37 Battalion (SWATF)

37/102 Battalion

Active	1978
Country	Namibia, South Africa
Allegiance	South Africa
Branch	South African Army,
Type	Infantry
Part of	South West African Territorial Force
Garrison/HQ	Opuwo
Equipment	Casspir
Insignia
Part of the South West African Territorial Force

102 Battalion (pronounced as one-o-two Battalion) was a quick-reaction unit of the South West African Territorial Force.

History

Origin

This unit was formed in 1978 as the Kaokoland Company with 48 men. In 1979, after a SWAPO infiltration, it was expanded into 37 Battalion.

Renaming

The South West Africa Territory Force SWATF ^[1]renumbered battalion numbers according to their geographical positioning on the border. The prefix 10 pertained to battalions operation to the west of the Kavango River, 20 to the Kavango or central region and 70 to the eastern region. Under this system, 37 Battalion was renamed 102 Battalion.

SWATF Northern Sector Map

Structure

By 1979, it had 1100 men in four rifle companies based at Opuwo, Okongwati and Ehoriba.

External Operations

Operation Protea, 1981, one company
Operation Operation Askari, 1983
Operation Excite
Operation Merlyn, 1989

Sector 10 response to the Cuban buildup and SWAPO incursions, known as the Merlyn Forces in 1989 South West Africa

Role of Honour

The Battalion lost 36 men killed.

References

↑ http://www.historicalpapers.wits.ac.za/inventories/inv_pdfo/AG1977/AG1977-A5-63-16-004-jpeg.pdf

Snyman, PHR (1989). "Beeld Van Die SWA Gebiedsmag". Archived from the original on November 7, 2014.

Training	School of Armour

Tank	Regular 1 South African Tank Regiment Reserve Pretoria Regiment Natal Mounted Rifles Regiment President Steyn

Armoured Car	Regular 1 Special Service Battalion Reserve Umvoti Mounted Rifles Regiment Oranjerivier Regiment Mooirivier Light Horse Regiment

Infantry Formation (SAAIF)

Training	South African Infantry School

Parachute Infantry	Regular 44 Para 1 Para 44 Pathfinders 13 Signal Squadron 18 Light Regiment 44 Medical Task Group 101 Air Supply Unit SAOSC 44 Training Wing Parachute Packing Wing Reserve 2 Para 3 Para

Air Assault Infantry	Regular 6 SAI Reserve First City Regiment Prince Alfred's Guard

Seaborne Infantry	Regular 9 SAI Reserve Cape Town Rifles ("Duke's")

Light Infantry	Regular 21 SAI Reserve Rand Light Infantry Regiment Oos Rand Regiment Paul Kruger

Mechanised Infantry	Regular 1 SAI 8 SAI Reserve Regiment De La Rey Regiment Northern Transvaal Cape Town Highlanders Regiment Western Province Witwatersrand Rifles

Motorised Infantry	Regular 2 SAI 4 SAI 5 SAI 7 SAI 10 SAI 14 SAI 15 SAI 121 SAI Reserve Regiment Botha Regiment Christiaan Beyers Johannesburg Regiment South African Irish Transvaal Scottish Tshwane Regiment Buffalo Volunteer Regiment Durban Regiment Durban Light Infantry Kimberly Regiment Natal Carbineers Regiment Bloemspruit Regiment Piet Retief

Artillery Formation

Training	School of Artillery (South Africa)

Regular	HQ Artillery Mobilisation Regiment 4 Artillery Regiment

Reserve	Cape Field Artillery Natal Field Artillery Transvaal Horse Artillery Regiment Potchefstroom Universiteit Transvaalse Staatsartillerie Vrystaatse Artillerie Regiment Pretoria Highlanders 18 Light Regiment

Air Defence Artillery Formation

Training	School of Air Defence Artillery (South Africa)

Regular	HQ 6 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment 10 Anti-Aircraft Regiment 44 Parachute Anti-Aircraft Regiment

Reserve	Cape Garrison Artillery Regiment Vaalriver Regiment Oos Transvaal 7 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment (1969–97) Regiment Overvaal

Engineer Formation

Training	South African Army Engineer School

Regular	HQ 2 Field Engineer Regiment 35 Engineer Support Regiment 1 Construction Regiment Engineer Terrain Intelligence Unit

Reserve	3 Field Engineer Regiment 19 Field Engineer Regiment 44 Parachute Engineer Regiment

Training Formation

3 SAI (Training Depot)
SAACTC
Army Gymnasium
Army College
de Brug Training Area
Wallmannsthal Training Area

Support Formation

Army Support Bases (Eastern Cape, Johannesburg, Kimberley, KZN, Limpopo, Potcheftstroom, Western Cape, Mpumalanga)
Mobilisation Centre
Main Ordnance Depot
National Ceremonial Guard
15 Maint Unit
Other Maintenance Units
37 Field Workshop SAOSC
Other Field Workshops

Signals Formation

Regular	1 Sig Regt 2 Sig Regt 3 Sig Regt 4 Sig Regt 5 Sig Regt

Reserve	6 Signal Regt 7 Signal Group 11 Field Postal Unit 71 Signals Unit 84 Sigs Unit

Disbanded Units

Commands	Eastern Province Command (Port Elizabeth) Natal Command Northern Transvaal Command Northern Cape Command Orange Free State Command (Bloemfontein) Western Province Command (Cape Town) West Transvaal Command Witwatersrand Command (Johannesburg) Far North Command

Corps	I South African Corps Cape Corps

Divisions	1st South African Infantry Division 2nd South African Division 6th South African Armoured Division 7th South African Infantry Division 8th South African Armoured Division 9th South African Division 10 South African Division (Operation Prone)

Brigades	16 Brigade (see 81 Armoured Brigade) 17 Brigade (see 71 Motorised Brigade) 18 Brigade (see 72 Motorised Brigade) 19 Brigade (see 82 Mechanised Brigade) 20 Brigade 60 Brigade (Battlegroups HQ Lohatla) 71 Motorised Brigade 72 Motorised Brigade 73 Motorised Brigade 74 Brigade (see 8th Armoured Division) 75 Brigade (see 9th Division) 81 Armoured Brigade 82 Mechanised Brigade 83 Brigade (planned but never existed) 84 Motorised Brigade 10 Artillery Brigade Other brigades

Battlegroups	Combat Group Juliet 61 Mech 62 Mech 63 Mech

Regiments	Regiment Algoa Bay Regiment Dan Pienaar Regiment De Wet Regiment Groot Karoo Regiment Highveld Regiment Langenhoven Regiment Limpopo Regiment Louw Wepener/Oos Vrystaat Regiment Molopo Regiment North East Cape Regiment North Natal Regiment Port Natal Regiment Potchefstroom University Regiment Pretoria University Regiment Pretorius Regiment Springs Regiment Skoonspruit Regiment University of the Free State Regiment Vaal River Regiment Vanderbiljpark Regiment Vrystaat 6 Field Artillery Regiment 7 Medium Artillery Regiment 14 Field Artillery Regiment 19 Rocket Regiment 25 Field Artillery 26 Field Artillery 10 Armoured Squadron 5 Forward Air Delivery Squadron SA Army Troop Information Unit

Battalions	32 Battalion SSB 2 Special Service Battalion 11 SAI 12 SAI 13 SAI 111 Battalion 112 Battalion 113 Battalion 115 Battalion 116 Battalion 117 Battalion 121 Battalion 151 Battalion

Military Areas	Walvis Bay Military Area Soutpansberg Military Area

Commando System	South African Commando System

State Presidents Guard	State Presidents Guard

SWATF	Regular Infantry Battalions 31/201 Battalion 33/701 Battalion 34/202 Battalion 35/101 Battalion 301 Battalion 36/203 Battalion 37/102 Battalion 41/911 Battalion/Regiment Windhoek 912 Battalion/Regiment Erongo 913 Battalion/Regiment Namutoni Modular Infantry Battalions 51 Battalion 52 Battalion 53 Battalion 54 Battalion 55 Battalion SWATF Brigade 91 Reaction Force Brigade Support Structures Logistics Brigade SWA Mil School Special Forces 1 SWA Specialist Unit 2 SWA Specialist Unit 1 SWA Parachute Battalion Air Component 1 SWA Commando Squadron

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