Regiment_University_of_Cape_Town Knowpia

Regiment University of Cape Town
Regiment University of Cape Town
	SADF Regiment University of Cape Town emblem
Active	1958 to 1968
Country	South Africa
Allegiance	Republic of South Africa;
Branch	South African Army;
Type	Reserve Anti-Aircraft
Part of	South African Army Artillery Formation; Army Conventional Reserve
Garrison/HQ	Wingfield
Artillery Battery Emblems
Artillery Beret Bar circa 1992

Regiment University of Cape Town was an artillery regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it had a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Army Reserve or United States Army National Guard unit. It was part of the South African Army Artillery Corps.

History edit

By the 1950s, South Africa dedicated military units to each large university. The University of Cape Town was issued an anti-aircraft regiment transferred from the SA Marine Corps and composed of 51, 52 and 54 batteries known up to then as 4 Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment.^[1]

The idea was for students to honour their obligatory military training in such units. Training would also be organised so as not to disproportionately affect university work.

The Regiment's first deployment was during a State of Emergency in March and April 1960 where it was utilised as infantry outside townships around the Cape Peninsula.

Early in the 1960s,the Regiment moved from Youngsfield to its new headquarters at Wingfield.

Training edit

Until 1967, annual training lasted three weeks and was held at Eerste River while seaward gunnery practices were held at Strandfontein.

Equipment edit

The Regiment used the standard 3.7 inch gun was replaced by a 35mm anti-aircraft gun requiring a conversion camp was held in December 1969. A second conversion camp was held at Wingfield from 5–25 October 1973.