1 Special Service Battalion

Last updated
1 Special Service Battalion
SHOULDER FLASH 1SSB.jpg
SANDF 1 Special Service Battalion emblem
Active1 May 1933 present
CountryFlag of South Africa.svg  South Africa
BranchFlag of the South African Army.svg  South African Army
Type Armoured
Part of South African Armoured Formation
Garrison/HQTempe 29°05′0″S26°11′0″E / 29.08333°S 26.18333°E / -29.08333; 26.18333
Nickname(s)1 SSB 1 SDB
Motto(s)Eendrag Maakt Mag (Unity is Strength)
ColorsOrange over Blue which must be divided by Silver and where it is not possible to use silver white will be used in place
Equipment
Engagements
Websitewww.saarmour.co.za
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Insignia
Cap BadgeA spray of three protea flowers, bound by a ribbon bearing the initials and motto
Beret ColourBlack
Armour Squadron emblems SANDF Armour squadron emblems.jpg
Armour beret bar c.1992 SANDF Armour beret bar.jpg

1 Special Service Battalion (usually abbreviated to 1SSB) is an armoured regiment of the South African Army and only one of two such in its regular force. The Regiment is based at Tempe near Bloemfontein.

Contents

It was previously known in Afrikaans as 1 Spesiale Diens Bataljon (1 SDB).

History

South Africa Free State relief location map.svg
Battle icon active (crossed swords).svg
1 Special Service Battalion
Battle icon active (crossed swords).svg 1 Special Service Battalion
Rooikat at the entrance to 1SSB, Bloemfontein. DieKat Take2.png
Rooikat at the entrance to 1SSB, Bloemfontein.

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. [1]

Rooikat Armoured Car Rooikat Armoured Car.jpg
Rooikat Armoured Car

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

63 Mech Battlegroup to which 1 SSB detached elements SADF 63 Mech emblem ver 1.jpg
63 Mech Battlegroup to which 1 SSB detached elements

Equipment

pre 1995

VariantDescriptionCommentImage
Eland 60Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  South Africa 60 mm (2.4 in) Mortar platform Eland 60 Armoured Car.jpg
Eland 90Flag of South Africa (1928-1982).svg  South Africa 90 mm (3.5 in) Fire support platform and assault gun Eland 90 armoured car.jpg

Current

The regiment is equipped primarily with Ratel infantry fighting vehicles and Rooikat armoured cars.

VariantDescriptionCommentImage
Rooikat 76 Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 76 mm (3.0 in) cannon Rooikat Armoured Car 105mm.jpg
Ratel 90 Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa 90 mm (3.5 in) cannon Ratel 90mm.jpg
Ratel ZT3 Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa antitank missile Ratel IFC ZT3.jpg

Future

Under Project Hoefyster, the SANDF will eventually replace the Ratel family of vehicles with the Badger system. [2] [3] Five versions are contemplated of which two are earmarked for 1 SSB:

VariantDescriptionCommentImage
Denel Badger various types Flag of South Africa.svg  South Africa Various armaments Denel Badger IFV.jpg

Regimental symbols

Previous Dress Insignia

SADF era 1 Special Services Battalion insignia SADf era 1 Special Services Battalion insignia.jpg
SADF era 1 Special Services Battalion insignia
SADF era Operation Hooper participation bar SADF Operation Hooper participation bar.png
SADF era Operation Hooper participation bar
SADF era 1 SSB D Squadron with 2 SAI insignia SADF era 1 SSB D Squadron with 2 SAI insignia.jpg
SADF era 1 SSB D Squadron with 2 SAI insignia

Current Dress Insignia

Leadership

1 Special Services Battalion Leadership
FromCommanding OfficersTo
May 1933Lt. Col. GE Poole DSO November 1933
December 1933Lt. Col. P de WaalJanuary 1934
February 1934Lt. Col. [lower-alpha 5] William John Evered Poole CB CBE DSO LOM (USA) [lower-alpha 7] April 1935
May 1935Lt. Col. J DanieJanuary 1936
February 1936Maj. JR WockeDecember 1937
January 1938Lt. Col. HB Klopper September 1939
October 1939Lt. Col. HP van NoordenDecember 1939
January 1940Lt. Col. GCA van DamJune 1940
June 1940Lt. Col. CEG (Papa) Brits DSO August 1946
September 1946Lt. Col. GN Nauhaus OBE May 1949
June 1949Maj. EE Fodred MC August 1949
September 1949Maj. PE Ferguson MC January 1951
February 1951Cmdt. CS Leisegang DSO September 1953
October 1953Cmdt [lower-alpha 8] Werndly van der Riet SSA SM MC December 1960
January 1961Cmdt. S Hugo. SM June 1963
July 1963Cmdt. JJ Wahl. MC October 1964
November 1964Cmdt. JR Dutton. SSA SD November 1967
December 1967Cmdt. WH Matthews. SM November 1968
December 1968Cmdt. MB AndersonMay 1969
April 1969Cmdt. WC MeyerSeptember 1972
October 1972Cmdt. PJ SchalkwykJuly 1973
August 1973Maj. AJ Snyman [lower-alpha 9] November 1973
November 1973Cmdt. APR CarstensNovember 1976
December 1976Cmdt [lower-alpha 10] Reginald Otto SD & Bar SM MMM December 1979
January 1980Cmdt. FA BothaNovember 1981
December 1981Cmdt. AJ van NiekerkNovember 1983
December 1983Cmdt. HT HeinzeNovember 1986
December 1986Cmdt. AJ KrielMay 1989
June 1989Cmdt. AJ van JaarsveldNovember 1989
December 1989Cmdt [lower-alpha 11] Chris Gildenhuys SM MMM December 1993
January 1994Col. GM Louw. HC MMM unk
FromRegimental Sergeants MajorTo
May 1933RSM J Whammond. MC DCM MM February 1934
March 1934RSM LJ van den HeeverMay 1934
June 1934RSM BS ScheepersMay 1935
June 1935RSM SP ConjeJune 1935
September 1936RSM CEG BritsMarch 1937
April 1937RSM JO van BlommensteinMay 1940
June 1940RSM JW HamiltonJanuary 1943
February 1943WO1 S du Plessis. MC August 1946
September 1946WO1 WE WockeOctober 1951
November 1950WO1 S du Plessis. MM September 1953
October 1953WO1 WJ van der Merwe. SM December 1965
January 1966WO1 BJP Ehlers. PMM October 1972
November 1972WO1 MA Booyens PMM MMM September 1976
October 1976WO1 JP. O'NeillNovember 1978
December 1978WO1 PH Rohrbeck PMM January 1979
February 1979WO1 GDF van Baalen PMM MMM November 1984
June 1984WO1 IJ PrinslooNovember 1988
December 1988WO1 WF Snyman PMM MMM November 1993
December 1993WO1 JAB van Zylnd
FromChaplainsTo
December 1987Lt [lower-alpha 12] Heerden van Niekerk [lower-alpha 13] December 1988

Alliances

Battle honours

Battle Honours
List of Battle Honours for 1 SSB
Italy 1944-45 Embroidered.png
Florence Embroidered.png
Gothic Line Embroidered.png
Celleno Embroidered.png
The Greve Embroidered.png
Po Valley Embroidered.png
Kunene Embroidered.png
SWA-Angola 1975-1976 Embroidered.png
SWA-Angola 1976-1989 Embroidered.png
Cuito Cuanaval Embroidered.png

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. [5]

See also

South African Armoured Corps

Notes

  1. As part of 63 Mech
  2. As part of 63 Mech
  3. Later Chief, SADF
  4. Later Lt Gen
  5. Later Major General
  6. French: Légion d'honneur - Commandeur
  7. Awards
  8. Later Lt Gen Werndly van der Riet
  9. acting
  10. Later Lieutenant General Reginald Otto
  11. Later Brigadier General Chris Gildenhuys
  12. Reverend (Dominee)
  13. Dutch Reformed Church (Afrikaans: Nederduitse Gerformeerde Kerk)

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References

  1. Engelbrecht, Leon (1 March 2010). "Fact File: 1 Special Service Battalion". defenceweb.co.za. DefenceWeb. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  2. Engelbrecht, Leon. "SA Army horse shod by December? | defenceWeb". Archived from the original on 2015-02-24. Retrieved 2015-03-25.
  3. Greve, Natalie. "Land Systems SA secures sights contract for Denel's Badger". Archived from the original on 2014-08-20. Retrieved 2015-03-25.
  4. Dovey, John. "1 SSB Roll of Honour". Archived from the original on 25 December 2014.
  5. 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.