This article needs additional citations for verification .(June 2012) |
Regiment Vrystaat | |
---|---|
Country | South Africa |
Allegiance | |
Branch | |
Type | Armoured Regiment |
Part of | South African Armoured Corps Army Conventional Reserve |
Garrison/HQ | Bloemfontein |
Motto(s) | Libertas Virtus Fidelitas (Freedom; Power; Fealty) |
Equipment | Eland 90 armoured car |
Battle honours |
|
Commanders | |
OC 1982 | Commandant J.J. van der Merwe |
honorary Colonel (1982) | Judge M.T. Steyn |
Insignia | |
Beret Colour | Black |
Armour Squadron emblems | |
Armour beret bar circa 1992 |
Regiment Vrystaat 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. Formed from 2 Regiment President Steyn which had been formed in 1975, when 1 Regiment President Steyn was converted to tanks and 2 Regiment President Steyn formed with armored cars. It was part of the South African Army Armour Formation.
Originally designated 2 Regiment President Steyn on 1 August 1975, Regiment Vrystaat was only formed the following year by the transfer of excess personnel from Regiment President Steyn. [1] At the same time a decision was taken to redesignate the unit.
Regiment Vrystaat's Eland-90 armoured cars saw service during the South African Border War.
The regiment conducted its first border operations in 1976. The regiment was at that stage one of very few conventional armoured car regiments in South Africa and acted as backup reserve for South African forces leaving Angola in that period.
Regiment Vrystaat conducted further border duty in 1977 and 1978. [2]
The regiment supported Operations Hooper and Packer with 20 Ratel Drivers in 1988.
Regiment Vrystaat was assigned to 73 Motorised Brigade of 7 Division and then to 9 Division by 1991.
By 2000, the two regiments re-amalgamated and became a single regiment once again.
Regiment Vrystaat retained the original colours of Regiment President Steyn which is old gold, white and black, but adopted the tree of freedom the Orange Free State as its unit badge.
From | Officer Commanding | To |
1975 | Cmdt Jurie van der Merwe | c. nd |
1991 | Cmdt Andre de Beer | c. nd |
From | Regimental Sergeant Major | To |
As an offshoot of Regiment President Steyn, Regiment Vrystaat was allowed to carry that units battle honours as well:
XXX Corps was a corps of the British Army during the Second World War. The Corps was formed in the Western Desert in September 1941. It provided extensive service in the North African Campaign and many of its units were in action at the Second Battle of El Alamein in late 1942. It then took part in the Tunisia Campaign and formed the left flank during the Allied invasion of Sicily in 1943.
The South African Army is the ground warfare branch of South African National Defence Force. Its roots can be traced to its formation after the Union of South Africa was created in 1910. The South African military evolved within the tradition of frontier warfare fought by Boer Commando (militia) forces, reinforced by the Afrikaners' historical distrust of large standing armies. It then fought as part of the wider British effort in both World War I and World War II, but afterwards was cut off from its long-standing Commonwealth ties with the ascension to power of the National Party in South Africa in 1948. The army was involved in a long and bitter counter-insurgency campaign in Namibia from 1966 to 1990. It also played a key role in controlling sectarian political violence inside South Africa during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
The 1st South African Infantry Division was an infantry division of the army of the Union of South Africa. During World War II the division served in East Africa from 1940 to 1941 and in the Western Desert Campaign from 1941 to 1942. The division was disbanded on 1 January 1943, for conversion into what would become the 6th South African Armoured Division. The division was also briefly active after the war from 1 July 1948 to 1 November 1949.
The Gonnema Regiment is a reserve mechanised infantry regiment of the South African Army.
The Thaba Bosiu Armour Regiment is a reserve armoured regiment of the South African Army.
The Rand Light Infantry (RLI) is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Army Reserve unit or United States Army National Guard unit.
The General Jan Smuts Regiment is a reserve mechanised infantry regiment of the South African Army.
The Johannesburg Light Horse Regiment, is a reserve armoured car reconnaissance unit of the South African Army.
The Queen Nandi Mounted Rifles is an reserve armoured regiment of the South African Army.
The Molapo Armoured Regiment is a reserve armoured regiment of the South African Army.
The General Dan Pienaar Artillery Regiment is a reserve artillery regiment of the South African Army.
The General Botha Regiment is a reserve infantry regiment of the South African Army. The Regiment was named after General Louis Botha, the first prime minister of South Africa.
The Derbyshire Yeomanry was a yeomanry regiment of the British Army, first raised in 1794, which served as a cavalry regiment and dismounted infantry regiment in the First World War and provided two reconnaissance regiments in the Second World War, before being amalgamated with the Leicestershire Yeomanry to form the Leicestershire and Derbyshire Yeomanry in 1957.
The 3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters) was a Yeomanry regiment of the British Army. It was raised in 1901 from Second Boer War veterans of the Imperial Yeomanry. During the First World War it served dismounted at Gallipoli, was remounted to serve in Macedonia, Egypt and Palestine, before being converted to machine gunners for service on the Western Front. 2nd and 3rd Line units remained in the United Kingdom throughout.
The Mapungubwe Regiment {formerly Regiment Christiaan Beyers) is a reserve infantry regiment of the South African Army. It traces its history as far back as 1939, and fought in the Second World War, and the Border War after 1966. It was renamed in August 2019.
The Job Masego Regiment is a reserve mechanised infantry regiment of the South African Army.
2 Special Service Battalion 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 previously known both as in English 2 Special Service Battalion, and in the Afrikaans Language as 2 Spesiale Diens Bataljon.
Regiment Groot Karoo was an infantry battalion of the South African Army. As a reserve force unit, it had a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Army Reserve or United States Army National Guard unit.
82 Mechanised Brigade was a Formation of 8th South African Armoured Division, a combined arms force consisting of infantry, armour and artillery.
Regiment Louw Wepener was an infantry battalion of the South African Army. As a reserve force unit, it had a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Army Reserve or United States Army National Guard unit.