Johannesburg Regiment

The Johannesburg Regiment is an infantry regiment of the South African Army. As a reserve unit, it has a status roughly equivalent to that of a British Territorial Army or United States Army National Guard unit.

History

Johannesburg Regiment has been in existence since 1st July 1951. At the time it was an Artillery unit known as 8 Field Regiment. Colonel J. S. K. Brink was the Regiment’s first commanding officer and following his retirement he became its honorary colonel. In February 1960, 8 Field Regiment disbanded and the unit officially became known as Johannesburg Regiment and was re mustered as an Infantry Regiment.

The Regiment mobilised for the first time in 1960 and saw initial service in Bloemfontein, Vereeniging and Sasolburg.

Subsequent successes include amongst others the following operations/ exercises:Madimbo, Savanah, Caterpillar, Protea, Thunder Chariot, Ops Eardrum, Ops Paal, Excalibur 1&2, Eagle Hill, Kwiksilwer, Vincity and Southern Cross.

In November 1964 the City Council presented the Regiment with their Colours and six years later bestowed on it the honour of Freedom of Entrance to the city of Johannesburg. This was largely due to the efforts of Councillor J. D. Opperman who became the unit’s Honorary Colonel in 1979 until he died on 20th April 2000. The Unit Colours were officially handed over on 26 February 1966. National Colours were awarded to the Unit on 5 October 1991, and laid up in April 1994.

During the seventies and eighties the...
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