NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Union Defence Force

The South African Army is the army of South Africa. This article or section is in need of attention from an expert on the subject. ...

Image File history File links South African Army flag File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

History

Formation

The South African military evolved within the tradition of frontier warfare fought by popular militias and small irregular commando forces, reinforced by the Afrikaners' historical distrust of large standing armies. Irregular soldiers in Beauharnois, Quebec, 19th century Irregular military refers to any non-standard military. ... This article is about the South African ethnic group. ...

After the Union of South Africa was formed in 1910, General Jan Smuts, the Union's first Minister of Defence, placed a high priority on creating a unified military out of the separate armies of the union's four provinces. The Defence Act (No. 13) of 1912 established a Union Defence Force (UDF) that included a Permanent Force (or standing army) of career soldiers, an Active Citizen Force (ACF) of temporary conscripts and volunteers as well as a Cadet organization. The 1912 law also obligated all white males between seventeen and sixty years of age to serve in the military, but the law was not strictly enforced as there were a large number of volunteers. Instead, half of the white males aged from 17 to 25 were drafted by lots into the ACF. National motto: Ex Unitate Vires (Latin: From Unity, strength} Official languages Afrikaans, Dutch and English. ... 1910 (MCMX) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display calendar) of the Gregorian calendar or a common year starting on Sunday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar. ... A General is an officer of high military rank. ... Jan Smuts Field Marshal Jan Christiaan Smuts, OM, CH, ED, KC, FRS (May 24, 1870 â€“ September 11, 1950) was a prominent South African and Commonwealth statesman, military leader, and philosopher. ... 1912 (MCMXII) was a leap year starting on Monday in the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday in the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... A cadet is a person who is junior in some way. ...

Initially, the Permanent Force consisted of five regular mounted regiments and a small artillery section. In 1913 and 1914, the new 23,400-member Citizen Force was called on to suppress several industrial strikes on the Witwatersrand. Soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback in combat are commonly known as cavalry (from French cavalerie). ... A regiment is a military unit, larger than a company and smaller than a division. ... Artillery with Gabion fortification Cannons on display at Fort Point Continental Artillery crew from the American Revolution Firing of an 18-pound gun, Louis-Philippe Crepin, (1772 â€“ 1851) A forge-welded Iron Cannon in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu. ... Year 1913 (MCMXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar). ... 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Witwatersrand is a low mountain range which runs through Gauteng in South Africa. ...

World War I

When the First World War broke out in 1914, the South African government chose to join the war on the side of the Allies. General Louis Botha, the then prime minister, faced widespread Afrikaner opposition to fighting alongside Great Britain so soon after the Second Boer War and had to put down a revolt by some of the more militant elements before he could send an expeditionary force of some 67,000 troops to invade German South-West Africa (now Namibia). The German troops stationed there eventually surrendered to the South African forces in July 1915. (In 1920 South Africa received a League of Nations mandate to govern the former German colony and to prepare it for independence within a few years.) Combatants Allied Powers: Russian Empire France British Empire Italy United States Central Powers: Austria-Hungary German Empire Ottoman Empire Bulgaria Commanders Nicholas II Aleksei Brusilov Georges Clemenceau Joseph Joffre Ferdinand Foch Robert Nivelle Herbert Henry Asquith Sir Douglas Haig Sir John Jellicoe Victor Emmanuel III Luigi Cadorna Armando Diaz Woodrow... Look up ally in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Louis Botha Louis Botha (September 17, 1862-August 27, 1919) was an Afrikaner and first Prime Minister of the modern South African state, then called the Union of South Africa. ... This article is about the South African ethnic group. ... Combatants United Kingdom Australia New Zealand Canada Cape Colony Orange Free State South African Republic Commanders Redvers Buller Frederick Roberts Herbert Kitchener Paul Kruger Martinus Steyn Louis Botha Christiaan de Wet Casualties 22,000 6,500 Civilians killed [mainly Boers]: 24,000+ The Second Boer War, commonly referred to as... Flag German South-West Africa (black), other German colonies in red Capital Windhoek (from 1891) Political structure Colony Governor - 1898-1905 Theodor von Leutwein - 1905-1907 Friedrich von Lindequist - 1907-1910 Bruno von Schuckmann - 1910-1915 Theodor Seitz Historical era The Scramble for Africa - Established 7 August, 1884 - Genocide 1904... 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Year 1920 (MCMXX) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... The League of Nations was an international organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference, 1919. ...

Later, an infantry brigade and various other supporting units were shipped to France in order to fight on the Western Front. The 1st South African Brigade - as this infantry brigade was named - consisted of four infantry battalions, representing men from all four provinces of the Union of South Africa as well as Rhodesia: the 1st Regiment was from the Cape Province, the 2nd Regiment was from Natal and the Orange Free State and the 3rd Regiment was from Transvaal and Rhodesia. The 4th Regiment was called the South African Scottish and was raised from members of the Transvaal Scottish and the Cape Town Highlanders; they wore the Atholl Murray tartan. Infantry of the Royal Irish Rifles during the Battle of the Somme in World War I. Infantry are soldiers who fight primarily on foot with small arms in organized military units, though they may be transported to the battlefield by horses, ships, automobiles, skis, or other means. ... In military science a brigade is a military unit that is part of a division and includes regiments (where that level exists), or (in modern armies) is composed of several battalions (typically two to four) and directly attached supporting units. ... Western Front was a term used during the First and Second World Wars to describe the contested armed frontier between lands controlled by Germany to the East and the Allies to the West. ... Symbol of the Austrian 14th Armoured Battalion in NATO military graphic symbols A battalion is a military unit usually consisting of between two and six companies and typically commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel. ... National motto: Ex Unitate Vires (Latin: From Unity, strength} Official languages Afrikaans, Dutch and English. ... Anthem: Rise O Voices of Rhodesia (from 1974) Capital Salisbury Language(s) English Government Republic PresidentÂ¹ - 1970-1975 Clifford Dupont - 1976-1978 John Wrathall Officer Administering the GovernmentÂ¹ - 1965-1970 Clifford Dupont Prime minister - 1965-1979 Ian Smith Historical era Cold War - Independence (UDI) November 11, 1965 - Republic declared March... Under the Union of South Africa and after that under the Republic of South Africa, the old Cape Colony became the Cape of Good Hope Province (though it was commonly known as the Cape Province). ... KwaZulu-Natal, often referred to as KZN, is a province of South Africa. ... Flag of the Orange Free State Capital Bloemfontein Language(s) Afrikaans, English Religion Dutch Reformed Church Government Republic President - 1854 - 1855 Josias P. Hoffman - 1855 - 1859 Jacobus Nicolaas Boshoff - 1859 - 1863 Marthinus Wessel Pretorius (also President of the South African Republic from 1857 to 1871). ... Flag of Transvaal For the Russian theme park, see Transvaal Park. ... The Transvaal Scottish Regiment is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. ... The Cape Town Highlanders Regiment is a Mechanised infantry regiment of the South African Army. ... A tartan is type of pattern, originating in woven cloth, but now used in many materials. ...

The supporting units included five batteries of heavy artillery, a field ambulance unit, a Royal Engineers signals company and a military hospital. In military science, a battery is a unit of artillery guns or rockets, so grouped in order to facilitate battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion. ... An ambulance in San Jose Del Cabo, Mexico A Helicopter used as an Ambulance. ... The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army. ... A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 100-200 soldiers. ... A casualty is a victim of an accident, injury or trauma. ...

The most costly action that the South African forces on the Western Front fought in was the Battle of Delville Wood in 1916 - of the 3,000 men from the brigade who entered the wood, only 768 emerged unscathed. Delville Wood (in French, Bois dElville) is a small forest adjacent to the village of Longueval in the Somme département of northern France. ... Year 1916 (MCMXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ...

Another tragic loss of life for the South African forces during the war was the Mendi sinking on 21 February 1917, when the troopship Mendi - while transporting 607 members of the 802nd South African Native Labour Corps from Britain to France - was struck and cut almost in half by another ship. The Mendi sinking occurred on 21 February 1917 during World War I and is considered one of the greatest tragedies in the history of the South African military. ... February 21 is the 52nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... Year 1917 (MCMXVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day slower Julian calendar (see: 1917 Julian calendar). ...

In addition, the war against the German and Askari forces in German East Africa also involved more than 20,000 South African troops; they fought under General Jan Smuts's command when he directed the British campaign against there in 1915. (During the war, the army was led by General Smuts, who had rejoined the army from his position as Minister of Defence on the outbreak of the war.) A drawing of an Askari by Wilhelm Kuhnert Askari is an Arabic, Persian and Swahili word meaning soldier (Arabic: â€Ž â€˜askarÄ«). It was frequently used to describe indigenous troops in East Africa and the Middle East serving European colonial powers but also describes policemen and security guards. ... German East Africa (German: Deutsch-Ostafrika) was Germanys colony in East Africa, including what is now Burundi, Rwanda, and Tanganyika, the mainland part of present Tanzania. ...

South Africans also saw action with the Cape Corps in Palestine. The Cape Corps and its predecessor units were the main military organizations in which the Coloured members of South Africas population served. ... Map of the British Mandate of Palestine. ...

More than 146,000 whites, 83,000 blacks and 2,500 people of mixed race ("Coloureds") and Asians served in South African military units during the war, including 43,000 in German South-West Africa and 30,000 on the Western Front. An estimated 3,000 South Africans also joined the Royal Flying Corps. In the South African and Namibian context, the term Coloured (also known as Bruinmense, Kleurlinge or Bruine Afrikaners) refers to a rather heterogeneous group of people of mixed Khoisan, white European descent, Malay, Malagasy, Black (Bantu), and South Indian ancestry, especially in the Western Cape. ... Asians in South Africa constitute two per cent of South Africas population, and most are of Indian origin, although there is also a small Chinese community. ... The Royal Flying Corps (RFC) was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of World War I. Origin and Early History Formed by Royal Warrant on May 13, 1912, the RFC superseded the Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers. ...

The total South African casualties during the war was about 18,600 with over 12,452 killed - more than 4,600 in the European theater alone.

The interwar period

Wartime casualties and postwar demobilization weakened the UDF. New legislation in 1922 re-established conscription for white males over the age of 21 for four years of military training and service. UDF troops assumed internal security tasks in South Africa and quelled several revolts against South African domination in South-West Africa. South Africans suffered high casualties, especially in 1922, when an independent group of Khoikhoi - known as the Bondelswart-Herero for the black bands that they wore into battle - led one of numerous revolts; in 1925, when a mixed-race population - the Basters - demanded cultural autonomy and political independence; and in 1932, when the Ovambo (Vambo) population along the border with Angola demanded an end to South African domination. Year 1922 (MCMXXII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar). ... An 18th century drawing of Khoikhoi worshipping the moon The Khoikhoi (men of men) or Khoi are a historical division of the Khoisan ethnic group of south-western Africa, closely related to the Bushmen (or San, as the Khoikhoi called them). ... A group of Herero women. ... Year 1932 (MCMXXXII) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link will take you to a full 1932 calendar). ...

As a result of its conscription policies, the UDF increased its active-duty forces to 56,000 by the late 1930s; 100,000 men also belonged to the National Riflemen's Reserve, which provided weapons training and practice. The 1930s (years from 1930â€“1939) were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles, as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression, also known in Europe as the World Depression. ...

World War II

South Africa's contribution to World War II consisted mainly of supplying troops, men and material for the North African and Italian campaigns. Numerous volunteers also flew for the Royal Air Force. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Northern Africa (UN subregion) geographic, including above North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, generally divided by the formidable barrier of the Sahara from Sub-Saharan Africa. ...

The South African 1st Infantry Division took part in several actions in North Africa in 1941 and 1942, including the Battle of El Alamein, before being withdrawn to South Africa. The South African 1st Infantry Division was an infantry division of the South African Army during World War II. History The division was formed on 13 August 1940 in South Africa with its HQ at the South African Military College. ... For the movie, see 1941 (film). ... Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1942 calendar). ... Sup G There were two battles of El Alamein, both during 1942. ...

The South African 2nd Infantry Division also took part in a number of actions in North Africa during 1942, but on 21 June 1942 two complete infantry brigades of the division as well as most of the supporting units were captured at the fall of Tobruk. The South African 2nd Infantry Division was an infantry division of the South African Army during World War II. History The division was formed on 23 October 1940 with its divisional HQ at Voortrekkerhoogte, South Africa. ... June 21 is the 172nd day of the year (173rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 193 days remaining. ... Tobruk or Tubruq (Arabic: Ø·Ø¨Ø±Ù‚; also transliterated as TÃ³bruch, Tobruch, Å¢ubruq, Tobruck ) is a town, seaport, municipality, and peninsula in eastern Libya in Northern Africa. ...

The South African 3rd Infantry Division never took an active part in any battles but instead organised and trained the South African home defence forces, performed garrison duties and supplied replacements for the South African 1st Infantry Division and the South African 2nd Infantry Division. However, one of this division's constituent brigades - 7 SA Motorised Brigade - did take part in the invasion of Madagascar in 1942. The South African 3rd Infantry Division was an infantry division of the South African Army during World War II. History This division was formed in South Africa on 23 October 1940 with its headquarters based in Pretoria. ...

The South African 6th Armoured Division fought in numerous actions in Italy from 1944 to 1945. The South African 6th Armoured Division was an armoured division of the South African Army during World War II. History This division - the first armoured division in South African military history - was formed in South Africa on 1 February 1943 out of the remnants of the earlier South African 1st... Year 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... Year 1945 (MCMXLV) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1945 calendar). ...

Of the 334,000 men volunteered for full time service in the South African Army during the war (including some 211,000 whites, 77,000 blacks and 46,000 "coloureds" and Asians), nearly 9,000 were killed in action.

The postwar period

Wartime expansion was again followed by rapid demobilization after World War II. By then, a century of Anglo-Boer clashes followed by decades of growing British influence in South Africa had fueled Afrikaner resentment. Resurgent Afrikaner nationalism was an important factor in the growth of the National Party (NP) as the 1948 elections approached. The National Party (Afrikaans: Nasionale Party) (with its members sometimes known as Nationalists or Nats) was the governing party of South Africa from June 4th 1948 until May 9th 1994, and was disbanded in 2005. ... Year 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ...

After the narrow election victory by the NP in 1948, the government began the steady Afrikanerization of the military; it expanded military service obligations and enforced conscription laws more strictly. Most UDF conscripts underwent three months of Citizen Force training in their first year of service, and an additional three weeks of training each year for four years after that. The Defence Act (No. 44) of 1957 renamed the UDF the South African Defence Force (SADF) and established within it some quick-reaction units, or Commandos, to respond to localized threats. The SADF, numbering about 20,000 in 1958, would grow to almost 80,000 in the next two decades. 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The South African Defence Force (SADF) were the South African armed forces from 1957 until 1994. ... Year 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Following the declaration of the Republic of South Africa in 1961, the "Royal" title was dropped from the names of army regiments like the Natal Carbineers, and the Crown removed from regimental badges. 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1961 calendar). ...

The "Border War" (1966 - 1989)

The 1960s ushered in a new era in military history. South Africa's growing international isolation and the intensified black resistance to apartheid prompted the government to increase military service obligations repeatedly and to extend periods of active duty. The Defence Act (No. 12) of 1961 authorized the minister of defense to deploy Citizen Force troops and Commandos for "riot" control, often to quell anti-apartheid demonstrations. The Defence Act (No. 85) of 1967 also expanded military obligations, requiring white male citizens to perform national service, including an initial period of training, a period of active duty, and several years in reserve status, subject to immediate call-up. Combatants Republic of Angola, Republic of Cuba, SWAPO, USSR, GDR, Republic of Zambia Republic of South Africa, UNITA Scope of operations Operational Area: The South African Border War The South African Border War refers to the conflict that took place from 1966 to 1989 in South-West Africa (now Namibia... The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ... 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (the link is to a full 1961 calendar). ... A segregated beach in South Africa, 1982. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ...

From 1966 to 1989 the SADF, with its SWATF auxiliary, fought a counter-insurgency campaign against SWAPO rebels in South-West Africa (Namibia). They also carried out operations in support of UNITA rebels in Angola and against the Cuban troops that supported the Angolan government. 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... SWATF is an abbreviation for the South West African Territorial Force. ... The South West Africa Peoples Organisation (SWAPO) is a political party and former liberation movement in Namibia. ... A UNITA sticker The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola, more commonly known as UNITA (acronymn for its Portuguese name UniÃ£o Nacional para a IndependÃªncia Total de Angola), is an Angolan political faction. ...

As the military expanded during the 1970s, the SADF general staff was organized into six sections - finance, intelligence, logistics, operations, personnel, and planning; uniquely, the South African Medical Service (SAMS) was made co-equal with the South African Army, the South African Navy and the South African Air Force. Also during the 1970s, the SADF began accepting "non-whites" and women into the military as career soldiers, not only as temporary volunteers or reservists; however, the former served mostly, if not exclusively, in segregated units while the latter were not assigned to combat roles. By the end of the 1970s, the army had become the principal defender of the apartheid regime against the rising tide of African nationalism in South Africa and the region. The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979, inclusive. ... The South African Medical Service (SAMS) was established as a full service branch of the South African Defence Force (SADF) in 1979 in order to consolidate the medical services of the South African Army, Navy and Air Force. ... The South African Navy (SAN), known in Afrikaans as Suid-Afrikaanse Vloot is the navy of South Africa. ... The South African Air Force roundel The South African Air Force (SAAF) (Afrikaans: Suid-Afrikaanse Lugmag) is the air force of South Africa. ...

During the 1980s, the legal requirements for national service were to register for service at age sixteen and to report for duty when called up, which usually occurred at some time after a man's eighteenth birthday. National service obligations could be fulfilled by volunteering for active-duty military service for two years and by serving in the reserves, generally for ten or twelve years. Reservists generally underwent fifty days per year of active duty or training, after their initial period of service. The 1980s refers to the years of 1980 to 1989. ...

The requirements for national service changed several times during the 1980s and the early 1990s in response to national security needs, and they were suspended in 1993. This article is 150 kilobytes or more in size. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ...

The current South African Army

Though non-white personnel did serve as unarmed labourers with the army in both World Wars, and a number of units were completely desegregated during the Border War, it was not until 1994 - when South Africa achieved full democracy - that the army as a whole was made open to all races. Today the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) has racial quotas to make sure that White, Black, Coloured, and Indian South Africans are equally represented in the armed forces. 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by United Nations. ... The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) is the name of the armed forces of South Africa. ...

Most of the post-1994 military involvement of the South African Army has been with peacekeeping operations under United Nations and African Union command in other African countries such as Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It has been suggested that this article be split into multiple articles accessible from a disambiguation page. ... The foundation of the U.N. The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress and human rights issues. ... Anthem: Let Us All Unite and Celebrate Together Capital Addis Ababa, Ethiopia Membership 53 member states Official languages The languages of Africa, as well as Arabic, English, French, and Portuguese Formation - As Organisation of African Unity - As AU - May 25, 1963 - July 9, 2002 Chairman of the African Union John... A world map showing the continent of Africa. ...

Units

Image File history File links South African Army badge from [1] File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

Regular units

South African Armoured Corps

1 Special Service Battalion (usually abbreviated to 1SSB) is an armoured regiment of the South African Army and only one of two such in its regular forces. ... 1 South African Tank Regiment is an armoured regiment of the South African Army and only one of two such in its regular forces. ...

South African Infantry Corps

44 Parachute Regiment (popularly known as the Parabats) is the South African Armys chief airborne infantry unit. ... The South African Infantry Corps is the largest combat corps within the South African Army. ... The South African Infantry Corps is the largest combat corps within the South African Army. ... The South African Infantry Corps is the largest combat corps within the South African Army. ... The South African Infantry Corps is the largest combat corps within the South African Army. ... The South African Infantry Corps is the largest combat corps within the South African Army. ... The South African Infantry Corps is the largest combat corps within the South African Army. ... The South African Infantry Corps is the largest combat corps within the South African Army. ... The South African Infantry Corps is the largest combat corps within the South African Army. ... The South African Infantry Corps is the largest combat corps within the South African Army. ... The South African Infantry Corps is the largest combat corps within the South African Army. ... The South African Infantry Corps is the largest combat corps within the South African Army. ... The South African Infantry Corps is the largest combat corps within the South African Army. ... The South African Infantry Corps is the largest combat corps within the South African Army. ... The South African Infantry Corps is the largest combat corps within the South African Army. ...

South African Artillery

The South African Army Artillery Formation is the controlling entity of all South African Army artillery units. ... The South African Army Artillery Formation is the controlling entity of all South African Army artillery units. ...

South African Engineers

The South African Army Engineer Formation is the controlling entity of all South African Army military engineering units. ... The South African Army Engineer Formation is the controlling entity of all South African Army military engineering units. ... The South African Army Engineer Formation is the controlling entity of all South African Army military engineering units. ... The South African Army Engineer Formation is the controlling entity of all South African Army military engineering units. ... The South African Army Engineer Formation is the controlling entity of all South African Army military engineering units. ... The South African Army Engineer Formation is the controlling entity of all South African Army military engineering units. ...

Reserve units

Armour

The Light Horse Regiment (formerly the Imperial Light Horse Regiment (ILH)) is an armoured regiment of the South African Army. ... The Natal Mounted Rifles is an armoured regiment of the South African Army. ... The Umvoti Mounted Rifles (named after the Umvoti River) is an armoured regiment of the South African Army. ... The Pretoria Regiment is an armoured regiment of the South African Army. ... Regiment Mooirivier (named after the Mooi (Afrikaans for Beautiful) River) is an armoured regiment of the South African Army. ... Regiment Oranjerivier (ROR) (named after the Orange River) is an armoured regiment of the South African Army. ... Regiment President Steyn is a armoured regiment of the South African Army. ...

Infantry

The Cape Town Highlanders Regiment is a Mechanised infantry regiment of the South African Army. ... The Cape Town Rifles Regiment (also referred to as the Dukes) is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. ... The Durban Light Infantry Regiment is a Mechanised infantry regiment of the South African Army. ... The Johannesburg Regiment is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. ... The Kaffrarian Rifles (now the Buffalo Volunteer Rifles (BVR)) is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. ... The Kimberley Regiment is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. ... The Natal Carbineers Regiment is an Infantry regiment of the South African Army. ... Prince Alfreds Guard (PAG) is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. ... The Rand Light Infantry (RLI) is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. ... Regiment Bloemspruit is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. ... Regiment Boland is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. ... Regiment Skoonspruit is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. ... Regiment Westelike Provinsie is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. ... The South African Irish Regiment is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. ... The Transvaal Scottish Regiment is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. ... The Witwatersrand Rifles Regiment is a mechanized infantry regiment of the South African Army. ...

Artillery

The Cape Field Artillery (usually abbreviated as CFA) is an artillery regiment of the South African Army. ... The Natal Field Artillery (usually abbreviated as NFA) is an artillery regiment of the South African Army. ... The Transvaal Horse Artillery (usually abbreviated to THA) is an artillery regiment of the South African Army. ... Regiment Potchefstroom Universiteit (Afrikaans for Potchefstroom University Regiment) is an artillery regiment of the South African Army. ... The Transvaalse Staatsartillerie (Afrikaans for Transvaal State Artillery) is an artillery regiment of the South African Army. ... The Pretoria Highlanders Regiment is an artillery regiment of the South African Army. ... The South African Army Artillery Formation is the controlling entity of all South African Army artillery units. ... The Cape Garrison Artillery (CGA) is an artillery regiment of the South African Army. ... The South African Army Artillery Formation is the controlling entity of all South African Army artillery units. ... The South African Army Artillery Formation is the controlling entity of all South African Army artillery units. ...

Engineers

Weapons

The R4 is a South African assault rifle developed in 1982 for the South African Army to replace the R1, which was a variant of the FN FAL. The R4 was first issued during the early 1980s, and is partly based on the famous Israeli Galil which in turn was... The AK-47 is the worlds most common assault rifle. ... The Fusil Automatique Leger, or Light Automatic Rifle (LAR). ... The R5 assault rifle is, along with the R4, one of the primary assault rifles in use by the military of South Africa. ... The Uzi (Hebrew: ) is a family of guns that started with a compact, boxy, lightweight submachine gun. ... The MP5, a famous submachine gun, sees widespread use amongst those that can afford it. ... The Vektor SS-77 is a machine gun designed by the Vektor arms company in South Africa. ... A machine gun is a fully-automatic firearm that is capable of firing bullets in rapid succession. ... The FN MAG is a machine gun manufactured by Fabrique Nationale (FN), Belgium. ... Also known as Milkor MK1 Revolver Multiple Grenade launcher (MGL) it is capable of holding six 40 mm grenades. ... A grenade launcher is weapon that fires or launches a grenade to longer distances than a soldier could throw by hand. ... An Anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) or weapon (ATGW) is a guided missile primarily designed to hit and destroy tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles. ... An RPG-7 captured by the US Army The RPG-7 (Russian: ) is a widely-produced and used handheld anti-tank grenade launcher designed by the Soviet Union. ... Milan (Italian: ; Lombard: MilÃ¡n (listen)) is the main city of northern Italy, located in the plains of Lombardy. ...

Combat vehicles

The Centurion was the primary British Main Battle Tank of the immediate post-war era, and considered by many to be one of the best British tank designs of all time. ... Soldiers from U.S. 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment provide overwatch for other troops with their M1 Abrams main battle tank in Biaj, Iraq. ... The Rooikat is a wheeled armored fighting vehicle built in South Africa for the South African Army. ... A South African light armoured car with permanent 4x4 drive gives it exceptional mobility. ... The Ratel is the basic Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) of the South African National Defence Forces mechanized infantry battalions, and is named after an African animal known in English as the Honey Badger, which has a reputation as a ferocious fighter. ...

Artillery

The G6 self propelled howitzer was developed around the ordnance of the G5 howitzer. ... Loading a WW1 British 15 in (381 mm) howitzer A howitzer or hauwitzer is a type of field artillery. ... The G5 is a South African towed howitzer produced by Denel. ... Categories: Military stubs | Artillery | 105 mm artillery | South African weapons | Modern weapons ... The Valkiri (Valkyrie) is a South African self-propelled multiple rocket launcher developed in the 1980s by Somchem, a division of the Denel corporation. ... The Valkiri (Valkyrie) is a South African self-propelled multiple rocket launcher developed in the 1980s by Somchem, a division of the Denel corporation. ...

Non-combat vehicles

The Mamba is a South African Armoured Personnel Carrier based on the Unimog that is ideally suited for regions with weak or no road infrastructure. ... The RG-32 (Scout) is a family of mine-proof 4x4 light armoured vehicles made by Land Systems OMC in South Africa. ... The Buffel was the primary mine-protected APC of the South African Army during the Angolan conflict. ... The Casspir, a combat-proven, landmine-protected personnel carrier (APC), has been in use in South Africa for over 20 years. ... SAMIL Trucks (South African MILitary) are the standard logistical transport vehicles of the South African National Defence Force, manufactured by Truck-Makers in Rosslyn, Pretoria. ... SAMIL Trucks (South African MILitary) are the standard logistical transport vehicles of the South African National Defence Force, manufactured by Truck-Makers in Rosslyn, Pretoria. ... SAMIL Trucks (South African MILitary) are the standard logistical transport vehicles of the South African National Defence Force, manufactured by Truck-Makers in Rosslyn, Pretoria. ...

Contents

History

Formation

World War I

The interwar period

World War II

The postwar period

The "Border War" (1966 - 1989)

The current South African Army

Units

Regular units

South African Armoured Corps

South African Infantry Corps

South African Artillery

South African Engineers

Reserve units

Armour

Infantry

Artillery

Engineers

Weapons

Combat vehicles

Artillery

Non-combat vehicles

See also

External links

References

Contents

History var ACE_AR = {Site: '756743', Size: '300250'};

Formation

World War I

The interwar period

World War II

The postwar period

The "Border War" (1966 - 1989)

The current South African Army

Units

Regular units

South African Armoured Corps

South African Infantry Corps

South African Artillery

South African Engineers

Reserve units

Armour

Infantry

Artillery

Engineers

Weapons

Combat vehicles

Artillery

Non-combat vehicles

See also

External links

References

History