10 Artillery Brigade (South Africa)

10 Artillery Brigade
10 Artillery Brigade
Active	1983–1992
Country	South Africa
Allegiance	South Africa
Branch	South Africa Army
Type	Artillery Brigade
Part of	South African Artillery Corps
Garrison	Potchefstroom
Nickname(s)	10 Art
Equipment	G5 Howitzer G2 Howitzer 127mm Multiple Rocket Launcher 120mm mortar
Engagements	South African Border War
Commanders
OC Operation Excite/Hilti	Commandant George Swanepoel
Insignia
SADF 10 Artillery Brigade laurel
10 Artillery Brigade beret badge

10 Artillery Brigade was a South African Defence Force formation designed for mass artillery barrages, mainly for the 7th South African Infantry Division or 8th South African Armoured Division, as well as an ad hoc formation during Operation Prone, when needed and detached and reattached where required. Smaller components would then be used at the battlegroup level.

History

10 Artillery Brigade was formed in Potchefstroom in 1983, when 4 Field Regiment and 14 Field Regiment were both incorporated as 4 Artillery Regiment and 14 Field Artillery Regiment. 4 Artillery Regiment was located to the old 14 Field Regiment base where the Brigade was established. It provided the base and training facilities as well as National Servicemen gunner training between each regiment on an annual basis.

Equipment

The Brigade utilized the following equipment:

• G5 155mm long range howitzer
• G6 155mm long range howitzer
• G2 140mm medium range howitzer
• Bateleur 127mm multiple rocket launcher
• M5 120mm heavy mortars

SADF 10 Artillery Brigade structure in Potchefstroom

South West Africa and Angola

Tactical Headquarters

10 Artillery Brigade Tactical headquarters was an artillery formation created in 1988 to support the ad hoc formation of 10 SA Division which had been formed to counter the Cuban threat in south-western Angola in June 1988. It was composed of:

• a tactical headquarters,
• 14 Field Artillery Regiment comprising:
  • 14 Field Artillery Regiment HQ,
  • 155mm G5 battery from 62 Mechanised Battalion Group,
  • a 140mm G2 battery from Cape Field Artillery,
  • a 127 mm MRL battery from 32 Battalion,
  • a 120mm mortar battery from 4 Artillery Regiment,
  • a meteorological section from 1 Locating Regiment,
  • a light workshop troop and
  • a signals troop
• 17 Field Regiment comprising:
  • 17 Field Regiment HQ,
  • a 155mm G5 Battery from 61 Mechanised Battalion Group,
  • a 140mm G2 Battery from 17 Field Regiment,
  • another 140mm G2 Battery from Transvaal Horse Artillery,
  • a 127mm MRL battery from 4 Artillery Regiment,
  • a meteorological section from 2 Locating Regiment,
  • a light workshop troop and
  • a signals troop
• 181 battery from 18 Light Regiment

SADF 10 Artillery Brigade Tactical Structure Angola

Engagements

• Battles fought around Cuito Cuanavale
• Operation Excite/Hilti
• Operation Prone

Disbandment

10 Artillery Brigade became the basis for the South African Army Artillery Formation.

Notes

• Velthuizen, Andreas (2009). "The significance of the battle for Cuito Cuanavale: Long term foresight of the current strategic landscape". Digital object identifier:10.5787/37-2-71. ISSN 2224-0020.