81 Armoured Brigade (South Africa)

81 Armoured Brigade was activated on 1 August 1974 but can trace its origins back to an older structure in the late 1960s, called 16 Brigade, under the control of Northern Transvaal Command. On 1 August 1974, through a reorganization of the Army's conventional force, the name was changed to 81 Armoured Brigade.[1]

Under this reorganisation, the following units were transferred to the new command:

• Regiment Northern Transvaal,
• Pretoria Regiment,
• South African Irish Regiment,
• Regiment Molopo,
• Natal Mounted Rifles,
• 2 Light Horse Regiment,
• 5 Forward Delivery Squadron,
• 17 Field Regiment/Regiment University of Pretoria,
• 15 Field Engineers Regiment,
• 20 Maintenance Unit,
• 32 Field Workshop,
• 81 Signal Unit,
• 81 Field Ambulance

Structure SADF 81 Armoured Brigade

81 Armoured Brigade resorted under the new 8 Division.

SADF era Brigade level Sergeant Major insignia

The Brigade's philosophy was to be up-armoured and highly mobile. All units in the Brigade irrelevant of their Corps was either to be armoured or mechanised. In light of this the Saracen armoured car was used for the last time by Regiment Northern Transvaal and the new Ratel Infantry Fighting Vehicle was introduced. Mechanised elements were also introduced to 17 Field Artillery where the Sexton, a 25-pounder artillery gun mounted on Sherman chassis was introduced. Mechanised infantry was a new concept in 1975, the biggest change being the increase in tempo and close proximity to armour in battle. In 1976, 40 command group members of Regiment Northern Transvaal underwent mechanised conversion training at 1 SAI. Pretoria Regiment was also busy converting at the same time to a modernised version of the Centurion Tank, the Oliphant at the School of Armour. 2 Light Horse, the Brigades armoured car regiment, was attached following Operation Savannah to service in South West Africa and therefore was not involved in the mechanisation program at that stage.

81 Armoured Brigade conducted its first training exercise at the General de Wet Training Range, Tempe, near Bloemfontein in September 1975 with Exercise Mainstay. Three combat groups were activated. Over a period of three months, the area was allocated from one combat group to the next.

• Alpha Combat Group: The Natal Mounted Rifles under command of Commandant Palframan commanded the first combat group.
• Bravo Combat Group: The second combat group was commanded by the Pretoria Regiment under command of Commandant Holztrager
• Charlie Combat Group: The Regiment Northern Transvaal controlled the third combat group. The General de Wet training range was quickly deemed too small for modern armoured mechanised exercises at Brigade level.

Because of the limitations of the General de Wet Range, a new Training Area was opened in the next year to accommodate large scale conventional war training, namely Army Battle School at Lohatla. The honour to use the new property for the first time rested with 81 Armoured Brigade, who conducted the following brigade exercises (Ex) over the next few years:[2]

• Ex Maremane 1 11 Oct 78 to 10 Nov 78
• Ex Blinkspies 1 26 Aug 79 to 21 Sep 79
• Ex Applause 4 2 Nov 80 to 3 Dec 80
• Ex Mamba 3 20 Aug 81 to 18 Sep 81
• Ex Eland 1 and 2 Apr to Jul 83
• Ex Octavo 24 Sep 86 to 22 Oct 86
• Ex Ferratus 18 Aug 87 to 9 Oct 87
• Ex Vlak Water 1 Sep 89 to 22 Sep 89
• Ex Linear 13 to 17 Oct 89
• Ex Manu Ferrea 13 Aug 90 to 7 Sep 90
• Ex Desert Fox 2 Apr 91 to 30 Apr 91

By 1984 various combat groups of 81 Armoured Brigade conducted operational service largely in the counter insurgency role. The most important of these was probably Combat Group Foxtrot. After retraining, combat groups left Lohatla for Oshivello and Ongiva under the command of the Joint Monitoring Commission. Some of these operations included:

• The Brigade's Regiment Northern Transvaal A and B companies supported 102 Battalion at Opuwa.
• The brigade acted as the "Force in Being" (Conventional Reserve Force) in 1984. Three Combat Groups were deployed in the Operational Area (Sector 10).
• From 15 July 1988 to 19 September 1988 The Brigade participated in a sub operation of Operation Prone namely Operation Pact. Under command of Brigadier Chris Serfontein, the OC of Sector 10, the entire Brigade under command of Colonel Jan Lusse was deployed in Owamboland as mobile reserve during the final phases of implementation of UN Resolution 435, which led to the independence of South West Africa/Namibia.[3]
• The Brigades sub-elements, Pretoria Regiment and Regiment Molopo was used in Operations Hooper and Moduler.

The climax of 81 Armoured Brigade was on 1 Aug 91 when the then Chief of the Army Lt Genl G.L. Meiring handed over National Colours to the following CF units of the Brigade (Unit Commanders and Regimental Sergeant Majors indicated):

• 17 Field Regiment Cmdt H.J. Bootha, WO1 A.B. Brink
• SA Irish Regiment Cmdt J.J. Joubert and WO1 R.L. Ohlsen
• 1 Regiment Northern Transvaal Cmdt T. Phillips and WO1 C.J. Waldeck
• Pretoria Regiment Cmdt C.W.F Grobler and WO1 C.F. Krugel
• 2 Light Horse Regiment Maj W.F. Hume and WO2 B.J. Brooks
• 15 Field Engineer Regiment Cmdt L. Maree and WO2 W.A. Du Plessis
• 81 Signal Unit Maj L. van Dyk and WO1 J.J.A. Coetzee
• 20 Maintenance Unit Cmdt A.D. Alberts and WO2 J.C.H Vorster
• 32 Field Workshop Cmdt A. Botha and WO1 J.J. Van Staden
• 5 Forward Delivery Squadron Capt A.K. Möller and Ssgt C.M. Vermaak (8 Division Troops)

WO1 Sampie Claasen of Northern Transvaal Command trained members for the parade which he did excellently. The Brigade was congratulated by Chief of the Army for a spectacular parade.

This was the final official act by 81 Armoured Brigade and the climax on a 17-year illustrious history.

With the independence of Namibia, the conventional threat dissipated and the SA Army Command began a process of rationalisation. Brigade headquarters were now focussed on counter-insurgency support to regional commands. SA Army Implementing Instruction 3/91 gave orders for the disbandment of 81 Armoured Brigade, which happened on 29 Nov 1991. The CF Units under command were reorganised as follows:

• SA Irish Regiment under command Northern Cape Command
• 1 Regiment Northern Transvaal under command of 8 SA Division
• Pretoria Regiment under command of 8 SA Division
• 2 Light Horse Regiment under command of 8 SA Division
• 17 Field Regiment amalgamate with Transvaal Staats Artillery
• 15 Field Engineer Regiment amalgamate with 10 Engineer Regiment
• 81 Signal Unit amalgamate with Northern Cape Command Signal Unit
• 20 Maintenance Unit amalgamate with 15 Maintenance Unit of 8 SA Division
• 32 Field Workshop under command of Army Battle School

• Brigadier F.E.C van den Berg 1974-1974
• Colonel P.J. Schalkwyk 1974-1978
• Colonel A.P.R. Carstens 1978-1978
• Commandant D. van H Nel 1978-1978 (Acting)
• Colonel J.C.J. Nel 1978-1981
• Colonel H.B. Smit 1981-1984
• Colonel W.G. Lombard 1984-1988
• Colonel J.F. Lusse 1988-1990
• Colonel P.Genis 1991 to 29 Nov 91 (brigade disbandment)

• WO2 P.W. Du Plessis (acting) 1 Aug 74 to 5 Feb 79
• WO1 C.F.A Rörbeck 6 Feb 79 to 7 Oct 79
• WO1 N.J.J. Vorster 8 Oct 79 to 10 Aug 84
• WO1 R.D. Oosterlaak 6 Aug 84 to 31 Aug 90
• WO1 H.A. Carstens (CF) 1 Sep 90 to 29 Nov 91 (brigade disbandment)