Regiment Dan Pienaar

Regiment Dan Pienaar

Regiment Dan Pienaar emblem
Active 1 June 1976
Allegiance
Branch
Size Battalion
Part of
Garrison/HQ Bloemfontein
Battle honours
    Commanders
    OC 1970s Commandant Downs
    OC 1980's Commandant E. Tordiffe

    Regiment Dan Pienaar was an infantry battalion of the South African Army. As a reserve force unit, it had a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Army Reserve or United States Army National Guard unit.

    History

    Origins

    Regiment Dan Pienaar was initially formed as 2 Regiment Bloemspruit as an offshoot of Regiment Bloemspruit (Renamed 1 Regiment Bloemspruit, but reverted after 2RBS was renamed.).

    Renamed

    Subsequently, it was decided to rename 2RBS after the famous World War II general and Free Stater, General Dan Pienaar on 1 June 1976, thus the unit could begin to form its own history and traditions.

    Disbanded/Amalgamated

    After being disbanded in 1997 the remaining members were incorporated into Regiment Bloemspruit. The part-time units, Regiments De Wet (Kroonstad), Louw Wepener (Bethlehem) and Dan Pienaar (Bloemfontein) were amalgamated with Regiment Bloemspruit by 1 April. The name Regiment Bloemspruit was retained under the command of the Commanding General, Free State Command."

    Battle honours

    The unit also served in numerous deployments in the Border War in SWA/Namibia

    Freedom of the City

    Freedom of the city of Bloemfontein in 1981

    Regimental emblems

    Dress Insignia

    SADF Regiment Dan Pienaar with Eastern Transvaal Command Flash 
    SADF Regiment Dan Pienaar Beret badge 

    Roll of Honour

    Regiment Dan Pienaar has one Honorus Crux on the Roll of Honour: Delport J C Rfn. 13 September 1978. Here is his citation:

    DELPORT Rfn Johanes Cornelius, (780913) Regt Dan Pienaar, SAI,

    Rifleman Delport was a member of a platoon of Regiment Dan Pienaar, which was attached to Regiment Bloemspruit from 20 July to 8 Oct 1978, in the 54 Bn section of the border. At 20hOO on 13 September 1978 his platoon was attacked by terrorists near Ushuti Dam while in a temporary base. Two enemy flares fell nearby and were followed by a hail of bullets. Delport crawled out under fire and threw sand over the burning flares until they were extinguished. One of his platoon then panicked, jumped up and ran towards the enemy. Delport ran after him, tackled him and dragged him back to his position. Before they regained their lines Delport was wounded in the back.

    References

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