Cape Garrison Artillery The Cape Garrison Artillery ( CGA ) is an artillery regiment of the South African Army . There have been two regiments of the name : one a coast artillery regiment , the other an anti - aircraft regiment . The latter is part of the South African Army Artillery Formation . Cape Garrison Artillery ( 1st ) . The original regiment had a fragmented history . 1859 - 1866 . The forerunner of the regiment was the " Volunteer Sappers and Miners " , formed in Cape Town in 1859 . The unit was later called the " Cape Engineers " or " Cape Town Volunteer Engineers " . It disbanded around 1866 . 1879 - 1899 . A new unit , called the " Cape Town Volunteer Engineers " was formed in the Cape Colonial Forces in 1879 . It served in the Transkei campaign in 1880 and 1881 . In 1889 , it added a coast artillery company , and the title was later changed to " Garrison Artillery & Engineer Volunteer Corps " . Engineering was discontinued in 1896 , and the title was then changed to " Cape Garrison Artillery " . The commanding officer of the unit at that time was Major le Vicomte de Montfort . The Regiment had an authorised strength of 320 men and was trained by the Royal Garrison Artillery . In 1898 the CGA was changed to a partially paid unit and thus lost its volunteer status . 1899 - 1902 . The CGA was mobilized for participation in the Second Anglo - Boer War in 1899 . Initially the Regiment had 373 members , but the figure increased to 560 ( with some recruits arriving from overseas ) by February 1900 . During 1900 the CGA was mainly used on the main western railway line of Cape Colony , as well as west of that line , assisting in garrisoning important posts . A small number of CGA members were also under the command of Sir Charles Warren in Griqualand West . Parts of the Regiment also joined Kitchener ’ s Horse . Elements of the CGA were also involved in the attack on Jacobsdal on 25 October 1900 . During 1901 detachments of the Regiment were often stationed alongside the Cape Town Highlanders as well as other local troops in the west of Cape Colony and other areas , up to the German South West Africa border . Other actions that elements of the CHA were involved in during the war were : Brugspruit ( October 1900 ) , Wonderfontein ( February 1901 ) , Naauwpoort ( February 1901 ) , Mafeking ( November 1901 ) , Omkyk ( January 1902 ) , Okiep ( April 1902 ) and Daspoort near Pretoria ( May 1902 ) . 1902 - 1913 . On 30 June 1902 the unit was demobilised ; it continued as a part - time volunteer unit . The CGA was embodied in the Coast Garrison Force of the Union Defence Force in 1913 as the " 1st Division , South African Garrison Artillery ( CGA ) " . CGA manned batteries at Sea Point , Fort Wynyard and the Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town as well as at " Noah ' s Ark " and other batteries at Simon ' s Town . 1914 - 1918 . Members of the CGA served with the " Heavy Artillery Brigade " in the German South West Africa Campaign in 1915 . On the successful conclusion of the South West Africa Campaign , many members of the CGA joined the Heavy Artillery Brigade of the South African Overseas Expeditionary Force , which served with great distinction in France and was later commemorated by the South African Heavy Artillery memorial below the Union Buildings in Pretoria . From 1916 until the war ended , the CGA as such manned the Cape Peninsula defences . 1919 - 1939 . Between the two world wars , the CGA was closely linked with the South African Permanent Garrison Artillery . The approach of World War II led to the expansion of the South African military and in 1934 the Cape Garrison Artillery became " 1 Heavy Battery ( CGA ) " ' ( in Cape Town ) and " 2 Heavy Battery ( CGA ) " ( in Simon ' s Town ) . They formed part of the " Coast Artillery Brigade " ( later called the " Cape Peninsula Artillery Brigade " ) . A " 5th Heavy Battery ( CGA ) " was formed in 1938 / 39 to man the new batteries on Robben Island . 1939 - 1945 . The batteries were mobilised on the outbreak of World War II in 1939 , and manned the Cape coast defences throughout the war . An " 8th Heavy Battery ( CGA ) " was formed at Saldanha Bay in 1942 . No South African port was actually attacked during the war ; the only instance of a shot being fired in anger was when the Portuguese frigate " Alfonse d ' Albuquerque " did not respond to signals when she passed a shore station . However , one round brought her to , and she was identified . Many troops of the CGA were released for service in North Africa and Italy . 1945 - 1958 . In 1951 , the Cape Garrison Artillery batteries were renamed " coast regiments " . 5th Heavy Battery was disbanded , but " 1 Coast Regiment ( CGA ) " , " 2 Coast Regiment ( CGA ) " and " 8 Coast Regiment ( CGA ) " were transferred to the newly formed South African Corps of Marines , which was directed by the Navy . The SACM also controlled anti - aircraft units , and when the SACM disbanded in 1955 , the anti - aircraft units were transferred to the Army , and the coast regiments were taken over by the Navy . The three CGA units were renamed SAS " Ubique " , SAS " Diaz " , and SAS " Malgas " . They were disbanded in 1958 . Cape Garrison Artillery ( 2nd ) . South African home defences were strengthened during 1942 , as a result of the threat posed by Japan . Among the new units that were formed were " 50 Anti - Aircraft Battery " at Saldanha Bay , " 51 Anti - Aircraft Battery " in Cape Town , and " 52 Anti - Aircraft Battery " in Simon ' s Town . These units were controlled by the South African Air Force until 1949 , when they were transferred to the Army . In 1951 , the anti - aircraft units were transferred to the new South African Corps of Marines . When the SACM was disbanded in 1955 , 50 , 51 and 52 Anti - Aircraft Batteries were amalgamated to form " 4 Heavy Anti - Aircraft Regiment " . In 1960 , 4 HAA was affiliated to the University of Cape Town under a new system designed to enable students to co - ordinate their studies and their military training . The regiment was renamed " University of Cape Town Regiment " . Although the " university regiment " system was discontinued when national service conscription was introduced in 1968 , UCTR retained its name until 1974 , when it was allowed to adopt the name of the former Cape Garrison Artillery . The CGA served in the Border War in the 1970s and 1980s . Since the end of conscription in 1993 , it has been a volunteer unit again , as part of the Reserve Force Since a 2005 revival initiative , the regiment now has become active in key initiatives such as Force Preparation , Force Support and Force Training , which are some of the current main focus areas of the South African National Defence Force . The regiment is housed in Fort Wynyard . In December 2005 , the regiment began an unofficial initiative to save the Fort from further decay . King ' s Colour . In 1905 , the original CGA was presented by a King ' s Colour in recognition of its service in the Anglo - Boer War . Battle honours . In 1927 , the original CGA was awarded the battle honour " South West Africa 1915 " for its service in the German South West Africa Campaign .