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SA Army Air Defence Artillery Formation

The SA Army Air Defence Artillery Formation provides CD ADA forces to the Chief of the SA Army, whilst playing the leading role in sustaining a credible, cohesive, ground-based air defence landward defence capability. The Air Defence Formation mandate focuses on the provision of CR Air Defence Artillery forces and the leading role it has to play in the development of the Air Defence Artillery component of the landward defence capability.

The history of Air Defence Artillery in South Africa dates back to 1 April 1939 when the first Anti-Aircraft unit (1st Anti-Aircraft Battery) was established as part of the Coast Artillery Brigade. The first Anti-Aircraft training took place at Brooklyn airfield and at Klaasjagersberg, near Cape Point, in 1939. The 1st Anti-Aircraft Battery departed for active service in East Africa in 1940, and during the Second World War gunners of Anti-Aircraft units won the respect of both friend and foe with their courageous actions.

On 1 January 1962 the wartime concept of a training regiment was realised with the establishment of 10 Anti-Aircraft Battery. This was the forerunner of 10 Anti-Aircraft Regiment, which was established on 1 February 1968 together with the Artillery Air Defence School (AADS) in place of the Anti-Aircraft Training Centre. These two units amalgamated on 1 November 1969 and were designated Artillery Air Defence School/10 Anti-Aircraft Regiment. The name was changed in 1984 to Anti-Aircraft School/10 Anti-Aircraft Regiment.

From the first Anti-Aircraft unit in 1939, Cape Town was no doubt the home of the Anti-Aircraft gunner. It became increasingly more evident that the Anti-Aircraft School/10 Anti-Aircraft Regiment, being situated at the southernmost centre of South Africa, lost out on valuable experience by not being able to regularly participate in integrated training with other South African Defence force fighting units. It was then decided to move the unit to Kimberley, and at the end of 1990, the whole unit with its personnel and equipment moved to Kimberley.

In 1997, the first female anti-aircraft soldiers were trained at Anti-Aircraft School as Junior Leaders, consisting of four (4) Candidate Officers and eleven (11) Non-commissioned Officers. These members were trained as Bosvark 23 mm Troop Second in Command/Detachment Commanders and Observation Post Officers/Non-commissioned Officers. In 1999, the first Voluntary Military Service female Anti-Aircraft troops were trained as gun operators and drivers at the Anti-Aircraft School.

In 2000, as part of the transformation process of the South African National Defence Force, the Anti-Aircraft School/10 Anti-Aircraft Regiment were split into two units, namely Anti-Aircraft School, renamed the Air Defence Artillery School and 10 Anti-Aircraft Regiment. This happened under the leadership of Colonel C.R. Lindsay and Warrant Officer Class 1 (RSM) P.A. Kruger.

10 Anti-Aircraft Regiment was separated from Air Defence Artillery School in June 1999 under the command of Lieutenant Colonel J. Baird and Warrant Officer Class 1 P. Olivier. Since then 10 Anti-Aircraft Regiment was involved in several deployments and exercises. From January 1999, different batteries within the unit were deployed at Macadamia in Mpumalanga, Lesotho border, KwaZulu Natal, and still support General Support Base Kimberley in ceremonial parades. In the beginning of 2006, the Regiment sent two Batteries to Pondrift on the Zimbabwe border for border patrols.

10 Anti-Aircraft Regiment also provides three Batteries for external deployment in Burundi. The first Battery to go was 102 Battery under command of Major L. Puckree. After 6 months, 101 Battery relieved them in Burundi under Command of Major S.G. Hlongwa. 103 Battery relieved 101 Battery in Burundi. After 18 months of external deployment the Regiment went back to its normal activities. Five of our fellow gunners were lost during the deployment in Burundi.