# South African Army order of battle 1940

This page details the South African Army order of battle in 1940, before and after the formation of expeditionary forces.

## South African Army – 3 September 1939 – July 1940

Defence Headquarters: Pretoria, Transvaal

### Cape Command

HQ The Castle, Cape Town, Cape Province
* A. Permanent Force
** Cape Detachment, The Special Service Battalion: Cape Town
*** No. 1 Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battery: Bamboevlei, Wynberg
** The Coast Artillery Brigade: HQ, The Castle, Cape Town
*** 2 Sections of Cape Garrison Artillery designated as Engineers and Signals: Cape Town
*** 1st Heavy Battery: Cape Town (Wynard Battery): Table Bay
*** 2nd Heavy Battery: Simonstown (Queen's Battery): Simonstown
*** 1st Medium Battery: Cape Town
*** 2nd Medium Battery: Cape Town
*** No. 1 Armoured Train: Cape Town
*** The Cape Field Artillery (Prince Albert's Own): Cape Town
* B. Active Citizen Force
** 3rd Infantry Brigade: HQ Cape Town
*** The Duke of Edinburgh's Own Rifles: Cape Town
*** The Cape Town Highlanders (The Duke of Connaught and Strathearn's Own): Cape Town
*** The Kimberley Regiment: Kimberley
*** 3rd Field Company, South African Engineer Corps: Cape Town
** 8th Infantry Brigade: HQ Oudtshoorn
*** Regiment Westelike Provinsie: Stellenbosch
*** Regiment Suid-Westelike Distrikte: Oudtshoorn
*** Die Middellandse Regiment: Graff-Reinet
*** 8th Field Company, South African Engineer Corps: Cape Town

### Eastern Province Command

HQ East London, Cape Province
* A. Permanent Force
** 5th Heavy Battery, South African Permanent Garrison Artillery: East London
** 6th Heavy Battery, South African Permanent Garrison Artillery: Port Elizabeth
* B. Active Citizen Force
** 2nd Infantry Brigade: HQ Port Elizabeth
*** The Prince Alfred's Guard: Port Elizabeth
*** The Kaffrarian Rifles: East London
*** The First City: Grahamstown
*** 2nd Field Company, South African Engineer Corps: Uitenhage
*** Die Middellandse Regiment (See 8th Infantry Brigade)

### Natal Command

HQ Durban, Natal
* A. Permanent Force
** Royal Durban Light Infantry Company, The Special Service Battalion: Durban
** 3rd Heavy Battery, South African Permanent Garrison Artillery: Durban Beach
** 4th Heavy Battery, South African Permanent Garrison Artillery: The Bluff, Durban
* B. Active Citizen Force
** The Natal Field Artillery: Durban
*** 'A', 'B' Batteries: Durban
*** 'C' Battery: Pietermaritzburg
** 1st Infantry Brigade (South Africa): HQ Pietermaritzburg
*** 1st Royal Natal Carabineers: Pietermaritzburg
*** 2nd Royal Natal Carabineers: Ladysmith
*** The Umvoti Mounted Rifles: Greytown
*** 1st Field Company, South African Engineer Corps: Durban
** 7th Infantry Brigade: HQ Durban
*** The Natal Mounted Rifles: Durban
*** 1st, 2nd Royal Durban Light Infantry: Durban
*** 7th Field Company, South African Engineer Corps: Durban

### Orange Free State Command

HQ Bloemfontein, Orange Free State
* A. Permanent Force
** The Pioneer Battalion: Bloemfontein
* B. Active Citizen Force
** The Oranje Vry Staat Veldartillerie
*** 1ste Batterie: Tempe
*** 2de Batterie: Bethlehem
** 4th Infantry Brigade: HQ Bloemfontein
*** Regiment de Wet: Kroonstad
*** Regiment Louw Wepner: Ladybrand
*** Regiment President Steyn: Bloemfontein
*** 4th Field Company, South African Engineer Corps: Bloemfontein
** The Kimberley Regiment (See 3rd Infantry Brigade)

### Robert's Heights and Transvaal Command

HQ Robert's Heights, Transvaal
* A. Permanent Force
** The Special Service Battalion: Robert's Heights
** The Artillery School: Robert's Heights
** The Artillery Depot: Robert's Heights
** No. 2 Armoured Train, South African Permanent Garrison Artillery: Robert's Heights
* B. Active Citizen Force
** 1st Field Survey Company, South African Engineer Corps: Robert's Heights
** 6th Infantry Brigade (HQ Pretoria)
*** 1st, 2nd Pretoria Regiment (Princess Alice's Own): Pretoria
*** Regiment De la Rey: Rustenburg
*** 6th Field Company, South African Engineer Corps: Pretoria

### Witwatersrand Command

HQ Johannesburg, Transvaal
* A. Active Citizen Force
** The Transvaal Horse Artillery (A, B Batteries): Johannesburg
** 5th Infantry Brigade: HQ Johannesburg
*** The Imperial Light Horse: Johannesburg
*** 1st, 2nd Transvaal Scottish: Johannesburg
*** 5th Field Company, South African Engineer Corps: Johannesburg
** 9th Infantry Brigade: HQ Johannesburg
*** The Witwatersrand Rifles: Johannesburg
*** The Rand Light Infantry: Johannesburg
*** Regiment Botha: Morgenson
*** 9th Field Company, South African Engineer Corps: Johannesburg

## The Defence Rifle Associations (Commandos)

* The Cape Defence Rifle Association
* The Transvaal Defence Rifle Association
* The Natal Defence Rifle Association
* The Orange Free State Defence Rifle Association

## South African Army 1939–40
### Active Citizen Force Infantry Battalions and Brigades 1940

* March 1940 – Intended Organization (HQ & Recruiting Areas)
** 1st South African Infantry Brigade
*** 1st Royal Natal Carabineers – Pietermaritzburg
*** 1st Duke of Edinburgh's Rifles – Cape Town
*** 1st Transvaal Scottish – Johannesburg
** 2nd South African Infantry Brigade
*** 1st Field Force Battalion – Ladysmith
*** 2nd Field Force Battalion – Ladysmith
*** 1st Natal Mounted Rifles – Durban
** 3rd South African Infantry Brigade
*** 1st Imperial Light Horse – Johannesburg
*** 1st Royal Durban Light Infantry – Durban
*** 1st Rand Light Infantry – Johannesburg
** 4th South African Infantry Brigade
*** 2nd Royal Durban Light Infantry – Durban
*** 2nd Natal Mounted Rifles – Greytown
*** The Kaffrarian Rifles – East London
** 5th South African Infantry Brigade
*** 2nd Regiment Botha – North of Nylstroom
*** 3rd Transvaal Scottish – Benoni
*** 1st South African Irish – Johannesburg
** 6th South African Infantry Brigade
*** 1st South African Police – Pretoria
*** 2nd South African Police – Pretoria
*** 2nd Transvaal Scottish – Johannesburg
** 7th South African Infantry Brigade
*** The Pretoria Highlanders – Pretoria
*** 1st Pretoria Regiment – Pretoria
*** The First City – Grahamstown
** 8th South African Infantry Brigade
*** Regiment De la Rey
*** 1st Witwatersrand Rifles – Johannesburg
*** The Cape Town Highlanders – Cape Town
** 9th South African Infantry Brigade
*** The Prince Alfred's Guard – Port Elizabeth
*** Regiment President Steyn – Bloemfontein
*** Regiment Westelike Provinsie – Stellenbosch
** 10th South African Infantry Brigade
*** The Kimberley Regiment- Kimberley
*** Regiment South Westelike Distrike – George
*** 1st Regiment Botha – South of Nylstroom
** 11th South African Infantry Brigade
*** 2nd Witwatersrand Rifles – Springs
*** 1st South-West African Infantry Battalion – Windhoek
*** Die Middelandse Regiment – Graff-Reinet
** 12th South African Infantry Brigade
*** 2nd Royal Natal Carabineers – Ladysmith
*** 2nd Pretoria Regiment – Pretoria
*** 2nd Rand Light Infantry – Krugersdorp
** Others
*** Regiment de Wet – Kroonstaad
*** Regiment Louw Wepner – Ladybrand
*** 2nd Natal Mounted Rifles – Greytown
*** 2nd Imperial Light Horse – Johannesburg

### 1st Reserve Brigade – Raised 29 February 1940

* 1st Battalion (Transvaal) – Raised 29 February 1940 at Johannesburg
* 2nd Battalion (The Cape Peninsular Rifles) – Raised 29 February 1940 at Cape Town
* 3rd Battalion (The Natal Scottish) – Raised 29 February 1940 at Durban
* 4th Battalion (The Witwatersrand Rifles) – Raised 29 February 1940
* 5th Battalion (Eastern Province) – Raised 29 February 1940
* 6th Battalion (Transvaal) – Raised 29 February 1940
* 7th Battalion (Orange Free State and Kimberly) – Raised 1941
* 8th Battalion (Transvaal) – Raised 1941
* 9th Battalion – Raised 1943
* 10th Battalion – Raised 1943
* 11th Battalion – Raised 1943
* 12th Battalion – Raised 1943

### 1st Mounted Command Division 10 June 1940 – Piet Retief

* 1st Field Squadron, SAEC
* 1st Mounted Brigade
** 1st Mounted Regiment – Formed at Pretoria
** 2nd Mounted Regiment – Formed in the Transvaal
** 3rd Mounted Regiment – Formed in the Transvaal
* 2nd Mounted Brigade
** 4th Mounted Regiment – Formed in Orange Free State
** 5th Mounted Regiment – Formed in Natal
** 6th Mounted Regiment – Formed at the Castle, Cape Town, Cape Province

## The Mobilization of the South African Mobile Field Force – 1940

* 1st South African Division – Raised 13 August 1940 at Robert's Heights
** 3rd Field Brigade, SAA (Transvaal Horse Artillery)
** 4th Field Brigade, SAA
** 7th Field Brigade, SAA
** 1st Anti-Tank Brigade, SAA
** 1st, 5th, 12th Field Companies, SAEC
** 19th Divisional Field Park Company, SAEC
** 1st South African Infantry Brigade (Raised 13 May 1940 at Kafferskraal)
*** 1st Royal Natal Carabineers
*** The Duke of Edinburgh's Own Rifles
*** 1st Transvaal Scottish
** 2nd South African Infantry Brigade (Raised 13 May 1940 at Premier Mine)
*** 1st, 2nd Field Force Battalions
*** 1st Natal Mounted Rifles
** 5th South African Infantry Brigade (Raised 16 June 1940 at Barberton)
*** 3rd Transvaal Scottish
*** 2nd Regiment Botha
*** 1st South African Irish Regiment
* 2nd South African Division (Raised 23 October 1940)
** 1st Field Brigade, SAA (Cape Field Artillery (Prince Alfred's Own))
** 2nd Field Brigade, SAA (Natal Field Artillery)
** 5th Light Field Brigade, SAA
** 2nd Anti-Tank Brigade, SAA
** 2nd, 4th, 10th Field Companies, SAEC
** 20th Divisional Field Park Company, SAEC
** 3rd South African Infantry Brigade (Raised 8 June 1940 at Zonderwater)
*** 1st Imperial Light Horse
*** 1st Royal Durban Light Infantry
*** 1st Rand Light Infantry
** 4th South African Infantry Brigade (Raised 17 June 1940 at Oribi Camp, Pietermaritzburg
*** 2nd Natal Mounted Rifles (Until October 1940)
*** 2nd Royal Durban Light Infantry
*** The Kaffrarian Rifles
*** The Umvoti Mounted Rifles (From October 1940)
** 6th South African Infantry Brigade (Raised 17 June 1940 at Pietermaritzburg
*** 1st Pretoria Highlanders (Until November 1940)
*** 1st, 2nd South African Police
*** 2nd Transvaal Scottish (From 21 November 1940)
* 3rd South African Division (Raised 23 October 1940 at Pretoria)
** 6th Light Field Brigade, SAA
** 8th, 9th, 10th Field Companies, SAEC
** 17th Divisional Field Park Company, SAEC
** 7th South African Infantry Brigade (Raised 11 July 1940 at Premier Mine)
*** 1st Pretoria Regiment
*** 1st Witwatersrand Rifles
*** Regiment De la Rey
** 8th South African Infantry Brigade (Raised 1 July 1940 in East London. Disbanded November 1940.)
*** The Cape Town Highlanders
*** The First City
*** Prince Alfred's Guard
** 9th South African Infantry Brigade (Raised 15 July 1940 at Premier Mine)
*** Regiment President Steyn (Until 22/11/40)
*** Die Middelandse Regiment
*** Regiment Westelike Provinsie (Until 1 September 1940)
*** 2nd Pretoria Regiment (From Sep 1940 to Oct 1940)
*** 2nd Transvaal Scottish (From 4 Sep 1940 to 21 Nov 1940)
*** 2nd Royal Natal Carabineers (From 9 Sep 1940 to 3 Oct 1940)
*** 1st Regiment Botha (From Sep 1940 to Nov 1940)
*** 1st Pretoria Highlanders (From Nov 1940)
**** The Cape Town Highlanders (From 6 Nov 1940)
**** 2nd Natal Mounted Rifles (From 23 Nov 1940)
** 10th South African Infantry Brigade (Raised July 1940.)
*** The Kimberley Regiment
*** 2nd Witwatersrand Rifles
*** The First City Regiment
** 11th South African Infantry Brigade (Raised July 1940. Disbanded October 1940.)
*** 2nd Witwatersrand Rifles
*** 1st South-West African Infantry Battalion
*** 2nd Imperial Light Horse
** 12th South African Infantry Brigade (Raised July 1940. Disbanded September 1940.)
*** 2nd Royal Natal Carabineers
*** 2nd Pretoria Regiment
*** 2nd Rand Light Infantry