1 Special Service Battalion

February 2013 1 Special Service Battalion SHOULDER FLASH 1SSB.jpg SANDF 1 Special Service Battalion emblem 1 May 1933present South Africa Armoured South African Armoured Formation Tempe 29 05 0 S 26 11 0 E inline, title 1 SSB af 1 SDB af Eendrag Maakt Mag (Unity is Strength) Orange over Blue which must be divided by Silver and where it is not possible to use silver white will be used in place Ratel IFV Rooikat World War II South African Border War Operation Boleas Operation Merlyn (1989)63Mech As part of 63 Mechanised Battalion Group Operation Agree (1989)63Mech www.saarmour.co.za Lt Col George Brink Lt Col CEG (Papa) Britz Lt Col WHE Poole Lt Col HB Klopper Lt Col Bok Kriel Gen Jannie GeldenhysLater Chief, SADF Lt Col. W.R. Van Der RietLaterLtGen A spray of three protea flowers, bound by a ribbon bearing the initials and motto Cap Badge Black 200px|SANDF Armour squadron emblems 200px|SANDF Armour beret bar Beret Colour Armour Squadron emblems Armour beret bar 1992 1 Special Service Battalion (usually abbreviated to 1SSB 1 Special Service Battalion) 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. It was previously known in Afrikaans as af 1 Spesiale Diens Bataljon (af 1 SDB). History Special Service Battalion South Africa Free State 300 South Africa Free State relief location map.svg Map of the Free State right 16px 1 Special Service Battalion South Africa Free State 1 Special Service Battalion 86 left 29 05 0 S 26 11 0 E Battle_icon_active_(crossed_swords).svg 18 1 Special Service Battalion thumb|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.Engelbrecht Leon Fact File: 1 Special Service Battalion http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6910:fact-file-1-special-service-battalion&catid=79:fact-files&Itemid=159 defenceweb.co.za DefenceWeb 4 November 2014 1 March 2010 thumb|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 thumb|right|200px|63 Mech Battlegroup to which 1 SSB detached elements Equipment pre 1995 Variant Description Comment Image Eland 60 South Africa 192860 mm in on Mortar platform230px|Eland 60 Armoured Car Eland 90 South Africa 1928 90 mm in on Fire support platform and assault gun250px|Eland 90 armoured car Current The regiment is equipped primarily with Ratel infantry fighting vehicles and Rooikat armoured cars. Variant Description Comment Image Rooikat 76 76 mm in on cannon400px|Rooikat Armoured Car 105mm Ratel 90 90 mm in on cannon400px|Ratel 90mm Ratel ZT3 antitank missile400px|Ratel IFC ZT3 Future Under Project Hoefyster, the SANDF will eventually replace the Ratel family of vehicles with the Badger system.SA Army horse shod by December? | defenceWeb Leon Engelbrecht http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index2.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1244&pop=1&page=0&Itemid=418 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 2015-02-24 dead 2015-03-25 Land Systems SA secures sights contract for Denel's Badger Natalie Greve http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/land-systems-sa-secures-sights-contract-for-denels-badger-2014-07-09 https://web.archive.org/web/20140820034126/http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/land-systems-sa-secures-sights-contract-for-denels-badger-2014-07-09 2014-08-20 live 2015-03-25 Five versions are contemplated of which two are earmarked for 1 SSB: Missile (turreted Denel ZT3 Ingwe) Fire Support (turreted 30 mm in on cannon, but with more ammunition than the section vehicle) Variant Description Comment Image Denel Badger various types Various armaments380px|IFV earmarked for replacement of the Ratel Fleet 2016 onwards Regimental symbols The cap badge is a spray of three protea flowers, bound by a ribbon bearing the initials and motto. Regimental motto: af Eendrag Maakt Mag (English: Unity is Strength) Regimental communications icon : October 2022 Regimental deployment strength : 1,000 soldiers Regimental honour roll : Soldiers who died during active combat duty and soldiers who died during training.http://www.justdone.co.za/roh/main.php?page=List_People&UnitAbv=1SSB 1 SSB Roll of Honour https://web.archive.org/web/20141225092223/http://www.justdone.co.za/roh/main.php?page=List_People&UnitAbv=1SSB 25 December 2014 John Dovey Regimental traditional contact meeting : af Pantseraksie (Armour Action), once a year Previous Dress Insignia thumb|center|900px|SADF era 1 Special Services Battalion insignia thumb|120px|right|SADF era Operation Hooper participation bar thumb|right|200px|SADF era 1 SSB D Squadron with 2 SAI insignia Current Dress Insignia 360 200 center File:SANDF Armoured Formation beret badge.png SANDF Armoured Formation beret badge circa 1996 forward Leadership 1 Special Services Battalion Leadership yes == Commanding Officers == May 1933 Nov 1933 Lt. Col. GE Poole DSO Dec 1933 Jan 1934 Lt. Col. P de Waal Feb 1934 Apr 1935 Lt. Col. William John Evered Poole CB, CBE, DSO, KStJ, LOMC, FRLdHC, FRCdG1914BP Later Major General Later Deputy Chief of General Staff May 1935 Jan 1936 Lt. Col. J Danie Feb 1936 Dec 1937 Maj. JR Wocke Jan 1938 Sep 1939 Lt. Col. HB Klopper DSO Later General Later Commandant General of the Union Defence Force Oct 1939 Dec 1939 Lt. Col. HP van Noorden Jan 1940 Jun 1940 Lt. Col. GCA van Dam Jun 1940 Aug 1946 Lt. Col. CEG (Papa) Brits DSO Sep 1946 May 1949 Lt. Col. GN Nauhaus OBE Jun 1949 Aug 1949 Maj. EE Fodred MC Sep 1949 Jan 1951 Maj. PE Ferguson MC Feb 1951 Sep 1953 Cmdt. CS Leisegang DSO Oct 1953 Dec 1960 Cmdt Werndly van der Riet SSA52, SM52, MC LaterLtGen Later Lieutenant General Later Chief of Defence Staff Jan 1961 Jun 1963 Cmdt. S Hugo SM Jul 1963 Oct 1964 Cmdt. JJ Wahl MC Nov 1964 Nov 1967 Cmdt. JR Dutton SSAS, SD, SM52, MMM LaterLtGen Later Chief of Staff Operations Dec 1967 Nov 1968 Cmdt. WH Matthews SM Dec 1968 May 1969 Cmdt. MB Anderson Apr 1969 Sep 1972 Cmdt. WC Meyer Oct 1972 Jul 1973 Cmdt. PJ Schalkwyk Aug 1973 Nov 1973 Maj. AJ Snyman Acting Acting (Temporarily holding the post without confirmation) Nov 1973 Nov 1976 Cmdt. APR Carstens Dec 1976 Dec 1979 Cmdt Reginald Otto SDx, SM, MMM LaterLtGen Later Chief of the South African Army Jan 1980 Nov 1981 Cmdt. FA Botha Dec 1981 Nov 1983 Cmdt. AJ van Niekerk Dec 1983 Nov 1986 Cmdt. HT Heinze December 1986 May 1989 Cmdt. AJ Kriel Jun 1989 Nov 1989 Cmdt. AJ van Jaarsveld Dec 1989 Dec 1993 Cmdt Chris Gildenhuys SM, MMM Later Brigadier General Later GOC South African Army Armoured Formation Jan 1994 unk Col. GM Louw HC, MMM == Regimental Sergeants Major == May 1933 Feb 1934 RSM J Whammond MC, DCM, MM Mar 1934 May 1934 RSM LJ van den Heever Jun 1934 May 1935 RSM BS Scheepers Jun 1935 Jun 1935 RSM SP Conje Sep 1936 Mar 1937 RSM CEG Brits Apr 1937 May 1940 RSM JO van Blommenstein Jun 1940 Jan 1943 RSM JW Hamilton Feb 1943 Aug 1946 WO1 S du Plessis MC Sep 1946 Oct 1951 WO1 WE Wocke Nov 1950 Sep 1953 WO1 S du Plessis MM Oct 1953 Dec 1965 WO1 WJ van der Merwe SM Jan 1966 Oct 1972 WO1 BJP Ehlers PMM Nov 1972 Sep 1976 WO1 MA Booyens PMM, MMM Oct 1976 Nov 1978 WO1 JP. O'Neill Dec 1978 Jan 1979 WO1 PH Rohrbeck PMM Feb 1979 Nov 1984 WO1 GDF van Baalen PMM, MMM Jun 1984 Nov 1988 WO1 IJ Prinsloo Dec 1988 Nov 1993 WO1 WF Snyman PMM, MMM Dec 1993 nd WO1 JAB van Zyl == Chaplains == Dec 1987 Dec 1988 Lt Heerden van Niekerk Reverend (Dominee) Dutch Reformed Church (af Nederduitse Gerformeerde Kerk) Alliances - 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards Battle honours List of South African Battle Honours ZAR List of Battle Honours for 1 SSB 1st Battalion, Special Service Battalion Italy_1944_45 Florence Gothic_Line Celleno The_Greve Po_Valley Kunene South_West_Africa_Angola_1975_1976 South_West_Africa_Angola_1976_1989 Cuito_Cuanaval Future Under Project Hoefyster the battalion is expected to receive Badger infantry fighting vehicles in missile and fire-support variants (see Equipment above). 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 SSB as the armoured car regiment of the Armoured Brigade (Free State) within the Mechanised Division (headquarters Wallmansthal), alongside 1 SA Tank Regiment and the paired reserve tank regiment (Pretoria Regiment / Regiment President Steyn), with 1 SAI as the brigade's mechanised infantry.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 See also South Africa South African Armoured Corps Notes 30em References 30em External links http://www.saarmourmuseum.co.za/ https://web.archive.org/web/20120623071421/http://www.saarmourmuseum.co.za/ 23 June 2012 SA Armour Museum Curator SA Armour Museum http://www.saarmourassociation.co.za/armoup-museum.aspx https://web.archive.org/web/20100206132220/http://www.saarmourassociation.co.za/armoup-museum.aspx 6 February 2010 SA Armour Association Museum http://www.dod.mil.za/news/news2007/nov2007/pages14_15.pdf Exercise Seboka https://web.archive.org/web/20110525022258/http://www.dod.mil.za/news/news2007/nov2007/pages14_15.pdf 25 May 2011 http://www.justdone.co.za/roh/main.php?page=List_People&UnitAbv=1SSB 1 SSB Roll of Honour https://web.archive.org/web/20141225092223/http://www.justdone.co.za/roh/main.php?page=List_People&UnitAbv=1SSB 25 December 2014 John Dovey Category:Armoured regiments of South Africa Category:Military units and formations established in 1933 Category:Military units and formations in Bloemfontein