Corbadus

Issue 2 Vol XXVII

Summer 2014

Armour Songs
Medium A (Whippet) Tank
2014 Winners Parade
Journal of the School of Armour

Corbadus
Journal of the School of Armour
Vision
The School of Armour is
a Centre of Training
Excellence
Mission
To educate, train and
develop competent
personnel for the South
African Armoured Corps
Values
Honesty
Professionalism
Respect
Loyalty
Communication
Development
Customer Satisfaction
Functions
Initial and technical
training of all South
African Armoured Corps
personnel (regular and
reserve).
Education, training and
development of South
African Armoured Corps
leaders.
Training of driving &
maintenance instructors,
examiners and drivers for
the South African
National Defence Force.
Developing and
improving South African
Armoured Corps
doctrine.
Accommodating the SA
Armour Museum and
Library.
Research and
development support to
the SA Armour
Formation.
Supporting the training
function.

Summer 2014

Issue 2 Vol XXVII

From the Commander's Hatch..

s we enter 2015, we need to

reflect on the many challenges that confronted us since 1994,
frustration and failure of our efforts
to create a perfect working environment for all the members of this
unit to realise their potential and to
realise the common and collective
vision of School of Armour.
We must honestly look at
ourselves and reflect on our activities since 1994. We must honestly
assess our failure and successes
in living up to our promise of the
vision of School of Armour. We
need to reflect and identify our
weakness and strengths and try to
improve our training for the better.
We must learn from our mistake in
achieving proper training structure
and creating a conduce environment for the training.
I have a simple message
and I trust that my message will be
a source of encouragement, understanding, support and blessing
to all members of the School of Armour. I thought and I trust that
these positive thoughts will also
help you to live a military life full of
abundance.
The first element of management is self-management. You
have to manage yourself and that
means that you have to get your
priorities in order. Change starts
with you. Some people make
changes to their careers or chose
to make new friends but never
think of changing themselves. Are

you the kind of

person
who
makes a habit of
looking for the
good in other
people and recognises
their
positive
attributes or do you automatically find
fault with anything new without being objective about the matter?
Nelson Mandela once said,
whatever we knew, whatever we
learned, we shared and by sharing
we multiplied whatever courage we
had individually. In the light of
what he said, let us walk the talk
and rather deliver more than we
promised in 2014.
Walking and talking is a
journey, not a destination. We
should not lose sight by underestimating our own abilities but should
encourage members of the School
of Armour to be the best that they
can be by affirming their good
qualities especially in 2015.
General Alistair Irwin once
said, Never underestimate your
soldiers, never underestimate their
capacity to scale the heights to
achieve far more than could ever
reasonably be expected, never underestimate their capacity to let
you down, to disappoint and frustrate you. Never underestimate the
desire to be praised, thanked and
comforted; never underestimate
their ability to take your criticism,
(Continued on page 3)

Issue 2 Vol XXVII

(The Commanders Hatch from page 2)

even your anger on the chin when it is deserved. In short never underestimate the humanity of your soldiers, nor the very special
place that they should have in your heart
My message to the members of the School of
Armour in the strongest sense is Never Crush Criticism
This does not mean that disagreement
must not be aired. Of course, disagreements
must be aired, but even the most extreme expression manner as a contribution rather than
as a negative critique. When one of Winston
Churchills strategy teams once brought him a
military plan, which obviously did not stand the
slightest chance of success, he did not throw
them out of his headquarters. Instead, he said,
Gentlemen, this plan is a brilliant generator of
alternatives. Using this plan as an invaluable
basis for your thinking, bring me every alternative to it that you can.
Be Loyal
Loyalty is an extension of good faith. We
will not be able to keep good faith with our
learners if we cannot keep it amongst ourselves. Let us be loyal to those who work with
us. Let us not stab each other in the back, rather be a source of understanding and support
even if we feel personally let down or angry.
Attend Meetings
We all know that meetings at the School of
Armour are often cumbersome and inconvenient but they are as necessary to the School of
Armours well being as breathing is for a human being. By not attending a meeting, you
not only interfere with the processes of the
School of Armour but you also offend the
members who have made the effort to attend
the meeting. More importantly, you minimise
your own importance by implying that your
presence or absence makes no difference to
the outcome of the meeting.
Be Faithful
Faithful to what? To our standards! We are
professional Armour Soldiers who serve in the
School of Armour where high standards are
the norm. Our good faith is the bedrock upon

Page 3

which our plans and lives rest. We are trusted

by our learners, therefore let us keep faith with
them at all times since we are to serve and not
to be served.
Squash Gossip
Gossip is about as valuable as a television
soap opera. Stop listening to and spreading
gossip. Someone once said, Gossip is like
mud thrown against a clean wall, it may not
stick, but it leaves a mark. A persons reputation is easily destroyed when things are said
about them without their knowledge. Rather
evaluate stories by first establishing the facts
before passing the information on to others. I
identify situations that are prone to gossip that
could destroy the team spirit at the School of
Armour.
I do understand that we are all human, find
gossip fascinating and compelling but gossip
should be identified as our units number 1 enemy. Gossip undermines loyalty and should be
treated with the contempt that it deserves.
As the Officer Commanding of the School of
Armour, I am passionate about the Armour soldiers and the enormous energy potential they
have. As members of the School of Armour,
we must focus on our core values and conduct
ourselves accordingly. Values are like an academic exercise.
The strength and success of the School of
Armour lies primarily in the effectiveness of its
members. Effective leadership, training development and equipment clearly enhance the
School of Armours performance.
The professional competence of members
of the School of Armour is established through
training, education and relevant exposure,
which instils an ethical code of conduct towards colleagues and citizens. The School of
Armour distinguishes itself through the disciplined manner in which, its members conduct
themselves in general and the control of the
use of force during tactical training.
As an Armour Soldier, I passionately believe that we carry the flame in our heart and
this is what makes us the soldier With a Chest
of Steel who stand out from the rest.
I would like to share something with the mem(Continued on page 4)

Issue 2 Vol XXVII

(The Commanders Hatch from page 3)

bers of the School of Armour; it will be that listening is a skill. Of course, members of the
School of Armour have their own opinions, but
one does not learn by talking. One only learns
by listening.
Listening is not just the physical action
of hearing spoken words. One must also listen
to the words of history because much can be
learned from history, business history, and
philosophical history. The way people relate to
each other rarely changes. The specific arguments and weapons might be different, but
people are fundamentally the same as they
were 1 000 years ago.
At the end of the day, education is more
important than skills. Members of the School of
Armour receive a lot of training and learn a lot
of skills, but we lack the essential education to
truly succeed as members of this unit. Education counts more than skills in being a part of
the School of Armour.
One always learns more from ones failure than from ones successes. Therefore, the
earlier one makes a mistake and learns the
lesson from that mistake, the more that person
will benefit from that experience. The proactive
approach to a mistake is to acknowledge it instantly, correct and learn from it. This literally
turns a failure into a success. But not to
acknowledge a mistake, not to correct it and
learn from it, is a mistake of a different order.
As the Officer Commanding of the
School of Armour, I cannot remember just one
instance in which I have made a mistake, because there are just too many. However, I do
know that the principal conflict I have experienced has always had one simple cause - Miscommunication. Either I did not understand
what members wanted or they did not understand what I wanted.
These misunderstandings were caused
by a lack of communication, and not just merely misunderstanding a members words, but
also misunderstanding a members intention
and the background from which this member
formed his/her opinions. As such, my one
piece of advice to all the members of School of
Armour is, Dont talk so much. Listen more.
Indira Gandi said, My grandfather once told
me that there are two kinds of people, those

Page 4

who do the work and those who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group
since there is much less competition there
An unknown author once wrote, The greatest tragedy in life is when we die while were
alive. So many people are already dead but
theyre only to be buried in thirty years. In addition, the number one reason why people die
inside is that they severely underestimate their
own abilities. They believe all the lies they
have been told about themselves by others
during their lifetime. They become bitter, not
better!
At the end of life, there are no rewards for
being dull or ordinary. Travel the road less taken to your destiny. It truly does make a difference. Eleanor Roosevelt said, When you
cease to make a contribution, you begin to die
My message to key personnel of the School of
Armour in the strongest sense
Wing Commanders
Bring commitment back to the School of
Armour, thinking more about the legacy you
will leave behind.
Majors
Strive to be people of influence, leaders
who serve and play their roles as coaches to
the junior officers helping them to achieve
greatness. The noblest occupation in the world
is to assist other human beings. Umuntu ungumuntu ngabantu - a person is a person because of other people. If you want to achieve
what you want to achieve, help other people
achieve what they want to achieve.
Warrant Officers
Strive for zero tolerance regarding bad behaviour and poor discipline.
The Rest of the uniform and civilian members
of the School Of Armour
Consider the following questions. Who am
l? Why do l exist? Where do l want to be in five
years time?
To all who are parents at the School of Armour
Give your children some space to experience life and guide them with a firm loving
(Continued on page 5)

Page 5

Issue 2 Vol XXVII

(The Commanders Hatch from page 4)

hand. As armour soldier, nurture the passion

and the energy potential they have.
No matter what anyone says, they are special, unique, fun loving, knowledgeable, successful and a light to others.

The success enjoy by the School of Armour

over the previous 49 years, should be a
source of understanding and support and inspiration to all of us in the year 2015.

The Productivity Principle of Humility

John E. Schrock
A man who refuses to admit his mistakes can never be successful, but if
he confesses and forsakes them he will get another chance. Proverbs 28:
13

umility is an awareness of our continual

need for growth, not thinking of ourselves
more highly than we ought to, and having a
proper respect for the contributions that others
have made to our success. It is not always
easy to be humble, to say, "I made a mistake
or I'm wrong." We all like to be right because
it makes us feel good and accepted. It boosts
our ego and self-worth. As good and right as
we may be or want to be, we all fall short and
make mistakes, Since life is a learning experience, we must learn how to handle these difficulties.
If we refuse to admit our mistakes or
wrongdoing, we stop the growth and progress
in our lives. The Proverb says, we will ...never
be successful. There is a right way and a
wrong way to deal with a fault or mistake. Our
judicial system says, Do not admit or say anything, because it may be held against you in a
court of law," which encourages us to hide our
wrongdoing and live with guilt against our better judgment. This leaves the following unfinished business that will haunt us:
1. Guilt, which will bruise our conscience to
where we cannot even trust ourselves.
2. Hardness, we become defensive and protective, because we are afraid to be real.
This is not the way God has designed life.
He encourages us to be honest and responsible for our actions. We cannot be healed or
forgiven without admitting or acknowledging
our weaknesses. A wholesome way to handle
wrongdoing is to admit it, confess it and forsake it as instructed in the Proverb above. We
will not forsake wrongdoing until we humble
ourselves and confess it. This means accepting the responsibility for our behaviours.
Our judicial system tells us, Dont admit
anything-make them prove it! which encour-

ages us to believe we can

get away with anything that cannot be proven.
That is not the way to the good life. The good
life comes from practicing humility, recognising
that we are not always right or complete in
ourselves. We must always face reality. When
we do wrong we have personal guilt and responsibility, even if it cant be proven. Guilt is
of the heart, not only when proven by law.
Proud people wont listen to the truth, but bully
ahead in self-conceitedness deceiving themselves. But a humble person will glory in the
successes of others and also recognizes and
gives credit to others for their successes. Truly
successful people always give credit to others
rather than boasting about how great they are.
There are three great benefits of being
humble and practicing humility:
1. We will have personal peace because we
will not be on a defence mode since we will
have nothing to hide,
2. We will be at peace with others because we
will look for and recognise the good qualities in
others rather than having an over-inflated
opinion about ourselves.
3. We will gain great favour from God and others because we are transparent and not afraid
of criticism. We will know when to be on offence or defence.
Humility is one of the finest and greatest
assets in a person. To lose it is a devaluation
of oneself. It is like the oil in a machine. It lasts
longer, runs quieter and gets the job done. It
works rather than squeaks.
Sometimes it is better to be quiet and be
considered wrong, even when we could prove
our innocence than to speak out in justification. Sometimes it is better to just swallow
hard and wait for time to prove us right.
(Continued on page 6)

Page 6

Issue 2 Vol XXVII

I am sure our judicial system was set up

with the intent of protecting and defending the
innocent, but we must be careful or we will
use our judicial system of law as the standard
of righteousness, while neglecting God's higher law. Guilt cannot be removed from a person

without first humbling himself, admitting, confessing and forsaking. As per the Proverb, only God's higher law of humility will rehabilitate
the guilty and build a just society, family or
business. Try humility, it will gain you great
favour.

Armour Songs
WO 1 Dennis Green
e often sing the Armour Song or Pantserlied and the Tankers Prayer at parades and Armour Shot Actions. Visiting Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia, I found three
more songs about Armour Soldiers.

Panzerlied
The Panzerlied is one of the bestknown Wehrmacht (Germany Defence Force
1935 to 1946) songs. Oberleutnant (First Lieutenant) Kurt Wiehle, while on his way to Knigsbrck, composed it in June 1933. Wiehle
adapted a German sailor's song, writing lyrics
more appropriate to the Panzerwaffe
(Armoured Forces). At the time, Germany was
clandestinely developing an armoured force in
defiance of the Treaty of Versailles. The song
could be considered as a reflection of
the German re-armament, launched in the
same period as the song was written.
It has gained fame in the English-speaking
world due to its usage in the 1965 film Battle
of the Bulge. While throughout that film, German characters speak English, the song is
sung in the original German.
The song is also sung by the Chilean Military and, unofficially, by some motorised and
parachute units of the Italian army. In France,
the wording was adapted slightly to become
the Marche des Chars sung at the 501e Rgiment de Chars de Combat and the tune is
used for the French Foreign Legion song Kpi
Blanc.
The song is also used by the South Korean
Army, sung in Korean, as a Marching Song for
its Tank and other Motorised units.
The tune of the Panzerlied is used as the
unofficial anthem for the German community
of Namibia, and the unofficial anthem of South
-West Africa (present day Namibia). This song
is known as Das Sdwesterlied or Hart wie
Kameldornholz.

The 1965 war movie Battle of the

Bulge has the most popular rendition of Panzerlied to date and is frequently referenced
with the song. The movie version repeats the
first stanza 4 times, omitting the rest of the
song.
The 2012 animation Girls und Panzer features an instrumental version of the
song as one of the primary leitmotifs of Kuromorimine Women's College (the other being Erika. For many years, Erika was the
March of the SA Air Force). The show features
boot stomping sounds accompanying the music, in reference to the version used in Battle
of the Bulge.
Originally, the last three lines of every
verse were repeated. It was later changed so
that only the last line is repeated.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=SndPb5XohYM - Leopard tanks
(Continued on page 7)

Issue 2 Vol XXVII

(Continued from page 6)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=p0uZYAmk_qk - World War 2 footage
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=jEIm3pe5wbA - World War 2 footage
Ob's strmt oder schneit, ob die Sonne uns
lacht,
Der Tag glhend hei, oder eiskalt die Nacht,
Verstaubt sind die Gesichter, doch froh ist unser Sinn, ja, unser Sinn.
Es braust unser Panzer im Sturmwind dahin.
(x2)
Mit donnernden Motoren, so schnell wie der
Blitz,
Dem Feinde entgegen, im Panzer geschtzt
Voraus den Kameraden, Im Kampfe ganz allein, Ja ganz allein.
So stoen wir tief in die feindlichen Reih'n! (x2)
Wenn vor uns ein feindlicher Panzer erscheint,
Wird Vollgas gegeben und ran an den Feind.
Was gilt denn unser Leben fr uns'res Reiches
Heer? Ja, Reiches Heer.
Fr Deutschland zu sterben ist unsre hchste
Ehr'. (x2)
Mit Sperren und Minen hlt der Gegner uns
auf,
Wir lachen darber und fahren nicht drauf.
Und droh'n vor uns Geschtze Versteckt im
gelben Sand, Ja, gelban Sand.
Wir suchen uns Wege, die keiner sonst
fand. (x2)

Page 7

Towards the enemy, sheltered in the tank,

Ahead of our comrades, In the fight all alone,
yes all alone.
So we push deep into the enemy lines! (x2)
When before us a hostile tank appears,
Full throttle is given and we close with the enemy.
What does our life matter but for the Reich's
army? Yes, Reich's army.
To die for Germany is our highest honour. (x2)
With obstacles and mines the foe blocks our
path,
We laugh about it and don't drive upon them.
And the threat of cannons that are hidden in
the yellow sand, yes, yellow sand
We search for ways that no one else
found. (x2)
And if we are abandoned by treacherous luck,
And if we don't return home again,
If death's bullet finds us, and fate calls us
away, yes, us away.
Then our tank shall become an honourable
grave! (x2)

If it storms or snows, or the sun smiles on us,

The day burning hot, or the icy cold of night.
Dusty are our faces, but happy is our mind,
yes, our mind.
Then roar our tanks in the storm's wind. (x2)

March of the Soviet Tank men

The
March
of
the
Soviet Tank
men
(Russian:

, Marsh Sovetskikh Tankistov) is a

military march composed in 1939 by
the Pokrass brothers with lyrics by Laskin. It
was commonly used as a Soviet propaganda song in World War II. The origin of the song
was the movie "Tractorists" (1939).
Notable performers of the song include
bass-baritone Pyotr Kirichek. In the movie, it
was sung by Nikolai Kryuchkov and Boris Andreev.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6V2g9HyIE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=csst0wZLd9g

With thundering engines, as fast as lightning,

(Continued on page 8)

Und lt uns im Stich einst das treulose

Glck,
Und kehren wir nicht mehr zur Heimat zurck,
Trifft uns die Todeskugel, ruft uns das Schicksal ab, Ja, Schicksal ab.
Dann wird unser Panzer ein ehernes Grab!
(x2)

Page 8

Issue 2 Vol XXVII

(Continued from page 7)

:
.
:
, ,
,

!

, ,

, !

, :
, !

!

,
!

, , ...

The armour is hard and our tanks are fast

And our men are full of courage
The Soviet tank men are ready for action Sons of their Great Motherland.
Refrain:
Thundering with fire, glinting with steel,
The tanks will begin a harsh campaign
When we're called to battle by Comrade Stalin
And the First Marshal will lead us in this battle!
In keeping our country, we guard
The work of factories and farms
By power of our gun turrets
By our fastness and pressure of fire.
Refrain
Let's enemy, who hidden in ambush, remem-

ber
We watch for him, we are on guard.
We want not a foot of foreign land,
But we will not give up an inch of our own
land.
Refrain
But if the enemy attacks us,
We will beat him everywhere,
Tank drivers will start engines
And drive by forests, mountains and even on
water.
Refrain
Soviet Tankmens Song
The Soviet Tankmen's Song is a popular
Russian song, the final variant of which was
popularized by the Soviet 1968 film Na Voine
kak na Voine, about the crew of an SU-85
self-propelled gun. The song has no official
title and is referred to by its first line Po Polyu
Tanki Grokhotali (Across the Field Tanks
Thundered).
The song melody originated from the old
Russian miners song Sirens sounded
alarm ( '), popularized in the 1940 film Big life. The lyrics of
the song were replaced during World War II.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MOi9_kuvPA
English translation by Daniil Vorobyev
The tanks were rattling like a thunder
The soldiers went to their last fight
And here they carried young commander
With head all broken outright
An armour-piercer hit his vehicle,
So say good-bye to his Guards crew.
Just four more corpses in the hillside
Will add to fair morning view.
And as the vehicle is burning,
Wait for the shells to detonate.
You want to live and see next morning,
But you're too weak and it's too late.
When they extract us from the wreckage,
(Continued on page 9)

Issue 2 Vol XXVII

Page 9

They'll put our bodies in a strip.

Then salvos by our turret gunners
Will set us down to our last trip.

His old mom will sob in a corner,

His dad will wipe a silent tear.
His fiance will never learn now
What kind of end got her love dear.

Now mournful telegrams are flying

To every friend and relative
To read: "Your son will not be coming,
Nor will he ever get a leave."

And there's his photo in her old books

Collecting dust in their sad gloom,
His uniform with shoulder-straps on...
And he's no longer her bridegroom.

(RTR from page 8)

Medium A (Whippet) Tank in South Africa, 1919 - 2009

Richard Henry
Curator of Armoured Fighting Vehicles, SA National Museum of Military History

he Whippet Tank, capable of speeds up to

14 km/h, was named after the whippet
dog. From October 1917 William Foster & Co
Ltd of Lincoln, England, manufactured two
hundred Whippet tanks, numbered between
A200 and A 400. Armed with four Hotchkiss
machine-guns; they were designed to exploit
break-through situations created by the heavy
tanks. Their first action was in France on 26
March 1918.
The Whippet had two, four-cylinder, 45
horse power Tylor petrol engines. The interior
was hot, noisy and cramped. The tank was
difficult to drive and steer as each engine
drove one track and the driver faced the task
of controlling two engines and two gearboxes
simultaneously.
When the First World War ended in November 1918, tank technology was new and of
great public interest. The Union of South Africa requested a tank to assist with raising
funds for the Governor General's Fund. This
fund, initiated in August 1914 by Mrs Annie

Eight members of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th South

African Infantry, who were in England at the
end of the First World War, served as the two
crews of the Whippet during its five-month long
tour of the Union of South Africa in 1919.
The four men on the left, Privates Stuckey,
Lang and Brown and Second Lieutenant I
Rees, formed one crew. The second crew comprised Sergeant Fraser and Privates Mackenzie
and Hubbard, commanded by Lieutenant K
Mackenzie.

Botha, the wife of the Prime Minister of South

Africa, aimed to assist all soldiers and their
families affected in any way by the war. Lord
Buxton, Governor-General, representing King
George V in South Africa, strongly supported
the fund.
Throughout the Union, about 120 local
committees headed by mayors or magistrates
held numerous fundraising events. People of
all races contributed what they could afford. In
Natal, many Indian flower merchants coCitizens of Johannesburg clamour for a closer operated by not selling flowers on fund-raising
look at HMLS Union as the tank makes its way days. The first black South African in Natal to
(Continued on page 10)
along Pritchard Street on 9 May 1919.

Page 10

Corbadus

(Continued from page 9)

express his support and loyalty to the Union

was Chief Mgqoma, who donated 40 on behalf of his people on 8 October 1914. Other
chiefs followed and, by 10 April 1916, Chief
Steven Mini, President of the Natal Native
Congress of Edendale, had donated the huge
sum of 1 102 to the fund. Others sent livestock to the local magistrate.
The Whippet Tank A387 was shipped
aboard the SS Umvuma from England and arrived at Simon's Town in January 1919. After a
This photograph shows the tank on a test run
trial run it was renamed HMLS (His Majesty's
at Simon's Town Naval Dockyard.
Land Ship) UNION by Lord Buxton. Starting
The Whippet, having broken a drive shaft,
on its countrywide tour in Cape Town on Friday 31 January, the Whippet Tank drew huge was recovered by a Johannesburg municipal
crowds at the major towns of the Union of steam truck and returned to Pretoria. In 1934,
South Africa. In Pietermaritzburg, businesses it was repaired. At the start of the Second
closed and residents donated nearly 1 000 World War (1939 - 1945), it was again used in
towards the Governor-General's Fund. Large fundraising and recruitment drives before beamounts were also collected in Durban, Jo- ing retired to serve as a memorial at the South
hannesburg and Pretoria. In July 1919, after African Military College in Pretoria.
the fund-raising drive, the Whippet was stored
in Pretoria.
When the miners' strike on the Witwatersrand turned to armed revolt on 10 March 1922,
HMLS UNION was despatched from the Aircraft and Artillery Depot in Pretoria to help
eject the entrenched and barricaded strikers
from their headquarters in Fordsburg, Johannesburg. The Whippet's track became jammed
on a tram track. While attempting unsuccessfully to free the tank, one crewmember, Corporal Johns, was killed, and Private Richards
was injured by sniper fire.

On Tuesday 14 March 1922, at about 12:00, after an hour long artillery bombardment, HMLS
Union drove down the 'Fordsburg Dip' in support of the final infantry assault on the Rand Strikers' headquarters. This photograph shows its recovery by a municipal truck after a track became jammed in a municipal tramline.

Issue 2 Vol XXVII

Page 11

The Rooikat MK1D Driving and Maintenance Learning

Programme

he 701 ARMCDM (201402), Rookat MK

1D Driving and Maintenance Learning
Programme started on 25 August 2014 and
ended on 03 October 2014 with ten learners
attended the course. On the first day, the
learners were welcomed by the Officer Commanding the School of Armour, Col MW Nondala and the Armour Training Wing Commander, Lt Col PP Shingange.
The first learning event, study units 1 and 2
introduced the learners to the Armoured Car
MK 1D and they learnt more about the Armour
Fighting Vehicle (AFV) Standing Orders,
Warning Orders and Cautions. Later in the
week they were assessed on the AFV standing Orders.
The subsystems of the vehicle were also
presented and indeed it was lot of information
about how the subsystems operate and also
very interesting. During week 3, the summative knowledge and performance assessments
were conducted, all the learners were found
competent and commenced with the simulator
training exercises, including basics of switching on and off procedures before the elementary driving of the vehicles.
Thursday afternoon of week 3 we started
preparing the vehicles and equipment to go
out to General De Wet Training area for a
week of elementary, obstacle and slalom track
driving as well as night driving.
We even had the team building exercise as
the vehicles depend on team work and proper
maintenance to operate effectively .
The branch warrant officer, WO 2 Vuthela,
had since the begin of the learning programme, been emphasising the point that

these vehicle are what the branch has and

other learners who would attend the next
learning programme were going to use
the same vehicles. If we did not take of
his vehicles, he would not take of care
of us!
The capability of the Passive Night
Driving sights (PND) was used during
the night driving exercise in the total
darkness. We were impressed with the
working of the PND. The Friday morning we returned from the field back to
the unit, ready for week 5. We are con(Continued on page 12)

Page 12

Corbadus

(Continued from page 11)

fident that we had gained a lot of knowledge

and skills of the driving and maintaining the
Rooikat 8 x 8 Armoured car Mk 1D.
Then we started with city driving and the
instructors were preparing the learners for the
testing process of the drivers. They were cautious and not compromising safety at any
times. As the week progressed, all the learners had ample time to do the city driving and
to get tested and they were found competent
to drive the Rooikat Armoured Car and no incidents.
In the last week of the learning programme
we prepared for the Stable Parade and it was

a success. All the learners had successfully

completed the learning programme.

The SANDF Examiners Refresher Learning Programme

ll of us reported on Monday 10 November

2014, some not knowing what to expect
as they have been Examiners for the last 10 to
15 years and forgot what to do!
As an ice breaker, WO 2 Windwaai said
that we were going to write an assessment
and I wish someone could have taken a photo
of the expressions on some of our faces.
But after a long week, it was really an experience with the facilitators of the Examiners
Branch. They are very professional, dedicated
and are experts in their field.
What was also an experience, or rather an
eye opener, was the Code of Conduct for both
the facilitators and learners. We feel that the
SA Army Training Formation should also
adopt this Code of Conduct.
In conclusion, to Maj Bierman and her
team, Thank You for empowering us with the
necessary skills to ensure that we are competent, professional and dedicated Examiners

that will uphold the standards.

Please where possible all Examiners
should be subjected to attend the Refreshers
Course every three years.

Issue 2 Vol XXVII

Page 13

The Rooikat MK1D Gunnery Learning Programme

he Rooikat Gunnery learning programme

started on 20 October 2014 and 20 learners reported at the Armoured Car Training
Branch at the School of Armour. Col MW Nondala, the Officer Commanding and Lt Col PP
Shingange, the Armour Training Wing Commander welcomed the learners.
The learners came from different units and
were exposed to a lot of theory in the Rooikat
manuals as well as the practical work. Even
though the theory was complicated, the instructors transferred their knowledge using different teaching methods as this allowed the
learners to get a better understanding. The
assessments were conducted and all the
learners were found competent.
The learners spent two weeks with the simulator training exercises to prepare them for
live firing at the General De Wit training area.
The day and night live firing took place at
General De Wet training area on 20 November
2014. Range patrols were placed at their designated posts for safety and security and so
the learners began taking turns to fire High Explosive (HE) rounds. The instructors were very
strict when it came to safety. The live firing exercises went very well and the learners gained
knowledge and great experience.
The vehicles lined up in line abreast formation waiting for the last light, total darkness
and ready to execute night live firing. The instructors and learners adhered to safety aspects at all times and the exercises went according to plan.
After the live firing, the learners conducted
a range sweeping exercise, the pieces of
shrapnel were all over the target areas and
were properly cleaned up. Then the course
returned to the School of Armour. The last
week of the learning programme, the learners
prepared for the Stable Parade which was
held on 27 November 2014. Later the day the
closing address was delivered and the course
function was held. After completing all the administration on 28 November, the learners departed for their respective units.

Gunnery is an Art!

In July 1947, authority was granted to 1 SSB to wear the black beret fitted with a white metal
SSB badge and below the badge a bar with colours of red, white and blue. These colours derived from the British Flag. All members of the now established South African Armoured Corps
wore the black beret, badge and colour bar.

Page 14

Corbadus

2014 SA Army Armour Formation Medal Parade

Maj. M.D. Jackson leads the Colour Party onto parade. The Colours of the School of Armour, 1
Special Service Battalion, 1 SA Tank Regiment, Umvoti Mounted Rifles, Pretoria Regiment, the
Light Horse Regiment, the Regiment President Steyn, the Regiment Mooirivier and the Regiment Oranjerivier were on parade. The Guard of Honour comprised member of 1 Special Service Battalion.

Chaplain David Makobe conducting the scripture

reading and devotions.
WO 1 Ben van Baalen (Rtd), ex Regimental
Sergeant Major of 1 SSB and the School of Armour lit the Flame of the Armour

March past by the Colour Platoon and the Guard of Honour

Issue 2 Vol XXVII

Page 15

Maj. Heiko Stark from the Regiment Mooirivier, receives a GOC SA Army Armour Formation
Commendation Certificate from Brig Gen Andr Retief. Maj. Stark was the Best Reserve Force
Overall Shottist at the 2014 Netherlands International Shooting Competition.
SSgt Natalie Jonck receives a GOC SA Army Armour Formation Commendation Certificate
from Brig Gen Andr Retief for her participation the SA Army Fittest Soldier Completion. To her
left is SSgt Reiner Els, also a member of the team.

All the recipients with Brig Gen Andr Retief, and Lt Col Fanus Buys

Page 16

Corbadus

WO 2 Willem Wilke receiving his 20 year Medalje vir Trouediens. MWO Johan Wagner (RMR)
WO 2 Thea Ramsden and WO 2 Marius van Niekerk (1 SSB) receiving GOC Commendation
Certificates.

Maj Heiko Stark, Tpr MG Mokhoantle, Maj.

Sarel de Meyer, WO 2 ZP Tau and Cpl MT
Moaneno with Brig Gen Andr Retief and Lt
Col Fanus Buys
Mrs Marietjie van Eeden receiving her GOC
Commendation Certificate.

Issue 2 Vol XXVII

Page 17

Brig Gen Andr Retief handed a special commemorative certificate to Lt Col Mike Rowe
and MWO Bobby Freeman in recognition of
the 160th anniversary of the Natal Mounted
Rifles.

Brig Gen Andr Retief handed a special commemorative certificate to Lt Col Pat Titlestad
and MWO John Morrison in recognition of the
150th anniversary of the Umvoti Mounted Rifles.

Brig Gen Andr Retief handed special commemorative certificates to WO 1 Johan de Bruin (9 January 1975) and WO 1 Dennis Green
(20 January 1975) in recognition of 40 years of
service to the SA Armoured Corps and the SA
Army.

The ex Honorary Colonel of the School of Armour, Mr Frik Jankowitz, seen here with Brig
Gen Andr Retief, was one of the special
guests at the Formation Medal parade and the
Armour Shot Action.

School of Armour Winners Parade

The School of Armour Winners Parade was
held on Friday 5 December in Big Willie and
Col Monwabisi Nondala handed over Officer
Commanding School Of Armour Certificate Of
Commendations as well as sport and training
awards to members of the unit.
Officer Commanding School Of Armour
Certificate Of Commendations
The School of Armour shooting team
achieved an overall second place in the SA
Army Combat Rifle shooting evaluation
Col Nondala handing a certificate to Maj TerLt Col JC Kruger; Maj W de Jongh; Maj H blance, to his right are Lt Col Kruger and Maj
(Continued on page 18) de Jongh, members of the unit shooting team

Page 18

Corbadus

(Continued from page 17)

Terblance; WO 2 JM Etsebeth; WO 2 PAM

Eloff; SSgt RE Brummer; SSgt JJ Strydom
and SSgt EA van Coller.
The School of Armour Fittest Soldier team
Capt SB Maponya; Capt NM. Magetse;
Capt H Delport; Lt JN Mosibi; SSgt RC Els;
SSgt BD Nkone and Sgt T Jaar
Unit members
Lt Col SP Carroll; Lt Col PG Mangana and
Lt Col J Veldman
Lt Cols Carroll, Mangana and Veldman receive
Maj SM Bierman; Maj SW Mzamani; Capt their commendation certificates
M.D. Choma; Capt R Leballo and Capt BE
Bosman
MWO E Helm; WO 1 JW Mafata and WO 2
K Thloloe
SSgt TM Miya; SSgt P Nkonzo; Sgt MT
Kholoane; Sgt RJ Leisa; Sgt RS. Swartz; Cpl J
Ferreira; LCpl RD. Ramabitsa and Pte NE
Ndlovu
Cpl D Plaatjies; Mrs SF Maape; Mrs A Parkin; Mr LS Selungwa and Mr JDJ Gertenbach
Unit Sport Commendations
Angling
MWO Helm, WO 1 Mafata and WO 2 receive
Lt Col SP Carroll, achieving third place their commendation certificates
overall in the unit team
Capt JC Bekker, achieving third place
SSgt E.A. Van Coller, represented the
overall in the unit team
SANDF at the Woodroffe championships
Badminton
Capt BE Bosman, participated in the SA
Mellville Championships and was runner up in
the C section

Bowls
MWO E Helm, selected for the SANDF
team
Sgt MP Segone
Black Ball Pool
Capt BE Bosman, selected for the Free State
team as well as the SANDF team
WO 2 H Windwaai, selected as the SANDF
senior team manager
SSgt SA van der Ross, won gold in the masters category at the SANDF tournament and
selected as player of the tournament in the
masters category

Darts
The team were winners of the BMSC sport
The Fittest Soldier team, Lt Mosibi receiving days
his certificate from Col Nondala. Capts Delport
(Continued on page 19)
and Magetse to his right

Issue 2 Vol XXVII

Page 19

WO 2 WE Jansen van Rensburg; SSgt G

Ackerman; SSgt RE Brummer; Cpl CJ Burger;
Cpl J Ferreira and Cpl JG Tieties

Sgt I.M. Moeti, assisted during the BMSC

sport days and selected for the SANDF team
LCpl NJ Mabela, assisted during the BMSC
sport days

Practical Shooting
WO 1 K de Ridder, first place in pistol at
BMSC, second place in rifle at BMSC, second
place overall and third place at the SANDF
championships
WO 2 WA Wilke, tenth place at BMSC and
seventh place at SANDF championships

2014 Most Versatile Sportswoman. The

nominees are Capt BE Bosman for badminton
and black ball pool; Capt H Delport for squash
and swimming and WO 2 CC van Zyl for tennis, SANDF swimming and netball.
The most versatile sportswoman for 2014
is WO 2 CC van Zyl

Road Walking
SSgt MR Ntabeni and LCpl Z Shamase

2014 Sportswoman of the Year. The nominees are Capt BE Bosman; Capt H Delport
and WO 2 CC van Zyl
The sportswomen for 2014 is Capt BE
Bosman. She participated in SANDF black ball
pool part of the womens team that won a
gold medal, singles gold medal, ladies player
of the tournament award and select for the
SANDF team. Selected for the Free State pool
team for the 2015 SA Championships. Participated in badminton in the SA Melville Championship and was runner up in the C section

(Continued from page 18)

Soccer
Lt. HJ Tshivhanda, exceptional performance
during the BMSC sport days
LCpl PT Moshe, most consistent player in the
unit soccer team
Tpr TE Hlakane
Squash
Cpln PHS Bezuidenhout; Lt. Col J Veldman;
Maj. H Terblanche, second in open and second in doubles at the SANDF championships
and Sgt H Booysen
Tennis
Cpln PHS Bezuidenhout
WO 2 CC van Zyl, second in singles, second
in mixed and second in doubles at the SANDF
championships
Sgt CP Basson, first in mens singles gold
league at SANDF championships
Volleyball
Maj EK Mothtamme

2014 Sportsman of the Year. The nominees

are Lt. Col SP Carroll, Maj H Terblanche, WO
1 A Cloete and SSgt JJ Strydom
The sportsman for 2014 is WO 1 A Cloete.
He participated in the SANDF fresh water
bank angling championships and achieved a
second individual overall position and selected
for the SANDF team, Free State Seniors C
team and the Free State Masters A team.
2014 Unit Sport Administrator. The nominees are Maj H Terblanche, Capt BE Bosman,
Capt LJ Pieterse and WO 2 CC van Zyl
The unit sport administrator for 2014 is
Capt LJ Pieterse
2014 Unit Sport Code of the Year. the nominees are badminton squash and tennis.
The Unit Sport Code of the year for 2014 is
squash. For winning the BMSC inter unit
league and the BMSC sport days.
Training and Support Achievements
Best PSAP groundsman. The nominees are
all grounds men
The PSAP groundsman for 2014 is Mr
(Continued on page 20)

Page 20
(Continued from page 19)

SI Moitse
Best PSAP office personnel. The nominees
are Mrs E Barnard, Mr JDJ Gertenbach, Mrs
SF Maape, Mrs AM Snyman and Mrs W Veldman
The PSAP office personnel for 2014 is
Mrs E Barnard and Mr JDJ Gertenbach
Best Corporal facilitator. The nominees are
Cpl JG Tieties and LCpl M Ralini
The best corporal facilitator for 2014 is
Cpl JG Tieties
Best Sergeant facilitator. The nominees are
Sgt R Kraft, Sgt JJ Matroos and Sgt RA
Swartz
The best Sergeant facilitator for 2014 is
Sgt JJ Matroos
Best Staff Sergeant facilitator. The nominees are SSgt G Ackerman, SSgt JWR Bruwer and SSgt L Mthimkhulu
The best Staff Sergeant facilitator for
2014 is SSgt JWR Bruwer
Best Warrant Officer facilitator. The nominees are WO 2 WE Jansen van Rensburg,
WO 2 FM Lethoko and WO 2 PK Vuthela
The best warrant officer facilitator for
2014 is WO 2 WE Jansen van Rensburg
Best trooper in support. Nominees are all
the troopers in Support Wing
The best trooper in support for 2014 is Pte
ML Milborrow
Best Non Commissioned Officer in Support. The nominees are SSgt JJ Strydom, Sgt
MT Kholoane and Sgt MP Segone
The best Non Commissioned Officer in
support for 2014 is Sgt MT Kholoane
Best Warrant Officer in Support. The nominees are WO 2 R Schmidt and WO 2 WA
Wilke
The best Warrant Officer in support for
2014 is WO 2 WA Wilke
Best Officer facilitator. The nominees are
Maj EK Mothlamme, Capt BE Bosman and Lt
JF Boonzaaier

Corbadus

The best officer facilitator for 2014 is Maj

EK Mothlamme
Best Officer in support. The nominees are
Capt R Leballo and Capt L Skwentu
The best officer in support for 2014 is Capt
R Leballo
Best Branch in administration. The nominees are all training branches
The best branch in administration for 2014
is the Examiners Branch
Best Support Section. The nominees are all
support sections
The best support section for 2014 is
Transport
Best Training Branch. The nominees are all
training branches
The best training branch for 2014 is ETD P
Branch
Fittest female for 2014. The nominees are all
females of the unit
The fittest female for 2014 is SSgt S Pieters
Fittest male for 2014. The nominees are all
males in the unit
Fittest male for 2014 is LCpl Z Shamase
Best shottist for 2014. The nominees are all
unit members.
Best shottist for 2014 is WO 2 R Schmidt
Neatest member in the unit. The nominees
are Lt Col J Veldman, SSgt N Jonck, SSgt EA
van Coller, Sgt T Jaar, Cpl MB Luthuli and Pte
T Spit
The recipient of the China van der Walt
Trophy is 2014 is Pte T Spit
The fittest wing for 2014. The nominees are
all wings excluding ETD.
The fittest wing for 2014 is the External
Training Wing
The best shooting wing for 2014. The nominees are all wings excluding ETD.
The best shooting wing for 2014 is the
Amour Training Wing
(Continued on page 21)

Corbadus

Page 21
(Continued from page 20)

School of Armour Honorary Colours

School of Armour Honorary Colours were
awarded to - Lt Col D Engelbrecht; Maj. EK
Mothlamme; Capt BE Bosman; Capt MD Choma; WO 1 K de Ridder; SSgt JWR Bruwer;
Sgt JA Goliath; Cpl SB Khoza; Mrs W Veldman and Mr LS Sulungwa
Transferred Unit Members
1 SA Tank Regiment - Maj A Muller; Capt

NV Pakwa; Lt JF Boonzaaier; SSgt P Nkonzo

and Sgt NN Moeti
1 Special Service Battalion - Capt BE
Bosman; Capt JC Bekker; Lt SJM Marries;
SSgt A Stuurman; CO MC Botha and CO DJP
de Bus
Joints Ops, Pretoria - Capt G van Zyl
Colet, Pretoria - Capt VS Lekgowe and Lt
MS Maleka
3 SAI - Lt LN Phelane
FS Works Regiment - Sgt P Pieterson

On the 3rd February 1947 by virtue of Proclamation No 40 1947, SSB was formerly established
as 1 SSB, an armour unit and the remainder to become 2 nd and 3rd SSB infantry units. This
proclamation became an Appendix to the Government Gazette, dd 21 February 1947. This also
finalises the One of SSB. The 2nd and 3rd SSB amalgamated to form 2 SSB an infantry battalion.

Cavalry Terms
hat is a Dragoon, a Hussar, a Cuirassier,
a Lancer and an Uhlan?

Dragoon
The word dragoon originally meant mounted infantry, who were trained in horse riding as
well as infantry fighting skills. However, usage
altered over time and during the 18th century,
dragoons evolved into conventional light cavalry units and personnel. Dragoon regiments
were established in most European armies during the late 17th and early 18th centuries.
The name is possibly derived from a type of
firearm (called a dragon) carried by dragoons
of the French Army. There is no distinction between the words dragon and dragoon in
French; both are referred to as dragon.
The title has been retained in modern times
by a number of armoured or ceremonial mounted regiments.
The word also means to subjugate or persecute by the imposition of troops; and by extension to compel by Modern Dragoon Guards of the British Army
any violent measures or
threats. The verb dates from 1689, at a time when dragoons were being
used by the French monarchy to persecute Protestants.
1 Special Service Battalion is affiliated to the 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards
Hussar
Hussar refers to a number of types of light cavalry. This type of cavalry first appeared in the HunAustria-Hungarian dragoon officer's helmet
(Continued on page 22)

Issue 2 Vol XXVII

(Continued from page 21)

garian army of King Matthias Corvinus. The

title and distinctive dress of these horsemen
was subsequently widely adopted by light cavalry regiments in European and other armies.
A number of armoured or ceremonial mounted
units in modern armies retain the designation
of hussars.
The Natal Mounted Rifles, the Umvoti
Mounted Rivers and the Light Horse Regiment
are affiliated to the Queens Royal Hussars.

Page 22

Prussian hussar, 1763

Cuirassiers
Cuirassiers, from the French cuirassier,
were mounted cavalry soldiers equipped with
armour and firearms, first appearing in late
15th-century Europe. This French term means
"the one with a cuirass" (cuirasse), the breastplate armour which they wore. The first cuirassiers were produced because of armoured
cavalry, such as the man-at-arms and demilancer, discarding their lances and adopting
the use of pistols as their primary weapon. In
the later 17th century, the cuirassier lost his
limb armour and subsequently employed only
the cuirass (breastplate and back plate) and
sometimes a helmet. By this time, the sword
was the primary weapon of the cuirassier, pistols being relegated to a secondary function.
Cuirassiers achieved increased prominence
during the Napoleonic Wars and were last
fielded in the opening stages of World War I.
Cuirassiers continue to be employed as cere-

Inside Story Headline

Cuirassiers giving fire with their pistols

monial troops by a number of countries.
Lancer
A lancer was a type of cavalryman who
fought with a lance. Lances were used in

Swedish Hussars 1895 - 1910

mounted warfare by the Assyrians as early as
700 BC and subsequently by Greek, Persian,
Gallic, Han-Chinese, nomadic and Roman
horsemen. The weapon was widely used in
Asia and Europe during the Middle Ages and
the Renaissance by armoured cavalry, before
being adopted by light cavalry, particularly in
Eastern Europe. In a modern context, a lancer
regiment usually denotes an armoured regiment.
(Continued on page 23)

Page 23

Corbadus

(Continued from page 22)

Uhlans
Uhlans (in Polish: "Uan"; "Ulan" in German) were Polish light cavalry armed with
lances, sabres and pistols. Lancer regiments
in the Russian, Prussian and Austrian armies
later used the
title.

Imperial
French Lancer

Polish Uhlans from the Army of the Duchy of

Warsaw 1807 1815

Charge of the Polish Uhlans at the city of Pozna during the November Uprising 1831

French cuirassier of 1809

Issue 2 Vol XXVII

Page 24

The Art
Bdr T.V. Bhekiswayo, Light Artillery Regiment
Musketry Coaching Learning Programme 06 October to 07 November 2014
Specialised Equipment Branch
Allow me to talk,
Permit me to praise and
Appreciate the work of art
And creativity to its best
The gift of taking and sparing of life
The only moment one can play God,
Decides which life to take or spare.
The results are irreversible
Irreversible regardless if it
Was intentionally, experimentally
Or just simply mistake.
Intentionally you account.
You account even if its experimentally
By mistake you still account.
Kganxa!!!!!
I listen and listen carefully
Kganxa!!!!!
Thats a deadly sound of a piece of art.
Its the last chance of providing sound.

The sound of the cocking R4.

Definitely attention seeking sound.
It is our rifle.
The pride of the pride.
Its what prides the pride of the lions.
Its the pillar of the SA Army
The loud voice across the borders.
From training to the battle fields,
RSA, Bloemfontein to CAR Bangui,
Its loud voice is unforgotten.
Its the trigger of fear and hope,
The saviour of lives by taking of lives.
Feared by the weaklings and
Honoured by the heroes.
The loyalist of both perpetrators and protectors
The peace of art well designed.
R4 OUR RIFLE
SALUTE

Advanced Navigation Learning Programme

Specialised Equipment Branch
17 November to 05 December 2014
he learning programme started on 17 No- was a learning experience that was very envember 2014 and we were only 9 learners joyable.
however 3 additional learners arrived the next
The instructors were approachable and alday. The course took off full blast on the first ways willing to assist when we faced challengday and we learned many interesting things, es. We could see that they are well equipped
especially about the characteristics of the with excellent subject knowledge and never
earth, which was presented by Capt Bosman.
hesitated when they had to assist with a chalThe information was not that difficult to lenge. They made us feel at ease and we
grasp, as it was embedded knowledge for could freely approach them, as there was an
most of us. The course was presented in a adult approach right through the course.
straightforward, understandable manner and
The Specialised Equipment Branch is well
we as learners appreciated that. The only equipped with the necessary skills and
challenge which the learners experienced was knowledge to train learners and therefore all of
with the Geographical Co-ordinate system as us were found competent at the end of this
there was some slow learners in class who course.
grasped it on the first day it was presented, but
had some problems later, when physical exercises was given.
We had a practical exercise, where we
walked in groups in Tempe finding specific
points using the GPS. The exercise seemed
quite easy at first, until some of us got lost. It

Page 25

Corbadus

The Musketry Coaching

course and the Advanced
Navigation Course

Page 26
A Short History of the Centurion (Olifant) MBT

Issue 2 Vol XXVII

Capt D.R. September Tank Training Branch Commander

he Olifant MBT is essentially based on the

Centurion tank which was first introduced
by the British in 1945. It served as the primary
British MBT of the post-WWII period.
The Centurion tank has seen numerous
upgrades through the years and its chassis
was adopted for several other roles. Design
and development of the tank began in all earnest in 1943 and manufacturing began in January 1945.
It first saw combat during the Korean War
in 1950 as part of the British Army in support
of the UN Forces on the Korean peninsula. Its
next theatre was the Indo-Pakistani War of
1965 as well the Vietnam War (1955 - 1975)
as part of Australian Forces. The tank was also used extensively by the Israeli Forces dur-

ing the Arab-Israeli Wars (1948 - 1973).

The Olifant MBT was the primary tank
force of the SADF Forces during Angolan Border War and as such played a decisive role in
the outcome of the war. South Africa still employs over 200 Centurions (Olifant tanks). The
vehicles were modernized in the 1980s and
again in the 2000s and the resulting model is
known as the Olifant.
The Centurion tank became one of the
most widely used tank designs, equipping armies around the world with some still in active
service until the 1990s
Sources
www.militaryfactory.com
www.wikipedia.com

Page 27

Corbadus

WO 1 Dennis Green represents

South Africa Internationally

t the 23rd General Conference of the

International Amateur Radio Union,
held from 21 to 26 September 2014
at the Albena resort in Bulgaria, WO
1 Dennis Green was elected as the Region 1
Secretary for a third term of office. He will
serve until October 2017. The 24th General
Conference takes place in September 2017 in
Wildbad Kreuth, near Munich, Germany.
The Albena Resort, about 30 km north of
Varna is on the Black Sea (which is blue).
WO 1 Green has represented South Africa
at the IARU Region 1 General Conferences in
Lillehammer, Norway (1999), Davos, Switzerland, (2005) and Cavtat, Croatia (2008). He
was Conference Secretary of the Sun City
(2011) and Albena, Bulgaria (2014) conferences. He is a past president of the South African Radio League, the national body for amateur radio in South Africa.
WO 1 Green holds the call sign ZS4BS (ZS
- South Africa, 4 - Free State, BS - Boy

he SA Armour Museum will once again be

involved with the Stars of Sandstone 2015
event.
In 2015 the Stars of Sandstone will have a
Public Day on 11 April 2015.
We have always been concerned that because our event is specialised and exclusive
local people do not really have an opportunity
to participate.
After consultation with the Armour Museum in Bloemfontein, it has been agreed that
we will have an Open Day to coincide with a

Scout). In morse code, BS has a different

meaning! He also holds a Lesotho call sign,
7P8DG.
Through amateur radio, he has visited 27
other countries spread across North and
South America, Europe, Asia, Australasia and
Africa. He has spoken to radio amateurs in
196 different countries or entities.

Special Armour Parade and various other Military activities. The Armour Museum has a
Public Relations mandate and is keen to present the Defence Force in a positive light. We
will start publicising our Open Day shortly but
for dedicated Stars followers, please note that
Saturday 11 April 2015 will be a very busy day
with lots happening and it will be somewhat
different in format to what we normally do.
The trains will be much more passenger orientated and there will be more of them.
(Continued on page 28)

Private Bag X40004, Tempe, 9318

Frans Steynberg Street, Tempe Military Base, Bloemfontein
Phone: +27 (0) 51 402 1700 Fax: +27 (0) 51 402 1701 E-mail: armourschool@mweb.co.za

School of Armour

A Centre of Training Excellence

The Tank Technology Demonstrator (TTD) in the Cosmos at Sandstone - beauty and the beast!
(Continued from page 27)

It will almost be on demand. We

will definitely have two Garratts
operating all day around the circuit, which will be included in the
entry fee. Family groups will be
charged R100 for the first adult,
R75 for the second and all other
adults in the group and R35 for
children. Entry tickets will be issued at the gate where the mon-

ey will be collected. No prebooking is necessary.

Input from people who know
Sandstone well or who have
some positive suggestions to
make are welcome to communicate with us.
Please contact Dave Richardson at daver@sandstone.co.za

A Point to Ponder
The Stop sign cannot be classified
as an obviously illegal order.
I am concerned by the number of
unit members who ignore the stop
signs in the Tempe Base - people
involved with driver training!
It would seem there are many
FD members in the unit!!
ARMOR magazine is the US Army Armor Branchs professional-development bulletin, published bimonthly and can be downloaded from http://www.benning.army.mil/
armor/eARMOR/
SA Armour Museum web site
http://www.sarmourmuseum.co.za
SA Armour Museum on FaceBook
https://www.facebook.com/saarmourmuseum
Armour Association on FaceBook
https://www.facebook.com/groups/pantserbond/?fref=ts
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article and/or drawing contained in this journal. Furthermore, any view expressed is not necessarily that of
the Editor, any member of the editorial committee or other members of the unit. If copyright is infringed, it
is not intentional, but is published as a free service to members of the School of Armour and friends of the
unit and is not for profit or gain.