1 Special Service Battalion
| 1 Special Service Battalion | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1 May 1933 - present |
| Country | South Africa |
| Branch | South African Army |
| Type | Armoured |
| Nickname | 1SSB (English)/1SDB (Afrikaans) |
| Motto | Eendrag Maakt Mag (Unity is Strength) |
| Equipment | Ratel armoured personnel carriers Rooikat armoured cars |
| Engagements | World War II South African Border War Operation Boleas |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Lt Col George Brink Lt Col CEG (Papa) Britz |
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 forces. The Regiment is based at Tempe near Bloemfontein. It was previously known both as in English 1 Special Service Battalion , and in the apartheid days in the Afrikaans Language as 1 Spesiale Diens Bataljon (1 SSB and 1 SDB)
Contents |
[edit] History
The Special Service Battalion was formed on 1 May 1933 as a training unit and a means of employment for young men. It converted to armour in 1943.
As part of the 11th South African Armoured Brigade, South African 6th Armoured Division, 1SSB took part in World War II, seeing service mainly in Italy.
After World War II, the SSB became a training unit.
1SSB 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.
1SSB 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.
[edit] Equipment
The regiment is equipped primarily with Ratel armoured personnel carriers and Rooikat armoured cars.
It will most likely be re-equipped with new Hoefyster armoured personnel carriers (Finnish Patria AMVs) in the near future.
[edit] 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 (Unity is Strength)
- Regimental communications icon : Sherman says
- Regimental deployment strength :1000 soldiers reporting in eskadrons to 30 lieutenants and 30 corporals
- Regimental honour roll : Soldiers who died during active combat duty and soldiers who died during training
- Regimental traditional contact meeting :Pantseraksie once a year
- Regimental honour roll military officer that died in active battle : Full Lieutenant Els
[edit] Alliances
[edit] Battle honours
- Italy 1944 - 1945
- Florence
- Gothic Line
- Celleno
- The Greve
- Po Valley
- Kunene
- South-West Africa 1975 - 1976
- South-West Africa 1976 - 1989
- Battle of Cuito Cuanavale from 1987-1989 being one of the largest land battles in Africa since World War II.
[edit] 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.
