First City, the Highland Regiment of Grahamstown celebrates its 134th anniversary this year.
As part of the celebrations, a number of events were held over the past weekend, which culminated in a cocktail evening on Saturday.
First City, the Highland Regiment of Grahamstown celebrates its 134th anniversary this year.
As part of the celebrations, a number of events were held over the past weekend, which culminated in a cocktail evening on Saturday.
On Friday an officers mess evening took place at the Leopard Trap for the senior members of the Regiment, ex-serving members and the Friends of First City. General commanding officer, Major General Themba Nkabinde, who was scheduled to be the functionary for the cocktail evening, was unable to attend so Colonel Roy Gowar, senior staff officer for reserve office for the Eastern Cape, stood in for him.
Commanding officer of First City, Lieutenant Colonel Roger Keeton welcomed all to the 134th birthday weekend celebration and prizegiving. Keeton was handed a parachute rip cord with a paratrooper badge embroidered on it. This was handed down from the senior staff officer Special Infantry colonel Mannikies de Goede. The cord is a symbol of First City becoming an airborne unit in 2007. The cord will be placed on a plaque and put in the mess.
Warrant Officer Andrew Stanley won the most prestigious of the awards as he was named the Highlander of the Year.
Colonel Roy Gowar, Colonel Martin Gopane, Colonel Malcolm Cock, Colonel Tony Swanepoel, officers, warrant officers, noncommissioned officers, riflemen, council members, association members and civilians all got together for a drink on the Saturday evening. The First City unit has grown to 906, with members based all across the Eastern Cape, while the headquarters are at the Drill Hall in Hill Street.
A number of awards were also made to deserving members:
Highlander of the Year – Warrant Officer Andrew Stanley. This is the premier award which is given to a deserving member of the regiment who renders service of the highest order but is at all times a Highlander;
Operational Officer of the Year – Lieutenant Mpumelelo Dyalvani for the best operational officer of the year. This year it is for service with the United Nations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo;
Officer of the Year – Lieutenant Mpumelelo Dyalvani for being the Best Officer of the Year);
Warrant Officer of the Year – Warrant Officer Nkosinathi Booi;
Operational NCO of the Year – Corporal Paul Fortuin, for the best operational NCO of the year. This year it is for service with the United Nations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo;
Rifleman of the Year – Rifleman Ncediwe Sitole – winning the award for the second year in a row;
Sportsperson of the Year – Rifleman Estelle Viljoen – winning the award for the third year in a year, as well as being awarded as the 2009 Combat Rifle Association champion.
