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.
Regimental Symbols
- Regimental motto: Semper Prorsum.
Battle honours
- None known
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
- ↑ http://www.saarmourassociation.co.za/regiment-mooirivier.aspx Archived October 5, 2013, at the Wayback Machine.
- 1 2 "Fact File: Regiment Mooi Rivier". defenceweb.co.za. DefenceWeb. Retrieved 25 October 2014.
- ↑ Tylden, Major G (1954). The Armed Forces of South Africa. Frank Connock Publication No 2. Johannesburg: City of Johannesburg Africana Museum.