Vrystaatse Artillerie Regiment
| Vrystaatse Artillerie Regiment | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1854 to present |
| Country |
 South Africa |
| Allegiance | |
| Branch | |
| Type | Reserve Artillery |
| Part of |
South African Army Artillery Formation Army Conventional Reserve |
| Garrison/HQ | Kroonstad |
| Battle honours |
|
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The Vrystaatse Artillerie Regiment (Afrikaans for Free State Artillery Regiment) is an artillery regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Army Reserve or United States Army National Guard unit. It is part of the South African Army Artillery Formation.
History
In 1854 the Free-State became an independent Republic. The British forces withdrew, leaving behind four 9-pounder garrison guns in the Queen's Fort in Bloemfontein. This was for many years the only ordnance the Free State Republic had. The Free State Artillery Corps was founded in 1864 and housed in Queen's Fort. By the outbreak of the Anglo-Boer War, the corps was commanded by Major FW Albrecht. The unit served on the Western front, Natal front and into the Guerrilla phase of the War in 1902.
In 1922 3 Permanent Battery was formed. This unit was split up on 1 July 1926 into two units namely 4 Burgher Battery and 5 Burgher Battery. In 1932 these two were renamed 1 Oranje-Vrystaat Veldartillerie and 2 Oranje Vrystaat Veldartillerie.
On 1 February 1940 these units were joined as 12th Field Battery and did sterling service in Egypt. They took heavy casualties at Tobruk and El-Alamein.
On 18 April 1946 the unit was renamed 6 Field Artillery Regiment. It was based at Tempe, Bloemfontein, but relocated to Kroonstad in 2007.
Current
There is a possibility that the regiment might have to change its name.[1]
Battle honours
- Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902
- Tobruk
- El-Alamein
- South-West Africa
References
- ↑ Helfrich, Kim (14 June 2013). "No date set for Army Reserve units’ name changes". defenceweb.co.za. DefenceWeb. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
Bibliography
- Ultima Ratio Regum; the Artillery History of South-Africa, South-African Army Information Bureau 1987
- D Swemmer, Die Geskiedenis van die Vrystaatse Artillerie, Unpublished Manuscript, 1946
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