| Western Province Command | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1959 |
| Disbanded | 1999 |
| Country |
 South Africa |
| Type | Command |
| Garrison/HQ | Cape Town, South Africa |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | General Magnus Malan |
Western Province Command was a command of the South African Army.
History[]
Originally it was a numbered military district, and then in the 1930s became Cape Command. In 1939, the army at home in South Africa was divided between a number of regional commands.[1] Cape Command, (with its headquarters at the Castle of Good Hope, Capetown, included 3rd Infantry Brigade, 8th Infantry Brigade the Coast Artillery Brigade (a coastal artillery regiment), and a battery of the 1st Anti-Aircraft Regiment.
Western Province Command itself appears to have formed in 1959. General Magnus Malan, later Chief of the SADF, took command in 1977.
From 1 August 1974, units transferred from Western Province Command to the new 71 Motorised Brigade included the Cape Field Artillery, the Cape Town Highlanders, Regiment Westelike Provinsie, Regiment Boland, Regiment Oranjerivier, a South African Engineer Corps field squadron, 74 Signal Squadron SACS, 4 Maintenance Unit, 30 Field Workshop SAOSC, and 3 Field Ambulance.[2]:16 12 Supply and Transport Company, originally established on 22 August 1961, became 4 Maintenance Unit on 1 September 1971.
By the early 1980s Western Province Command included the Cape Garrison Artillery, 101 Signal Squadron, 6 Base Ordnance Depot, Command Workshops (all at Cape Town) the South African Cape Corps Battalion (Eerste River, Western Cape), 2 Military Hospital, 3 Field Ambulance, and three Commandos (all at Wynberg) and 10 Anti-Aircraft Regiment SAA and 4 Electronics Workshops (both at Youngsfield Military Base at Ottery, Cape Town).
It was disbanded c. 1999 after the South African Defence Review 1998.
Commanders[]
- December 1933 – 31 January 1937 – Lt Gen George Brink[3] CB CBE DSO
- 1977–n.d. – General Magnus Malan SSA SD SM
References[]
- ↑ Ryan, David A.. "Union Defence Forces 6 September 1939". http://www.ordersofbattle.darkscape.net/site/ww2/drleo/017_britain/39_south-africa/_sa_.html. Retrieved 30 November 2014.
- ↑ Crook, Lionel, Col (Rtd) (1994). Greenbank, Michele. ed. 71 Motorised Brigade: a history of the headquarters 71 Motorised Brigade and of the citizen force units under its command. Brackenfell, South Africa: L. Crook in conjunction with the South African Legion. ISBN 9780620165242. OCLC 35814757.
- ↑ Ploeger, Jan (1989). "SUID-AFRIKAANSE STAATS- en STAATSONDERSTEUNDE MILITÊRE GESKIEDSKRYWING (1924-1987)" (in Afrikaans). p. 27. http://scientiamilitaria.journals.ac.za/pub/article/view/374.
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The original article can be found at Western Province Command and the edit history here.