizen Force as the 5th Infantry (Kaffrarian Rifles), but regained its old name in 1932. In March 1947 the regiment was formally inspected by King George VI on a visit to East London and a photo is available [2] The unit was temporarily amalgamated with the First City Regiment, as the First City/The Kaffrarian Rifles from 1954 to 1956.
This Regiment and its predecessors took part in all of South Africa's armed conflicts, including:
In order to keep pace with the changing political climate in South Africa, the regiment was renamed the Buffalo Volunteer Rifles in 1999, a revised form of the regiment's name when it was raised. It is thus de facto and de jure the successor to the reserve SAA formations of the Eastern Cape.
As of 2014 this regiment is considered to be a "fully integrated and representative" army unit. Members have been attached to the United Nations Operation in Burundi and recently a Rifle company returned from the Democratic Republic of the Congo after a six-month spell of active duty as part of MONUSCO.[3]
The Buffalo Volunteer Rifles still utilize a British Infantry tradition where officers had a red backing and ranks were blackened out on fatigues.
Gaika-Gcaleka 1877, Bechuanaland 1897, South Africa 18991902, South-West Africa 19141915, Western Desert 19411943, Bardia, South-West Africa/Zambia 1979, South-West Africa/Angola 19751976, South-West Africa/Angola 19761989
The regiment claims four more battle honours, which have not been acknowledged:Transkei 1879, Transkei 18801881, Basutoland 18801881, Wepener.
South Africa