Transvaal Horse Artillery

The Transvaal Horse Artillery (usually abbreviated to THA) is an artillery 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. It is part of the South African Army Artillery Formation.

History

Origins

The Transvaal Horse Artillery was formed on 17 March 1904 as Lys' Volunteer Corps (after its first commanding officer, Major Godfrey Lys) and was a regiment dependent on horse transport from the start. The regiment's name was changed six months later to the Transvaal Horse Artillery Volunteers, which it retained until 1911, when the present name was adopted.

In 1913, the unit was embodied in the Citizen Force of the new Union Defence Forces as the 7th Citizen Battery (THA).

World War I

The regiment was part of the Northern Force sent to invade (the then) German South West Africa at the outbreak World War I. It first saw action in September 1914 at Sandfontein and later distinguished itself at Riet and Namutoni. Volunteers from the Transvaal Horse Artillery also later fought as part of the South African Heavy Artillery in Palestine, Egypt and Europe.

Inter-War

In the inter-war period the regiment grew from a single battery to a three battery brigade; it was also mechanised by the introduction of trucks. During the 1922 strike the THA took part in the Battle of Brixton Bridge and in the clearing of Fordsburg.

The unit was renumbered "3rd" in...
Read More