The uneasy political status

The uneasy political status of the diamond fields arising from the conflicting claims over the area prompted the fast-growing population to raise a number of irregular military units.

Depicted here is the cap badge of the Diamond Fields Horse formed in 1877 from the Dutoitspan Hussars.

The unit served with distinction in the Ninth Frontier War (1878), the Northern Border War (1878) and the Basutoland Rebellion (1880 - 81).

Eventually merging with the Kimberley Regiment in 1899, the Diamond Fields 1-forse nevertheless operated independently during the Second Boer War and was only fully amalgamated at the end of the war.