1st bn cape corps

[Guest pikemedals]

hi, pick up a ww1 pair & plaque named to thomas joseph knipe 1st bn cape corps.can anyone tell me what did the cape corps did in the war. and was it a coloured unit.as some paper work came with the group stated his wife was coloured.any info on the unit please

[Arthur R]

The Cape Corps was indeed a Coloured regiment, with White officers and NCOs. It was raised in 1915 for the SA Overseas Expeditionary Force, and fought in German East Africa, and later in Palestine. Its major battle was Square Hill in Palestine on 18-19 September 1918 - the 1st Bn captured the hill from the Turks and held it under heavy fire until it was forced to abandon the position after most of the officers were killed.

Like the other SAOEF units, the CC was disbanded in 1919. It was revived in 1940 as a non-combat supporting service (drivers, orderlies, stretcher bearers etc), whose members served in East Africa, North Africa, and Italy. It was disbanded again in 1950.

The corps was revived again in 1963, as the SA Coloured Corps, again as a non-combat branch. It was converted to infantry in 1973 and renamed the SA Cape Corps. Officially recognised as successor to the earlier Cape Corps, it was allowed the battle honours the earlier battalions had earned in WWI. In the 1990s, when race discrimination was abolished, the unit was renamed 9 SA Infantry Battalion.

The Cape Corps, in its various incarnations, is highly regarded among SA military units.

[Per Finsted]

Sorry to take up this old tread again, but I only just joined this very interesting forum.

Regarding Cpl. Knipe, the following is found on p.362 in the regimental history of the 1st Cape Corps:

KNIPE, T. J., Cpl. (1093), attested 12/12/15, L.Cpl. 1/6/17, Cpl. 1/4/18, died of malaria 12/8/19, qualified 1st class signaller.

The book "The Story of 1st Battalion Cape Corps (1915-1919)" by Captain Ivor Denis Difford (Quartermaster) is available for download at Canadian Libraries (contributed by University of Toronto).

Regards

Per

[Guest pikemedals]

many thanks for that info great!