33 Battalion (SWATF)

33 Battalion/701 Battalion

SWATF 33/701 Battalion emblem
Active 1977
Country  Namibia,  South Africa
Allegiance  South Africa
Branch  South African Army,
Type Light Infantry
Part of South West African Territorial Force
Garrison/HQ Mpacha, Northern Namibia
Nickname(s) Eastern Caprivi Battalion
Insignia
Part of the South West African Territorial Force

33 Battalion or the Eastern Caprivi Battalion, was a light infantry battalion that was part of the SWATF.

History

33 Battalion was established in 1977. [1]

The main base was at Mpacha in Sector 70 or the Caprivi Strip. [2] As part of Sector 70, 33 Battalion took part in operations into Zambia and from 1978 deployed companies into Kavango, Kaokaland and Owambo. [3]

Renaming

The South West Africa Territory Force SWATF[4] renumbered battalion numbers according to their geographical positioning on the border. The prefix 10 pertained to battalions operating to the west of the Kavango River, 20 to the Kavango or central region and 70 to the eastern region. Under this system, 33 Battalion was renamed 701 Battalion in 1980.

SWATF Northern Sector Map

Attachments

From 1983, a company of marines was attached.

33 Battalion also had an attached SWATF armoured car squadron and an artillery battery. [5]

List of casualties

1985, Basson, J.L. Cav 1988, Thomas, J.A. Lt [6]

Notes

    References

    1. "South African Unit Profiles". Warinangola.com. Retrieved 2015-07-09.
    2. Kenneth W. Grundy (1 January 1983). Soldiers Without Politics: Blacks in the South African Armed Forces. University of California Press. pp. 259–. ISBN 978-0-520-04710-5.
    3. "South African Forces In The 'Border War' : (Angola & South West Africa) 1980 to 1989" (PDF). Fireandfury.com. Retrieved 2015-07-09.
    4. http://www.historicalpapers.wits.ac.za/inventories/inv_pdfo/AG1977/AG1977-A5-63-16-004-jpeg.pdf
    5. "SADF.info". SADF.info. Retrieved 2015-07-09.
    6. "SA Roll of Honour: List People". Justdone.co.za. Retrieved 2015-07-09.
    This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 10/21/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.