Al Prodgers

Last Friday, my Regiment, The Cape Town Highlanders held our annual Alamein Dinner. The Cape Town Highlanders are one of only three regiments in the world awarded all three El Alamein battle honours. All three are South African units: the Cape Town Highlanders, the Durban Light Infantry (formerly the Royal Durban Light Infantry), and the Light Horse Regiment (formerly the Imperial Light Horse). While many Commonwealth units received one or two honours for the desert campaign, these three were awarded the full set for their roles in both the defensive and offensive phases. The three honours are: • Alamein Defence — for halting Rommel’s advance in the First Battle of El Alamein (July 1942). • Alamein Box — for the defence of the fortified “box” positions during the first battle. • El Alamein — for participation in Montgomery’s offensive in the Second Battle of El Alamein (October–November 1942). The Cape Town Highlanders served in the 1st South African Infantry Division with the British Eighth Army. The CTH arrived in the Western Desert in mid-1941 and fought in the major engagements of the campaign, including the three phases at El Alamein. In July 1942, after the Allied retreat from Gazala and the fall of Tobruk, the regiment occupied positions at El Alamein as Rommel’s forces approached. They held the northern sector under artillery and armoured attack, contributing to the check of the initial Axis advance. They also defended the Alamein Box, a fortified position covering the coastal road and railway, preventing a bypass toward the Nile Delta. During the Battle of Alam el Halfa (August–September 1942), while Rommel attacked the southern flank, the Cape Town Highlanders remained in the north, facing probing attacks and air bombardment and helping to contain Axis forces in that sector. In the Second Battle of El Alamein, beginning on the night of 23 October 1942, the regiment took part in the opening attacks. Infantry cleared paths through the Axis minefields (the “Devil’s Gardens”) to allow armour to advance. In subsequent operations, including Operation Supercharge, they fought through the defensive lines in close-quarters combat and helped break the Axis positions. The CTH suffered over 220 casualties (officers and other ranks) in the North African campaign. After the Axis defeat there, the survivors returned briefly to South Africa before deploying to Italy, where they amalgamated with the First City Regiment and served with the 6th South African Armoured Division for the rest of the war.