South African Army order of battle 1940

This page details the South African Army order of battle in 1940, before and after the formation of expeditionary forces.

South African Army – 3 September 1939 – July 1940

Defence Headquarters: Pretoria, Transvaal

Cape Command

HQ The Castle, Cape Town, Cape Province

• A. Permanent Force
• Cape Detachment, The Special Service Battalion: Cape Town
• No. 1 Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battery: Bamboevlei, Wynberg
• The Coast Artillery Brigade: HQ, The Castle, Cape Town
• 2 Sections of Cape Garrison Artillery designated as Engineers and Signals: Cape Town
• 1st Heavy Battery: Cape Town (Wynard Battery): Table Bay
• 2nd Heavy Battery: Simonstown (Queen's Battery): Simonstown
• 1st Medium Battery: Cape Town
• 2nd Medium Battery: Cape Town
• No. 1 Armoured Train: Cape Town
• The Cape Field Artillery (Prince Albert's Own): Cape Town
• B. Active Citizen Force
• 3rd Infantry Brigade: HQ Cape Town
• The Duke of Edinburgh's Own Rifles: Cape Town
• The Cape Town Highlanders (The Duke of Connaught and Strathearn's Own): Cape Town
• The Kimberley Regiment: Kimberley
• 3rd Field Company, South African Engineer Corps: Cape Town
• 8th Infantry Brigade: HQ Oudtshoorn
• Regiment Westelike Provinsie: Stellenbosch
• Regiment Suid-Westelike Distrikte: Oudtshoorn
• Die Middellandse Regiment: Graff-Reinet
• 8th Field Company, South African Engineer Corps: Cape Town

Eastern Province Command

HQ East London, Cape Province

• A. Permanent Force
• 5th Heavy Battery, South African Permanent Garrison Artillery: East London
• 6th Heavy Battery, South African Permanent Garrison Artillery: Port Elizabeth
• B. Active Citizen Force
• 2nd Infantry Brigade: HQ Port Elizabeth
• The Prince Alfred's Guard: Port Elizabeth
• The Kaffrarian Rifles: East London
• The First City: Grahamstown
• 2nd Field Company, South African Engineer Corps: Uitenhage
• Die Middellandse Regiment (See 8th Infantry Brigade)

Natal Command

HQ Durban, Natal

• A. Permanent Force
• Royal Durban Light Infantry Company, The Special Service Battalion: Durban
• 3rd Heavy Battery, South African Permanent Garrison Artillery: Durban Beach
• 4th Heavy Battery, South African Permanent Garrison Artillery: The Bluff, Durban
• B. Active Citizen Force
• The Natal Field Artillery: Durban
• 'A', 'B' Batteries: Durban
• 'C' Battery: Pietermaritzburg
• 1st Infantry Brigade (South Africa): HQ Pietermaritzburg
• 1st Royal Natal Carabineers: Pietermaritzburg
• 2nd Royal Natal Carabineers: Ladysmith
• The Umvoti Mounted Rifles: Greytown
• 1st Field Company, South African Engineer Corps: Durban
• 7th Infantry Brigade: HQ Durban
• The Natal Mounted Rifles: Durban
• 1st, 2nd Royal Durban Light Infantry: Durban
• 7th Field Company, South African Engineer Corps: Durban

Orange Free State Command

HQ Bloemfontein, Orange Free State

• A. Permanent Force
• The Pioneer Battalion: Bloemfontein
• B. Active Citizen Force
• The Oranje Vry Staat Veldartillerie
• 1ste Batterie: Tempe
• 2de Batterie: Bethlehem
• 4th Infantry Brigade: HQ Bloemfontein
• Regiment de Wet: Kroonstad
• Regiment Louw Wepner: Ladybrand
• Regiment President Steyn: Bloemfontein
• 4th Field Company, South African Engineer Corps: Bloemfontein
• The Kimberley Regiment (See 3rd Infantry Brigade)

Robert's Heights and Transvaal Command

HQ Robert's Heights, Transvaal

• A. Permanent Force
• The Special Service Battalion: Robert's Heights
• The Artillery School: Robert's Heights
• The Artillery Depot: Robert's Heights
• No. 2 Armoured Train, South African Permanent Garrison Artillery: Robert's Heights
• B. Active Citizen Force
• 1st Field Survey Company, South African Engineer Corps: Robert's Heights
• 6th Infantry Brigade (HQ Pretoria)
• 1st, 2nd Pretoria Regiment (Princess Alice's Own): Pretoria
• Regiment De la Rey: Rustenburg
• 6th Field Company, South African Engineer Corps: Pretoria

Witwatersrand Command

HQ Johannesburg, Transvaal

• A. Active Citizen Force
• The Transvaal Horse Artillery (A, B Batteries): Johannesburg
• 5th Infantry Brigade: HQ Johannesburg
• The Imperial Light Horse: Johannesburg
• 1st, 2nd Transvaal Scottish: Johannesburg
• 5th Field Company, South African Engineer Corps: Johannesburg
• 9th Infantry Brigade: HQ Johannesburg
• The Witwatersrand Rifles: Johannesburg
• The Rand Light Infantry: Johannesburg
• Regiment Botha: Morgenson
• 9th Field Company, South African Engineer Corps: Johannesburg

The Defence Rifle Associations (Commandos)

• The Cape Defence Rifle Association
• The Transvaal Defence Rifle Association
• The Natal Defence Rifle Association
• The Orange Free State Defence Rifle Association

South African Army 1939–40

Active Citizen Force Infantry Battalions and Brigades 1940

• March 1940 – Intended Organization (HQ & Recruiting Areas)
• 1st South African Infantry Brigade
• 1st Royal Natal Carabineers – Pietermaritzburg
• 1st Duke of Edinburgh's Rifles – Cape Town
• 1st Transvaal Scottish – Johannesburg
• 2nd South African Infantry Brigade
• 1st Field Force Battalion – Ladysmith
• 2nd Field Force Battalion – Ladysmith
• 1st Natal Mounted Rifles – Durban
• 3rd South African Infantry Brigade
• 1st Imperial Light Horse – Johannesburg
• 1st Royal Durban Light Infantry – Durban
• 1st Rand Light Infantry – Johannesburg
• 4th South African Infantry Brigade
• 2nd Royal Durban Light Infantry – Durban
• 2nd Natal Mounted Rifles – Greytown
• The Kaffrarian Rifles – East London
• 5th South African Infantry Brigade
• 2nd Regiment Botha – North of Nylstroom
• 3rd Transvaal Scottish – Benoni
• 1st South African Irish – Johannesburg
• 6th South African Infantry Brigade
• 1st South African Police – Pretoria
• 2nd South African Police – Pretoria
• 2nd Transvaal Scottish – Johannesburg
• 7th South African Infantry Brigade
• The Pretoria Highlanders – Pretoria
• 1st Pretoria Regiment – Pretoria
• The First City – Grahamstown
• 8th South African Infantry Brigade
• Regiment De la Rey
• 1st Witwatersrand Rifles – Johannesburg
• The Cape Town Highlanders – Cape Town
• 9th South African Infantry Brigade
• The Prince Alfred's Guard – Port Elizabeth
• Regiment President Steyn – Bloemfontein
• Regiment Westelike Provinsie – Stellenbosch
• 10th South African Infantry Brigade
• The Kimberley Regiment- Kimberley
• Regiment South Westelike Distrike – George
• 1st Regiment Botha – South of Nylstroom
• 11th South African Infantry Brigade
• 2nd Witwatersrand Rifles – Springs
• 1st South-West African Infantry Battalion – Windhoek
• Die Middelandse Regiment – Graff-Reinet
• 12th South African Infantry Brigade
• 2nd Royal Natal Carabineers – Ladysmith
• 2nd Pretoria Regiment – Pretoria
• 2nd Rand Light Infantry – Krugersdorp
• Others
• Regiment de Wet – Kroonstaad
• Regiment Louw Wepner – Ladybrand
• 2nd Natal Mounted Rifles – Greytown
• 2nd Imperial Light Horse – Johannesburg

1st Reserve Brigade – Raised 29 February 1940

• 1st Battalion (Transvaal) – Raised 29 February 1940 at Johannesburg
• 2nd Battalion (The Cape Peninsular Rifles) – Raised 29 February 1940 at Cape Town
• 3rd Battalion (The Natal Scottish) – Raised 29 February 1940 at Durban
• 4th Battalion (The Witwatersrand Rifles) – Raised 29 February 1940
• 5th Battalion (Eastern Province) – Raised 29 February 1940
• 6th Battalion (Transvaal) – Raised 29 February 1940
• 7th Battalion (Orange Free State and Kimberly) – Raised 1941
• 8th Battalion (Transvaal) – Raised 1941
• 9th Battalion – Raised 1943
• 10th Battalion – Raised 1943
• 11th Battalion – Raised 1943
• 12th Battalion – Raised 1943

1st Mounted Command Division 10 June 1940 – Piet Retief

• 1st Field Squadron, SAEC
• 1st Mounted Brigade
• 1st Mounted Regiment – Formed at Pretoria
• 2nd Mounted Regiment – Formed in the Transvaal
• 3rd Mounted Regiment – Formed in the Transvaal
• 2nd Mounted Brigade
• 4th Mounted Regiment – Formed in Orange Free State
• 5th Mounted Regiment – Formed in Natal
• 6th Mounted Regiment – Formed at the Castle, Cape Town, Cape Province

The Mobilization of the South African Mobile Field Force – 1940

• 1st South African Division – Raised 13 August 1940 at Robert's Heights
• 3rd Field Brigade, SAA (Transvaal Horse Artillery)
• 4th Field Brigade, SAA
• 7th Field Brigade, SAA
• 1st Anti-Tank Brigade, SAA
• 1st, 5th, 12th Field Companies, SAEC
• 19th Divisional Field Park Company, SAEC
• 1st South African Infantry Brigade (Raised 13 May 1940 at Kafferskraal)
• 1st Royal Natal Carabineers
• The Duke of Edinburgh's Own Rifles
• 1st Transvaal Scottish
• 2nd South African Infantry Brigade (Raised 13 May 1940 at Premier Mine)
• 1st, 2nd Field Force Battalions
• 1st Natal Mounted Rifles
• 5th South African Infantry Brigade (Raised 16 June 1940 at Barberton)
• 3rd Transvaal Scottish
• 2nd Regiment Botha
• 1st South African Irish Regiment
• 2nd South African Division (Raised 23 October 1940)
• 1st Field Brigade, SAA (Cape Field Artillery (Prince Alfred's Own))
• 2nd Field Brigade, SAA (Natal Field Artillery)
• 5th Light Field Brigade, SAA
• 2nd Anti-Tank Brigade, SAA
• 2nd, 4th, 10th Field Companies, SAEC
• 20th Divisional Field Park Company, SAEC
• 3rd South African Infantry Brigade (Raised 8 June 1940 at Zonderwater)
• 1st Imperial Light Horse
• 1st Royal Durban Light Infantry
• 1st Rand Light Infantry
• 4th South African Infantry Brigade (Raised 17 June 1940 at Oribi Camp, Pietermaritzburg
• 2nd Natal Mounted Rifles (Until October 1940)
• 2nd Royal Durban Light Infantry
• The Kaffrarian Rifles
• The Umvoti Mounted Rifles (From October 1940)
• 6th South African Infantry Brigade (Raised 17 June 1940 at Pietermaritzburg
• 1st Pretoria Highlanders (Until November 1940)
• 1st, 2nd South African Police
• 2nd Transvaal Scottish (From 21 November 1940)
• 3rd South African Division (Raised 23 October 1940 at Pretoria)
• 6th Light Field Brigade, SAA
• 8th, 9th, 10th Field Companies, SAEC
• 17th Divisional Field Park Company, SAEC
• 7th South African Infantry Brigade (Raised 11 July 1940 at Premier Mine)
• 1st Pretoria Regiment
• 1st Witwatersrand Rifles
• Regiment De la Rey
• 8th South African Infantry Brigade (Raised 1 July 1940 in East London. Disbanded November 1940.)
• The Cape Town Highlanders
• The First City
• Prince Alfred's Guard
• 9th South African Infantry Brigade (Raised 15 July 1940 at Premier Mine)
• Regiment President Steyn (Until 22/11/40)
• Die Middelandse Regiment
• Regiment Westelike Provinsie (Until 1 September 1940)
• 2nd Pretoria Regiment (From Sep 1940 to Oct 1940)
• 2nd Transvaal Scottish (From 4 Sep 1940 to 21 Nov 1940)
• 2nd Royal Natal Carabineers (From 9 Sep 1940 to 3 Oct 1940)
• 1st Regiment Botha (From Sep 1940 to Nov 1940)
• 1st Pretoria Highlanders (From Nov 1940)
• The Cape Town Highlanders (From 6 Nov 1940)
• 2nd Natal Mounted Rifles (From 23 Nov 1940)
• 10th South African Infantry Brigade (Raised July 1940.)
• The Kimberley Regiment
• 2nd Witwatersrand Rifles
• The First City Regiment
• 11th South African Infantry Brigade (Raised July 1940. Disbanded October 1940.)
• 2nd Witwatersrand Rifles
• 1st South-West African Infantry Battalion
• 2nd Imperial Light Horse
• 12th South African Infantry Brigade (Raised July 1940. Disbanded September 1940.)
• 2nd Royal Natal Carabineers
• 2nd Pretoria Regiment
• 2nd Rand Light Infantry

See also

• List of British Empire divisions in the Second World War
• List of Helmet and Shoulder Flashes and Hackles of South African Military Units

Notes

References