A Concise History of the South African Defence Force (1912-1987)

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A Concise History of the South African Defence Force (1912-1987) Scientia Militaria, South African Journal of Military Studies, Vol 17, Nr 2, 1987. http://scientiamilitaria.journals.ac.za A concise history of the South African Defence Force (1912-1987) Major W.A. Dorning* INTRODUCTION omic conditions of the time. The result was that when the Union was again called to arms in 1939, s the SA Defence Force celebrates its 75th it was able to mobilize a vast and redoubtable anniversary, it can look back with pride at fighting machine within a relatively short period A a truly remarkable history. Established of time. As in the Great War, the South African just two years after Union, the fledging force was Forces quickly won the respect of friend and foe to be severely tested within the first two years of alike for their professionalism, dedication and its existence to a degree perhaps unparalleled in the powers of endurance. In proportion to its rela- history of modern armies. tively small population and material resources, the Union's war effort was at least as great as that"of Just over a year after its formation, when it still any of the Allied powers. existed more on paper than in fact, the Union Defence Force (UDF) was called upon to suppress With this proud tradition and record forged a violent industrial strike on the Reef. Having during two World Wars as its cornerstone, the passed its first test with flying colours, the UDF modern South African Defence Force has devel- was confronted a few months later by the far more oped and improved itself over the years to the serious crises of internal rebellion and World War. point where it has no equal on the African conti- Once again, however, the young organization nent in terms of quality. proved equal to the occasion, and by the end of Today, seventy-five years on, the SA Defence the Great War the UDF had developed into a Force faces challenges at least as awesome and battle-hardened, professional force respected the daunting as those faced by the UDF in earlier world over for its prowess, courage and endurance years. It has no less a task than ensuring the very in the field. survival of the Republic of South Africa at a time when the whole world seems bent on its destruc- The foundations which the UDF carved for it- tion. Its proud history and record of past achieve- self in the trying circumstances of the Great War ments, however, should leave no-one in doubt were to prove strong and resilient enough to with- that the modern SA Defence Force will prove stand even the post-war cut-backs and austerity equal to the occasion in the best tradition of its measures brought about by the depressed econ- forerunners. -1- Scientia Militaria, South African Journal of Military Studies, Vol 17, Nr 2, 1987. http://scientiamilitaria.journals.ac.za THE BEGINNINGS: 1910-1914 The philosophical basis of the Defence Act of 1912 rested on the principle of personal service, in Preparations for the establishment of a Union the sense that the Defence of the Union was held Defence Force and the Defence Act of 1912 to be the responsibility of every individual citizen. Remarkable as it may seem in retrospect, the proc- The most important provisions of the Act were lamation of the Union of South Africa in 1910 did the following: Every European citizen was re- not contain any provision for the defence of the quired between his seventeenth and sixtieth year new country with a population of 2 million to do personal military service for the defence of Whites, 4 million Blacks, 500 000 Coloureds and his country in any part of SA or outside the 150 000 Indians. This was partly a result of the Union; every citizen was subject to the obligation sensitivity and difficulties of creating a single De- to do military training over a period of four years fence Force from the two entirely different mili- between his seventeenth and twenty-fifth year in tary traditions of the Afrikaans and English-speak- the Active Citizen Force or the Royal Navy Re- ing South African, and partly owing to the fact serve. A certain percentage of citizens were to be that the Imperial Government in Britain retained called up for this training every year. The remain- overall responsibility for the defence of the Union. der were expected to become, in the same period of four years, members of Rifle Associations. Per- Nevertheless, the first Union Government No- sons not of European descent were not in any way tice, No 1 of 31 May 1910, provided for the cre- liable to render personal military service, although ation of a portfolio of Defence, which office was nothing prevented these groups from voluntarily assumed by one of the principal architects of the engaging in the Defence Force. Union, Gen J .C. Smuts, who also held the portfo- lio's of the Interior and Mines. Ten days later Mr Apart from the Active Citizen Force and the H.R.M. Bourne was appointed as Under Sec- Rifle Associations, a Permanent Force was estab- retary for Defence to assist Gen Smuts. lished, consisting of a headquarters, instructional and administrative staffs and five regiments of For the first two years after Union, therefore, mounted riflemen supplied with artillery, who, matters pertaining to defence were dealt with by a apart from their military duties also had to do small section of the Department of the Interior on police service. an ad-hoc basis in terms of existing colonial legis- lation, i.e. Acts, proclamations, government no- Provision was also made for a Coastal Defence tices and regulations. Corps, various classes of reserves, an Air Corps and School Cadet Corps. This unsatisfactory state of affairs led to a deter- mined effort on the part of Minister Smuts to No provision was made at this stage for a Chief prepare legislation providing for the creation of a of the General Staff. Instead the three military unified Defence Force in terms of a single, consoli- executive commanders, namely the Cmdt-General dated Defence Act. Capt J.J. Collyer, among of the Active Citizen Force, the Inspector-General others, was called upon to advise and assist in the of the Permanent Force and Commandant of the task of preparing a Defence Act which would best Cadet corps, were placed under the direct control cater to the peculiar needs of the new Union of of the Minister, who in turn was advised by a South Africa. Defence Board consisting of four eminent ex-sol- diers. Finally there was the Secretariat, which was By mid 1912 the preparatory work had been the Civil Division under the Secretary for De- completed and consensus had been reached within fence, which was charged specifically with finan- the Cabinet on the proposed Defence Act. cial administration. The Act itself, No 13 of 1912, attracted nation- For training purposes, the Union was divided wide interest and comment when it was first into 15 military districts. tabled, and was generally regarded to be the most important piece of legislation to come before par- liament during that year. On the whole the Act The implementation of the Defence Act and was very favourably received, as it was deemed to the birth of the Union Defence Force have taken into consideration both the English and Afrikaans military traditions. Assent was given to Although the Defence Act had been promulgated the Act by the Governor General, the Rt Hon on 14 June, it was not until 1 July that a beginning Viscount Gladstone on 13 June 1912, and on the was made with the actual implementation of its following day (14 June) the Act was officially provisions. On 1 July the colonial military posts promulgated in the Government Gazette. of the Cmdt-General Cape Defence Force, the -2- Scientia Militaria, South African Journal of Military Studies, Vol 17, Nr 2, 1987. http://scientiamilitaria.journals.ac.za Commandant of the Militia (Natal) and Inspector Beyers), Coast Garrison and new Cadet organiza- of the Volunteers (Transvaal) were formally abo- tion were established. The authorized strength of lished and a HQ for the Union Defence Force was the ACF and Coast Garrison Force was 25155 and established in Pretoria. For this reason 1 July 1912 by 31 December actual strength stood at no less has come to be generally accepted as the birthdate than 23 462. The initial strength of the Cadet orga- of the Union Defence Force. nization was 11 318 with the amalgamation of all the pre-Union Cadet Corps. The new HQ of the UDF was divided into three distinct sections, namely; The first day of July 1913 also marked the first a. The Secretariat, a civilian branch responsible moves towards the formation of the proposed for the finances of the UDF, under the Under- Rifle Associations which were designed to fulfill Secretary for Defence the same role as the former Commando's and Rifle b. The General Staff Section, responsible for all Associations of the Boer Republics and British aspects of military organization Colonies. Experienced military personnel were ap- c. The Administrative Section, responsible for pointed by General Beyers to the posts of Com- provisions, transport etc. mandants of the new Rifle Associations, with the task of establishing and organizing the Rifle Asso- On the same day that the HQ of the UDF was ciations in their respective districts. Provision was established in Pretoria, a group of 51 officers of made for the issue of a Government rifle and the former British colonies and Boer republics was bandolier along with a free issue of ammunition to nominated to undergo a course to be held at the the compulsory members of the Rifle Associa- Presidency, Bloemfontein, under the auspices of tions.
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