Regiment Molopo was an armoured 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.
History
Origin
Regiment Molopo was raised in 1960 as an armoured regiment equipped with armoured cars. In 1986 Regiment Molopo was changed from an armoured car unit to a tank regiment.
Border War
Regiment Molopo saw active service in the South West Africa/Angola campaign.[1] The regiment participated in Operation Askari and Operation Moduler. It provided elements to combine with Regiment Mooirivier to form a composite unit of Olifant tanks under the command of Task Force Victor.
Brigade affiliation
Regiment Molopo was affiliated with 73 Motorised Brigade from 1983 until 1991.
Disbandment
Regiment Molopo closed around 1995 and its memorabilia and colours were transferred to the Pretoria Regiment for safekeeping.[2]
Regimental symbols
Dress Insignia
Unit colours
Operations
Regiment Molopo participated in a number of operations including :
Leadership
Leadership
| From
|
Honorary Colonel
|
To
|
| From
|
Officer Commanding
|
To
|
| 1960
|
Cmdt N.J. Oosthuizen
|
c. 1970
|
| 1970
|
Cmdt J. du Rand
|
c. 1973
|
| 1974
|
Cmdt G.L. Strydom
|
c. 1979
|
| c. 1979
|
Cmdt P.J. Bekker
|
c. 1979
|
| c. 1980
|
Cmdt T. du Preez Snyman
|
c. 1984
|
| c. 1984
|
Cmdt J van Loggerenberg
|
c. 1987
|
| c. 1987
|
Cmdt J.L.S. Schoeman
|
c. 1991
|
| c. 1991
|
Lt Col S.J. van Niekerk
|
c. 1995
|
| c. 1996
|
Cmdt C.J. Fourie
|
c. 1996
|
| From
|
Regimental Sergeant Major
|
To
|
| c. 1960
|
WO1 J.H. Hough
|
c. 1965
|
| c. 1966
|
WO1 D.J. Kotze
|
c. 1983
|
| c. 1984
|
WO1 J.A. Scholtz
|
c. 1987
|
| c. 1988
|
WO1 D.W. Reyneke
|
c. 1996
|
References
South African Army Units |
|---|
|
|
|
|
|---|
| Training | |
|---|
| Parachute Infantry | |
|---|
| Air Assault Infantry | |
|---|
| Seaborne Infantry | |
|---|
| Light Infantry | |
|---|
| Mechanised Infantry | |
|---|
| Motorised Infantry | |
|---|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|---|
- Army Support Bases (Eastern Cape, Johannesburg, Kimberley, KZN, Limpopo, Potcheftstroom, Western Cape, Mpumalanga)
- Mobilisation Centre
- Main Ordnance Depot
- National Ceremonial Guard
- Logistical Support Unit
- General Andrew Masondo Maintenance Unit
- Madiba Bay Maintenance Unit
- 15 Maint Unit
- Other Maintenance Units
- Doman Field Workshop
- General Sipho Binda Field Workshop
- Sabelo Phama Field Workshop
- Chris Hani Field Workshop
- Sekhukhune Field Workshop
- Ngungunyane Field Workshop
- Other Field Workshops
|
|
|
|---|
| Regular |
- 1 Signal Regt
- 2 Signal Regt
- 3 Signal Regt
- 4 Signal Regt
- 5 Signal Regt
|
|---|
| Reserve | 6 Signal Regt
- Gauteng Reserve Signal Unit
11 Field Postal Unit
- Western Cape Signal Unit
- Kwa-Zulu Natal Signal Unit
|
|---|
|
|
|
|---|
| Commands | |
|---|
| Corps | |
|---|
| Divisions | |
|---|
| Brigades | |
|---|
| Battlegroups | |
|---|
UDF and SADF Regiments and Battalions |
| Field Engineer |
- 1 Field Engineer Regiment
- 4 Field Engineer Regiment
- 6 Field Artillery Regiment
- 6
- 10
- 11
- 12
- 13
- 14
- 15
- 19
|
|---|
|
|---|
| Homeland Battalions | |
|---|
| Military Areas | | Training Areas |
- Boschhoek
- Grahamstown
- Hellsgate
- Mosita
- Pomfret
- Riemvasmaak
|
|---|
|
|---|
| UDF and SADF Commando System | |
|---|
| State Presidents Guard | |
|---|
Mobilisation Units (Reception Depots) | |
|---|
|
|
Bantustan Defence Forces (1977/1981–1994) |
|---|
Bophuthatswana Defence Force 1977–1994 |
- 1 BDF Infantry Battalion
- 2 BDF Infantry Battalion
- BDF Parachute Battalion
- BDF Military School
- BDF Special Forces
- 1 BDF Military Area
- 2 BDF Military Area
- 3 BDF Military Area
- BDF Signals Unit
- BDF Bafokeng base
- BDF Mankwe base
- BDF Odi base
- BDF Thaba'Nchu base
- BDF Taung base
- BDF Air Wing
|
|---|
Venda Defence Force 1979–1994 |
- VDF Headquarters Sibasa
- 1 VDF Battalion Manenu
- 2 VDF Battalion Maunavhathu
- VDF Vuwani Military Base
- VDF Signals Unit
- VDF Air Wing
|
|---|
| Ciskei Defence Force 1981–1994 |
- 1 CDF Battalion
- CDF Special Forces
|
|---|
Transkei Defence Force 1981–1994 |
- 1 TDF Battalion
- TDF Special Forces
- TDF Mounted Battalion
|
|---|
|
|
|
|
|---|
| Citizens Batteries |
- 1st Citizen Battery
- 2nd Citizen Battery
- 3rd Citizen Battery
- 4th Citizen Battery
- 5th Citizen Battery
- 6th Citizen Battery
- 7th Citizen Battery
- 8th and 9th Citizen Batteries
|
|---|
| Military Districts |
- 1st (Cape Town)
- 2nd (Port Elizabeth)
- 3rd (East London)
- 4th (Pietermaritzburg)
- 5th (Durban)
- 6th (Standerton)
- 7th (Potchefstroom)
- 8th (Johannesburg)
- 9th (Pretoria)
- 10th (Kroonstad)
- 11th (Bloemfontein)
- 12th (Prieska)
- 13th (De Aar)
- 14th (Worcester)
|
|---|
|
|
World War I 1914–1918 |
|---|
| Europe Campaign 1914–1918 |
|
|---|
| East Africa Campaign 1914–1915 |
- 1st Infantry ACF
- 2nd Infantry ACF
- 5th Infantry ACF
- 9th Infantry ACF
|
|---|
| German South West Africa Campaign 1915 | |
|---|
|
|
Volunteer Militias 1903–1909 |
|---|
|
|
Non-Statutory Forces 1961–1994 |
|---|
|
|
|
Colonial Armies 1885–1902 |
|---|
|
|