Regiment President Steyn
Encyclopedia
Regiment President Steyn is an armour
ed regiment
of the South African Army
. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Territorial Army or United States
Army National Guard
unit. The Regiment was named after Martinus Theunis Steyn
, the last President of the Orange Free State Republic
and is stationed in the city of Bloemfontein
(where it has the freedom of the city
). It is part of the South African Army Armour Formation.
regiment in Bloemfontein and its surrounding districts in the Orange Free State on 1 April 1934.
Lieutenant-Colonel McHardy was the Regiment's first Commanding Officer; mobilisation for World War II
took place on the 5 June 1940. In order to increase the strength of the regiment, volunteers from the De Wet
and Louw Wepener
regiments and the Orange Free State Field Artillery
(O.V.S. Veld Artillerie in Afrikaans) were transferred to it.
The Regiment arrived in Egypt
in June 1941, as the Machine Gun Battalion of the South African 1st Infantry Division
. The regiment saw a lot of action in the north Africa
n desert, most notably at Sidi Rezegh, where its 3rd Company
went into action with 4 officers, 117 other ranks and 25 "natives", of whom only 1 officer, 44 other ranks and 9 "natives" survived.
At the end of 1941 the regiment was made part of the 5th South African Infantry Brigade. In March of the same year additional personnel was received from the 3rd battalion
of the Transvaal Scottish Regiment
and in April Lieutenant-Colonel W. P. Minnaar succeeded McHardy as its commanding officer. Minnaar commanded the regiment during the El Alamein
fighting in June. In January of 1943 the unit was sent back to the then-Union of South Africa
and placed under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel A. S. Nel, who became the commanding officer of the amalgamated Regiment Botha
/President Steyn in August of the same year.
The unit was later converted to an armoured car regiment.
From 1960 to 1966, RPS was called Regiment Bloemfontein.
In 1975 the regiment converted from armoured cars to tanks and eventually formed part of the South African Army's 82 Mechanized Brigade. What was later to become Regiment Vrystaat was formed in the same year as the second battalion of Regiment President Steyn. The regiment saw service during the South African Border War
(as infantry
). Its first active duty as a tank unit was when two squadrons took part in Operation Packer
in March 1988.
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...
. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Territorial Army or United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Army National Guard
Army National Guard
Established under Title 10 and Title 32 of the U.S. Code, the Army National Guard is part of the National Guard and is divided up into subordinate units stationed in each of the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia operating under their respective governors...
unit. The Regiment was named after Martinus Theunis Steyn
Martinus Theunis Steyn
Martinus Theunis Steyn was a South African lawyer, politician, and statesman, sixth and last president of the independent Orange Free State from 1896 to 1902....
, the last President of the Orange Free State Republic
Orange Free State
The Orange Free State was an independent Boer republic in southern Africa during the second half of the 19th century, and later a British colony and a province of the Union of South Africa. It is the historical precursor to the present-day Free State province...
and is stationed in the city of 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...
(where it has the freedom of the city
Freedom of the City
Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Rhodesia to esteemed members of its community and to organisations to be honoured, often for service to the community;...
). It is part of the South African Army Armour Formation.
History
The Regiment was raised as a machine gunMachine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
regiment in Bloemfontein and its surrounding districts in the Orange Free State on 1 April 1934.
Lieutenant-Colonel McHardy was the Regiment's first Commanding Officer; mobilisation for 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...
took place on the 5 June 1940. In order to increase the strength of the regiment, volunteers from the De Wet
Christiaan De Wet
Christiaan Rudolf de Wet was a Boer general, rebel leader and politician.He was born on the Leeuwkop farm, in the district of Smithfield in the Boer Republic of the Orange Free State...
and Louw Wepener
Louw Wepener
Louw Wepener was a military leader in the Orange Free State who was killed during the Second Orange Free State-Basuto War at Thaba Bosiu, while trying to storm the mountain stronghold of Moshoeshoe I, founder of the Basotho nation. Wepener was killed in what was to be the last attack on Thaba...
regiments and the Orange Free State Field Artillery
Vrystaatse Artillerie Regiment
The Vrystaatse Artillerie Regiment is an artillery regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Territorial Army or United States Army National Guard unit. It is part of the South African Army Artillery Formation.-History:In 1854...
(O.V.S. Veld Artillerie in Afrikaans) were transferred to it.
The Regiment arrived in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
in June 1941, as the Machine Gun Battalion of the South African 1st Infantry Division
South African 1st Infantry Division
The South African 1st Infantry Division was an infantry division of the army of the Union of South Africa. The Division served in East Africa from 1940 to 1941 and in the Western Desert Campaign from 1941 to 1942. The Division was disbanded on 1 January 1943, for conversion into what would become...
. The regiment saw a lot of action in the north Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
n desert, most notably at Sidi Rezegh, where its 3rd Company
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
went into action with 4 officers, 117 other ranks and 25 "natives", of whom only 1 officer, 44 other ranks and 9 "natives" survived.
At the end of 1941 the regiment was made part of the 5th South African Infantry Brigade. In March of the same year additional personnel was received from the 3rd battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
of the Transvaal Scottish Regiment
Transvaal Scottish Regiment
The Transvaal Scottish Regiment is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Territorial Army or United States Army National Guard unit.-History:...
and in April Lieutenant-Colonel W. P. Minnaar succeeded McHardy as its commanding officer. Minnaar commanded the regiment during the El Alamein
El Alamein
El Alamein is a town in the northern Matrouh Governorate of Egypt. Located on the Mediterranean Sea, it lies west of Alexandria and northwest of Cairo. As of 2007, it has a local population of 7,397 inhabitants.- Climate :...
fighting in June. In January of 1943 the unit was sent back to the then-Union of South Africa
Union of South Africa
The Union of South Africa is the historic predecessor to the present-day Republic of South Africa. It came into being on 31 May 1910 with the unification of the previously separate colonies of the Cape, Natal, Transvaal and the Orange Free State...
and placed under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel A. S. Nel, who became the commanding officer of the amalgamated Regiment Botha
Regiment Botha
Regiment Botha is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Territorial Army or United States Army National Guard unit...
/President Steyn in August of the same year.
The unit was later converted to an armoured car regiment.
From 1960 to 1966, RPS was called Regiment Bloemfontein.
In 1975 the regiment converted from armoured cars to tanks and eventually formed part of the South African Army's 82 Mechanized Brigade. What was later to become Regiment Vrystaat was formed in the same year as the second battalion of Regiment President Steyn. The regiment saw service during 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...
(as infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
). Its first active duty as a tank unit was when two squadrons took part in Operation Packer
Operation Packer
Operation Packer was a military operation by the South African Defence Force during the South African Border War and Angolan Civil War. This operation forms part of what became known as the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale....
in March 1988.
Regimental Symbols
- Regimental Colour: The badge is a VickersVickersVickers was a famous name in British engineering that existed through many companies from 1828 until 1999.-Early history:Vickers was formed in Sheffield as a steel foundry by the miller Edward Vickers and his father-in-law George Naylor in 1828. Naylor was a partner in the foundry Naylor &...
machine gun with the arms of the late President Steyn and Floreat above it and the title and Bloemfontein below. The flash is yellow above white with black as the lowest panel, and a black triangle on the centre white.
Battle honours
- East AfricaEast AfricaEast Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
1940 - 1941 - Western Desert 1941 - 1943
- Sidi Rezegh
- GazalaBattle of GazalaThe Battle of Gazala was an important battle of the Second World War Western Desert Campaign, fought around the port of Tobruk in Libya from 26 May-21 June 1942...
- Alamein Defence
- El Alamein