1 Special Service Battalion
It was previously known in Afrikaans as 1 Spesiale Diens Bataljon (1 SDB).
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 was based in the town of Zeerust. This unit has now been disbanded.
1 SSB also detached squadrons to various battlegroups in the South West African campaign
Equipment
pre 1995
Variant | Description | Comment | Image |
---|---|---|---|
Eland 60 | South Africa | 60 mm (2.4 in) Mortar platform | |
Eland 90 | South Africa | 90 mm (3.5 in) Fire support platform and assault gun |
Current
The regiment is equipped primarily with Ratel infantry fighting vehicles and Rooikat armoured cars.
Variant | Description | Comment | Image |
---|---|---|---|
Rooikat 76 | South Africa | 76 mm (3.0 in) cannon | |
Ratel 90 | South Africa | 90 mm (3.5 in) cannon | |
Ratel ZT3 | South Africa | antitank missile |
Future
Under Project Hoefyster, the SANDF will eventually replace the Ratel family of vehicles with the Badger system. Five versions are contemplated of which two are earmarked for 1 SSB:
- Missile (turreted Denel ZT3 Ingwe)
- Fire Support (turreted 30 mm (1.2 in) cannon, but with more ammunition than the section vehicle)
Variant | Description | Comment | Image |
---|---|---|---|
Denel Badger various types | South Africa | Various armaments |
Regimental symbols
- The cap badge is a spray of three protea flowers, bound by a ribbon bearing the initials and motto.
- Regimental motto: Eendrag Maakt Mag (English: Unity is Strength)
- Regimental communications icon :
- Regimental deployment strength : 1,000 soldiers
- Regimental honour roll : Soldiers who died during active combat duty and soldiers who died during training.
- Regimental traditional contact meeting : Pantseraksie, once a year
Previous Dress Insignia
Current Dress Insignia
Leadership
From | Commanding Officers | To |
May 1933 | Lt. Col. GE Poole DSO | November 1933 |
December 1933 | Lt. Col. P de Waal | January 1934 |
February 1934 | Lt. Col. William John Evered Poole CB CBE DSO LOM (USA) | April 1935 |
May 1935 | Lt. Col. J Danie | January 1936 |
February 1936 | Maj. JR Wocke | December 1937 |
January 1938 | Lt. Col. HB Klopper | September 1939 |
October 1939 | Lt. Col. HP van Noorden | December 1939 |
January 1940 | Lt. Col. GCA van Dam | June 1940 |
June 1940 | Lt. Col. CEG (Papa) Brits DSO | August 1946 |
September 1946 | Lt. Col. GN Nauhaus OBE | May 1949 |
June 1949 | Maj. EE Fodred MC | August 1949 |
September 1949 | Maj. PE Ferguson MC | January 1951 |
February 1951 | Cmdt. CS Leisegang DSO | September 1953 |
October 1953 | Cmdt Werndly van der Riet SSA SM MC | December 1960 |
January 1961 | Cmdt. S Hugo. SM | June 1963 |
July 1963 | Cmdt. JJ Wahl. MC | October 1964 |
November 1964 | Cmdt. JR Dutton. SSA SD | November 1967 |
December 1967 | Cmdt. WH Matthews. SM | November 1968 |
December 1968 | Cmdt. MB Anderson | May 1969 |
April 1969 | Cmdt. WC Meyer | September 1972 |
October 1972 | Cmdt. PJ Schalkwyk | July 1973 |
August 1973 | Maj. AJ Snyman | November 1973 |
November 1973 | Cmdt. APR Carstens | November 1976 |
December 1976 | Cmdt Reginald Otto SD & Bar SM MMM | December 1979 |
January 1980 | Cmdt. FA Botha | November 1981 |
December 1981 | Cmdt. AJ van Niekerk | November 1983 |
December 1983 | Cmdt. HT Heinze | November 1986 |
December 1986 | Cmdt. AJ Kriel | May 1989 |
June 1989 | Cmdt. AJ van Jaarsveld | November 1989 |
December 1989 | Cmdt Chris GildenhuysSM MMM | December 1993 |
January 1994 | Col. GM Louw. HC MMM | unk |
From | Regimental Sergeants Major | To |
May 1933 | RSM J Whammond. MC DCM MM | February 1934 |
March 1934 | RSM LJ van den Heever | May 1934 |
June 1934 | RSM BS Scheepers | May 1935 |
June 1935 | RSM SP Conje | June 1935 |
September 1936 | RSM CEG Brits | March 1937 |
April 1937 | RSM JO van Blommenstein | May 1940 |
June 1940 | RSM JW Hamilton | January 1943 |
February 1943 | WO1 S du Plessis. MC | August 1946 |
September 1946 | WO1 WE Wocke | October 1951 |
November 1950 | WO1 S du Plessis. MM | September 1953 |
October 1953 | WO1 WJ van der Merwe. SM | December 1965 |
January 1966 | WO1 BJP Ehlers. PMM | October 1972 |
November 1972 | WO1 MA Booyens PMM MMM | September 1976 |
October 1976 | WO1 JP. O'Neill | November 1978 |
December 1978 | WO1 PH Rohrbeck PMM | January 1979 |
February 1979 | WO1 GDF van Baalen PMM MMM | November 1984 |
June 1984 | WO1 IJ Prinsloo | November 1988 |
December 1988 | WO1 WF Snyman PMM MMM | November 1993 |
December 1993 | WO1 JAB van Zyl | nd |
From | Chaplains | To |
December 1987 | Lt Heerden van Niekerk | December 1988 |
Alliances
Battle honours
List of Battle Honours for 1 SSB |
---|
Future
This unit will together with 1 SA Tank Regiment form the Armoured Brigade of the new Mechanized Division to be formed under Army vision 2020.
See also
Notes
- ^ As part of 63 Mech
- ^ As part of 63 Mech
- ^ Later Chief, SADF
- ^ Later Lt Gen
- ^ Later Major General
- ^ French: Légion d'honneur - Commandeur
- ^ Awards
- Order of the Bath (Companion) (CB)
- Order of the British Empire (Commander) (CBE)
- Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
- Legion of Merit (Commander) (LOM) (USA)
- Legion of Honour (Commander) (France)
- Croix de guerre 1914–1918 (Palme de bronze - Bronze palm) (France)
- Mentioned in Despatches
- ^ Later Lt Gen Werndly van der Riet
- ^ acting
- ^ Later Lieutenant General Reginald Otto
- ^ Later Brigadier General Chris Gildenhuys
- ^ Reverend (Dominee)
- ^ Dutch Reformed Church (Afrikaans: Nederduitse Gerformeerde Kerk)
References
- ^ Engelbrecht, Leon (1 March 2010). "Fact File: 1 Special Service Battalion". defenceweb.co.za. DefenceWeb. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
- ^ Engelbrecht, Leon. "SA Army horse shod by December? | defenceWeb". Archived from the original on 2015-02-24. Retrieved 2015-03-25.
- ^ Greve, Natalie. "Land Systems SA secures sights contract for Denel's Badger". Archived from the original on 2014-08-20. Retrieved 2015-03-25.
- ^ Dovey, John. "1 SSB Roll of Honour". Archived from the original on 25 December 2014.
- ^ Le Roux, Len, ed. (2007-11-01). "Security challenges shaping the future South African Army" (PDF). South African Army vision 2020. issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com. ISBN 978-1-920114-24-4. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
External links
- "SA Armour Museum". Archived from the original on 23 June 2012.
- Curator SA Armour Museum. "SA Armour Association Museum". Archived from the original on 6 February 2010.
- "Exercise Seboka" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 May 2011.
- Dovey, John. "1 SSB Roll of Honour". Archived from the original on 25 December 2014.