1 South African Infantry Battalion
| 1 South African Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|
SANDF 1 SAI emblem
|
|
| Active | 26 January 1951 to present |
| Country |
 South Africa
|
| Allegiance |
South Africa
|
| Branch |
 South African Army
|
| Type | Infantry |
| Role | Mechanised infantry |
| Size | Battalion |
| Part of | South African Infantry Formation |
| Garrison/HQ | Tempe, Bloemfontein |
| Equipment | Ratel |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Lt Col Jan Wessels Frank Bestbier |
| Insignia | |
| Company level Inisgnia |  |
| SA Mechanised Infantry beret bar circa 1992 | |
1 South African Infantry Battalion is a mechanized infantry unit of the South African Army.
Established as 1 SA Infantry Training Battalion at Oudtshoorn, (hence the ostrich feathers on the unit insignia) on 26 January 1951, the unit became part of the infantry corps with its establishment in January 1954.
In 1953, the unit consisted of:
The unit was reconstituted as 1 SA Infantry Battalion in November 1967 and moved to its current base at Tempe near Bloemfontein, in November 1973.
By 1976 infantry operations transformed drastically when the Ratel Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) was introduced for the first time and in November the first Ratel course was presented at 1 SAI by then Major Roland de Vries.
In 1977, 1 SAI received its first consignment of 42 Ratel IFVs. The shoulder flash of 1 SAI was redesigned depicting a rampant honey badger, while the first mechanised infantry junior leadership training courses started.
From 1977 to 1981, mechanised infantry leadership students shared the same lines as 1 SAIs conventional companies, but were required to wear a nutria brassard on the right arm with a green and yellow embroided honey badger insignia in order to stand out and ensure Espirit de Corps. The training wing became identified as the T&D Wing and all students attended the same course until the Section Leaders Phase had been completed. Section Leaders were then awarded their Lance Corporal stripes and then placed with regular rifle companies. The rest of the future NCOs also received their stripes and future Officers received their white Candidate Officer’s tabs. These students were then evaluated and split into the Mechanised Platoon Commanders Course and Specialist Instructors Course. These platoon commanders were destined to either become future leaders of 1 SAIs rifle companies or instructors at the Training Wing, while the Specialist Instructors would become Officers and NCO’s responsible for training of Ratel gunners and drivers.
By January 1981, the training wing was renamed the Mechanised Leadership Wing and moved to the Akkedisdorp premises outside the lines of 1 SAI and next to 1 SSB. The wearing of the distinctive honey badger student brassard was discontinued during this period.
The mechanised techniques developed at 1 SAI was transferred to two additional mechanised infantry battalions under development at that time, namely 4 SAI and 8 SAI.
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Wikipedia