1 Special Service Battalion

1 Special Service Battalion

SANDF 1 Special Service Battalion emblem
Active 1 May 1933 – present
Country  South Africa
Branch  South African Army
Type Armoured
Part of South African Armoured Formation
Garrison/HQ Tempe 29°05′0″S 26°11′0″E / 29.08333°S 26.18333°E / -29.08333; 26.18333Coordinates: 29°05′0″S 26°11′0″E / 29.08333°S 26.18333°E / -29.08333; 26.18333
Nickname(s)
Motto(s) Eendrag Maakt Mag (Unity is Strength)
Colors range over Blue which must be divided by Silver and where it is not possible to use silver white will be used in place
Equipment
Engagements
Website www.saarmour.co.za
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Insignia
Cap Badge A spray of three protea flowers, bound by a ribbon bearing the initials and motto
Beret Colour Black
Armour Squadron emblems
Armour beret bar circa 1992

1 Special Service Battalion (usually abbreviated to 1SSB) is an armoured regiment of the South African Army and only one of two such in its regular force. The Regiment is based at Tempe near Bloemfontein.

It was previously known in Afrikaans as 1 Spesiale Diens Bataljon (1 SDB).

History

1 Special Service Battalion
1 Special Service Battalion
Rooikat at the entrance to 1SSB, Bloemfontein.

Following World War II, the Special Service Battalion was re-organised into 2 battalions - 1 Special Service Battalion and 1 South African Infantry Battalion.

When the South African Armoured Corps was thus officially proclaimed in 1946 and Special Service Battalion was included in the corps as the only full-time unit, its symbols and colours were incorporated.

1SSB also took part in the South African Border War, serving in South-West Africa and Angola.[1]

Rooikat Armoured Car

More recently, the unit also took part in Operation Boleas, which was a South African intervention in its neighbouring country of Lesotho in 1998.

1SSB had a sister unit for a number of years in the post-World War II era, designated 2 Special Service Battalion, which was based in the town of Zeerust. This unit has now been disbanded.

1SSB also detached squadrons to various battlegroups in the South West African campaign

63 Mech Battlegroup to which 1 SSB detached

Officers Commanding

Regimental Sergeants Major

Equipment

pre 1995

Variant Description Comment Image
Eland 60  South AfricaMortar platform
Eland 90  South Africa Fire support platform and assault gun

Current

The regiment is equipped primarily with Ratel infantry fighting vehicles and Rooikat armoured cars.

Variant Description Comment Image
Rooikat 76  South Africa76mm cannon
Ratel 90  South Africa90mm cannon
Ratel ZT3  South Africaantitank missile

Future

Under Project Hoefyster, the SANDF will eventually replace the Ratel family of vehicles with the Badger system.[2] [3] Five versions are contemplated of which two are earmarked for 1 SSB:

Variant Description Comment Image
Denel Badger various types  South Africa Various armaments

Regimental symbols

Previous Dress Insignia

1 Special Service Battalion shoulder title circa 1960s-1970s 
Unit shoulder flash circa 1992 
Old SSB Beret Badge. Now replaced with SAAC and SAPK instead of SSB and SDB 
SADF 1 Special Services Battalion Flash 
SADF 1 Special Services Battalion belt 
SADF era Operation Hooper participation bar 

Current Dress Insignia

SANDF Armoured Formation beret badge circa 1996 forward 

Alliances

Battle honours

Future

This unit will together with 1 SA Tank Regiment form the Armoured Brigade of the new Mechanized Division to be formed under Army vision 2020.

See also

South African Armoured Corps

Notes

    References

    1. ↑ Engelbrecht, Leon (1 March 2010). "Fact File: 1 Special Service Battalion". defenceweb.co.za. DefenceWeb. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
    2. ↑ Leon Engelbrecht. "SA Army horse shod by December? | defenceWeb". Archived from the original on 2015-03-28. Retrieved 2015-03-25.
    3. ↑ Natalie Greve. "Land Systems SA secures sights contract for Denel’s Badger". Archived from the original on 2015-03-28. Retrieved 2015-03-25.
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