1 South African Infantry Battalion

May 2024 September 2013 1 South African Infantry Battalion SADF era 1 SAI insignia ver 3.jpg 1 SAI emblem 1951 01 26 yes South Africa Infantry Mechanised infantry Battalion South African Infantry Formation Tempe, Bloemfontein Sevire parati Ratel South African Border War Operation Reindeer Operation Sceptic Operation Protea Operation Daisy Operation Askari Operation Hooper Operation Moduler 200px Company level Insignia border|150px|alt=SA mechanised infantry beret bar circa 1992 SA Mechanised Infantry beret bar 1992 1 South African Infantry Battalion is a mechanised infantry battalion of the South African Army, based at Tempe near Bloemfontein. Established in 1951 and later converted to mechanised infantry with the Ratel, the unit fought in the South African Border War and remains a regular battalion of the South African Infantry Formation. Under the draft South African Army Vision 2020 force design it was charted as the mechanised infantry element of the Armoured Brigade within the Mechanised Division. History Origin With its establishment as 1 SA Infantry Training Battalion at Oudtshoorn on 26 January 1951, the unit became part of the infantry corps. In 1953, the unit consisted of: a headquarters with companies at: 1 SAI itself in Oudsthoorn as A Company, 1 SSB in Bloemfontein as B Company; 4 Field Regiment in Potchefstroom as C Company; and a supply & transport company, an attempt at all arms training. thumb|center|500px|UDF era 1 SAI companies 1950s The unit was reconstituted as 1 SA Infantry Battalion in November 1967 and moved to its current base at Tempe near Bloemfontein, in November 1973.http://www.sadf.info/Title1SAI.html SADF.info SADF.info 1951-01-26 2012-06-03 Mechanised infantry By 1976, infantry operations had transformed drastically when the Ratel Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) was introduced, with the first Ratel course presented by then Major Roland de Vries in November at 1 SAI. In 1977, 1 SAI received its first consignment of 42 Ratel IFVs, along with a redesigned shoulder flash, depicting a wild honey badger. For the next four years, mechanised infantry leadership students shared the same lines as 1 SAI's conventional companies, but were required to wear a nutria brassard on the right arm with a green and yellow embroidered honey badger insignia in order to stand out and ensure Espirit de Corps. The training wing, identified as the T&D Wing, was where all students attended the same course until the Section Leaders Phase had been completed, where they were then awarded their Lance Corporal stripes and then placed with regular rifle companies. The rest of the future NCOs also received their stripes and future Officers received their white Candidate Officer's tabs. These students were then evaluated and split into the Mechanised Platoon Commanders Course and Specialist Instructors Course. These platoon commanders were destined to either become future leaders of 1 SAIs rifle companies or instructors at the Training Wing, while the Specialist Instructors would become Officers and NCOs responsible for training Ratel gunners and drivers. The Platoon NCOs were responsible for the support of the vehicles, platoon weapons and signal equipment of a specific platoon. Platoon sergeants were responsible for the training and discipline of an allocated platoon. thumb|center|600px|SADF era 1 SAI Mechanised Leader Brassards, 1980s By January 1981, the training wing had been renamed to the Mechanised Leadership Wing and moved to the Akkedisdorp premises outside the lines of 1 SAI and next to 1 SSB. The distinctive honey badger student brassard was discontinued during this period. The mechanised techniques developed at 1 SAI was transferred to two additional mechanised infantry battalions under development at that time, namely 4 SAI and 8 SAI. Battalion Pioneer Platoon 1 SAI also had an assault pioneer capability in the 1980s, usually designated Oscar Company. Assault pioneers were the integral combat engineering component of the battalion. Assault pioneers were trained in tasks such as: Field defences and obstacles Mine detection and removal Primary demolitions Non standard bridging Anchorages and suspension traverses The Pioneer Platoon provided small tasks and close support capabilities to the battalion ensuring immediacy of response and decreasing the workload of the engineer squadrons. By the 1990s this function was retired to the Engineering Corps however. Border War Operations By 1978, 1 SAI took part in Operation Reindeer. 1 SAI was also later involved in: Sceptic, Protea, Daisy, Askari Moduler and Operation Hooper. Honouris Crux recipients The following 1 SAI members were awarded the Honoris Crux decoration Operation Sceptic; Lt. J.J. du Toit LCpl A.T. Rutherford Operation Protea; Cpl A.D. Burgers Relationship with 61 Mech 1 SAI was also the main feeder unit for mechanised infantry companies for 61 Mechanised Battalion Group during this period.http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6908:1-sa-infantry-battalion-&catid=79:fact-files&Itemid=159 Fact file: 1 SA Infantry Battalion DefenceWeb 2010-03-01 2012-06-03 thumb|right|100px|SADF Operation Hooper participation bar thumb|right|100px|1 SAI commemorative coin Ops Vleuel Freedom of the city 1 SAI received the freedom of entry to Bloemfontein in 1981. Post-1994 Assimilation of 151 Battalion Peled writes that after January 1993, 151 Battalion, formed from the Southern Sothos in the Orange Free area, was assimilated into 1 SAI.Peled, p.54 thumb|center|120px|SADF 151 Battalion, this unit amalgamated with 1 SAI post 1994 Tempe military base shooting 1999 Tempe military base shooting In September 1999, Lt. S. Madubela from 1 SAI went on a shooting spree through the unit, killing seven personnel and injuring five, before being stopped and killed by his colleagues.http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/tempe-killers-steps-retraced-13202 Tempe killer's steps retraced - IOL News iol.co.za 9 April 2018 Role 1 SAI is a regular mechanised infantry battalion of the South African Infantry Formation, equipped primarily with the Ratel family of vehicles. In the draft South African Army Vision 2020 force design, the 2007 organograms published with Leon Engelbrecht's unpublished manuscript A Guide to the SANDF chart 1 SAI as the mechanised infantry battalion of the Armoured Brigade (Free State) within the Mechanised Division (headquarters Wallmansthal), alongside 1 SA Tank Regiment, the paired reserve tank regiment (Pretoria Regiment / Regiment President Steyn), and 1 SSB as the brigade armoured-car regiment.Engelbrecht Leon A Guide to the SANDF - Chapter 9G: Vision 2020 organograms Unpublished manuscript appendix Johannesburg 2007 https://www.defenceweb.co.za/wp-content/uploads/Repository/A-Guide-to-the-SANDF/A-guide-to-the-SANDF-chapter-9-army-app-g-vision-2020-organograms.pdf 10 September 2026 Equipment Current Vehicle mounted weapons 1 SAI is equipped with Ratel 20 Infantry Fighting Vehicles,IDRC Cock Jacklyn Mckenzie Penny From defence to development : redirecting military resources in South Africa 1998 David Philip, International Development Research Centre Cape Town, South Africa & Ottawa, Canada 10625/14245 0-88936-853-8 Ratel 60 mm in on Mortar Platform Vehicles, Ratel Command Vehicles with mounted 12.7 mm in on machine guns, Kwevoel 100 Armoured Trucks for IFV Recovery, field maintenance, fuel bunkers and water provision,http://armouredvehicles.co.za/samil100Kwevoel.htm Samil 100 Kwevoel Armoured Truck Tips Transport 19 March 2015 5 August 2015 https://web.archive.org/web/20150805225201/http://www.armouredvehicles.co.za/samil100Kwevoel.htm dead Samil 50 and 100 logistics trucks, Samil 20 trucks for its organic field workshops, Casspir APCs for its forward artillery observation party,January 2015 and Rinkhals Field Ambulance.http://www.mechemdemining.com/products--services/products/vehicles Vehicles:Denel Mechem Denel 1 SAI has also used Buffel IFVs and Mambas at certain stages in its history. Ratel mounted weapons include the Denel Land Systems GI-2 20 mm in on Quick Firing Cannon (QFC) (Ratel mounted), 60 mm in on breech-loading mortar (Ratel mounted), Browning M1919http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/rsa/ratel.htm Ratel GlobalSecurity.org Machine gun and the Browning M2 12.75 mm in on Machine gun. thumb|right|Badger IFV earmarked for replacement of the Ratel Fleet 2016 onwards 300px|right|Ratel 20 IFV typical fighting section layout 300px|right|SA Mechanised Infantry Ordnance Lighter and personal weapons 1 SAI is equipped with the Vektor SS77 Squad Automatic Machine gun, Fabrique Nationale 7.62 mm in on Light Machine gun, Vektor R4 5.56 mm in on assault rifle, 40 mm in on Multiple Grenade Launcher (MGL), Rocket Propelled grenade launcher (RPG-7),January 2015 M26 Fragmentation grenade,http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6708:fact-file-m26-fragmentation-hand-grenade&catid=79:fact-files&Itemid=159 Fact file: M26 fragmentation hand grenade Leon Engelbrecht 17 February 2010 defenceWeb 9 April 2018 M4 60 mm in on patrol mortar (PATMOR), and the Denel 99 mm in on FT5 rocket launcher.http://defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10464:work-underway-on-rpg-replacement-&catid=50:Land&Itemid=105 Work underway on RPG replacement Leon Engelbrecht defenceWeb 8 November 2010 Historical Ratel fleet In the early 1990s the battalion's fighting and A-echelon vehicles were organised around the Ratel family as follows. Fighting Echelon Vehicles SA Infantry Alpha attack vehicles 1 Ratel 20 per section, 3 sections per platoon, 1 Ratel 60 per platoon, 3 platoons per company. 2 Ratel 12,7 per company. A Echelon Vehicles SA Infantry Charlie Support Vehicles Future Under Project Hoefyster, the SANDF will eventually replace the Ratel family of vehicles with the Badger system.http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1244&pop=1&page=0&Itemid=418 SA Army horse shod by December? Leon Engelbrecht 5 March 2009 defenceWeb 9 April 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20150224181423/http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1244&pop=1&page=0&Itemid=418 24 February 2015 deadNatalie Greve http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/land-systems-sa-secures-sights-contract-for-denels-badger-2014-07-09 Land Systems SA secures sights contract for Denel's Badger Engineering News 9 July 2014 2018-08-10http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/modern/south-africa/Badger Badger Dewald Venter Tanks Encyclopedia 22 May 2018 Nine versions are contemplated of which three are earmarked for mechanized Infantry Battalions such as 1 SAI:http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/denel-patria-building-south-africas-next-ifv-03317/ 24 June 2014 South Africas Next IFV: Honey Badger Doesn't Care Defense Industry Daily 9 April 2018http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=42526:badger-reaches-product-baseline-one-milestone&catid=50:Land&Itemid=105 Badger reaches Product Baseline One milestone - defenceWeb Kim Helfrich 29 February 2016 defenceWeb 9 April 2018http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=44649:sandf-projects&catid=111:sa-defence&Itemid=242 Guy Martin SANDF projects defenceWeb 11 August 2016 2018-08-10 Command (mech infantry) Mortar (turreted 60mm breech loading long-range mortar) ( mech infantry) Missile (turreted Denel ZT3 Ingwe) Section (turreted 30mm cannon) (mech infantry) Fire Support (turreted 30mm cannon, but with more ammunition than the section vehicle) Signal variant Ambulance variant Artillery variant 160 160 right SANDF Badger IFV at AAD 2016.jpg SANDF Badger IFV rear view.jpg center Badger IFV front and rear views Insignia Previous Dress Insignia thumb|900px|center|SADF era 1 SAI insignia Current Dress Insignia thumb|center|500px|SANDF era Infantry Formation insignia Leadership Battalion Leadership yes == Honorary Colonel == No known incumbents == Officer Commanding == 1967 1968 Cmdt H.N.H. Norton 1969 1971 Cmdt B.P.U. Strydom 1975 1977 Cmdt Len Meyer SD, SM, MMM LaterLtGen Later Lieutenant General Later Director Infantry, Deputy Chief of the Army and Chief of Staff Personnel 1977 1977 Cmdt A.J.M. Joebert 1977 1978 Cmdt Frank Bestbier 1981 1983 Col A. Savideshttp://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1005 Tony Savides retires - defenceWeb Leon Engelbrecht defenceWeb 23 January 2009 1983 1987 Col G.A. van Zyl 1990 1993 Col Cassie Schoeman 1993 1995 Col A. Bornman 1995 1996 Col C.J. van der Merwe 1996 1999 Lt Col Jan Wessels 2004 2008 Lt Col T.C. Mokhosi LaterLtGen Later Chief of the South African Army 2013 2016 Col T. Mashalaba 2016 2018 Lt Col T.S.A. Tseki 2020 Nd Lt Col M. Malatji == Regimental Sergeants Major == 1969 1972 WO1 R.H. Uekermann 1973 1976 WO1 A.A. Calmeyer 1976 1980 WO1 L.B. Calitz 1980 1986 WO1 J.R. Stone 1987 1988 WO1 E.H. Heimann 1988 1993 WO1 W.P. Wiese 1993 1996 WO1 T.J. Visagie 1996 1997 WO1 H.C.A Smit 1998 2004 WO1 J.M Nel 2015 Nd WO1 J. A. Koekemoer Mechanised Leadership Wing Leadership yes == Officer Commanding == 1978 nd Maj E. van Lill 1982 1985 Cmdt Cassie Schoeman 1995 nd Lt Col. K. Schmidt Traditions Unit song af no In 1 SAI wil ek bly, dis die eenheid net vir my, slaggereed en kommer vry, met ons ratels veg ons ver, onder die al en suider ster 1 SAI Bataljon, 1 SAI! Servire, servire, servire parati is ons lese as jy vra, 1 SAI Bataljon, 1 SAI! From the shores of Cape Agulhas, to the Northern bushveld trees, We will fight our countries battles, in the air, land and sea, We will fight for right and freedom, we will keep our honesty, We are proud to claim the title of the 'Mechanised Infantry'. See also South African Army Vision 2020 61 Mechanised Battalion Group South African Border War Notes References South Africa Category:Infantry battalions of South Africa Category:Infantry regiments of South Africa Category:Military units and formations in Bloemfontein Category:Military units and formations of South Africa in the Border War Category:Military units and formations established in 1951 Category:1951 establishments in South Africa