1 Special Service Battalion

1 Special Service Battalion

Active	1 May 1933 – present
Country	South Africa
Branch	South African Army
Type	Armoured
Part of	South African Armoured Corps
Garrison/HQ	Tempe 29°05′0″S 26°11′0″E / 29.08333°S 26.18333°E / -29.08333; 26.18333Coordinates: 29°05′0″S 26°11′0″E / 29.08333°S 26.18333°E / -29.08333; 26.18333
Nickname(s)	1SSB (English) 1SDB (Afrikaans)
Motto(s)	Eendrag Maakt Mag (Unity is Strength)
Colors	Blue and Orange
Equipment	Ratel IFV Rooikat
Engagements	World War II South African Border War Operation Boleas
Commanders
Notable commanders	Lt Col George Brink Lt Col CEG (Papa) Britz Lt Col WHE Poole Lt Col HB Klopper Lt Col Bok Kriel Gen Jannie Geldenhys (Later Chief, SADF) Lt Col. W.R. Van Der Riet (Later Lt Gen)
Insignia
Cap Badge	A spray of three protea flowers, bound by a ribbon bearing the initials and motto
Beret Colour	Black
Armour Squadron emblems
Armour beret bar circa 1992

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.

It was previously known both as in English 1 Special Service Battalion, and in the Afrikaans Language as 1 Spesiale Diens Bataljon (1 SSB and 1 SDB).

History

Main article: Special Service Battalion

1 Special Service Battalion

1 Special Service Battalion

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.

1SSB also took part in the South African Border War, serving in South-West Africa and Angola.^[1]

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.

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.

1SSB also detached squadrons to various battlegroups in the South West African campaign

63 Mech Battlegroup to which 1 SSB detached

Officers Commanding

Lt. Col. GE Poole. DSO. May 1993 - Nov 1933
Lt. Col. P de Waal. Dec 1933 - Jan 1934
Lt. Col. WHE Poole. Feb 1934 - Apr 1935
Lt. Col. J Danie. May 1935 - Jan 1936
Maj. JR Wocke. Feb 1936 - Dec 1937
Lt. Col. HB Klopper. Jan 1938 - Sep 1939
Lt. Col. HP van Noorden. Oct 1939 - Dec 1939
Lt. Col. GCA van Dam. Jan 1940 - Jun 1940
Lt. Col. CEG (Papa) Brits. DSO. Jun 1940 - Aug 1946
Lt. Col. GN Nauhaus. OBE. Sep 1946 - May 1949
Maj. EE Fodred. MC. Jun 1949 - Aug 1949
Maj. PE Ferguson. MC. Sep 1949 - Jan 1951
Cmdt. CS Leisegang. DSO. Feb 1951 - Sep 1953
Cmdt. WR van der Riet. MC. W.R. Van Der Riet (Later Lt Gen W.R. Van Der Riet SSA SD MC). Oct 1953 - Dec 1960
Cmdt. S Hugo. SM. Jan 1961 - Jun 1963
Cmdt. JJ Wahl. MC. Jul 1963 - Oct 1964
Cmdt. JR Dutton. SSA. SD. Nov 1964 - Nov 1967
Cmdt. WH Matthews. SM. Dec 1967 - Nov 1968
Cmdt. MB Anderson. Dec 1968 - May 1969
Cmdt. WC Meyer. Apr 1969 - Sep 1972
Cmdt. PJ van Schalkwyk. Oct 1972 - Jul 1973
Maj. AJ Snyman (acting) Aug 1973 - Nov 1973
Cmdt. APR Carstens. Nov 1973 - Nov 1976
Cmdt. R Otto. Dec 1976 - Dec 1979
Cmdt. FA Botha. Jan 1980 - Nov 1981
Cmdt. AJ van Niekerk. Dec 1981 - Nov 1983
Cmdt. HT Heinze. Dec 1983 - Nov 1986
Cmdt. AJ Kriel. Jan 1980 - Nov 1981
Cmdt. AJ van Jaarsveld. Jun 1989 - Nov 1989
Cmdt. BC Gildenhuys. Dec 1989 - Dec 1993
Col. GM Louw. HC. MMM. Jan 1994 - unk

Regimental Sergeants Major

RSM J Whammond. MC. DCM. MM. May 1933 - Feb 1934
RSM LJ van den Heever. Mar 1934 - May 1934
RSM BS Scheepers. Jun 1934 - May 1935
RSM SP Conje. Jun 1935 - Aug 1936
RSM CEG Brits. Sep 1936 - Mar 1937
RSM JO van Blommenstein. Apr 1937 - May 1940
RSM JW Hamilton. Jun 1940 - Jan 1943
WO1 S du Plessis. MM. Feb 1943 - Aug 1946
WO1 WE Wocke. Sep 1946 - Oct 1951
WO1 s du PlLessis. MM. Nov 1950 - Sep 1953
WO1 WJ van der Merwe. SM. Oct 1953 - Dec 1965
WO1 BJP Ehlers. PMM. Jan 1966 - Oct 1972
WO1 MA Booyens. PMM. MMM. Nov 1972 - Sep 1976
WO1 JP. O'Neill. Oct 1976 - Nov 1978
WO1 PH Rohrbeck. PMM. Dec 1978 - Jan 1979
WO1 GD van Baalen. PMM. MMM. Feb 1979 - Nov 1984
WO1 IJ Prinsloo. Jun 1984 - Nov 1988
WO1 WF Snyman. PMM. MMM. Dec 1988 - Nov 1993
WO1 JAB van Zyl. Dec 1993 - unk

Equipment

pre 1995

Variant	Description	Comment	Image
Eland 60	South Africa	Mortar platform
Eland 90	South Africa	Fire support platform and assault gun

Current

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

Variant	Description	Comment
Rooikat 76	South Africa	76mm cannon
Ratel 90	South Africa	90mm cannon
Ratel ZT3	South Africa	antitank missile

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:

Missile (turreted Denel ZT3 Ingwe)
Fire Support (turreted 30mm cannon, but with more ammunition than the section vehicle)

Variant	Description	Comment	Image
Denel Badger various types	South Africa	Various armaments

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 :
Regimental deployment strength : 1,000 soldiers
Regimental honour roll : Soldiers who died during active combat duty and soldiers who died during training. See 1 SSB Roll of Honour
Regimental traditional contact meeting :Pantseraksie once a year

Honour Roll

Killed in Action

1975: Beechey, N.R. Cpl^[4]^:62
1978: Biggs, K.J. Tpr^[4]^:93
1979: Buys, P.S. Tpr^[4]^:186
1978: Castle, P.J. Lt^[4]^:201
1987: Cloete, J.J. Tpr^[4]^:225
1978: De Lange, H.W. Tpr^[4]^:316
1989-04-03: Els, C.P. Lt^[4]^:421
1986: Erasmus, A.H. L-Cpl^[4]^:433
1982: Fourie, H. Tpr^[4]^:468
1982: Kruger, O.P. L-Cpl^[4]^:752
1982: Kruger, P. L-Cpl^[4]^:753
1975: Le Roux, D.B. Tpr^[4]^:787
1978: Lesch, L.J. Tpr^[4]^:809
1983: Niemandt, D. Rfn^[4]^:1062
1987: Pretorius, J. Tpr^[4]^:1167
1987: Schutte, J.J.R. Tpr^[4]^:1276
1987: Smit, G.J. Tpr^[4]^:1308
1989: Van Der Merwe, A.D. Tpr^[4]^:1546
1989: Van Der Merwe, N.J. L-Cpl^[4]^:1558
1989: Van Heerden, van Z J. Tpr^[4]^:1477
1989: Van Wyk, W.A. L-Cpl^[4]^:1522

Other causes

1964: Agenbach, J.H.A. Sgt^[4]^:7
1988: Bannell, M.S. Tpr^[4]^:43
1973: Boshoff, D.P. Tpr^[4]^:123
1981: Botha, M.C. Tpr^[4]^:2013
1984: Brink, G. 2Lt^[4]^:154
1981: de Villiers, D.C. 2Lt^[4]^:2086
1984: Du Plessis, P.J. Cpl^[4]^:380
1975: Eybers, P.G. Tpr^[4]^:445
1981: Harty, M.R. Kav^[4]^:2015
1975: Lombaard, N. Tpr^[4]^:819
1989: Patterson, R.E. Tpr^[4]^:1115
1981: Raubenheimer, W.F. Kav^[4]^:2018
1981: Schoeman, J.M. Kav^[4]^:2019
1993: Scott, D.G. L-Cpl^[4]^:1280
1978: Smuts, W.S. Tpr^[4]^:1323

Unit shoulder flash circa 1992
Old SSB Beret Badge. Now replaced with SAAC and SAPK instead of SSB and SDB

Alliances

United Kingdom - 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards

Battle honours

Main article: List of South African 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.

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.

Notes

References

↑ Engelbrecht, Leon (1 March 2010). "Fact File: 1 Special Service Battalion". defenceweb.co.za. DefenceWeb. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
↑ Leon Engelbrecht. "SA Army horse shod by December? | defenceWeb". Archived from the original on 2015-03-28. Retrieved 2015-03-25.
↑ Natalie Greve. "Land Systems SA secures sights contract for Denel’s Badger". Archived from the original on 2015-03-28. Retrieved 2015-03-25.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Dovey, John. "SA Roll of Honour: 1 Special Service Battalion". justdone.co.za. Just Done Productions Publishing. Retrieved 4 November 2014.

External links

South African Army Units

Department of Defence, South African National Defence Force, South African Army

Joint Operations Division

Joint Tactical Headquarters	Nine Joint Operational Tactical HQs (one per province) (eg Joint Tactical HQ Limpopo)

Divisions and Brigades

Brigades	43 South African Brigade 44 Parachute Brigade 46 South African Brigade Special Forces Brigade

Armoured Formation (SAAAF)

Training	School of Armour

Tank	Regular 1 South African Tank Regiment Reserve Pretoria Regiment Natal Mounted Rifles Regiment President Steyn

Armoured Car	Regular 1 Special Service Battalion Reserve Umvoti Mounted Rifles Regiment Oranjerivier Regiment Mooirivier Light Horse Regiment

Infantry Formation (SAAIF)

Training	South African Infantry School

Parachute Infantry	Regular 44 Para 1 Para 44 Pathfinders 13 Signal Squadron 18 Light Regiment 44 Medical Task Group 101 Air Supply Unit SAOSC 44 Training Wing Parachute Packing Wing Reserve 2 Para 3 Para

Air Assault Infantry	Regular 6 SAI Reserve First City Regiment PAG

Seaborne Infantry	Regular 9 SAI Reserve Cape Town Rifles ("Duke's")

Light Infantry	Regular 21 SAI Reserve Rand Light Infantry Regiment Oos Rand Regiment Paul Kruger

Mechanised Infantry	Regular 1 SAI 8 SAI Reserve Regiment De La Rey Regiment Northern Transvaal Cape Town Highlanders Regiment Western Province Witwatersrand Rifles

Motorised Infantry	Regular 2 SAI 4 SAI 5 SAI 7 SAI 10 SAI 14 SAI 15 SAI 121 SAI Reserve Regiment Botha Regiment Christiaan Beyers Johannesburg Regiment South African Irish Transvaal Scottish Tshwane Regiment Buffalo Volunteer Regiment Durban Regiment Durban Light Infantry Kimberly Regiment Natal Carbineers Regiment Bloemspruit Regiment Piet Retief

Artillery Formation

Training	School of Artillery (South Africa)

Regular	HQ 4 Artillery Regiment Artillery Mobilisation Regiment

Reserve	Cape Field Artillery Natal Field Artillery Transvaal Horse Artillery Regiment Potchefstroom Universiteit Transvaalse Staatsartillerie Vrystaatse Artillerie Regiment Pretoria Highlanders 18 Light Regiment

Air Defence Artillery Formation

Training	School of Air Defence Artillery (South Africa)

Regular	HQ 6th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment 10th Anti-Aircraft Regiment 44 Parachute Anti-Aircraft Regiment

Reserve	Cape Garrison Artillery Regiment Vaalriver Regiment Oos Transvaal 7th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (1969–97) Regiment Overvaal

Engineer Formation (SAAEF)

Training	South African Army Engineer School

Regular	HQ 2 Field Regiment 35 Support Regiment 1 Construction Regiment Engineer Terrain Intelligence Unit

Reserve	3 Field Regiment 19 Field Regiment 44 Para Engineer Regiment

Training Formation

3 SAI (Training Depot)
SAACTC
Army Gym
Army College
Military Academy

Support Formation

Army Support Bases (Eastern Cape, Johannesburg, Kimberley, KZN, Limpopo, Potcheftstroom, Western Cape, Mpumalanga)
Mobilisation Centre
Main Ordnance Depot
National Ceremonial Guard
15 Maint Unit
Other Maintenance Units
37 Field Workshop SAOSC
Other Field Workshops

Signals Formation

Regular	1 Sig Regt 2 Sig Regt 3 Sig Regt 4 Sig Regt 5 Sig Regt

Reserve	6 Signal Regt 7 Signal Group 11 Field Postal Unit 71 Sigs Unit 84 Sigs Unit

Disbanded Units

Commands	Eastern Province Command (Port Elizabeth) Natal Command Northern Transvaal Command Northern Cape Command Orange Free State Command (Bloemfontein) Western Province Command (Cape Town) West Transvaal Command Witwatersrand Command (Johannesburg) Far North Command

Corps	I South African Corps

Divisions	1st South African Infantry Division 2nd South African Division 6th South African Armoured Division 7th South African Infantry Division 8th South African Armoured Division 9 South African Division 10 South African Division (Operation Prone)

Brigades	16 Brigade 17 Brigade 18 Brigade 19 Brigade 20 Brigade 60 Brigade 71 Motorised Brigade 72 Motorised Brigade 73 Motorised Brigade 74 Brigade 75 Brigade 81 Armoured Brigade 82 Mechanised Brigade 83 Brigade 84 Motorised Brigade 10 Artillery Brigade Other brigades

Battlegroups	61 Mech 62 Mech 63 Mech

SWATF	Regular Infantry Battalions 31/201 Battalion 33/701 Battalion 34/202 Battalion 35/101 Battalion 301 Battalion 36/203 Battalion 37/102 Battalion 41/911 Battalion/Regiment Windhoek 912 Battalion/Regiment Erongo 913 Battalion/Regiment Namutoni Modular Infantry Battalions 51 Battalion 52 Battalion 53 Battalion 54 Battalion 55 Battalion SWATF Brigade 91 Reaction Force Brigade Support Structures Logistics Brigade SWA Mil School Special Forces 1 SWA Specialist Unit 2 SWA Specialist Unit 1 SWA Parachute Battalion Air Component 1 SWA Commando Squadron

Other	32 Battalion SSB 2 Special Service Battalion 11 SAI 12 SAI 13 SAI Cape Corps RPN Regiment Skoonspruit 111 Battalion 112 Battalion 113 Battalion 115 Battalion 116 Battalion 117 Battalion 121 Battalion 151 Battalion

Military Areas	Walvis Bay Military Area Soutpansberg Military Area

Commando System	South African Commando System

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1 Special Service Battalion

History

Officers Commanding

Regimental Sergeants Major

Equipment

pre 1995

Current

Future

Regimental symbols

Honour Roll

Killed in Action

Other causes

Alliances

Battle honours

Future

See also

Notes

References

External links