10 Armoured Squadron

  •  Republic of South Africa
Branch
  •  South African Army
TypeArmoured RegimentPart ofSouth African Armoured Corps
Army Conventional ReserveGarrison/HQOshakati Sector 10 South West African Operation AreaEquipmentEland 90 armoured carBattle honours
  • Operation Askari
CommandersFirst OCCaptain E van JaarsveldInsigniaBeret ColourBlackArmour Squadron emblemsSANDF Armour squadron emblemsArmour beret bar circa 1992SANDF Armour beret bar
Military unit

10 Armoured Car Squadron was a contingent of the South African Armoured Corps posted in Sector 10, South West Africa, during the South African Border War.

History

Origin

10 Armoured Squadron's[1] home unit was 1 Special Service Battalion (1SSB), Bloemfontein. In addition to the personnel from 1 SSB or 2 SSB in South Africa, the Squadron also had a small contingent of infantry. These alternated with personnel from 2 SAI (Walvis Bay) to 7 SAI (Phalaborwa). These infantry soldiers were tasked with duties around Oshakati, such as manning check points at the gates.

Oshikati base

10 Armoured Squadron was housed in the Sector 10 Oshakati HQ compound at first, but by 1983 a purpose built base for 10 Armoured Squadron was completed and it subsequently moved in. The unit was based in the camp north-west of the white compound of Oshakati, but not part of the Sector HQ compound. It was surrounded by the familiar bulldozed soil walls. About all that could be seen of the 10 Armoured Squadron camp from the road was the steel hall building. Most of the troops seemed to be accommodated in tents. There were some brick buildings, which included a chaplain's work space and coffee bar. The senior officers had prefabricated offices.

Attack on Calueque Dam

The Cubans opened a second front on 27 June 1988 against the South Africans and launched a ground offensive in the direction of Calueque Dam in Southern Angola. The area to the north of the dam became the scene of fighting. MiG-23 aircraft attacked the facilities, bombing a bridge, sluice gates, a pump, a generator, and a pipeline to Ovamboland in three waves.[2] 7 soldiers from 8 SAI and 4 from 1 SSB/10 Armoured Squadron lost their lives in this engagement.[3]

Unit emblem

By 1984, a unit flash was worn.

External Operations

10 Armoured Squadron appears to have been involved in Operation Askari. 10 Armoured Squadron conducted escort duty for civilian movements in the operation area as well.[4]

Known Commanders

  • 1982: Captain Eddie van Jaarsveld and WO2 JJ Jacobs.
  • 1983: WO2 John Wahl.

References

  1. ^ "Sentinel Projects: CHAPTER TWO".
  2. ^ "Sentinel Projects: 27th June 1988 Calueque Dam Bomb Damage". Sadf.sentinelprojects.com. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  3. ^ Bernard E. Trainor (30 June 1988). "Pretoria Says Angola Raid Is Threat to Talks on Peace". The New York Times. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
  4. ^ "Page 11 - index".
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