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
Active3 September 1939 – July 1940
Country South Africa
Defence HeadquartersPretoria, Transvaal

South African Army – 3 September 1939 – July 1940

Defence Headquarters: Pretoria, Transvaal[2]

Cape Command

HQ The Castle, Cape Town, Cape Province

Eastern Province Command

HQ East London, Cape Province

  • A. Permanent Force[2]
    • 5th Heavy Battery, South African Permanent Garrison Artillery: East London
    • 6th Heavy Battery, South African Permanent Garrison Artillery: Port Elizabeth
  • B. Active Citizen Force[2]

Natal Command

HQ Durban, Natal

  • A. Permanent Force[2]
    • 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[2]

Orange Free State Command

HQ Bloemfontein, Orange Free State

Robert's Heights and Transvaal Command

HQ Robert's Heights, Transvaal

Witwatersrand Command

HQ Johannesburg, Transvaal

  • A. Active Citizen Force[2]
    • 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 Defence Rifle Associations (Commandos)
  • The Cape Defence Rifle Association[2]
  • 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

1st Reserve Brigade – Raised 29 February 1940
  • 1st Battalion (Transvaal) – Raised 29 February 1940 at Johannesburg[2]
  • 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[2]
  • 1st Mounted Brigade[2]
    • 1st Mounted Regiment – Formed at Pretoria
    • 2nd Mounted Regiment – Formed in the Transvaal
    • 3rd Mounted Regiment – Formed in the Transvaal
  • 2nd Mounted Brigade[2]
    • 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[2]
    • 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)
    • 2nd South African Infantry Brigade (Raised 13 May 1940 at Premier Mine)
    • 5th South African Infantry Brigade (Raised 16 June 1940 at Barberton)
      • 3rd Transvaal Scottish
      • 2nd Regiment Botha
      • 1st South African Irish Regiment 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)
    • 4th South African Infantry Brigade (Raised 17 June 1940 at Oribi Camp, Pietermaritzburg
    • 6th South African Infantry Brigade (Raised 17 June 1940 at Pietermaritzburg
  • 3rd South African Division (Raised 23 October 1940 at Pretoria)

See also

List of British Empire divisions in the Second World War

References
  1. "South African Army 1939 – 1940" (PDF). Archived from the original (pdf) on 24 August 2014. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
  2. "South African Army 1939 – 1940" (PDF). Archived from the original (pdf) on 24 August 2014. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
  1. South African Permanent Force and University of Cape Town Active Citizen Force
  2. Composite Battery of Cape Garrison Artillery and South African Permanent Garrison Artillery
  3. An Active Citizen Force unit with Permanent Force nucleus
  4. An Active Citizen Force unit with Permanent Force nucleus
  5. South African Permanent Force and University of Cape Town Active Citizen Force
  6. An Active Citizen Force unit with Permanent Force nucleus
  7. An Active Citizen Force unit with Permanent Force nucleus
  8. Less Detachments
  9. Including 1st, 2nd Field Batteries, South African Artillery absorbed. Diluted with Active Citizen Force
  10. Active Citizen Force with Permanent Force nucleus
  11. Replaced by The Umvoti Mounted Rifles
  12. Replaced The Pretoria Highlanders
  13. South of Nylstroom and west of the railway, excluding Vereeniging
  14. Replaced 8th Bde in Nov 1940
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