Cape Corps Infantry Battalion OR Bloemfontein Commando

[Milmed]

Hi,
I have a SADF flash (see attached picture) and need confirmation as to the unit. The info I have points to two possible units, either a first issue SACC Infantry Battalion or Bloemfontein Commando. Evidence as follows:

1. SADF Fashes by Paul Els - G2 - SA Cape Corps Infantry Battalion
2. Catalogue of Flashes by Mike Evert - #119 - SA Cape Corps Infantry Battalion
3. Military Badges of South Africa by Colin Owen - F793 & F794 - Bloemfontein Commando (plus errata page identifying as SA Cape Corps Infantry Battalion)
4. Website sadf.info - Bloemfontein Commando
5. Various SA auction sites and militaria sites - Bloemfontein Commando.

So which is it ??? Could it be SACC Inf Bat and because of error in Colin Owen book that the websites have now got it wrong!

Any help appreciated
Steven

[Arthur R]

Originally Posted by Milmed

So which is it ??? Could it be SACC Inf Bat and because of error in Colin Owen book that the websites have now got it wrong!

AFAIK this is the flash of the SACC School. The turquoise blue is very distinctive, and SACC was the only branch of the army that used it. The SACC Service Battalion flash depicted the figure of Hope. So did the flash of its successor, 1 SACC Battalion, but in different colours. 2 SACC Bn's flash depicted a lion's face.

There doesn't appear to have been a 'Bloemfontein Commando', anyway. There were a Bloemfontein Distrik comdo and a Bloemfontein Stad comdo.

This wouldn't be the only error in Owen's book that has been perpetuated on websites. He mis-spelled Magol Comdo's name as 'Magdol', and called Regiment Oos Rand 'Regiment Wes Rand'. Both of these crop up on auction sites.

[Milmed]

Thanks Arthur,
My feelings were also SACC but needed confirmation. I have not yet seen any SACC photographs of this been worn and hope one day to get phoytographic confirmation. In Owens book there are two of these with colour variation of the turquoise. The SACC service Battalion also show two colour variations which match these... just an observation.

I have added the other SACC flashes you mention for any readers interest.

Steven

[craigen]

Hi All

Reviving this as I try to finish off a chapter on the SACC as part of a broader much delayed reference work.

Does anyone have verified names and the dates they were used of the SACC units from 1963 onwards? I have found a great deal of difference in details between various sources and am struggling to work it all out.

I think it should be more or less:

SA Cape Corps Service Battalion (1963 - 1980)
- SA Coloured Corps Training Centre (est 1963)
- SA Cape Corps Training Centre ???
- SA Cape Corps Training Centre (ren early 1970s)
- SA Cape Corps Service Battalion (1st type) (ren ca. end '72/3)
- SA Cape Corps Service Battalion (2nd type) (Disb. Ca. 1980)
Cape Corps School (est ca. 1980) - see 2 SACC Bn below
1 SA Cape Corps Battalion (final name unclear)
- SA Cape Corps Infantry Battalion (est. ca. 1980)
- 1 SA Cape Corps Battalion (ren. Ca. 1983/4 but art 1981?)
- 1 SA Cape Corps Training Unit (listed 1988)
2 SA Cape Corps Battalion
- Cape Corps School (est ca. 1980)
- 2 SA Cape Corps Battalion (est ca. 1984/5) (created from Corps School)
3 SA Cape Corps Battalion (est ca. 1989)
SA Cape Corps Maintenance Unit (est ca. 1980)
30 Corps Maintenance Unit (CF) (est ca. 1977)
Cape Regiment (CF) (ca. 1985)
9 SA Infantry Battalion - see under Infantry (ca. 1992)

Any help or info would really be appreciated.

With warm wishes to all for peace and happiness (and some nice badges under the tree) this Christmas time.

Regards
Craig

[Milmed]

Hi Craig,
Yes this unit's naming is like a can of worms, not to mention there insignia. I have Insignia officially adopted 1987 but seen members wearing the insignia in military magazines dated a year earlier.

The official designation in 1963 when unit was reformed was SA Coloured Corps (PF) with a training unit named SA Coloured Corps Training Unit.

Circa 1972 the unit was renamed SA Cape Corps and the training unit became SA Cape Corps Service Battalion.

The following I quote from defenceweb on the history of the 9th SAI.
" On the last day of 1979 the Cape Corps expanded into a corps school, 1 SACC Battalion and the SACC Maintenance Unit. On December 31, 1985 the corps school was disbanded and 2 SACC Battalion was established the next day, as was the Cape Regiment, a segregated reserve unit. 3 SACC was established at Kimberley.

On March 31, 1992 all SACC units were disbanded. The next day 9SAI was established in their place."

It seems whoever is writing an article on the unit also gets confused, so there is quite a bit of names used for the unit.

Sorry I am not able to give a definitive answer, but only add to the confusion.

Steven

[craigen]

Hi Steven

Thanks for that. That DefenceWeb article is a nice starting point and gives nice background info but would not qualify as a good reference for an academic exercise. The Wikipedia articles are unfortunately worse.

There are some nice online references but I have not found anything that is both comprehensive and historically accurate in the detail.

On the subject of 9 SAI, it was clearly created in the place of the SACC to absorb those members that were retained in the SANDF of the time but I do not think that it was in any way officially a continuation of, or the successor to, the SACC.

Regards
Craig

[Brian Conyngham]

Originally Posted by Arthur R

This wouldn't be the only error in Owen's book that has been perpetuated on websites.

Arthur the one error that ALWAYS gets me is the shoulder title SATC which Owen states is the SA Trades Company (WW1) which is rubbish! There never was a SA Trades Company, it was called the SA Miscellaneous Trades Company.

The SATC in his book is the WW2 SA Tank Corps shoulder title. If one compares the straight SAAF shoulder title you will see they were made by the same company.

Rant over

Brian

[Milmed]

Originally Posted by Milmed

Hi,
I have a SADF flash (see attached picture) and need confirmation as to the unit. The info I have points to two possible units, either a first issue SACC Infantry Battalion or Bloemfontein Commando. Evidence as follows:

1. SADF Fashes by Paul Els - G2 - SA Cape Corps Infantry Battalion
2. Catalogue of Flashes by Mike Evert - #119 - SA Cape Corps Infantry Battalion
3. Military Badges of South Africa by Colin Owen - F793 & F794 - Bloemfontein Commando (plus errata page identifying as SA Cape Corps Infantry Battalion)
4. Website sadf.info - Bloemfontein Commando
5. Various SA auction sites and militaria sites - Bloemfontein Commando.

So which is it ??? Could it be SACC Inf Bat and because of error in Colin Owen book that the websites have now got it wrong!

Any help appreciated
Steven

Just updating this post with new information found. I came across an art card for this flash dated 1978 for the Cape Corps Service Battalion(CCSB). I suspect it was to replace the CCSB flash with the figure of hope that was designed in 1972. The CCSB was disbanded 1979 so this flash though produced may not have been issued. I have not yet found any photographic evidence of it been worn and all the examples I have seen are in a mint condition (an indication of it not been issued and worn and probably came out of storage sometime)

[lifeochil]

Originally Posted by Milmed

So which is it ??? Could it be SACC Inf Bat and because of error in Colin Owen book that the websites have now got it wrong!

Any help appreciated
Steven

Many books have mistakes in them and you're right when you say auction sites and other sites repeat the mistakes.

Glad you found out what it is.

[Milmed]

Some additional info has come to light via a plaque to the OC of the SACC Battalion in 1978.

Plaque displays the flash designed 1978 and ties in with the wording reading 'Stigterslid 1 SAKK Bn 1978' (translates to 'Founding Member 1 SACC Bn 1978')

So this ties up with the art card drawing of this badge dated 1978 to the SACC Service Bn.

Officially the 1 SACC Battalion (an infantry Unit or the SACC Service Bn) was formed in 1979 when the Service Bn was split into 3 units, but unofficially it appears 1 SACC Bn was formed in 1978.

This flash then appears to have been very short lived c.1978- 1979/80 and may have only been produced in limited numbers adding to its current scarcity.