History 1 Parachute Battalion

1 history

1.1 origin
1.2 first action
1.3 organisation under sadf
1.4 development of sister units
1.5 border war
1.6 para brigade
1.7 new techniques
1.8 under sandf

history
origin

in 1960 fifteen volunteers sadf sent england @ raf abington, majority train parachute instructors, parachute-packers , 1 saaf pilot in dropping of paratroopers. these men older unit called 2 mobile watch formed nucleus of 1 parachute battalion @ tempe in bloemfontein in april 1961.

udf era 2 mobile watch shoulder title

the first paratroopers permanent force men, training of citizen force (similar national guard of united states) paratroopers commenced.

first action

members of 1 parachute battalion first s.a. army men see action after world war ii when, in 1966, participated, south african police, against insurgents in s.w.a. (south-west africa, namibia).

in 1966, members of 1 parachute battalion participated in first action in war in south west africa during heliborne assault on insurgent base. thereafter, involved in operations in swa/namibia, angola, zambia, mozambique , rhodesia (now zimbabwe) , elsewhere on constant basis on 20 years.

organisation under sadf

1 parachute bn. organised follows:

permanent force:

bn h.q.,
h.q. coy and
a , b coy s;


citizen force:

c coy cape town,
d coy durban,
e coy pretoria and
f coy johannesburg



development of sister units

further battalions added: 2 para bn in 1971 , 3 para bn in 1977.

border war

in 1974 , 1975 1 parachute battalion operated along angolan border s.w.a; along caprivi strip; platoon jumped near luiana (september 1975), angola relieve group of bushmen trapped swapo force; , 3 platoons joined operation savannah @ sá da bandeira day after airport taken (october 1975). 2 platoons withdrew in february/march operation savannah during angolan civil war in july 1975 when 1 string of 1 parachute battalion flown ondangwa , travelled unimog ruancana on northern border of swa @ ruacana , santa clara in angola relieve 2 portuguese communities trapped mpla.

the para brigade

with coming of 44 parachute brigade in april 1978, under leadership of brigadier m j du plessis , colonel jan breytenbach, co-founder of brigade. became powerful force. first large airborne exercise of parachute battalion group took place in 1987 in northwestern transvaal (now north west province). eventual disbanding of 44 parachute brigade full-time personnel moved bloemfontein , incorporated 1 parachute battalion group.

new techniques

in 1986, unit embarked on first halo/haho (high altitude low opening/high altitude high opening) course in bloemfontein. enable troops drop enemy territory aircraft following commercial routes.

under sandf

in 2001 battalion personnel formed spearhead of south african protection support detachment deploying burundi.

in 2012, 1 parachute battalion participated in south african military assistance central african republic operation, unit suffered 13 killed, 27 injured , 1 missing in action in ambush conducted séléka rebels. in 2014 announced 1 parachute battalion receive battle honours operation.

in 2013, battalion contributed 1 company, under command of major vic vrolik, fib fought number of engagements in drc.