Vrede Commando

Vrede Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve.

Vrede Commando
Vrede Commando emblem
Country South Africa
Allegiance
Branch
TypeInfantry
RoleLight Infantry
SizeOne Battalion
Part ofSouth African Infantry Corps
Army Territorial Reserve
Garrison/HQVrede

History

With the Orange Free State Republic

This Commando was involved in the following:

  • The battle of Rietfontein[1] took place on 24 October 1899 between six commandos of the Free State Army commanded by General A Piet Cronje and a British Flying Column dispatched from Ladysmith under the command of Sir George White.

The Free State forces consisted of the following commandos:

With the UDF

By 1902 all Commando remnants were under British military control and disarmed.

By 1912, however previous Commando members could join shooting associations.

By 1940, such commandos were under control of the National Reserve of Volunteers.

These commandos were formally reactivated by 1948.

UDF era National Reserve of Volunteers shoulder tab

With the SADF

During this era the Commando was mainly tasked with area force protection, search and cordones as well as stock theft control to the rural police.

The unit resorted under the command of Group 24.

Disbandment

This unit, along with all other Commando units was disbanded after a decision by South African President Thabo Mbeki to disband all Commando Units.[2][3] The Commando system was phased out between 2003 and 2008 "because of the role it played in the apartheid era", according to the Minister of Safety and Security Charles Nqakula.[4]

Unit Insignia
SADF Vrede Commando insignia
SADF Vrede Commando insignia

Leadership
Leadership
From Honorary Colonels To
From Commanding Officers To
From Regimental Sergeants Major To

References
  1. "South African Military History Society - Journal - WITNESS TO RIETFONTEIN 24 October 1899 - Part One".
  2. Col L B van Stade, Senior Staff Officer Rationalisation, SANDF (1997). "Rationalisation in the SANDF: The Next Challenge". Institute for Security Studies. Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. "About the Commando system". Archived from the original on 6 December 2007. Retrieved 17 January 2008.
  4. de Lange, Deon. "South Africa: Commandos Were 'Hostile to New SA'". Cape Argus. Retrieved 5 March 2015.

See also


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