Natal Command was a Command of the

South African Army The South African Army is the principal 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 Service. ...

. It was headquartered in Durban, South Africa. By the 1980s, it was responsible for the security of the region, forming the primary level of command for military operations in support of the Police. It also provided logistic, administrative and service support to units and formations operating in its area of responsibility.

History

Origin

Union Defence Force

Under the Union Defence Force, South Africa was originally divided into 9 military districts. Lieutenant Colonel J. Daniel was Officer Commanding on 3 September 1939. The command included the

1st South African Brigade The South African 1st Infantry Brigade was an infantry brigade of the army of the Union of South Africa during World Wars I and II. During World War I, the Brigade served as a British formation in Egypt and on the Western Front, most famou ...

Pietermaritzburg Pietermaritzburg (; Zulu: umGungundlovu) is the capital and second-largest city in the province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It was founded in 1838 and is currently governed by the Msunduzi Local Municipality. Its Zulu name umGungundlovu ...

with two battalions of the

Royal Natal Carabineers The Ingobamakhosi Carbineers (formerly Natal Carbineers) is an infantry unit of the South African Army. History Origins The regiment traces its roots to 1854 but it was formally raised on 15 January 1855 and gazetted on 13 March of that year, ...

and the Umvoti Mounted Rifles, the 7th South African Infantry Brigade (including the Natal Mounted Rifles), two batteries of the

South African Permanent Garrison Artillery South is one of the cardinal directions or compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west. Etymology The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Proto-Germanic ''*sunþaz' ...

, and the Natal Field Artillery on 3 September 1939. Brigadiers

Harold Willmott Brigadier Harold Willmott (18991993) was a South African military commander. Military career He served in the Royal Air Force in World War I, and joined the South African Air Force in 1924. During World War II, he served as Deputy Direc ...

and Deon Ferreira served as officers commanding Natal Command after the Second World War.

SADF

From August 1974 84 Motorised Brigade was based at the Old Fort Road Military Base in Durban. While the brigade was part of 8th South African Armoured Division rather than Natal Command, its units were mostly located within the command's boundaries. These included the

Durban Light Infantry The Durban Light Infantry is a Motorised Infantry regiment of the South African Army. It lost its status as a Mechanised infantry regiment in 2010 in line with the rationalisation of resources. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equival ...

(located nearby in their historic buildings within the Greyville Racecourse), the

Durban Regiment The King Shaka Regiment (formerly the Durban Regiment) is a reserve motorised infantry battalion of the South African Army. History Origin Established in 1923 as the Durban Volunteer Guides, the unit was disbanded after World War Two but reforme ...

84 Signal Unit SACS 84 may refer to: * 84 (number) * one of the years 84 BC, AD 84, 1984, AD 2084 * Eighty Four, Pennsylvania, an unincorporated census-designated place in Washington County, Pennsylvania, United States * Seksendört, a Turkish pop group whose name mea ...

15 Maintenance Unit SAOSC Fifteen or 15 may refer to: *15 (number), the natural number following 14 and preceding 16 *one of the years 15 BC, AD 15, 1915, 2015 Music *Fifteen (band), a punk rock band Albums * ''15'' (Buckcherry album), 2005 * ''15'' (Ani Lorak album) ...

19 Field Engineer Regiment SAEC The Umkhonto Field Engineer Regiment (formerly 19 Field Engineer Regiment) is a regiment of the South African Army Engineer Formation. The unit is based in Durban with the HQ being at Old Fort Military Base, Lord's Grounds . As a reserve unit, it ...

, and Natal Field Artillery. Other units seemingly associated with the brigade included the First City Regiment and Regiment Port Natal, both infantry units. SADF era Natal Command insignia

In the early 1980s, the command included headquarters at Durban,

5 South African Infantry Battalion 5 South African Infantry Battalion is a motorised infantry unit of the South African Army. History Based in Ladysmith 5 SAI was established on 1 January 1962, at Ladysmith, Natal Province. The battalion became operational on 1 April 1962. The ...

Ladysmith Ladysmith may refer to: * Ladysmith, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa * Ladysmith, British Columbia, Canada * Ladysmith, Wisconsin, United States * Ladysmith, New South Wales, Australia * Ladysmith, Virginia, United States * Ladysmith Island, Queensl ...

15 Maintenance Unit Fifteen or 15 may refer to: *15 (number), the natural number following 14 and preceding 16 *one of the years 15 BC, AD 15, 1915, 2015 Music *Fifteen (band), a punk rock band Albums * ''15'' (Buckcherry album), 2005 * ''15'' (Ani Lorak album) ...

in Durban, and two Commandos, the

Tugela Commando Tugela Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve. History Origin Operations With the SADF During this era, ...

and the

Umvoti Commando Umvoti Commando was a Commando unit of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve. History Origin Rifle Association The forerunner of Umvoti Commando w ...

, both based in Durban. It seems reasonably clear that in the research for ''World Armies'' a number of units assigned to the command at the time were missed. 84 Motorised Brigade became

9 South African Division 9 (nine) is the natural number following and preceding . Evolution of the Arabic digit In the beginning, various Indians wrote a digit 9 similar in shape to the modern closing question mark without the bottom dot. The Kshatrapa, Andhra a ...

in 1992, and later 75 Brigade, before disbanding with the creation of the 'type' formations.

Groups and Commandos

SADF era Natal Command Commando structure

For Territorial forces a structure of "groups" was established during the 1980s. Each of these regional groups fell under the authority of a Command and exercised operational control over a number of units, mostly Commandos. Natal Command had three Groups (originally four) under command.

Group 9 (Pietermaritzburg)

Midland Commando Midland Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve. History Origin This unit was originally named Fort Beaufor ...

Midmar Commando Midmar Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve. History Origin Raised in 1978 at Howick after a decision was ...

Natalia Commando Natalia Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve. History This unit, along with all other Commando units wa ...

Umkomaas Commando Umkomaas Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve. History Origin Umkomaas Commando was activated when it in ...

* Weenan-Kliprivier Commando *

Griqualand East Commando The Griquas (; af, Griekwa, often confused with ''!Orana'', which is written as ''Korana'' or ''Koranna'') are a subgroup of heterogeneous former Khoe-speaking nations in Southern Africa with a unique origin in the early history of the Cape ...

Group 10 (Montclair)

Bluff Commando Bluff Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve. History Origin From Commando to Regiment Congella Regiment can ...

Durban North Commando Durban North Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve. History Origin Operations With the SADF During the ...

Durban South Commando Durban South Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve. History Origins Defunct Rifle Association This unit o ...

Highway Commando Highway Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve. History Origin Operations With the SADF With the SANDF ...

Oribi Commando Oribi Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve. History Origins Oribi commando was raised in 1979 and took r ...

South Coast Commando South Coast Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve. History Origin South Coast Commando shared the same f ...

Umgeni Commando Umgeni Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve. History Origins Operations With the SADF With the SANDF = ...

Group 11 (Dundee)

Drakensberg Commando Drakensberg Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve. History Origins The Drakensberg Commando was raised in 1 ...

Dundee and District Commando Dundee and District Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army The South African Army is the principal land warfare force of South Africa, a part of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF), along with the ...

Group 27 (Eshowe)

Insele Commando Insele Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve. History Origins Originally named as the Empangeni/Richards ...

Northern Natal Commando Northern Natal Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve. History This unit, along with all other Commando uni ...

Pongola Commando Pongola Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army and was based in the town of Pongola. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve. History Origin This un ...

Umkhombe Commando Umkhombe Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve. History Origins Operations With the SADF During this er ...

SANDF

SANDF director of facilities Brigadier General G Mngadi said the beach front property, formerly occupied by Headquarters Natal Command and later by the Joint Operations Division's eastern Joint Tactical Headquarters, “was leased by the National Department of Public Works for the South African Defence Force on a 99 year lease from the erstwhile Durban Corporation, now known as the Ethekweni Municipality.” Mngadi says that as a result of the consolidation of the facilities footprint in Durban, the facility had become superfluous and was returned to the city on October 16, 2009.

Leadership

Notes

References

External links

* * * * * {{SA Army Units Commands of the South African Army Disbanded military units and formations in Durban Military units and formations disestablished in the 1990s