page_title: Transvaal Scottish Regiment
section_title: South African Border War
hierarchical_section_title: Transvaal Scottish Regiment / History / South African Border War
caption_attribution_description: English: SADF Cap detail 72 Brigade Transvaal Scottish
context_page_description: The Transvaal Scottish Regiment 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.
context_section_description: After the Portuguese withdrew from Angola in 1975, Civil War broke out in the country and 1st Battalion Transvaal Scottish was deployed in southern Angola from South-West Africa. Later in the same year the 2nd Battalion deployed to the Caprivi Strip where they would eventually help develop a form of highly mobile counter-insurgency operations (COIN-ops) using Mine Protected Vehicles throughout the war.
  In 1983, Company Sergeant-Major Trevor ("Porky") Wright was awarded the Honoris Crux after he distinguished himself when his isolated company base in north-western South-West Africa was attacked by heavily guerilla fighters. Wright personally firing a machine gun from the hip at one point and supervised ammunition replenishment throughout the course of the enemy attack. (A number of other members of the Company were awarded the CSADF medal for their brave and heroic actions, now known as the Military Merit Medal. One of these members 2lt Lance Houghton went on to command the 2 Battalion in 1992). Another event CSM Wright was involved in, occurred two years prior to the attack, was also brought into consideration for the commendation. Wright noticed a primed hand grenade which had been accidentally lobbed near his fellow troops during training and risked certain death when he picked up and hurled the grenade away. In 1984 a company led by Captain George Brownlow from 2 Transvaal Scottish achieved notable successes with the capture of two insurgents. Captain Brownlow was later awarded Southern Cross Medal. In the 1980s 2 Transvaal Scottish became the first Citizen Force unit to deploy on the borders with Botswana and Zimbabwe.
  The Transvaal Scottish was assigned to command of 72 Brigade in this era.
caption: SADF era Cap detail 72 Brigade Transvaal Scottish
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