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Operation Askari
Operation Askari was a military operation during 1983 in Angola by the South African Defence Force (SADF) during the South African Border War. Background Operation Askari, launched on 6 December 1983, was the SADF's sixth large-scale cross-border operation into Angola and was intended to disrupt the logistical support and command & control capabilities of People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) the military wing of the South West Africa People's Organisation SWAPO, in order to suppress a large-scale incursion into South West Africa that was planned for the beginning of 1984. The People's Armed Forces for the Liberation of Angola (FAPLA) of the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), the Angolan governing party, were targeted during this mission as PLAN bases were close to FAPLA bases and had been used as a place of refuge during SADF operations. Planning Operation Askari was planned to begin on 9 November 1983 but was postponed for one month because the So ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
South African Border War
The South African Border War, also known as the Namibian War of Independence, and sometimes denoted in South Africa as the Angolan Bush War, was a largely asymmetric conflict that occurred in Namibia (then South West Africa), Zambia, and Angola from 26 August 1966 to 21 March 1990. It was fought between the South African Defence Force (SADF) and the People's Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN), an armed wing of the South West African People's Organisation (SWAPO). The South African Border War resulted in some of the largest battles on the African continent since World War II and was closely intertwined with the Angolan Civil War. Following several years of unsuccessful petitioning through the United Nations and the International Court of Justice for Namibian independence from South Africa, SWAPO formed the PLAN in 1962 with material assistance from the Soviet Union, China, and sympathetic African states such as Tanzania, Ghana, and Algeria. Fighting broke out between PLAN and th ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
1 Special Service Battalion
1 Special Service Battalion (usually abbreviated to ) is an armoured regiment of the South African Army and only one of two such in its regular force. The Regiment is based at Tempe near Bloemfontein. It was previously known in Afrikaans as (). History Following World War II, the Special Service Battalion was re-organised into 2 battalions - 1 Special Service Battalion and 1 South African Infantry Battalion. When the South African Armoured Corps was thus officially proclaimed in 1946 and Special Service Battalion was included in the corps as the only full-time unit, its symbols and colours were incorporated. 1 SSB also took part in the South African Border War, serving in South-West Africa and Angola. More recently, the unit also took part in Operation Boleas, which was a South African intervention in its neighbouring country of Lesotho in 1998. 1 SSB had a sister unit for a number of years in the post-World War II era, designated 2 Special Service Battalion, which w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
7 South African Infantry Battalion
7 South African Infantry Battalion is a motorised infantry unit of the South African Army. History Origin 1973: 7 SAI was established on 1 October, at Bourke's Luck, Eastern Transvaal (Mpumalanga) by Commandant Eddie Webb. 1974:The first national servicemen began training in 1974. 1980: 7 SAI is relocated to Phalaborwa. Angola Bush War Deployment 1983: The July intake's training phase was shortened to accommodate a need to deploy a company for Operation Askari and Sector 10. This company would deploy with 101 Battalion (South Africa), 101 Battalion in a reaction force role. 1984: a Company was stationed at Rundu for reaction force duties under the command of 34 Battalion (SWATF), 202 Battalion for 6 months, whereafter they were posted to Nepara for a further 6-month deployment. After a period of leave they were posted back to Nepara for a third time, spending their 40 celebration on the 17/30 cutline in a fox camp (BF). Members of this company eventually joined the 905/6 r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
34 Battalion (SWATF)
34 Battalion was a light infantry battalion that was part of the South West African Territorial Force, SWATF. History 34 Battalion was commonly known as the "Kavangoland Battalion". It was established in 1975 as 1 Kavango Battalion as a ceremonial guard of honour. It was then renamed 34 Battalion . Operational Area 34 Battalions main base was at Rundu, but there was an outside base at Mashari (Namibia), Mashari, approx east of Rundu, where Charlie and Delta companies were routinely stationed. The Mashari base was in an old Tuberculosis, TB hospital. They were co-located with a BRUSH unit.(Bush Reconnaissance Unit Signal HQ) As part of Sector 20, their main area of responsibility was from Rundu West as far as Sector 10 and East up to the Bagani bridge. Personnel Initially 34 Battalion was manned primarily with Kavango people, Kavango troops but later with a large number of turned SWAPO Cadres. The first Kavango instructors were trained in 1979. The first Kavango officer was commi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
2 South African Infantry Battalion
2 South African Infantry Battalion is a motorised infantry unit of the South African Army. History Origin: Walvis Bay and South West Africa 2 SAI was established on 1 January 1962, at Walvis Bay an enclave of South Africa surrounded by South-West Africa (Namibia). The first officer to command the battalion was Major G.N. Mcloughlin and the first RSM was WO1 J.A.J. Steenkamp. Initially the base consisted of tents, but was later replaced by prefabricated buildings. Basic training took place in the desert and running up Dune 7 became part of that regime. Units Colours The unit was awarded its colours by the local municipality in 1969, and adopted the town's motto and flamingo emblem as a consequence. Freedom of Walvis Bay On 30 August 1974, the freedom of Walvis Bay was granted to 2 SAI. Mechanised Battlegroup While at Walvis Bay, 2 SAI was organised as a battlegroup when on 1 October 1973, an armoured car subunit, D Squadron, from 1 Special Service Battalion's bec ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
2 Special Service Battalion
2 Special Service Battalion (usually abbreviated to ''2SSB'') was an armoured regiment of the South African Army and only one of two such in its regular force. The Regiment was based at Zeerust. It was known in English as, ''2 Special Service Battalion'', and in the Afrikaans language as, ''2 Spesiale Diens Bataljon'' (''2 SSB'' and ''2 SDB''). History 2 Special Service Battalion was founded on 1 May 1946 at Potchefstroom. The S.S.B. was a military unit formed to take in young men who were unable to find employment. Before World War II, the Special Service Battalion was reorganized into two battalions – 1st and 2nd Special Service Battalions. In 1946, the South African Armoured Corps was officially proclaimed and the Special Service Battalion was included in the corps as the only full-time unit and its symbols and colours were incorporated. Infantry Initially, the sole purpose of 2 SSB was to train members of the Permanent Force as infantrymen. 2 SSB was put into service offici ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
32 Battalion (South Africa)
32 Battalion (sometimes nicknamed '' Buffalo Battalion'', ''Three-two battalion'' or pt, Os Terríveis for ''The Terrible Ones'') was a light infantry battalion of the South African Army founded in 1975, composed of black and white commissioned and enlisted personnel. It was disbanded on 26 March 1993. History Military refugees After the victory of the ''Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola'' (MPLA) in the Angolan War of Independence in 1975, many troops of its main rival, the ''Frente Nacional de Libertação de Angola'' (National Liberation Front of Angola, FNLA), found refuge in the then South African-controlled South West Africa. Formation of Bravo Group From these troops, Colonel Jan Breytenbach together with Commandant Sybie van der Spuy formed a unit that was initially known as Bravo Group but later renamed 32 Battalion. Initially, Bravo Group consisted of two infantry companies, a mortar platoon, an anti-tank section and a machine gun platoon, but ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Regiment Molopo
Regiment Molopo was an armoured regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it had a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Army Reserve or United States Army National Guard unit. History Origin Regiment Molopo was raised in 1960 as an armoured regiment equipped with armoured cars. In 1986 Regiment Molopo was changed from an armoured car unit to a tank regiment. Border War Regiment Molopo saw active service in the South West Africa/Angola campaign. The regiment participated in Operation Askari and Operation Moduler. It provided elements to combine with Regiment Mooirivier to form a composite unit of Olifant tanks under the command of Task Force Victor. Brigade affiliation Regiment Molopo was affiliated with 73 Motorised Brigade from 1983 until 1991. Disbandment Regiment Molopo closed around 1995 and its memorabilia and colours were transferred to the Pretoria Regiment for safekeeping. Regimental symbols Dress Insignia Unit colours Operations Reg ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Regiment Mooirivier
The Molapo Armoured Regiment (formerly Regiment Mooirivier) is a reserve armoured regiment of the South African Army. History Origin The regiment was founded in 1941 as 2 Anti Tank Regiment and re-instituted in 1954 by the first vice-rector of the Potchefstroom University, Professor Fanus du Plessis. During 1955 the regiment was converted to an armoured car regiment and renamed Regiment Hendrik Potgieter. In 1959 the Regiment was renamed Regiment Mooirivier. Under the SADF This unit served in South Africa's various internal conflicts as well as during the South African Border War, including duty in South-West Africa and cross-border raids into Angola between 1975 and 1984. The regiment participated in Operations Askari, Modular, Hooper and Packer. The regiment was equipped with Eland 90s at that stage. Divisional affiliation * 8th South African Armoured Division ** 82 Mechanised Brigade Under the SANDF 82 Mechanised Brigade Division was disbanded, and Regiment Mooirivier w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Eland Mk7
The Eland is an air portable light armoured car based on the Panhard AML. Designed and built for long-range reconnaissance, it mounts either a 60mm (2.4 in) breech-loading mortar or a Denel 90mm (3.5 in) gun on a very compact chassis. Although lightly armoured, the vehicle's permanent 4X4 drive makes it faster over flat terrain than many tanks. Eland was developed for the South African Defence Force (SADF) in South Africa's first major arms programme since World War II, with prototypes completed in 1963. By 1991, 1,600 examples had been built for home and export; prominent foreign operators included Morocco and Zimbabwe. Local overhauls incorporating lessons from internal operations have resulted in a vehicle capable of withstanding the unforgiving Southern African environment and highly mobile operational style of the SADF. Development history Background For many years the standard armoured car of the South African Defence Force was the Daimler Ferret, which was ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Regiment De La Rey
The General de la Rey Regiment (formerly Regiment de la Rey) is an reserve infantry regiment of the South African Army. Formation The Regiment de la Rey was established in 1934 as one of the new Afrikaans language Citizen Force units of the Union Defence Force. The regimental badge depicts a lion's head, in memory of Boer General JH de la Rey, the ''Lion of the West'' after whom the regiment is named. Before the Second World War, battalion headquarters were at Rustenburg in the Transvaal. The unit had company headquarters at Potchefstroom, Klerksdorp and Ventersdorp, with a support company at Brits. Mrs J E Morkel, daughter of General De la Rey, became the first honorary colonel of the regiment. The regiment was affiliated to the Northamptonshire Regiment of the British Army. World War II RDLR was called up for full-time service on 18 July 1940. Because the commanding officer, Lt-Col (later Brig) H P van Noorden, was by then commanding a battalion of the Field Force Br ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
