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←Created page with '44 Parachute Brigade (South Africa) ==Establishment of 44 Parachute Brigade - 1978== 44 Parachute Brigade was an all-arms formation founded on the 20th of April 1...' |
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44 Parachute Brigade (South Africa) |
44 Parachute Brigade (South Africa) |
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==Establishment of 44 Parachute Brigade - 1978== |
== 44 Parachute Brigade == |
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===Establishment of 44 Parachute Brigade - 1978=== |
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44 Parachute Brigade was an all-arms formation founded on the 20th of April 1978 following the disbandment of 1 SA Corps. Initially within its formation included 2 and 3 Parachute Battalions which were Citizen Force Units (2 and 3 Parachute Battalions comprised of Paratroopers who had completed their initial national service at 1 Parachute Battalion) |
44 Parachute Brigade was an all-arms formation founded on the 20th of April 1978 following the disbandment of 1 SA Corps. Initially within its formation included 2 and 3 Parachute Battalions which were Citizen Force Units (2 and 3 Parachute Battalions comprised of Paratroopers who had completed their initial national service at 1 Parachute Battalion) |
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Revision as of 16:39, 2 October 2010
44 Parachute Brigade (South Africa)
44 Parachute Brigade
Establishment of 44 Parachute Brigade - 1978
44 Parachute Brigade was an all-arms formation founded on the 20th of April 1978 following the disbandment of 1 SA Corps. Initially within its formation included 2 and 3 Parachute Battalions which were Citizen Force Units (2 and 3 Parachute Battalions comprised of Paratroopers who had completed their initial national service at 1 Parachute Battalion)
Initially it was agreed that these two Battalions as infantry units were not capable of providing a balanced effective force for conventional operations. This was one of the main drivers for an all-arms formation, with an airborne capability.
Its initial location was in the lines of Orange Free State (OFS) Command Headquarters, next to the old Tempe Airfield in Bloemfontein, South Africa. (Tempe being the Military Zone within the City of Bloemfontein)
Brigadier M. J. du Plessis SM, the Officer Commanding OFS Command and former Officer Commanding of 1 Parachute Battalion was given the task of co-ordinating the establishment of the Brigade together with Colonel J. D. Breytenbach, DVR, SD, SM who was a founder-member of 1 Parachute Battalion as well as the founder of South Africa’s Special Forces and of 32 Battalion.
Initially the Brigade comprised mostly of infantry battalions with other units being added later (Engineering, Artillery, Signals, Anti-Air Craft, Workshop and Maintenance and Anti-Tank units)