• Source: Eastern Province Command

      • Eastern Province Command was a command of the South African Army.


      History




      = Origin

      =


      Under the Union Defence Force


      In 1939, South Africa was originally divided under the Union Defence Force into 9 military districts. At the time, the command was headquartered at East London and comprised 2nd Infantry Brigade and 5 and 6 Batteries of the Permanent Garrison Artillery.


      Districts to Commands


      Under the SADF, Northern Transvaal Command was originally split into an eastern and western sector while Northern Cape had to be created from scratch. The Southern Cape Command was merged with Western Cape. The Officers commanding the new Commands were usually Brigadiers all units in those areas fell under them as far as training, housing, administration, discipline and counter insurgency was concerned.


      Operations


      In 1980, Eastern Province Command and 6 SAI engaged in Operation Rain, which was support to the Transkei during a regional drought that lasted until 1981.

      In the early 1980s the command's units were reported to include 6 South African Infantry Battalion (Grahamstown), 84 Technical Stores Depot (Grahamstown); 11 Commando (Kimberley); East Cape Province Commando (Kimberley); Port Elizabeth Commando (Kimberley); and the Danie Theron Combat School (Kimberley).


      Under the SANDF


      Before the reintegration of the Transkei Defence Force, a number of senior Transkei officers had undergone staff courses in India. These included the head of the Transkei Defence Force, Brigadier T.T. Matanzima, who later on became head of the Eastern Province Command.
      The command was redesignated as Army Support Base Eastern Cape (ASB EC), currently commanded by Colonel N.A. Ndou. The Support Base was established in April 2000, after the closing down of the Eastern Province Command.


      Groups and Commando Units




      = Group 6 (Port Elizabeth)

      =
      De Mist Commando (Uitenhage)
      Donkin Commando
      Humansdorp Commando
      Kirkwood Commando
      Port Elizabeth Commando
      Recife Commando
      Uitenhage Commando


      = Group 7 (Grahamstown)

      =
      Cradock Commando
      Katberg Commando
      Murraydeen Commando
      Somerset East Commando
      Stormberg Commando


      = Group 8 (East London)

      =
      Cately Commando
      East London Commando


      = Group 32 (Graaff-Reinet)

      =
      Amatola Commando
      Graaff-Reinet Commando


      = Group 39 (Queenstown)

      =
      Aliwal North Commando
      Barkly East Commando
      Queenstown Commando


      Leadership




      See also


      South African Army Order of Battle 1940


      References

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