37 Battalion (SWATF)
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102 Battalion (pronounced as ''one-o-two Battalion'') was a quick-reaction unit of the
South West African Territorial Force The South West Africa Territorial Force (SWATF) was an auxiliary arm of the South African Defence Force (SADF) and comprised the armed forces of South West Africa (now Namibia) from 1977 to 1989. It emerged as a product of South Africa's politic ...
. The battalion lost 36 men.


History


Origin

This unit was formed in 1976 as the Kaokoland Company with 4 men. In 1978 limited recruitment of military personnel commenced and low level defensive operations in the form of patrols are undertaken. The first confirmed infiltration of SWAPO happens in 1979 and the need to establish a more offensive force is recognized and in 1980 recruitment intensifies as does training of the recruits.


Renaming

The South West Africa Territory Force SWATF renumbered battalion numbers according to their geographical positioning on the border. The prefix 10 pertained to battalions operation to the west of the Kavango River, 20 to the Kavango or central region and 70 to the eastern region. Under this system in 1981 the unit's name is changed from Kaokoland Company 37BATTALION to 102 Battalion (January 1981) and it is placed under the command of Sector 10, Oshakati.


Structure

By 1985, it had 900 plus men in 3 rifle companies based at Opuwo, Okongwati, Ondorrorundu and Sodoliet.


External Operations

* Operation Protea, 1981, one company * Operation Operation Askari, 1983 * Operation Excite * Operation Merlyn, 1989


See also

*
Namibian War of Independence 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 An ...
*
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 Ango ...


References

*


Further reading


''Modern African Wars (3): South-West Africa (Osprey Men at Arms #242)'' by Helmoed-Romer Heitman
http://groep7-selfpublish-books.co.za/product/war-in-the-mountains-ovita-mozondundu-deon-van-loggerenberg/ by Deon Van Loggerenberg] {{SA Army Units Military history of Namibia Military units and formations of the Cold War Military units and formations of South Africa Military units and formations of South Africa in the Border War Military units and formations established in 1978