| South West Africa Command | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1939–1988 |
| Country |  South Africa |
| Type | Command |
| Headquarters | Windhoek |
| Insignia | |
| South West Africa Command Bar |  |
South West Africa Command was a command of the South African Army.
South West Africa Command was one of the South African Defence Force's regional commands, which made up the Territorial Force.
Based in Windhoek, it was initially responsible for the security of the entire South West Africa, forming the main level of command for military operations providing logistic, administrative and service support to all units and formations operating in its area of responsibility as well as support for the Police. [1]
South West Africa Command was established in 1939 under a Union Government Proclamation, No 234 of 1939. At that stage it consisted of a citizen force component with a support company and signals.
By December 1939, the Commands first unit, 1 SWA Infantry Battalion was established.
By 1940, 32 defence rifle clubs were also established but were upgraded by 1948 to rifle commandos.
In 1957 the Infantry Battalion was converted to an armored car regiment and the rifle commandos were upgraded to full commandos.
With the formation of the South West Africa Territorial Force in 1977, South West Africa Command's area of responsibility was diminished by 1980 to the frontline sectors of the territory.
By the 1990s, South West Africa Command controlled Sectors 10, 20 and 70. [2] All local SWATF forces in these sectors also fell directly under SWA Command.
Modular Battalions main function was internal operations. Sub units were attached according to the requirements of a specific situation, i.e. the "modular nature".
These units were made up from temporary elements (or ‘modules’) from a variety of units and would be deployed in company patrol bases along the border. 53 Battalion for example would have companies from 1 SAI, the Cape Town Highlanders, Rand Light Infantry and 6 SAI allocated to it for a particular season, while 54 Battalion would source its infantry elements from 8 SAI and the SACC. [3]
There was usually a company of SWATF attached to each Modular Battalion on rotation to provide ‘local knowledge’ and various elements of 1 SWA Specialist Unit were also attached to provide tracking and patrolling expertise. Koevoet or Romeo-Mike teams were also frequently stationed in these company bases for mutual protection, but would generally operate independently.
The Modular Battalions’ heavy weapons often included a wide variety of captured Soviet and obsolete British World War II-era items, which were usually static, being primarily intended for base defence. Motor transport was limited, with a few Buffels being retained for patrolling and SAAF helicopters often being utilised for inter-base liaison. The companies of a Modular Battalion were generally weak during the quiet dry season (maybe 30- 50% strength), but would each be brought up to the full strength of five platoons in time for the wet season, which was when the bush would become jungle and SWAPO-PLAN infiltration teams would stream southwards. Their main responsibility was to secure their assigned area in which they conducted cordon and search operations, patrols, checkpoints, mine sweeping and the protection of roads and water systems.
The South African Defence Force (SADF) comprised the armed forces of South Africa from 1957 until 1994. Shortly before the state reconstituted itself as a republic in 1961, the former Union Defence Force was officially succeeded by the SADF, which was established by the Defence Act of 1957. The SADF, in turn, was superseded by the South African National Defence Force in 1994.
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 from 1977 to 1989. It emerged as a product of South Africa's political control of the territory which was granted to the former as a League of Nations mandate following World War I.
Operation Prone was a proposed military operation by the South African Defence Force (SADF) and South West African Territorial Force (SWATF) during the South African Border War and Angolan Civil War between May and September 1988. With the advance of the 50th Cuban Division towards Calueque and the South-West Africa border, the SADF formed the 10 SA Division to counter this threat. The plan for Operation Prone had two phases. Operation Linger was to be a counterinsurgency phase and Operation Pact a conventional phase.
44 Parachute Brigade was a parachute infantry brigade of the South African Army. It was founded on 20 April 1978, by Colonel Jan Breytenbach, following the disbandment of 1 SA Corps and the battle of Cassinga. Upon formation, the brigade was commanded by Brigadier M. J. du Plessis, who was assigned the task of establishing by working with the Parachute Staff Officer, Colonel Jan Breytenbach. At the time du Plessis was the commanding officer of the Orange Free State Command and had previous experience serving in 1 Parachute Battalion. Breytenbach had also been a member of 1 Parachute Battalion and had also founded the South African Special Forces Brigade and 32 Battalion. The location that was chosen for the brigade's headquarters was in the lines of the OFS Cmd Headquarters, next to the old Tempe Airfield in Bloemfontein.
Operation Boswilger was a military operation executed by the South West Africa Territorial Force in June 1985 during the South African Border War and Angolan Civil War. The SADF soldiers pursued SWAPO's, PLAN insurgents, who had attacked infrastructure, out of South West Africa/Namibia across the border into Angola.
The 44 Pathfinder Platoon is part of the 44 Parachute Regiment. The pathfinder is a trained and specialized paratrooper, who performs covertly behind enemy lines, either in small groups or in collaboration with other reconnaissance units.
Operation Excite/Hilti was a set of military operations by the South African Defence Force (SADF) during the Angolan Civil War and South African Border War.
7 South African Infantry Battalion is a motorised infantry unit of the South African Army.
Operation Merlyn was a military operation by the South African Defence Force (SADF), South West African Territorial Force (SWATF) and South West African Police (SWAPOL) during the South African Border War and Angolan Civil War in April 1989. The aim of the operation was to prevent the incursion of PLAN (SWAPO) insurgents into South West Africa/Namibia from bases in Angola. These incursions were in violation of a ceasefire which came into effect on 1 April 1989 via the implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 435 and the Tripartite Accord. Initially, these PLAN incursions were tackled by South West African police units and eventually by SADF and SWATF units, released to assist the police having been confined to their bases by the peace agreements. These incursions and the conflict that occurred ended after hastily arranged talks resulted in the Mount Etjo Declaration and an eventual ceasefire.
8 South African Infantry Battalion is a mechanized infantry unit of the South African Army. The battalion is equipped with Ratel Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV) used for fast transport and combat mobility across rough ground. Support weapons for mechanized infantry are also provided with motorized transport, or are built directly into these IFVs, in order to keep pace with the IFVs in combat. The battalion was raised at Upington in the Northern Cape on 01 October 1973 as part of the South African Infantry Corps, and since the change in structure, has been assigned to the Infantry Formation.
34 Battalion was a light infantry battalion that was part of the SWATF.
33 Battalion or the Eastern Caprivi Battalion, was a light infantry battalion that was part of the SWATF.
36 Battalion was a light infantry battalion in the South African Army and in later years became part of the SWATF.
102 Battalion(pronounced as one-o-two Battalion) was a quick-reaction unit of the South West African Territorial Force. The battalion lost 36 men.
301 Battalion was part of Sector 30 of the South West African Territorial Force.
Regiment Erongo was a quick-reaction unit of the South West African Territorial Force.
913 Battalion was part of 91 South West African Brigade.
62 Mechanised Infantry Battalion Group was a unit of the South African Army (SADF); although it was classed as mechanized infantry, it was a combined arms force consisting of a Mechanised Infantry Battalion forming the core of the group, Main Battle Tank Squadron, Armoured Car Squadron, Air-defence Battery, Engineer Squadron, Artillery Battery, specialists i.e. EW, MAOT, etc. and all the supporting staff and functions required for such a force.
The Soutpansberg Military Area (SMA) Headquarters was situated in Messina in the Northern Province of South Africa. The size of the area for which the SMA was responsible for was approximately 4,040 square kilometres (1,560 sq mi).
10 Armoured Car Squadron was a contingent of the South African Armoured Corps posted in Sector 10, South West Africa, during the South African Border War.