1 Special Service Battalion
Encyclopedia
1 Special Service Battalion (usually abbreviated to 1SSB) is an armour
ed 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)
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.
It will most likely be re-equipped with new Hoefyster armoured personnel carriers (Finnish Patria AMVs) in the near future.
form the Armoured Brigade of the new Mechanized Division to be formed under Army vision 2020.
Armour
Armour or armor is protective covering used to prevent damage from being inflicted to an object, individual or a vehicle through use of direct contact weapons or projectiles, usually during combat, or from damage caused by a potentially dangerous environment or action...
ed regiment
Regiment
A regiment is a major tactical military unit, composed of variable numbers of batteries, squadrons or battalions, commanded by a colonel or lieutenant colonel...
of the South African Army
South African Army
The South African Army is the army of South Africa, first formed after the Union of South Africa was created in 1910.The South African military evolved within the tradition of frontier warfare fought by commando forces, reinforced by the Afrikaners' historical distrust of large standing armies...
and only one of two such in its regular forces. The Regiment is based at Tempe near Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein
Bloemfontein is the capital city of the Free State Province of South Africa; and, as the judicial capital of the nation, one of South Africa's three national capitals – the other two being Cape Town, the legislative capital, and Pretoria, the administrative capital.Bloemfontein is popularly and...
.
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)
History
The Special Service BattalionSpecial Service Battalion
The Special Service Battalion is a South African military unit formed on 1 May 1933 under the patronage of Oswald Pirow, Minister of Defence...
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
South African 6th Armoured Division
The South African 6th Armoured Division was the first armoured division in the South African Army and was formed during World War II. Established in 1943, it was based on a nucleus of men from the former South African 1st Infantry Division who had returned to South Africa after the Second Battle...
, 1SSB took part in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, 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
South African Border War
The South African Border War, commonly referred to as the Angolan Bush War in South Africa, was a conflict that took place from 1966 to 1989 in South-West Africa and Angola between South Africa and its allied forces on the one side and the Angolan government, South-West Africa People's...
, serving in South-West Africa and Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
.
More recently, the unit also took part in Operation Boleas, which was a South African intervention in its neighbouring country of Lesotho
Lesotho
Lesotho , officially the Kingdom of Lesotho, is a landlocked country and enclave, surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. It is just over in size with a population of approximately 2,067,000. Its capital and largest city is Maseru. Lesotho is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. The name...
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.
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.
Regimental Symbols
- The cap badge is a spray of three proteaProteaProtea is both the botanical name and the English common name of a genus of flowering plants, sometimes also called sugarbushes.-Etymology:...
flowers, bound by a ribbon bearing the initials and motto. - Regimental mottoMottoA motto is a phrase meant to formally summarize the general motivation or intention of a social group or organization. A motto may be in any language, but Latin is the most used. The local language is usual in the mottoes of governments...
: 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
Battle honours
- ItalyItalyItaly , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
1944 - 1945 - FlorenceFlorenceFlorence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
- Gothic LineGothic LineThe Gothic Line formed Field Marshal Albert Kesselring's last major line of defence in the final stages of World War II along the summits of the Apennines during the fighting retreat of German forces in Italy against the Allied Armies in Italy commanded by General Sir Harold Alexander.Adolf Hitler...
- Celleno
- The Greve
- Po Valley
- KuneneKuneneKunene may refer to:*Kunene Region, in Namibia*Kunene River, in Angola and Namibia*Kenny Kunene, a South African Businessman*Mazisi Kunene, a South African poet and historian...
- 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.
- 7 May 1989 UFO Crash Retrieval assistance when South African Air Force shot UFO down in the Kalahari which eventually crashed in Botswana , and the UFO and 2 Aliens were flown to Wright Patterson Air Force Base on the 23rd of June 1989
Future
This unit will together with 1 SA Tank Regiment1 South African Tank Regiment
1 South African Tank Regiment is an armoured regiment of the South African Army, based at the Tempe military base in Bloemfontein as part of the SA Army Armour Formation....
form the Armoured Brigade of the new Mechanized Division to be formed under Army vision 2020.