De Mist Commando
De Mist Commando | |
---|---|
Active | 1984-2006 |
Country | South Africa |
Allegiance | |
Branch | |
Type | Infantry |
Role | Light Infantry |
Size | One Battalion |
Part of | South African Infantry Corps Army Territorial Reserve, Group 6 |
Garrison/HQ | Uitenhage |
Motto(s) | "Parati erimus" We will be ready |
De Mist Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve.
History[edit]
Origin[edit]
Town Guard[edit]
Commandos units in Uitenhage can be traced back to 1846 when a Town Guard was established.
Operations[edit]
With the SADF[edit]
The modern Uitenhage Commando was established at Uitenhage on 29 June 1973 and was later renamed to De Mist Commando on 7 November 1984. Uitenhage Commando is not to be confused with Uitenhage Regiment which was an industrial unit.
Reaction Force[edit]
In 1955, the unit became a fully counter insurgency battalion with reaction capability.
Under the SADF structure, this commando resorted under Group 6 as part of the Eastern Province Command.
With the SANDF[edit]
Disbandment[edit]
This unit, along with all other Commando units was disbanded after a decision by South African President Thabo Mbeki to disband all Commando Units.[1][2] The Commando system was phased out between 2003 and 2008 "because of the role it played in the apartheid era", according to the Minister of Safety and Security Charles Nqakula.[3]
Unit Insignia[edit]
The emblem of this commando was approved in 1973 and soon thereafter it received the freedom of the town of Despatch. The modified emblem was approved in 1986.
Leadership[edit]
From | Honorary Colonels | To |
From | Commanding Officers | To |
From | Regimental Sergeants Major | To |
References[edit]
- ^ Col L B van Stade, Senior Staff Officer Rationalisation, SANDF (1997). "Rationalisation in the SANDF: The Next Challenge". Institute for Security Studies. Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "About the Commando system". Archived from the original on 6 December 2007. Retrieved 17 January 2008.
- ^ de Lange, Deon. "South Africa: Commandos Were 'Hostile to New SA'". Cape Argus. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
See also[edit]