31-612: (Redirected from Union Defence Forces ) The Union Defence Force may refer to a former or current military organization: Union Defence Force (South Africa) , the predecessor of the South African Defence Force from 1912 to 1957 Union Defence Force (UAE) , the armed forces of the United Arab Emirates See also [ edit ] UDF (disambiguation) [REDACTED] Topics referred to by
62-577: A Coast Garrison Force and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (South African Division) (RNVR(SA)), as well as any other defence arm that might in future be established to meet the defence requirements of the Union of South Africa. The 1912 law also obligated all white males between seventeen and sixty years of age to serve in the military, but this was not strictly enforced as there were a large number of volunteers. Instead, half of
93-639: A cease-fire three days after the end of the war. In Europe the 1st South African Infantry Brigade were shipped to France to fight on the Western Front . In addition to 5 batteries of Heavy Artillery, a Field Ambulance, a Royal Engineers Signal Company and a General Hospital were raised and sent to the front. The Battle of Delville Wood in 1916 was the most costly battle fought by the South African Overseas Expeditionary Force . South Africans also saw action in
124-710: A major role at the Battle of Nooitgedacht (13 December 1900). Heavy skirmishes ensued in the Magaliesberg and all over the Northern Transvaal. Beyers had gained much prestige as a soldier and a statesman among the Afrikaners , and was recognized as one of the leaders of the Transvaal Boers , though with slightly less standing than generals Botha and Smuts . In the negotiations leading to
155-525: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Union Defence Force (South Africa) The Union Defence Force ( UDF ) ( Afrikaans : Unie-Verdedigingsmag ) comprised the armed forces of South Africa from 1 July 1912, when the Defence Act (No 13 of 1912) took effect, two years after the creation of the Union of South Africa , until 1957 when it
186-856: The Engineer Corps , the Air Force , SA Service Corps, SA Medical Corps, Ordnance Corps , Veterinary Corps and the Administrative, Pay and Clerical Corps. To save money another reorganisation took place in 1926. The last regiment of the SA Mounted Riflemen was disbanded as was the Brigade HQ of the SA Field Artillery. The Great Depression put pressure on the Budget and 56 Citizen Force units were disbanded and
217-882: The North African campaign (the Desert War) and the Italian Campaign as well as to Allied ships that docked at its crucial ports adjoining the Atlantic Ocean and Indian Ocean that converge at the tip of Southern Africa. Numerous volunteers also flew for the Royal Air Force . Of the 334,000 men volunteered for full-time service in the South African Army during the war (including some 211,000 whites, 77,000 blacks and 46,000 coloureds and Indians), nearly 9,000 were killed in action. In
248-684: The South African Republic (Transvaal), where he passed his legal procureur exam in 1894. He then settled in Boksburg starting a legal practice with his friends König and Malherbe. He married his legal partner's sister Mathilde König. As a sportsman, he played for the Transvaal Rugby Team against the first British Lions . In 1896, he was part of the commando which stopped the Jameson Raid . In recognition, he
279-965: The 1950s, 2 Squadron ("The Flying Cheetahs") of the SAAF served as South Africa's primary contribution to the United Nations Command . Over 200 officers and some 545 airmen in the South African Air Force saw action over Korea between 1950 and 1953. Also represented were 38 different ranks from other branches of the UDF. South Africa suffered 34 dead or missing in action during the Korean War . Eight pilots either shot down by communist forces or forced to land their aircraft behind enemy lines were taken prisoner. 11 Field Postal Unit Christian Frederick Beyers Christiaan Frederik Beyers (23 September 1869 – 8 December 1914)
310-813: The Administrative Section became the Quartermaster-General's Section. Brigadier General Christian Frederick Beyers was appointed Commandant General of the Citizen Force , Brigadier General Henry Lukin became Inspector General of the Permanent Force and Colonel Percival Scott Beves became Commandant of Cadets. They reported directly to the Minister of Defence. C.F. Beyers resigned his post in September 1914 and
341-601: The General Staff in 1920. The posts of Chief of the General Staff and Secretary of Defence were combined on 30 September 1922, following the retirement of Sir Roland Bourne The South African Army was created first by merging the existing military structures of the former British colonies and Boer Republics that had become the four provinces of the Union. The formation of the South African Air Force followed in 1920. The South African Naval Service
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#1732776282994372-550: The General Staff. In addition the 6 military districts were redesignated "Commands". As the economy improved Minister Pirow put forward a plan to expand and reorganise the Defence Force. The Air Force would be increased to 7 squadrons, with new bases being built at Waterkloof, Bloemfontein, Durban and Youngsfield. However, by the start of World War II this had not materialised. The Active Citizen Force units would increase from 8 to 24, 12 based in urban areas and 12 based in
403-549: The German colony. As part of the Allies' East African Campaign an expedition under General Jan Smuts was dispatched to German East Africa (later known as Tanganyika ). The objective was to fight German forces in that colony and to try to capture the elusive German General von Lettow-Vorbeck . Ultimately, Lettow-Vorbeck fought his tiny force out of German East Africa into Mozambique and then Northern Rhodesia , where he accepted
434-591: The Government's intention to invade German South-West Africa and that this disapproval was shared by the great majority of the Dutch-speaking people of the Union. General Smuts replied in a stern letter stating that the war was a test of the loyalty to their pledged word of the Dutch-speaking people, and accepted Beyers' resignation. Beyers was a friend of the pastor Jozua Naudé who named his son C.F. Beyers Naudé after him. A few weeks later Beyers took
465-897: The Middle East, or on the Western Front in Europe. Over 7,000 South Africans were killed, and nearly 12,000 were wounded during the course of the war. Eight South Africans won the Victoria Cross for gallantry, the Empire's highest and prestigious military medal. The Battle of Delville Wood and the sinking of the SS Mendi being the greatest single incidents of loss of life. South Africa and its military forces contributed in many theaters of war. South Africa's contribution consisted mainly of supplying troops, airmen and material for
496-661: The Middle East, with the Cape Corps deploying as part of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force in Palestine . With a population of roughly 6 million, between 1914 - 1918, over 250,000 South Africans of all races voluntarily served their country. It is likely that around 50% of white men of military age served during the war, more than 146,000 whites. 83,000 Blacks and 2,500 Coloureds and Asians also served in either German South-West Africa , East Africa,
527-502: The co-ordination of all military staff work at HQ and the issue of all military orders was vested in the Chief of the General Staff, as well as the responsibilities of Commandant of Cadets and the role of Adjutant-General was split off. There were 4 sections under the CGS – General Staff section, Adjudant General, Medical Services and Quartermaster General. Andries Brink was appointed Chief of
558-832: The countryside In 1913 and 1914, the new 23,400-member Citizen Force was called on to suppress several industrial strikes on the Witwatersrand . The UDF participated in the First World War , The Second World War , the Berlin Airlift and the Korean War . The Union Defence Force saw action in a number areas in the First World War. In Africa, the Army invaded German South-West Africa , later known as South West Africa , and now known as Namibia . The South Africans expelled German forces and gained control of
589-591: The field as one of the Maritz rebellion , but General Botha's troops forced Beyers and his men to flee. Wounded, he drowned on 8 December 1914, while trying to escape from his pursuers by crossing the flooded Vaal River near Makwassie . His body was recovered two days, which ended the rebellion. In Beyers' pocket was found his prayer book “Worship God” written by the Reverend Andrew Murray , spectacles, cartridges for his Boer War Mauser pistol , and
620-744: The first Prime Minister. Instead, Beyers was made commandant general of the Citizen Forces of the Union Defence Force of South Africa, and in that capacity paid a visit to Great Britain , Germany , Switzerland and the Netherlands in 1912. A man of fine physique, of passionate nature, and of profound religious convictions, Beyers, as commandant general of South Africa, was entertained with marked attentions during his visit to Germany by Kaiser Wilhelm II . When World War I broke out, he set himself in almost open opposition to
651-532: The number of military districts was reduced from 16 to 6 The Special Service Battalion was started as a way of creating work for young people who could not find employment. A drastic move was the disbanding of the Naval Service In 1933 Oswald Pirow became Minister of Defence, General Brink was appointed GOC of the UDF as well as the Secretary of Defence and Pierre van Ryneveld became Chief of
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#1732776282994682-677: The peace Treaty of Vereeniging (31 May 1902), he was elected Chairman of the Boer Delegates. When responsible government was granted to the Transvaal Colony in 1907, Beyers became speaker of the Lower House. He showed in the speaker's chair remarkable gifts. He made a deep impression upon English-speaking South Africans, who would have supported his claims to be the first speaker of the first Union of South Africa House of Assembly, had they been pressed by Louis Botha ,
713-754: The policy of the First Cabinet of Louis Botha of the Union of South Africa. When the South African expeditionary force was being mobilized for the invasion of German South-West Africa , with rebellion was smouldering among the irreconcilables of the South African Dutch, Beyers resigned his post as commandant general in a letter addressed to General Smuts, then Minister of Defence, and published in Het Volk , an anti-government journal. In this letter he declared that he had always disapproved
744-421: The role was taken over by the Minister of Defence The titles of the officers in charge of these sections were changed on 1 July 1915. The Head of the General Staff became Chief Staff Officer, General Staff and Adjutant-General. The Head of the Administrative section became Quartermaster General. In July 1917 the General Staff post was again renamed to Chief of the General Staff and Adjutant-General. In May 1918
775-511: The same term This disambiguation page lists articles about military units and formations which are associated with the same title. If an internal link referred you to this page, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. [REDACTED] Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Union_Defence_Force&oldid=583521017 " Category : Military units and formations disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description
806-513: The white males aged from 17 to 25 were drafted by lots into the ACF. Initially, the Permanent Force consisted of five regular mounted regiments and a small artillery section as well as a headquarters, instructional and administrative staff. Provision was also made for a Coastal Defence Corps, South African Aviation Corps (SAAC) – part of the ACF and School Cadet Corps. No provision
837-473: Was a Boer attorney , politician and general during the Second Boer War and one of the leaders of the pro-German Maritz rebellion (1914 – 1915) against the government of the Union of South Africa . Beyers was born on his family farm Banhoek near Stellenbosch , Cape Colony . He graduated there at Victoria College as an attorney in 1889. Shortly afterwards he migrated to Pretoria in
868-784: Was awarded the Transvaal right to vote . After the outbreak of the Second Boer War, he entrained with the Boksburg Commando for the Colony of Natal . Following his good performance at the Battle of Diamond Hill (Donkerhoek, 11–12 June 1900) and Battle of Dalmanutha (21–27 August 1900) he was promoted to Assistant Commandant General of the Waterberg and Zoutpansberg Commandos. As a general he joined forces with Jan Smuts and Koos de la Rey and his Commandos played
899-642: Was created in 1922, following the donation of HMS Thames which became the South African Training Ship General Botha . The SA Defence Act Amendment Act, No. 22 of 1922 re-organised the Permanent Force. From 1 February 1923 the Permanent Force consisted of the Staff Corps, Instructional Corps, Naval Service, Field Artillery, 1st Regiment, Mounted Riflemen, the Permanent Garrison Artillery,
930-636: Was made for an overall commander, instead the commanders of the Citizen Force, Cadet Corps and Permanent Force reported directly to the Minister of Defence. On 1 July 1912 the Headquarters of the UDF was established in Pretoria. Headquarters comprised three sections: Secretariat, General Staff and an Administrative section. A Medical Services Section was added in December 1913, and during 1916
961-593: Was reorganised and renamed the South African Defence Force (SADF). After the Union of South Africa was formed in 1910, General Jan Smuts , the Union's first Minister of Defence, placed a high priority on creating a unified military out of the separate armies of the union's four provinces. The South African Defence Act (Act 13 of 1912) made provision for a UDF that would be composed of a Permanent Force (or standing army) of career soldiers, an Active Citizen Force (ACF) of temporary conscripts ,