The regiment was formed from the First City Volunteers (FCV) of Grahamstown that were formed in 1875 in Grahamstown, and the Queenstown Rifle Volunteers (QRV) that were formed in 1883 in Queenstown. These Regiments were formed due to the unrest on the then Frontier.
The QVR and the FCV fought in the Cape Frontier Wars 9th Frontier War (1877-1878), the QVR fought in the Morosi Campaign (1879). FCV fought in the Basutoland Gun War (1880-1881). The QVR and the FCV later fought in the Bechuanaland campaign (1897), and in the Second Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902).
On 1 July 1913, the QVR amalgamated with the FCV and was incorporated into the Citizen Force of the new Union Defence Forces as the 4th Infantry (First Eastern Rifles). It served in German South West Africa 1914-1915. However, in 1924 the First Eastern Rifles were renamed the 4th Infantry (First City). The numerical part of the title was dropped in 1932, making the regiment simply First City. First City is never called First City "Regiment" . When spoken of it is "The" First City.
In the mid 1930s, the regiment adopted Scottish uniform, including the Graham of Montrose tartan.The strong Scottish connection to the First City goes back to the founding of Grahamstown in 1812 by Colonel John Graham of Fintry, late of the 93rd Highlanders, who comes from the family of The Grahams of Montrose.
During World War II, FC served in the Madagascar campaign (1942). On 5 October 1943, First City, South Africa's senior Scottish unit, was temporarily "married up" with the Cape Town Highlanders to form the FC/CTH which was part of the 12th South African Motorised Brigade of the South African 6th Armoured Division. The "marriage" lasted until 8 May 1945. After completing its training in Egypt, the division landed at Taranto, Italy on 20 April 1944 and was fought exclusively in Italy during its existence.
In 1946, the regiment was reconstituted as a component of the country's part-time forces and reformed First City. From 1954 to 1956, FC was amalgamated with the Kaffrarian Rifles, known as First City/Kaffrarian Rifles. In 1956 reverted back to First City.
The regiment served in the South African Border War from 1977 to 1986, and was also involved from 1983 until 1994 in Internal Operations.
In 2004 it was decided to rebuild First City and by 2006 the Regiment was training its own members as well as members of the Prince Alfred's Guard, The Buffalo Volunteer Rifles and Regiment Piet Retief these all being Eastern Cape Regiments. Many members have also been trained in Air Assault. The Regiment has also sent members on UN; AU Peace Keeping Missions to the DRC, Burundi and the Sudan with a full company at present in the DRC.
2008 saw First City winning the Trophy for the Best Reserve Force Regiment in the SA Army Infantry Formation. The Regiment retained this award for 2009.
The Regiment celebrated it's 134th Anniversary in November 2009. The Regiment is still active in the SA Infantry Corps as an Air Assault Battalion and a Training Regiment.
The cache is a nano, no space for anything other than the log (BYOP). The area is quite busy, so be careful not to be spotted.
FTF goes to Bremar Josrut, logged during the Lets Cache Grahamstown event