Regiment Mooirivier

Regiment Mooi Rivier
Active 1954 to present
Country  South Africa
Allegiance
Branch
Type Armoured Car Regiment
Size One Battalion
Part of
Garrison/HQ Potchefstroom
Motto(s) Semper Prorsum
Ever Forward[1][2]
Equipment Rooikat armoured fighting vehicle
Commanders
Current
commander
Lt Col Heiko H-P.J. Stark
Honorary Colonel Colonel Gert van der Walt
Insignia
Beret Colour Black
Armour Squadron emblems
Armour beret bar circa 1992

Regiment Mooirivier (named after the Mooi River) is an armoured regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Army Reserve or United States Army National Guard unit. It is part of the South African Army Armour Formation and is headquartered in the South African university town of Potchefstroom.

History

The Regiment was founded in 1954 by the first vice-rector of the Potchefstroom University, Professor Fanus du Plessis.[3]

Regiment Mooirivier was founded as 2 Antitank Regiment, South African Army/Active Citizen Force (ACF). During 1955 the regiment was converted to an armoured car regiment and renamed Regiment Hendrik Potgieter. In 1959 the Regiment was renamed Regiment Mooirivier.[2]

Under the SADF

This unit served in South Africa's various internal conflicts as well as during the South African Border War, including duty in South-West Africa and cross-border raids into Angola between 1975 and 1984.

Divisional Affiliation

Under the SANDF

82 Mechanised Brigade Division was disbanded, and Regiment Mooirivier was transferred to the new armoured 'type' formation, the South African Army Armoured Formation. The Regiment currently uses the Rooikat armoured fighting vehicle, equipped with a 76 mm quick-fire gun.

Rooikat Armoured Car

Regimental Symbols

Battle honours

Leadership

Leadership
From Honorary Colonel To
n.d. Colonel Gert van der Walt Present
From Commanding Officer To
April 1954 Commandant J.S. du Plessis January 1967
January 1967 Commandant C.W.A. Steyn May 1971
May 1971 Commandant C.H. Heenop May 1979
December 1979 Commandant S.G. Greyling December 1987
January 1988 Lt Col. W.H. van Zyl March 2001
May 2001 Lt Col. T. du P Snyman May 2005
May 2005 Lt Col. B.J. de Klerk January 2014
January 2014 Lt Col. H.H-P.J. Stark Present
From Regimental Sergeant Major To
April 1954 WO1 P.F. Smit July 1966
July 1966 WO1 S.W. van der Merwe March 1993
April 1993 WO1 W.J. Wagner December 1997

References

  1. http://www.saarmourassociation.co.za/regiment-mooirivier.aspx Archived October 5, 2013, at the Wayback Machine.
  2. 1 2 "Fact File: Regiment Mooi Rivier". defenceweb.co.za. DefenceWeb. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
  3. Tylden, Major G (1954). The Armed Forces of South Africa. Frank Connock Publication No 2. Johannesburg: City of Johannesburg Africana Museum.
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