Krugersdorp Commando or Kommando was a

light infantry Light infantry refers to certain types of lightly equipped infantry throughout history. They have a more mobile or fluid function than other types of infantry, such as heavy infantry or line infantry. Historically, light infantry often fought ...

regiment A regiment is a military unit. Its role and size varies markedly, depending on the country, military service, service, or administrative corps, specialisation. In Middle Ages, Medieval Europe, the term "regiment" denoted any large body of l ...

from

Krugersdorp Krugersdorp (Afrikaans for ''Kruger's Town'') is a mining city in the West Rand, Gauteng Province, South Africa founded in 1887 by Marthinus Pretorius and Abner Cohen. Following the discovery of gold on the Witwatersrand, a need arose for a ...

district of the

South African Army The South African Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of South Africa, a part of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), along with the South African Air Force, South African Navy and South African Military Health Servi ...

. It was active as a part of the

South African Army Infantry Formation The South African Army Infantry Formation supervises all infantry within the South African Army. History Origins: Union Defence Force South African Infantry originated as the ''Infantry Branch'' of the Union Defence Forces in 1913. In 1915, ...

as well as the South African Territorial Reserve.

Unit history

Origin

The Krugersdorp Commando, was formed in 1898 as part of the Boer Commando. Commanders from Krugersdorp were Sarel Oosthuizen (1862 – 1900), Frederik Jacobus Potgieter (1858 – 1924) and Sarel Francois Alberts (1872 – 1954).

With the Zuid Afrikaanse Republiek

=War against the Magato and Mpefu

=Anglo Boer War

= During the Anglo Boer War, this commando was involved in the following engagements: * rearguard for Dundee *

Battle of Elandslaagte The Battle of Elandslaagte (21 October 1899) took place during the Second Boer War, and was one of the few decisive victories won by the British during the conflict. At the time, the Boers were invading Natal, and had occupied the railway statio ...

* Battle of Modderspruit *

Battle of Colenso The Second Battle of Colenso, also known as the Battle of Colenso, was the third and final battle fought during the Black Week of the Second Boer War. It was fought between British and Boer forces from the independent South African Republic a ...

capturing General Buller's artillery * Battle for Pietershoogte During the guerilla phase of the war in the Western Transvaal, this commando was also involved in: * Battle of Vlakfontein * Battle of Moedswil *

Battle of Driefontein The Battle of Driefontein on 10 March 1900 followed on the Battle of Poplar Grove in the Second Boer War between the United Kingdom and the Boer republics, in what is now South Africa. In the first half of 1900, the British made an offensive to ...

* Battle of Yzerspruit *

Battle of Tweebosch In the Battle of Tweebosch or De Klipdrift on 7 March 1902, a Boer commando led by Koos de la Rey defeated a British column under the command of Lieutenant General Lord Methuen during the final months of the Second Boer War. Background In orde ...

* Battle of Boschbult and *

Battle of Rooiwal The Battle of Rooiwal was an engagement of the Second Boer War. It took place on 11 April 1902 and resulted in a victory by a British force commanded by Colonel Robert Kekewich over a Boer commando led by Generals Ferdinandus Jacobus Potgieter ...

The battle of Nooitgedacht in the Krugersdorp area could have been a complete rout had the Boers not stopped to plunder the British camp.

With the Union Defence Force (UDF)

By 1902 all Commando remnants were under British military control and disarmed. By 1912, however previous Commando members could join shooting associations. By 1940, such commandos were under control of the National Reserve of Volunteers. These commandos were formally reactivated by 1948.

With the SADF

During this era, the unit was mainly engaged in area force protection, search and cordones and stock theft control assistance to the rural police. The unit resorted under the command of the SADF's Group 17.

With the SANDF

=Disbandment

= Krugersdorp Commando along with all other Commando units was disbanded in the 1990s after a decision by South African President

Thabo Mbeki Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki (; born 18 June 1942) is a South African politician who served as the 2nd democratic president of South Africa from 14 June 1999 to 24 September 2008, when he resigned at the request of his party, the African National Cong ...

to disband all existing Commando Units. The Commando system was phased out between 2003 and 2008 "because of the role it played in the apartheid era", according to the Minister of Safety and Security

Charles Nqakula Charles Nqakula (born 13 September 1942) is a South African politician who served as Minister of Defence from September 2008 to 2009. He also served as Minister for Safety and Security from May 2002 to September 2008. Nqakula is married to th ...

Unit Insignia

SADF era Krugersdorp Commando insignia ver 2

Leadership

References

Infantry regiments of South Africa South African Commando Units Military units and formations of the Second Boer War {{SouthAfrica-mil-stub