South African Army corps and branches
 | This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages)
|
The South African Army 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.
The SA Defence Act Amendment Act, No. 22 of 1922 re-organised the Permanent Force. From 1 February 1923 the Permanent Force consisted of:
- the SA Staff Corps,
- SA Instructional Corps,
- SA Naval Service,
- SA Field Artillery,
- 1st Regiment, SAMR
- SA Permanent Garrison Artillery,
- South African Engineer Corps,
- South African Air Force,
- SA Service Corps,
- SA Medical Corps,
- SA Ordnance Corps,
- SA Veterinary Corps
- SA Administrative, Pay and Clerical Corps.[1][2]
Currently active corps
Staff
- SA Staff Corps (SAStC) (formed 1923)
Artillery
- South African Artillery(SAA) (formed 1934)
- SA Anti-Aircraft (formed 1984)
Infantry
- SA Infantry Corps(established 1954)
Armour
- South African Armoured Corps(formed 1943) – included infantry until 1954
Engineers
- South African Engineer Corps(formed 1923)
Signals
Administration and Logistics
- Personnel Services Corps (formed 1975)
- Ordnance Services Corps (formed 1975)
- Technical Services Corps (formed 1939)
- SA Caterers Corps (formed 1969)
- SA Ammunition Corps (formed 1973)
- Corps of Professional Officers (formed 1975
- Finance Services Corps (formed 1979)
Military Police
- SA Corps of Military Police (formed 1938)
Intelligence
- SA Army Intelligence Corps (formed 1977)
Current & Defunct corps
Staff
Staff
- Permanent Force Staff (1912–23)
- SA Staff Corps (SAStC) (formed 1923)
- SA Instructional Corps (1923–54) – incorporated into SA Infantry Corps
Combat Services
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
- South African Artillery(SAA) (formed 1934)
- SA Anti-Aircraft (formed 1984)
Mounted Rifles
- SA Mounted Rifles (1913–26)
- Mounted Rifles Branch (Citizen Force) (1913–35) – incorporated into infantry
Dismounted Rifles
- Dismounted Rifles Branch (Citizen Force) (1913–29)
Infantry
- Infantry Branch (Citizen Force) (1913–43) – incorporated into SA Armoured Corps
- SA Infantry Corps(established 1954)
Armour
- SA Tank Corps (1940–43)
- South African Armoured Corps(formed 1943) – included infantry until 1954
Combat Support
Engineers
- SA Engineer Corps (1914–16)
- South African Engineer Corps (formed 1923)[3]
Signals
- Communication Branch (Citizen Force) (1913–23)
- SA Field Post and Telegraph Corps (1914–19)
- South African Corps of Signals (formed 1923)[4][a]
- South African Army Signal Formation[4][b]
- SA Military Pigeon Service (c. 1939–1945)
Supporting Services
Administration and Logistics
- SA Service Corps (1913–39) – incorporated into 'Q' Services Corps[6]
- SA Ordnance Corps (1923–39) – incorporated into 'Q' Services Corps[6]
- SA Corps of Mechanics (1939-39) - incorporated into 'Q' Services Corps
- 'Q' Services Corps (1939–49) – later Administrative Services Corps[7]
- Administrative Services Corps (1949–1975)[7]
- Army Postal Service (1940–45)
- Personnel Services Corps (formed 1975)
- Ordnance Services Corps (formed 1975)[c]
- Technical Services Corps (formed 1939)
- SA Caterers Corps (formed 1969)
- SA Ammunition Corps (formed 1973)
- Corps of Professional Officers (formed 1975)
Medical
- SA Medical Corps (1913–70) – incorporated into SA Medical Service
- SA Veterinary Corps (1913–46) – incorporated into SAMC
- SA Military Nursing Service (1914–70)
- SA Military Nursing Corps (1970–72) – incorporated into SAMS
Financial
- SA Administrative, Pay & Clerical Corps (1923–39) – incorporated into QSC
- SA Pay Corps (1940–45)
- Finance Services Corps (1972–75)
- Finance Services Corps (formed 1979)
Military Police
- SA Corps of Military Police (formed 1938)
Intelligence
- SA Intelligence Corps (1940–45)
- SA Army Intelligence Corps (formed 1977)
Chaplains
- SA Corps of Chaplains (1946–68) – incorporated into SA Chaplains Service
Science
- SA Corps of Scientists (1947–72)
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 (1977–98)
Special Services
- Special Service Corps (established 1964)
Music
- SA Corps of Bandsmen (established 1969)
"Non-European" Services
- South African Native Labour Corps (1915–19)
- Cape Corps (1940–50)
- Indian Service Corps (1940–42)
- Native Military Corps (1940–50)
- SA Cape Corps (1963-90s)
- SA Supporting Services Corps (1974-90s)
- SA Indian Corps (1975-90s)
Commandos
- Defence Rifle Associations (1913–49)
- Rifle Commandos (1949–58)
- Commandos (1958–2007)
See also
- List of Helmet and Shoulder Flashes and Hackles of South African Military Units
- List of badges of the South African Army
Notes
- ^ In 1940, the Signals Branch of the South African Army College moved from the College to Potchefstroom where it became the Signals Training Centre, this name being changed to School of Signals in 1944. The School of Signals again became a branch of the College in 1946 and, in January 1947, it was once more moved to Potchefstroom where it became a branch of the School of Artillery and Armour.[5]
- ^ In the late 1990s, the SA Department of Defence decided to group various environments together, elements, which it felt belonged together such as the environments of telecommunication, information technology (IT), registries, documentation services, libraries and electronic warfare, in other words, all forms of communication. This led to the establishment of the joint-service Command and Management Information Systems Division (CMIS Division) on 1 April 1999, its task being to deliver communications and info systems for the entire SANDF. The Corps of Signals left the command of the South African Army and was totally incorporated (personnel and all equipment) into the CMIS Division. On 28 March 2008, certain elements of CMIS Division migrated back to the various services. The South African Corps of Signals returned to the command of the South African Army as from 1 April 2008, to be known as the South African Army Signal Formation.
- ^ The role of the Ordnance Services Corps “is the effective acquisition, receipt, storing, safekeeping, preservation, maintenance, accounting, distribution and disposal of clothing, accommodation, ammunition, vehicles, fuel and spares within the Army. The OSC also delivers specialised services to the Army, which includes computer services, Air Supply and Nature Conservation."[8]
References
- ^ Lillie, A.C. (1982). "THE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN ARMY". South African Journal of Military Studies. 12 (2).
- ^ Orpen, Neil D. Appendix 1:THE UNION DEFENCE FORCE BEFORE 1933. HyperWar. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
- ^ van der Waag, Ian (December 2012). "The origin and establishment of the South African Engineer Corps (SAEC), 1918-1939". Journal for Contemporary History: Military History 1912-2012. 37 (2): 1–31. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-620-45345-5..
- ^ Neville Gomm, The South African Army College, Military History Journal - Vol 2 No 3, cited in Leon Engelbrecht, A guide to the SANDF - unpublished manuscript, 2007, Johannesburg (http://www.defenceweb.co.za/index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=138&func=select&id=4), p.65
- ^ ISBN 0-624-00849-5.
- ^ ISBN 0-624-00849-5.
- ^ Engelbrecht, Leon (2006). A guide to the SANDF - unpublished manuscript. Johannesburg.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)