South African 32 Battalion
| 32 Battalion | |
|---|---|
32 Battalion emblem
|
|
| Active | 1975–1993 |
| Country |
 South Africa
|
| Branch |
 South African Army
|
| Type | Light Infantry |
| Part of | South African Defence Force |
| Nickname(s) | Os Terríveis (The Terrible Ones) |
| Motto(s) | Proelio Procusi (Forged in Battle) |
| Engagements | South African Border War |
| Disbanded | 26 March 1993 |
| Commanders | |
| Founder | Colonel Jan Breytenbach |
| Subsequent commanders |
|
| Insignia | |
| Battalion Flag |  |
32 Battalion (sometimes nicknamed Buffalo Battalion or Portuguese: Os Terríveis for The Terrible Ones) was a light infantry battalion of the South African Army founded in 1975, composed of black and white commissioned and enlisted personnel. It was disbanded on 26 March 1993.
After the victory of the Movimento Popular de Libertação de Angola (MPLA) in the Angolan War of Independence in 1975, many troops of its main rival, the Frente Nacional de Libertação de Angola (National Liberation Front of Angola, FNLA), found refuge in the then South African-controlled South West Africa.
From these troops, Colonel Jan Breytenbach together with Commandant Sybie van der Spuy formed a unit that was initially known as Bravo Group but later renamed 32 Battalion. Initially, Bravo Group consisted of two infantry companies, a mortar platoon, an anti-tank section and a machine gun platoon, but 32 Battalion was finally expanded to seven infantry companies, a recce wing, and a support company consisting of 81 mm mortar, anti-tank and machine gun sections.
Unlike other South African Defence Forces (SADF) units, 32 Battalion was mainly deployed in southern Angola, acting as a buffer between the SADF's regular forces and its socialist enemies. The unit was also used to assist the anti-communist movement of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA). Although it was mainly used as a counter-insurgency force it was eventually also used as a semi-conventional force, especially during the later phases of the war – particularly at the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale.
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