Carolina Commando | |
---|---|
Country | South Africa |
Allegiance | |
Branch | |
Type | Infantry |
Role | Light Infantry |
Size | One Battalion |
Part of | South African Infantry Corps Army Territorial Reserve |
Garrison/HQ | Carolina, South Africa |
Motto(s) | Altyd Getrou (Always Loyal) |
Battle honours | Modjadji 1890, Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902, Mpefu 1898, South West Africa 1914-1915 |
Carolina Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army for the district of Carolina, South Africa. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve.
Previously a part of the Lydenburg Commando, Carolina Commando was formed around 1859.
During the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek the first engagements of the Carolina Commando included: [1]
The commando was involved in the following engagements in the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902): [2]
By 1902 all Commando remnants were under British military control and disarmed.
By 1912, however previous Commando members could join shooting associations.
By 1940, such commandos were under control of the National Reserve of Volunteers.
These commandos were formally reactivated by 1948.
Under the South African Defence Force (SADF), this Commando was seconded to Group 28's Command. It was utilised in the area protection role.
Under the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) its Group 12 situated in Ermelo, Mpumalanga made use of the commandos at Carolina, Ermelo and Piet Retief for some borderline functions. [7]
This unit, along with all other Commando units was disbanded after a decision by South African President Thabo Mbeki to disband all of them. [8] [9] The Commando system was phased out between 2003 and 2008 "because of the role it played in the apartheid era", according to the Minister of Safety and Security Charles Nqakula. [10]
From | Honorary Colonels | To |
From | Officer Commanding | To |
1895 | Cmdt David Johannes Joubert (1849–1903) | c. nd |
1898 | Cmdt Hendrik Frederik Prinsloo (1861–1900) | c. nd |
From | Regimental Sergeant Major | To |
Two Irish Commandos, volunteer military units of guerrilla militia, fought alongside the Boers against the British forces during the Second Boer War (1899–1902).
The Battle of Berg-en-dal took place in South Africa during the Second Anglo-Boer War.
The Boer Commandos or "Kommandos" were volunteer military units of guerilla militia organized by the Boer people of South Africa. From this came the term "commando" into the English language during the Second Boer War of 1899–1902 as per Costica Andrew.
The 155 mm CreusotLong Tom was a French siege gun manufactured by Schneider et Cie in Le Creusot, France and used by the Boers in the Second Boer War as field guns.
Bethal Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve.
Bloemfontein City Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Infantry Corps as well as the South African Territorial Reserve.
Ficksburg Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve.
Harrismith Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve.
Winburg Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve.
Wepener Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve.
Lichtenburg Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve.
Lydenburg Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve.
Middelburg Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve.
Potchefstroom Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve.
Heidelberg Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve.
Boksburg Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve.
Christiaan Botha was a younger brother of Louis Botha (1862–1919) and Philip Botha (1851-1901), but an older brother of Theunis Jacobus Botha (1867-1930), and likewise a Boer general in the Second Boer War (1899–1902) who then both fought the British to the end.
Joachim Christoffel Fourie was an Anglo-Boer War Combat General and Assistant Commander-in-Chief for the South African Republic.
Tobias Smuts was a Second Boer War Boer general and member of the Eerste Volksraad for the South African Republic.
Hendrik Frederik Prinsloo was a Second Boer War commander of the Carolina Commando for the South African Republic who fought and prevailed at the Battle of Spion Kop. His son and namesake Hendrik Frederik Prinsloo (1890–1966) served as an officer in the South African Army in both World War I and World War II.
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)Cape Town — Members of the defunct military commando system were unwilling to serve a black government and were hostile to democracy in South Africa, Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota has told Parliament. During the Defence Department budget debate on Tuesday, he told MPs that former commando members were politically indoctrinated and supplied with weapons and training to spy on blacks in their areas, making this military structure wholly unsuited to the new South Africa.