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...

is divided into functional branches, known as corps. Most consist of units, but some, such as the SA Staff Corps, consist only of personnel who are assigned to headquarters and units. The following is a list of corps established since 1912; those which still exist are shown in bold.

Staff

• Permanent Force Staff (1912–23)
• SA Staff Corps (born 1923)
• SA Instructional Corps (1923–54) - incorporated into SA Infantry Corps

Artillery

• Field Artillery Branch (Citizen Force) (1913–34) - incorporated into SAA
• SA Field Artillery (1915–19)
• SA Heavy Artillery (1915–19)
• SA Field Artillery (1923–34) - incorporated into SA Artillery
• SA Permanent Garrison Artillery (1921–34) - incorporated into SAA
• SA Garrison Artillery (1913–34) - incorporated into SAA
• SA Artillery (born 1934)
• SA Anti-Aircraft (born 1984)

Mounted Rifles

• SA Mounted Riflemen (1913–26)
• Mounted Rifles Branch (Citizen Force) (1913–35) - incorporated into infantry

Infantry

• Infantry Branch (Citizen Force) (1913–43) - incorporated into SA Armoured Corps
• SA Infantry Corps
  South African Infantry Corps
  The South African Infantry Corps is the largest combat corps within the South African Army.The unit originated as the Infantry Branch of the Union Defence Forces in 1913....
  
  (born 1954)

Armour

• SA Tank Corps (1940–43)
• SA Armoured Corps (born 1943) - included infantry until 1954

Signals

• Communication Branch (Citizen Force) (1913–23)
• SA Field Post and Telegraph Corps (1914–19)
• SA Corps of Signals (born 1923)
• SA Military Pigeon Service (1939-?45)

Administration and Logistics

• SA Service Corps (1913–39) - incorporated into 'Q' Services Corps
• SA Ordnance Corps
  South African Ordnance Corps
  Between the two world wars, the supply and maintenance of all technical stores and equipment, including ammunition and guns, for the Union Defence Force, was the responsibility of the South African Ordnance Corps....
  
   (1923–39) - incorporated into 'Q' Services Corps
• SA Corps of Mechanics (1939-39) - incorporated into 'Q' Services Corps
• 'Q' Services Corps
  Q Services Corps (South Africa)
  The establishment of the 'Q' Services Corps as part of the South African Permanent Force was promulgated in the Government Gazette dated 10 November 1939.-Formation:...
  
   (1939–49) - later Administrative Services Corps
• Administrative Services Corps (1949–1975)
• Army Postal Service (1940–45)
• Personnel Services Corps (born 1975)
• Ordnance Services Corps (born 1975)
• Technical Services Corps (born 1939)
• SA Caterers Corps (born 1969)
• SA Ammunition Corps (born 1973)
• Corps of Professional Officers (born 1975)

Medical

• SA Medical Corps (1913–68) - incorporated into SA Medical Service
• SA Veterinary Corps (1913-??) - incorporated into SAMC
• SA Military Nursing Service (1914–72) - incorporated into SAMC

Financial

• SA Administrative, Pay & Clerical Corps (1923–39) - incorporated into QSC
• SA Pay Corps (1940–45)
• Finance Services Corps (1972–75)
• Finance Services Corps (born 1979)

Women's Services

• Women's Auxiliary Army Service (1940–47)
• Women's Auxiliary Military Police Corps (1942–46)
• Women's Defence Corps (1947–71)
• Civil Defence Corps (1971–77)
• SA Army Women's Corps (1977-??)

"Non-European" Services

• SA Native Labour Corps (1915–19)
• Cape Corps
  Cape Corps
  The Cape Corps and its predecessor units were the main military organizations in which the Coloured members of South Africa's population served.- 1781 - 1878 :...
  
   (1940–50)
• Indian Service Corps (1940–42)
• Native Military Corps (1940–50)
• SA Cape Corps
  Cape Corps
  The Cape Corps and its predecessor units were the main military organizations in which the Coloured members of South Africa's population served.- 1781 - 1878 :...
  
   (1963-90s)
• SA Supporting Services Corps (1974-90s)
• SA Indian Corps (1975-90s)

Commandos

• Defence Rifle Associations (1913–49)
• Rifle Commandos (1949–58)
• Commandos ('South African Commando System
  South African Commando System
  The South African Commando System is a voluntary, part-time force of the South African Army. but serves under the South African Police Service.-Mission:...
  
  ') (1958–2007)