Battalion

    WWII SPECIAL SERVICE BATTALION TITLE BADGE The Special Service Battalion (SSB) is a South African military unit formed on 1 May 1933 under the patronage of Oswald Pirow, Minister of Defence. The object was to give training to youths, between the ages of 17 and 23, who, in the wake of the 1929 depression, could find no suitable employment on leaving school.   History Lt Col George E Brink was given the responsibility for establishing the battalion at Roberts Heights and was the first commanding officer. The SSB was established to save the youth from physical and moral degeneration caused by massive unemployment due to the Great Depression. The SSB was to teach the young men military discipline, fitness and various trades to enable them to be employed by the Department of Labour and Welfare. The SSB men received a salary of a shilling a day causing the SSB soon to be known as the "Bob a Day Battalion".  In 1934 detachments were also established for 100 trainees at Durban and 150 at Cape Town. Training included elementary military subjects and physical training. After a year of the young men usually found employment in government departments or with civilian employers. By 1936 the output of the SSB totalled about 2000 youths a year. In 1937 the South African Railways established at Roberts Heights a special school to prepare boys for the railways. In 1937 3788 youths passed through the ranks of the SSB. A total of 882 of them joined the Permanent Force.  With the expansion of the South African Air Force in 1937 the SSB provided 248 air apprentices for special training but, with the improvement in the economic situation, the waiting list to join the battalion had dwindled to almost nil.  With the outbreak of war in September 1939, members of the SSB were posted to units requiring immediate reinforcement to get on to a wartime basis. An example of this being the Coastal Artillery. In February 1940 a number of troops were transferred to the 1st and 2nd Field Force Battalions. These served with distinction in East Africa, Abyssinia and the Middle East as part of 1st South African Division.  SADF era 1 SSB Commemorative Letter In August 1941 all members of the SSB below the age of 18 were transferred to the Youth Training Brigade. The remainder formed an infantry battalion, which was converted to an armoured car commando in 1942.  In February 1943 the SSB, under Lt Col EG ('Papa') Brits, became part of the 11th SA Armoured Brigade. In March 1943 the Field Force Battalion was disbanded and other ranks and some of the officers were transferred to the SSB, thus providing a nucleus of battle-tested veterans.  The unit sailed for the Middle East with the 6th SA Armoured Division in April 1943. In 1944 the division crossed the Mediterranean Sea to take part in the Italian campaign. The regiment played a prominent part in numerous actions during the campaign.  In 1946, SSB was resuscitated as a Permanent Force unit and reorganised on a two-battalion basis with the 1st Battalion as an armoured unit and the 2nd Battalion infantry. The former became a training regiment in 1953 and the latter was renamed the 1 South African Infantry Battalion (1SAI) in 1951.   CONDITION:  Very Good. Lugs in tact. UNCLEANED. Sold as seen in the images. Images form part of the description.

  Striking Inside Angola With 32 Battalion - Marius Scheepers - 2012 - Paperback in excellent condition. Join 'The Terrible Ones' on clandestine operations and in conventional warfare during the harsh bush war that raged through southern Angola in the 1980s. The conflict ended with the last major battle of the Cold War, one of the largest land battles of the latter part of the 20th century. This book presents an eyewitness account by a South African Defense Force (SADF) Signals Officer, Marius Scheepers, who served in arguably the most formidable battle unit that ever existed in the history of the South African Defense Force: 32 Battalion. It describes how members lived and fought in the bush during 1983 under the most difficult conditions. Being the Signals Officer of 32 Battalion, Scheepers was privy to all major command decisions of the time. Although he focuses primarily on operations during the year 1983, including Operations Snoek and Dolfyn, he includes concise descriptions of all other major operations that took place inside Angola between 1966 and 1988, including Operation Askari (1983/84) and the decisive battle at Cuito Cuanavale in 1987/88. Extensive appendices include 32 Battalion sitreps, radio-code cards, SADF radio equipment used by 32 Battalion and details on SADF, SAAF and SWAPO.REVIEWS "A... rich account of time spent with the famous 32 Battalion. Marius Scheepers was a national service signals officer (9C) with the unit from late 1982 to late 1983. This placed the young officer in a unique position, alongside the commander, to know what was going on and where. As 9C he was also required to keep records and report. Here he puts this knowledge to good use. Scheepers also had the SANDF documentation centre declassify many relevant documents, adding detail so often missing from other accounts, especially regarding operations Snoek and Dolfyn, anti-People s Liberation Army of Namibia area-operations in south Angola." Leon Engelbrecht, www.defenceweb.za"

Join 'The Terrible Ones' on clandestine operations and in conventional warfare during the harsh bush war that raged through southern Angola in the 1980's. The conflict ended with the last major battle of the Cold War, one of the largest land battles of the latter part of the 20th century. This book presents an eyewitness account by a South African Defense Force (SADF) Signals Officer, Marius Scheepers, who served in arguably the most formidable battle unit that ever existed in the history of the South African Defense Force: 32 Battalion. It describes how members lived and fought in the bush during 1983 under the most difficult conditions. Being the Signals Officer of 32 Battalion, Scheepers was privy to all major command decisions of the time. Although he focuses primarily on operations during the year 1983, including Operations Snoek and Dolfyn, he includes concise descriptions of all other major operations that took place inside Angola between 1966 and 1988, including Operation Askari (1983/84) and the decisive battle at Cuito Cuanavale in 1987/88. Extensive appendices include 32 Battalion sitreps, radio-code cards, SADF radio equipment used by 32 Battalion and details on SADF, SAAF and SWAPO. PAPERBACK: 184 PAGES WITH 100 B/W PHOTOS & MAPS Published May 2012

 Buffalo Battalion - South Africa's 32 Battalion by LJ Bothma  **Signed and with a message from the Author** First Print 2008 452 Pages The Book is in a very Good condition almost as new.     Please see our other medallion, pins and coins, books ext.   International bidders  are welcome.  (please enquire about postage)   Postage and packaging: R58.00 SA post office. Courier - R130.00, Postnet R109    

 Buffalo Battalion - South Africa's 32 Battalion by LJ Bothma  **Signed and with a message from the Author** First Print 2008 452 Pages The Book is in a very Good condition almost as new.     Please see our other medallion, pins and coins, books ext.   International bidders  are welcome.  (please enquire about postage)   Postage and packaging: R58.00 SA post office. Courier - R130.00, Postnet R115    

Buffalo Battalion, south africa's 32 Battalion by L J Bothma A first edition softcover published by The Author in 2008 Picture cover boards are lightly age worn binding is tight & strong, gift inscription on first page Postage within S Africa R70 thru P Office Postnet or Courier options available Overseas buyers can contact us for a postal quote

 Buffalo Battalion - South Africa's 32 Battalion by LJ Bothma  **Signed and with a message from the Author** First Print 2008 452 Pages The Book is in a very Good condition almost as new.     Please see our other medallion, pins and coins, books ext.   International bidders  are welcome.  (please enquire about postage)   Postage and packaging: R60.00 SA post office. Courier - R140.00, Postnet R115    

Buy Buffalo Battalion South Africas 32 Battalion - A tale of Sacrifice: L J Bothma - Signed Copy for R400.00

Buy Buffalo Battalion: South Africas 32 Battalion - A Tale of Sacrifice - LJ Bothma for R395.00

Buy Buffalo Battalion South Africas 32 Battalion by L J Bothma **SIGNED COPY** for R400.00

Buy Buffalo Battalion: South Africas 32 Battalion - A Tale of Sacrifice - Dr LJ Bothma for R395.00

1986.  Soft cover. 149 pages. Very good condition. Tightly bound, neat and clean. Und er 1kg. In Forged in Battle, Jan Breytenbach presents a soldier's (as opposed to a historian's) account of the guerrilla and conventional battles fought by 32 "Buffalo" Battalion of the SADF - an elite battalion consisting of former FNLA guerrillas from Angola, led by white South African officers and NCOs. 32 Battalion was formed in great secrecy from the rag-tag, half-starved remnants of the Angolan guerrilla movement, the FNLA. The founding commander, a former "Recce" (South African equivalent of the SAS), turned these unwanted orphans from the Angolan guerrilla war into one of the most respected and feared units to see action in Namibia and Angola in later years.

WW1 Canadian 46th Infantry Battalion 1915 Collar Badge with Pin - also called Suicide Battalion  

Buy 32 Battalion Right of Admission to Vryburg program for 3/4/1993 (SADF 32 Bn - Buffalo Battalion) for R100.00

Buy 32 Battalion blazer badge, lurex wire, near mint (SADF 32 Bn - Buffalo Battalion) for R150.00

Buy 32 Battalion Right of Admission to Vryburg program for 3/4/1993 (SADF 32 Bn - Buffalo Battalion) for R120.00

Buy 32 Battalion official typing paper with cap badge letterhead (SADF 32 Bn - Buffalo Battalion) for R65.00

Buy 32 Battalion blazer badge, lurex wire, near mint (SADF 32 Bn - Buffalo Battalion) for R175.00

Buy The Irish Guards InThe Great War, The First Battalion andThe Second Battalion 2Vols -Rudyard Kipling for R900.00

SOUTH AFRICAN 1st PARACHUTE BATTALION 10 pages booklet  This is signed by L.Rudman commanding officer 1 Parachute Battalion   plz look at the photo in fair to good condition for its age with signs of use wear and tear sold as is. Voets tot's  as seen plz look at my other item

Rare Canadian WW1 Cap Badge 147th Battalion "Grey Battalion" Variant Cap Badge - Brass with both lugs  

  THIS IS THE EXACT 32 BATTALION BERET YOU WILL BUY  BERET IS ALL ORIGINAL..BADGE AND BALKIE    32 BATTALION SLIGHTLY WORN AND IN ALMOST MINT CONDITION   THIS BERET IS A VALUABLE COLLECTORS ITEM       

UP FOR AUCTION IS AN ORIGINAL  SWATF- 31 / 201 BATTALION BONNIE BERET BADGE. HAS BOTH LUGS-LOOKS LIKE GLUE ON SIDE. NO SCRATCHES ON SURFACE. OVERSEAS BIDDERS WELCOME-BUT ONLY PAY THROUGH BOB-I DO NOT ACCEPT PAYPAY. SHIPPING(SA) ONLY POSTNET R110.00. I WILL COMBINE ITEMS ON ALL MY AUCTIONS TO SAVE ON COSTS HAPPY BIDDING!! PLEASE CHECK MY SITE FOR OTHER 201 BATTALION ITEMS-OR PICK UP AT HERITAGE COLLECTIONS-MILITARY SHOP IN PRIMROSE-FISHERS HILL -THANK YOU!

  THIS IS THE EXACT 32 BATTALION BERET YOU WILL BUY  BERET IS ALL ORIGINAL..BADGE AND BALKIE - 2ND INFANTRY TYPE  32 BATTALION VERY SLIGHTLY WORN AND IN ALMOST MINT CONDITION  / AS NEW THIS BERET IS A VALUABLE COLLECTORS ITEM       

***PLEASE NOTE WE DELIVER TO CAPE TOWN, JOHANNESBURG AND BLOEMFONTEIN*** NAME OF BADGE/ INSIGNIA:  THE ROYAL ANGLIAN REGIMENT" 2nd BATTALION (THE POACHERS) SHOULDER BADGE (THE BADGE IS THE ROYAL LINCOLNSHIRE REGIMENT SPHINX OVER THE NORTHAMPTONSHIRE REGIMENT BATTLE OF HONOUR "TALAVERA" BI-METAL BADGE) DATE OF ISSUE:  cWWI & WWII MEASUREMENT:  3.5cm WIDE x 2.9cm HIGH PLEASE NOTE THAT WE WILL BE LOADING A SELECTION OF MEDALS AND BADGES EVERY THURSDAY FOR THE NEXT FEW WEEKS

British WW2 Brecknockshire Battalion Cap Badge South Wales Borders - slide broken halfway  

Australia 35th Battalion (Newcastle Own) Brass hat badge 1930-1942