The Pretoria Armour Regiment (formerly the Pretoria Regiment) is a reserve armoured regiment of the South African Army.
History Origin The Pretoria Regiment was formed on 1 July 1913 as the 12th Infantry Battalion (The Pretoria Regiment) – a unit of the Active Citizen Force – by the amalgamation of several units: the Pretoria Company of the Transvaal Scottish, the Central South African Railway Volunteers, the Northern Mounted Rifles and the Pretoria detachment of the Transvaal Cycle and Motor Corps. The Regiment began as an Infantry Bn and served the UDF in this capacity for 30 years from 1913 to 1943.In 1943, the PR converted to Armour at the RAC depots in Egypt - for the Italian Campaign, as part of the 6 SA Armoured Division - and has served the UDF, the SADF and the SANDF in both these capacities since then.
World War One In August 1914, at the request of the British government, the South African government declared War on Austria, Germany and their allies and mobilized the one-year-old Union Defense Force to invade German South West Africa (Namibia). The new PR recruited volunteers who shipped from Cape Town to Luderitzbucht. Instead of fighting they had to lay new railway lines for rolling stock to use the line from the coast inland. Their only contact with the enemy was being bombed by two German aircraft, costing the PR 16 wounded and one killed. Then they marched 140km from Swakopmund to Usakos. From Usakos the officers and 609 other ranks- including 44 black drivers for 148 mules and eleven horses- marched under the harsh sun, in clouds of choking dust, in pursuit of the German Forces north-ward - 410 km in twelve days; 130 km in the last four. From Usakos they were on half rations, on one and galf army biscuits per day. Colonel JG Jeffer once related that the PR's motto was first heard in Damaraland, when the brigade commander said to a parade "If your motta is not 'second to none' it should be". When they arrived at Otavifontein surrender the negotiations had already begun. On the 9th July 1915, the German commander surrendered 4740 men and 37 field guns. The campaign involved 100783 South African volunteers, mostly Active Citizen Force and Commandos with 33546 Black drivers and labourers. Many PR men then volunteered to serve in Europe, the Middle East and East Africa where the War dragged on. For financial and political reasons the South Africans all served in British Army War Service Unites each named 'South Africa' but not Union Defense Force. In German East Africa where 60322 men served (16845 Black) the PR's former Adjutant, Joe Freeth, earned the Distinguished Service Order commanding the 7th SA Infantry Regiment at the Battle of Kitove near Mount Kilimanjaro. Lt Gen Jan Smuts wrote "...the battle of Kitove was a repetition of Spioenkop ... It was a joyful victory and three Transvalers are to be decorated ... (including) ... Freeth of Pretoria ..." The 7th SA Infantry Regiment included from the PR as CO, LtCol JC Freeth, LT Frans Roos (later CO of the PR), and Corporal WP Cooper later RSM of the PR. A total of 57755 South African volunteers went to France, Belgium, Egypt and Palestine including 30934 black and coloured support troops and the Cape Corps Infantry Battalion who fought gallantly and successfully in Tanganyika and against Turkish forces until 1918' earning seven battle honours. Some from PR joined the 3rd South African Infantry and went to France. James Leisk, the first Honory Colonel of PR, served in GSWA on Gen Louis Both's staff and then went on to Egypt and France becoming Brigade Major in the 1st SA Infantry Brigade and earning the French Croix de Guerre. The 1st SA Infantry Brigade was destroyed four times in France - at Dellville Wood, at Butte de Warlencourt, at Marrieres Wood and Arras - and then again at Ypres in Belgium. Many PR men were decorated serving elsewhere - such as Captain FK TeWater, MC, the former PR Medical Officer. The PR's post-War Adjutant, Captain LW Tomlinson, was in 'D' Company, 3rd SA Infantry, and earned the Distinguished Service Order for leadeing an attack on a German position on the north-eastern edge of Delvill Wood, capturing 138 prisoners before being wounded. He commanded 'D' Company at Ypres in 1917 and in November 1917 commanded the 3rd SAI. When the Battalion was disbanded he was commanding a company in 4th SAI in October 1918, earning the Croix de Guerre. All cast reflected glory on their old Regiment by following the path of duty where it led. A total of 245419 South African volunteers served in the War, including 30934 Black and Coloured troops, and 1925 Coloured infantry. Casualties numbered 18642 of whom 12000 were wounded. The entire war cost the government 31450000 pounds. The ACF was dormant during and after the War. Only in 1922, when the white gold miners on the Rand organized commandos and tried to establish what they called 'a socialist republic did the ACF really become active again. 12th Infantry Battalion (PR) was called and within days there were 1000 volunteers ready with WO1 WP Cooper as RSM. Capt Tomlinson led a company into action to clear the Pretoria-Germiston railway line near Rietfontein Station.
Rand Revolt The regiment prevented a force of armed strikers from damaging the Pretoria-Germiston Railway line in May 1922.
Renamed The Regiment founded in 1913 as The XIIth Infantry Battalion ( The Pretoria Regiment) in 1929 it was remanded 'The Pretoria Regiment (Princess Alice's Own) in 1936 the 1st Battalion Pretoria Regiment (Princess Alice's Own) as well as the 2nd Battalion Pretoria Regiment (Princess Alice's Own) in 1941 The Amalgamated Pretoria Regiment ( Princess Alice's Own) in 1946 1 Pretoria Regiment (Princess Alice's own) as well as the 2 Pretoria Regiment (Princess Alice's Own) in 1945 The Amalgamated Pretoria Regiment in 2019 the Regiment was renamed to The Pretoria Armour Regiment
The Royal Colonel On 24 October 1930 it was once again renamed, to the Pretoria Regiment (Princess Alice's Own) after Princess Alice, Countess of Athlone. The Regiment became fully bilingual with the addition of a 2nd Battalion staffed predominantly by Afrikaners.
World War Two
The Second World War (1939 – 1945)
When War came the UDF was poorly prepared, having only begun re-armament in 1936 as a war with Germany seemed possible. On Parliament’s declaration of war after Germany’s invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939 the permanent Force was only 3353 and the ACF was 14631 Active Citizen Force soldiers, sailors and airmen.
Besides the trained manpower shortage, the UDF’s usual supplier of armaments, Britain, was unable to satisfy her own needs let alone the countries of the Commonwealth. South Africa had to look after herself. Fortunately under the leadership of Dr Hendrik van der Bijl, the famous South African electrical engineer and industrialist, within two years the country had develop her own war industries, making artillery, armoured cars, lorries, tires and all kinds of ammunition and optical gun-sights.
In 1940 fascist Italy entered the War on German side when Holland, Belgium and France surrendered and British and some French forces were evacuated to England in June 1940. Italy attacked Sudan and Kenya and in August 1940 advanced into British Somaliland from the Italian East Africa colonies of Ethiopia, Italian Somaliland and Eritrea – which was seen as the root of potential threats to South Africa. From 1940 the 1st SA Infantry Division fought in Somalia, took part in liberating Abyssinia (Ethiopia) and then in Lybia, together with the 2nd SA Infantry Division captured Bardia and the German Division Bardia of Panzer Gruppe Africa in January 1942. The 1st SA Infantry Division suffered heavy losses at Sidi Rezegh in operation Crusader 1941, but fought successfully at El Alamain in October 1942. However, the 2nd SA Infantry Division surrendered to Gen Erwin Rommel at Tobruk in June 1942, losing two brigades and a number of attached British and Indian soldiers, although some units escaped.
At first the PR’s war was dull. The 1st Battalion’s 364 volunteers were mobilized only on 23 July 1940, the day after the 2nd Battalion. The PR’s departure from Pretoria station was marked by tearful farewells. Families believed the soldiers would be sent into action immediately. However, many of the men were at home that night as their train had taken them only to Premier Mine. They were retrained and as a unit of the 3rd SA Infantry Division (witch never left the country) they began a period of garrison duties, guarding the eastern border since in Pretoria there was a belief that enemy troops might invade through Mozambique. Then they guarded interned German citizens and performed all duties that often make war monotonous. By October, 1940, the 2nd BN was still much under strength and was amalgamated with 1st PR which then was designated simply the Pretoria Regiment (Princess Alice’s Own).
Following the surprise attack by the Japanese on the US Navy at Pearl Harbour, Hawaii, on 7 December 1941, Japanese forces moved into the Indian Ocean early in 1942. To prevent a Japanese landing in Madagascar and perhaps on South Africa’s coast, British forces occupied the island. As a Battalion of the 7th SA Infantry Brigade, the Pretoria Regiment accompanied the British force. The Regiment took part in amphibious landings and some small engagements with the Vichy French garrison of Madagascar. Given the task of organizing the rear-guard if the Japanese landed. The CO, Lt Col CL Engelbrecht, DSO, realistically saw no chance of a rear-guard action. Instead he planned to turn the PR into a guerilla force to fight during a Japanese occupation. The Japanese did not invade and the Pretoria Regiment went home to prepare for its real war.
Converting from Infantry to Tanks the Pretoria Regiment was attached to the new 6th Armoured division and sent to Egypt for full-scale armour training including a divisional to armour exercise in the desert at Khatatba. They then sailed to Italy and were introduced to armour warfare north of Rome, at Bagnoregio, where the first Military Cross was earned by Lt Fred Davey. Eventually, 1200 strong, the PR consisted of five squadrons. One squadron was the reconnaissance-Assault Squadron. As the Reconnaissance Regiment of the 6th Armoured Division early in 1945 the PR needed Infantry for close support. The CO established a Recce Assault Squadron composed of three troops of seven tanks, one for each tank squadron, and a six-tank Mortar Support Troop. They were mounted in turretless Stuart tanks fitted with 2-inch mortars and .30-inch Browing machine-guns. The five infantrymen per tank were armed with Thompson and Sten sub-machine guns and grenades. The squadron made joint armour-infantry operations a reality.
The PR shared in liberating Italy from German occupation during 1944 and 1945, serving as infantry in the snow of the Winter line. At the War’s end Pretoria Regiment added to theatre honours of South West Africa 1914-1915 and Madagascar 1942 the honours of, Italy 1944-1945, Bagno Regio, Sarteano, La Foce, Florence, the Gothic line, Monte Caterelto and Po Valley. After fighting as the tank regiment of the 24th Guards Brigade for six months, the Pretoria Regiment was granted colours in the form of wings behind the PR headdress badge.