Bloemhof Commando

Bloemhof Commando
Bloemhof Commando
	Bloemhof Commando emblem
Country	South Africa
Allegiance	Republic of South Africa; Republic of South Africa;
Branch	South African Army; South African Army;
Type	Infantry
Role	Light Infantry
Size	One Battalion
Part of	South African Infantry Corps; Army Territorial Reserve, Group 20
Garrison/HQ	Bloemhof

Bloemhof Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve.

History

Origin

The Bloemhof Commando was originally established as a commando of the South African Republic (Transvaal)

During the Anglo Boer War for the ZAR Republic

This unit can trace its heritage to the Second Boer War, in which it fought under Commandant Tollie de Beer.

The commando had an initial strength of 737, and fought at:

Fourteen Streams,
Magersfontein,
Kimberley,
in Western Transvaal,
Tweebosch, and
Carter's Ridge.^[1] Together with its neighbouring commandos it was part of the force under Boer General de La Rey.

In 1901, this commando fell under the control of acting Assistant Commandant General Jan Smuts. It was reorganised with the remnants of other commandos after the Battle of Nooitgedacht.

A Commandant Tollie de Beer with the remaining 400 mounted men were instructed to continue to obstruct the Mafekeng line.^[2]^[3]

With the UDF

World War 1

This commando was part of the South African Invasion of German South West Africa under the 1st Mounted Brigade led by Colonel Brits. A noteworthy engagement was the skirmishes around Husab.

The commando under Commandant Bezuidenhout was tasked to encircle the Schwarze Truppe.^[4]

With the SADF

Border War Operations

Although mainly used for area protection in the Western Transvaal, this commando together with Stellaland, Kalahari, Christiana, Schweizer-Reneke and De La Rey Commandos formed a joint operational company that was deployed to the Owamboland region in South West Africa.

The unit resorted under the command of the SADF's Group 20.

At the beginning of 1979, under then commander Cmdt van Rensburg, a group of Bloemhof commando soldiers did border duty in Owamboland within a company of Group 21.

With the SANDF

Disbandment

This unit, along with all other Commando units was disbanded after a decision by South African President Thabo Mbeki to disband all Commando Units.^[5]^[6] The Commando system was phased out between 2003 and 2008 "because of the role it played in the apartheid era", according to the Minister of Safety and Security Charles Nqakula.^[7]

Unit Insignia

SADF era Bloemhof Commando insignia

Leadership

Leadership
From	Honorary Colonels	To
From	Commanding Officer	To
1901	Cmdt Tollie de Beer	c. nd
1914	Cmdt Bezuidenhout	c. nd
From	Regimental Sergeant Major	To

References

^ Hall, Darrell (1999). The Hall Handbook of the Anglo-Boer War, 1899-1902. Pietermaritzburg: University of Natal Press. pp. 12, 17. ISBN 9780869809495.
^ Hancock, W.H, Van der Poel, J. Selections from the Smuts Papers: Volume 1, June 1886-May 1902 Cambridge University Press 1966 pg 361-362
^ Hammond, R. White stones and little crosses 2012 ISBN 978-1-4716-1334-0
^ Rayner, W.S. O’Shaughnessy, W.W. How Botha and Smuts conquered German South West, A full record of the campaign from official information by Reuters Special War Correspondants who accompanied the forces sent by the government of the Union of South Africa. African World, Cape Town 1916
^ Col L B van Stade, Senior Staff Officer Rationalisation, SANDF (1997). "Rationalisation in the SANDF: The Next Challenge". Institute for Security Studies. Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2015.
^ "About the Commando system". Archived from the original on 6 December 2007. Retrieved 17 January 2008.
^ de Lange, Deon. "South Africa: Commandos Were 'Hostile to New SA'". Cape Argus. Retrieved 5 March 2015.

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[1] Hall, Darrell (1999). The Hall Handbook of the Anglo-Boer War, 1899-1902. Pietermaritzburg: University of Natal Press. pp. 12, 17. ISBN 9780869809495.

[2] Hancock, W.H, Van der Poel, J. Selections from the Smuts Papers: Volume 1, June 1886-May 1902 Cambridge University Press 1966 pg 361-362

[3] Hammond, R. White stones and little crosses 2012 ISBN 978-1-4716-1334-0

[4] Rayner, W.S. O’Shaughnessy, W.W. How Botha and Smuts conquered German South West, A full record of the campaign from official information by Reuters Special War Correspondants who accompanied the forces sent by the government of the Union of South Africa. African World, Cape Town 1916

[5] Col L B van Stade, Senior Staff Officer Rationalisation, SANDF (1997). "Rationalisation in the SANDF: The Next Challenge". Institute for Security Studies. Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2015.

[6] "About the Commando system". Archived from the original on 6 December 2007. Retrieved 17 January 2008.

[7] Lange, Deon. "South Africa: Commandos Were 'Hostile to New SA'". Cape Argus. Retrieved 5 March 2015.

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