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South African Army corps and branches

Summary

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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:


Currently active corps edit

Staff edit

  • SA Staff Corps (SAStC) (formed 1923)

Artillery edit

Infantry edit

Armour edit

Engineers edit

Signals edit

Administration and Logistics edit

  • 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 edit

  • SA Corps of Military Police (formed 1938)

Intelligence edit

  • SA Army Intelligence Corps (formed 1977)


Current & Defunct corps edit

Staff edit

Staff edit

  • Permanent Force Staff (1912–23)
  • SA Staff Corps (SAStC) (formed 1923)
  • SA Instructional Corps (1923–54) – incorporated into SA Infantry Corps

Combat Services edit

Artillery edit

  • 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 edit

  • SA Mounted Rifles (1913–26)
  • Mounted Rifles Branch (Citizen Force) (1913–35) – incorporated into infantry

Dismounted Rifles edit

  • Dismounted Rifles Branch (Citizen Force) (1913–29)

Infantry edit

  • Infantry Branch (Citizen Force) (1913–43) – incorporated into SA Armoured Corps
  • SA Infantry Corps (established 1954)

Armour edit

Combat Support edit

Engineers edit

Signals edit

  • SA Military Pigeon Service (c. 1939–1945)

Supporting Services edit

Administration and Logistics edit

  • 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 edit

  • 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 edit

  • 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 edit

  • SA Corps of Military Police (formed 1938)

Intelligence edit

  • SA Intelligence Corps (1940–45)
  • SA Army Intelligence Corps (formed 1977)

Chaplains edit

  • SA Corps of Chaplains (1946–68) – incorporated into SA Chaplains Service

Science edit

  • SA Corps of Scientists (1947–72)

Women's Services edit

  • 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 edit

  • Special Service Corps (established 1964)

Music edit

  • SA Corps of Bandsmen (established 1969)

"Non-European" Services edit

Commandos edit

  • Defence Rifle Associations (1913–49)
  • Rifle Commandos (1949–58)
  • Commandos (1958–2007)

See also edit

Notes edit

  1. ^ 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]
  2. ^ 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.
  3. ^ 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 edit

  1. ^ Lillie, A.C. (1982). "THE ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN ARMY". South African Journal of Military Studies. 12 (2).
  2. ^ Orpen, Neil D. Appendix 1:THE UNION DEFENCE FORCE BEFORE 1933. HyperWar. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
  3. ^ 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.
  4. ^ a b Volker, Walter (2010). Signal Units of the South African Corps of Signals and Related Signal Services. Pretoria: Veritas Books. ISBN 978-0-620-45345-5..
  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
  6. ^ a b "South African Ordnance Corps". Standard Encyclopedia of Southern Africa. Vol. 1. Human Sciences Research Council. 1977. p. 23. ISBN 0-624-00849-5.
  7. ^ a b "Administrative Service Corps". Standard Encyclopedia of Southern Africa. Vol. 1. Human Sciences Research Council. 1977. p. 23. ISBN 0-624-00849-5.
  8. ^ Engelbrecht, Leon (2006). A guide to the SANDF - unpublished manuscript. Johannesburg.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)