8 South African Armoured Division
8 South African Armoured Division emblem
Active1974-1997
Country South Africa
BranchSouth African Army
TypeArmour
SizeDivision
Garrison/HQDurban
Major battlesOperation Packer
Commanders
Founding CommanderBrigadier Ben Roos (1974-1975)
Insignia
SADF 8 South African Armoured Division beret badge
SADF 8 South African Armoured Division beret bar
SADF 8 South African Armoured Division flag
SADF 8 South African Armoured Division stable belt

8 South African Armoured Division was a formation of the South African Army, active from the 1970s to 1999.

History

8 South African Division was established as an Armoured Formation on August 1, 1974, consisting of 81 Armoured Brigade, 82 Mechanised Brigade and 84 Motorised Brigade. It was, in many respects, a mirror of 7th South African Infantry Division.

A provisional 1977 order of battle had 8 Armoured Division organised as follows: [1]

Divisional Breakdown

SADF original organigram 8 SA Armoured Division

Divisional Level Attached Units

Artillery, maintenance, engineers, signals and provost (Military Police)

Brigades

81 Armoured Brigade

Headquartered in Pretoria, 81 Armoured Brigade consisted of the following units:

Structure SADF 81 Armoured Brigade

82 Mechanised Brigade

Headquartered in Potchefstroom, 82 Mechanised Brigade consisted of the following units:

Structure SADF 82 Mechanised Brigade circa 1988
South West Africa Angolan theater

During Operation Packer which succeeded Operation Hooper in March 1988, 82 Mechanised Brigade protected the eastern bank of the Cuito River. During this operation, FAPLA forces suffered losses and the situation on the eastern bank stabilised to such an extent that Operation Displace could be started. During this phase the South African forces withdrew from Angola.[2]

83 Mechanised Brigade

83 Mechanised Brigade was never activated.

84 Motorised Brigade

Headquartered in Durban, 84 Brigade was formed in Durban as part of 8 South African Armoured Armoured Division on August 1, 1974, and its official establishment was authorized on September 10 of that year. Brigadier G. Wolmarans was authorized as its first commanding officer with Commandant W.P. Sass, Maj H.L. Bosman, and Capt J.E. Samuales as staff officers posted to headquarters. The new Brigade was located at Lords Grounds.

SADF 84 Motorised Brigade beret badge

84 Motorised Brigade consisted of the following units:

Structure SADF 84 Motorised Brigade

Leadership

Previous Leadership
From Officer Commanding To
nd Brig G. Wolmarans nd
nd Col H.F.P. Riekert nd
nd Col H.F.P. Riekert nd
nd Col Peter Hall[lower-alpha 1] nd
January 1993 Brig Felix Marius 'Baksteen' Hurter SM MMM December 1993
From Regimental Sergeants Major To
nd Unknown nd

Inter-divisional Reorganizing

By 1985, 8 Division consisted of 81 Armoured Brigade, 84 Motorised Brigade and 72 Motorised Brigade. 82 Mechanised Brigade had been transferred to the command of 7 South African Infantry Division.

Mobilisation

SADF 8 Division Mobilisation Unit transferred to Lohatla Army Battle School and eventually became the Rapid Deployment Force Mobilisation Unit

Insignia

SADF 8th Armoured Division Warrant Officer insignia

Disbanding

Brigade Disbanding

8 Division's Brigades were disbanded in 1992 and the battalions and regiments came to answer directly to the divisional headquarters - the thinking was that these would be grouped into task forces as required. The concept was never put to a serious test. The Formation was also renamed 8 South African Division.

Divisional Disbanding

The Division was effectively disbanded on April 1, 1997, when its former units became part of 7th South African Infantry Division as 74 Brigade.

SANDF 8 Division rebadge as 74 Brigade now with 7 Infantry Division tupper flash
SADF era 8th Armoured Division commemorative letters 1988

Notes

  1. ↑ Former OC of 31 Battalion (SWATF) at Omega, Caprivi

References

  1. ↑ "Fact file: 1 SA Corps". 17 February 2010.
  2. ↑ Scholtz, Leopold (2013). "The Lessons of the Border War". Scientia Militaria: South African Journal of Military Studies. 40 (3). doi:10.5787/40-3-1039.
  • Cock, J. Laurie, N. War and Society: The Militarisation of South Africa, published by David Phillip, 1989 ISBN 978-0864861153
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