Heilbron Commando

Heilbron Commando
Heilbron Commando
	Heilbron Commando emblem
Country	South Africa
Allegiance	Orange Free State Republic; Union of South Africa; Republic of South Africa; Republic of South Africa;
Branch	South African Army; South African Army;
Type	Infantry
Role	Light Infantry
Size	One Battalion
Part of	South African Infantry Corps; Army Territorial Reserve, Group 24
Garrison/HQ	Heilbron

Heilbron Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve.

History

Origin

Operations

During the Anglo Boer War with the Free State Republic

This Commando was involved in the following:

The battle of Rietfontein^[1] took place on 24 October 1899 between six commandos of the Free State Army commanded by General A Piet Cronje and a British Flying Column dispatched from Ladysmith under the command of Sir George White.

The Free State forces consisted of the following commandos:

- Harrismith Commando,
- Kroonstad Commando,
- Winburg Commando,
- Bethlehem Commando,
- Vrede Commando and
- Heilbron Commando.
The battle of Magersfontein that occurred on 11 December 1899.

With the UDF

By 1902 all Commando remnants were under British military control and disarmed.

By 1912, however previous Commando members could join shooting associations.

By 1940, such commandos were under control of the National Reserve of Volunteers.

These commandos were formally reactivated by 1948.

UDF era National Reserve of Volunteers shoulder tab

With the SADF

During this era, the unit was mainly used for area force protection, police assistance and stock theft control.

This unit resorted under the command of Group 24.

With the SANDF

Disbandment

This unit, along with all other Commando units was disbanded after a decision by South African President Thabo Mbeki to disband all Commando Units.^[2]^[3] The Commando system was phased out between 2003 and 2008 "because of the role it played in the apartheid era", according to the Minister of Safety and Security Charles Nqakula.^[4]

Unit Insignia

SADF era Heilbron Commando insignia

Leadership

Leadership
From	Honorary Colonels	To
From	Commanding Officers	To
From	Regimental Sergeants Major	To

Commandant Lukas Steenkamp 1900

References

^ "South African Military History Society - Journal - WITNESS TO RIETFONTEIN 24 October 1899 - Part One". samilitaryhistory.org. Retrieved 25 October 2021.
^ Col L B van Stade, Senior Staff Officer Rationalisation, SANDF (1997). "Rationalisation in the SANDF: The Next Challenge". Institute for Security Studies. Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ "About the Commando system". Archived from the original on 6 December 2007. Retrieved 17 January 2008.
^ de Lange, Deon. "South Africa: Commandos Were 'Hostile to New SA'". Cape Argus. Retrieved 5 March 2015.