South African Army corps and branches

(Learn how and when to remove this message)

The South African Army is divided into functional branches, known as corps. Most consist of units, but some, such as the SA Staff Corps, consist only of personnel who are assigned to headquarters and units. The following is a list of corps established since 1912.

The SA Defence Act Amendment Act, No. 22 of 1922 re-organised the Permanent Force. From 1 February 1923 the Permanent Force consisted of:


Currently active corps

Staff

Artillery

Infantry

Armour

Engineers

Signals

Administration and Logistics

Military Police

Intelligence


Current & Defunct corps

Staff

Staff

Combat Services

Artillery

Mounted Rifles

Dismounted Rifles

Infantry

Armour

Combat Support

Engineers

Signals

Supporting Services

Administration and Logistics

Medical

Financial

Military Police

Intelligence

Chaplains

Science

Women's Services

Special Services

Music

"Non-European" Services

Commandos

See also

Notes

  1. ^ In 1940, the Signals Branch of the South African Army College moved from the College to Potchefstroom where it became the Signals Training Centre, this name being changed to School of Signals in 1944. The School of Signals again became a branch of the College in 1946 and, in January 1947, it was once more moved to Potchefstroom where it became a branch of the School of Artillery and Armour.[5]
  2. ^ In the late 1990s, the SA Department of Defence decided to group various environments together, elements, which it felt belonged together such as the environments of telecommunication, information technology (IT), registries, documentation services, libraries and electronic warfare, in other words, all forms of communication. This led to the establishment of the joint-service Command and Management Information Systems Division (CMIS Division) on 1 April 1999, its task being to deliver communications and info systems for the entire SANDF. The Corps of Signals left the command of the South African Army and was totally incorporated (personnel and all equipment) into the CMIS Division. On 28 March 2008, certain elements of CMIS Division migrated back to the various services. The South African Corps of Signals returned to the command of the South African Army as from 1 April 2008, to be known as the South African Army Signal Formation.
  3. ^ The role of the Ordnance Services Corps “is the effective acquisition, receipt, storing, safekeeping, preservation, maintenance, accounting, distribution and disposal of clothing, accommodation, ammunition, vehicles, fuel and spares within the Army. The OSC also delivers specialised services to the Army, which includes computer services, Air Supply and Nature Conservation."[8]

References

  1. ^ Lillie, A.C. (1982). "THE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN ARMY". South African Journal of Military Studies. 12 (2).
  2. ^ Orpen, Neil D. Appendix 1:THE UNION DEFENCE FORCE BEFORE 1933. HyperWar. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
  3. ^ van der Waag, Ian (December 2012). "The origin and establishment of the South African Engineer Corps (SAEC), 1918-1939". Journal for Contemporary History: Military History 1912-2012. 37 (2): 1–31. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
  4. ^ a b Volker, Walter (2010). Signal Units of the South African Corps of Signals and Related Signal Services. Pretoria: Veritas Books. ISBN 978-0-620-45345-5..
  5. ^ Neville Gomm, The South African Army College, Military History Journal - Vol 2 No 3, cited in Leon Engelbrecht, A guide to the SANDF - unpublished manuscript, 2007, Johannesburg (http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=138&func=select&id=4), p.65
  6. ^ a b "South African Ordnance Corps". Standard Encyclopedia of Southern Africa. Vol. 1. Human Sciences Research Council. 1977. p. 23. ISBN 0-624-00849-5.
  7. ^ a b "Administrative Service Corps". Standard Encyclopedia of Southern Africa. Vol. 1. Human Sciences Research Council. 1977. p. 23. ISBN 0-624-00849-5.
  8. ^ Engelbrecht, Leon (2006). A guide to the SANDF - unpublished manuscript. Johannesburg.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  • v
  • t
  • e
South African Army Units
Divisions and Brigades
Brigades
Training
  • School of Armour
Tank
Armoured Car
Training
Parachute Infantry
Air Assault Infantry
Seaborne Infantry
Light Infantry
Mechanised Infantry
Motorised Infantry
Training
  • School of Artillery (South Africa)
Regular
Reserve
Training
  • School of Air Defence Artillery (South Africa)
Regular
Reserve
Training
Regular
Reserve
  • Army Support Bases (Eastern Cape, Johannesburg, Kimberley, KZN, Limpopo, Potcheftstroom, Western Cape, Mpumalanga)
  • Mobilisation Centre
  • Main Ordnance Depot
  • National Ceremonial Guard
  • Logistical Support Unit
  • General Andrew Masondo Maintenance Unit
  • Madiba Bay Maintenance Unit
  • 15 Maint Unit
  • Other Maintenance Units
  • Doman Field Workshop
  • General Sipho Binda Field Workshop
  • Sabelo Phama Field Workshop
  • Chris Hani Field Workshop
  • Sekhukhune Field Workshop
  • Ngungunyane Field Workshop
  • Other Field Workshops
Regular
  • 1 Signal Regt
  • 2 Signal Regt
  • 3 Signal Regt
  • 4 Signal Regt
  • 5 Signal Regt
Reserve
6 Signal Regt
  • Gauteng Reserve Signal Unit

11 Field Postal Unit

  • Western Cape Signal Unit
  • Kwa-Zulu Natal Signal Unit
Commands
  • Eastern Province Command (Port Elizabeth)
  • Eastern Transvaal Command (Nelspruit)
  • Natal Command (Durban)
  • Northern Transvaal Command (Swartkop, Pretoria)
  • Northern Cape Command (Kimberly)
  • Orange Free State Command (Bloemfontein)
  • Western Province Command (Cape Town)
  • Southern Cape Command (Oudsthoorn)
  • West Transvaal Command/North West Command (Potchefstroom)
  • Witwatersrand Command (Johannesburg)
  • Far North Command (Pietersburg)
  • Northern Logistic Command (Grootfontein, South West Africa)
  • South West Africa Command (Windhoek, South West Africa)
  • Northern Logistics Command (Grootfontein, South West Africa)
  • Gauteng Command post 1994 SANDF (Amalgamation of Wits and Northern Transvaal Commands)
  • Corps
    Divisions
    Brigades
    • 16 Brigade (see 81 Armoured Brigade)
    • 17 Brigade (see 71 Motorised Brigade )
    • 18 Brigade (see 72 Motorised Brigade)
    • 19 Brigade (see 82 Mechanised Brigade)
    • 20 Brigade
    • 60 Brigade (Battlegroups HQ Lohatla)
    • 71 Motorised Brigade SADF era
    • 72 Motorised Brigade SADF era
    • 73 Motorised Brigade SADF era
    • 74 Brigade SADF and SANDF era (see 8th Armoured Division)
    • 75 Brigade SADF and SANDF era (see 9th Division)
    • 81 Armoured Brigade SADF era
    • 82 Mechanised Brigade SADF era
    • 83 Brigade (planned but never existed)
    • 84 Motorised Brigade SADF era
    • 10 Artillery Brigade SADF era
    • Other brigades
    Battlegroups
    UDF and SADF
    Regiments and Battalions
    Homeland Battalions
    Military Areas
    Training Areas
    • Boschhoek
    • Grahamstown
    • Hellsgate
    • Mosita
    • Pomfret
    • Riemvasmaak
    UDF and SADF Commando System
    State Presidents Guard
    Mobilisation Units (Reception Depots)
    Bantustan Defence Forces (1977/1981–1994)
    Bophuthatswana Defence Force
    1977–1994
    • 1 BDF Infantry Battalion
    • 2 BDF Infantry Battalion
    • BDF Parachute Battalion
    • BDF Military School
    • BDF Special Forces
    • 1 BDF Military Area
    • 2 BDF Military Area
    • 3 BDF Military Area
    • BDF Signals Unit
    • BDF Bafokeng base
    • BDF Mankwe base
    • BDF Odi base
    • BDF Thaba'Nchu base
    • BDF Taung base
    • BDF Air Wing
    Venda Defence Force
    1979–1994
    • VDF Headquarters Sibasa
    • 1 VDF Battalion Manenu
    • 2 VDF Battalion Maunavhathu
    • VDF Vuwani Military Base
    • VDF Signals Unit
    • VDF Air Wing
    Ciskei Defence Force 1981–1994
    • 1 CDF Battalion
    • CDF Special Forces
    Transkei Defence Force
    1981–1994
    • 1 TDF Battalion
    • TDF Special Forces
    • TDF Mounted Battalion
    SWATF (1977–1989)
    • Regular Infantry Battalions
    • 31/201 Battalion
    • 33/701 Battalion
    • 34/202 Battalion
    • 35/101 Battalion
    • 301 Battalion
    • 36/203 Battalion
    • 37/102 Battalion
    • SWATF Brigade
    • 91 Reaction Force Brigade
    • 41/911 Battalion/Regiment Windhoek
    • 912 Battalion/Regiment Erongo
    • 913 Battalion/Regiment Namutoni
    • 91 Armoured Car Regiment
    • 91 Composite Field Regiment
    • 91 Engineers Squadron
    • 91 Field Ambulance
    • 91 Mobilisation Centre
    • 91 Technical Workshop
    • 91 Maintenance Workshop
    • Support Structures
    • Logistics Brigade
    • SWA Mil School
    • SWA Military Academy
    • Special Forces
    • 1 SWA Specialist Unit
    • 2 SWA Specialist Unit
    • 1 SWA Parachute Battalion
    • Air Component
    • 1 SWA Commando Squadron
    • Alte Feste Commando (SWATF)
    • Aranos Commando (SWATF)
    • Auob Commando (SWATF)
    • Bo-Nossob Commando (SWATF)
    • Etosha Commando (SWATF)
    • Gobabis Commando (SWATF)
    • Grootfontein Commando (SWATF)
    • Hochi Commando (SWATF)
    • Karasburg Commando (SWATF)
    • Keetmanshoop Commando (SWATF)
    • Maltahohe Commando (SWATF)
    • Mariental Commando (SWATF)
    • Okanhanja Commando (SWATF)
    • Omaruru Commando (SWATF)
    • Oranjemund Commando (SWATF)
    • Otjiwarongo Commando (SWATF)
    • Outjo Commando (SWATF)
    • Rehoboth Commando (SWATF)
    • Swakopmund Commando (SWATF)
    Union Defence Force 1912–1957
    Divisions
    Infantry
    • 1
    • 2
    • 3
    Armoured
    • 3
    • 6
    Brigades
    Infantry
    • 1
    • 2
    • 3
    • 4
    • 5
    • 1st Reserve
    • 4th Field
    • 7th Motorised
    • 1st Armoured
    • Field Artillery
    • Coast Artillery
    Citizens Batteries
    • 1st Citizen Battery
    • 2nd Citizen Battery
    • 3rd Citizen Battery
    • 4th Citizen Battery
    • 5th Citizen Battery
    • 6th Citizen Battery
    • 7th Citizen Battery
    • 8th and 9th Citizen Batteries
    Military Districts
    • 1st (Cape Town)
    • 2nd (Port Elizabeth)
    • 3rd (East London)
    • 4th (Pietermaritzburg)
    • 5th (Durban)
    • 6th (Standerton)
    • 7th (Potchefstroom)
    • 8th (Johannesburg)
    • 9th (Pretoria)
    • 10th (Kroonstad)
    • 11th (Bloemfontein)
    • 12th (Prieska)
    • 13th (De Aar)
    • 14th (Worcester)
    World War I 1914–1918
    Europe Campaign 1914–1918
    Brigades
    Regiments
    East Africa Campaign 1914–1915
    • 1st Infantry ACF
    • 2nd Infantry ACF
    • 5th Infantry ACF
    • 9th Infantry ACF
    German South West Africa Campaign 1915
    S.A.M.R. Regiments
    • 1
    • 2
    • 3
    • 4
    • 5
    Volunteer Militias 1903–1909
    Field Artillery
    Horse
    Light Horse
    • Border
    • Cape
    • Tembuland
    Light Infantry
    Mounted Rifles
    Rifles
    Non-Statutory Forces 1961–1994
    Colonial Armies 1885–1902