Potchefstroom Commando

<h2 id="history">History</h2>
<h3>Origin</h3>
<h3>Operations</h3>
<h4>With the Zuid Afrikaanse Republiek</h4>
<p>At the beginning of the <a href="/facts/Second_Boer_War/LSEc1IgQ">Second Boer War</a>, this units commandant was <a href="/facts/Andries_Petrus_Johannes_Cronj%25C3%25A9/W9cIszAr">A.P.J. Cronjé</a>, who was later replaced by <a href="/facts/Petrus_Johannes_Liebenberg/BFuDqAWg">P.J. Liebenberg</a>.
</p><p>The commando had an initial strength of 1,249 and fought at :
</p>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/Ottoshoop/AT4tDush">Ottoshoop</a>,</li>
<li>the <a href="/facts/Siege_of_Mafeking/8dPY5LLp">Siege of Mafeking</a>,</li>
<li>the <a href="/facts/Battle_of_Modder_River/yBdQWkfG">Battle of Modder River</a>,</li>
<li>the <a href="/facts/Battle_of_Magersfontein/UUFCVpyd">Battle of Magersfontein</a>,</li>
<li>the <a href="/facts/Battle_of_Poplar_Grove/c3aSLYh5">Battle of Poplar Grove</a>,</li>
<li>the <a href="/facts/Battle_of_Diamond_Hill/BIMgKAa2">Battle of Donkerhoek</a>,</li>
<li>the Battle of Bronkhorstspruit,</li>
<li>the <a href="/facts/Battle_of_Bergendal/5f1IT3aE">Battle of Bergendal</a>,</li>
<li>the <a href="/facts/Brandwater_Basin/uG06Ba1l">Brandwater Basin</a>,</li>
<li>the 1st <a href="/facts/Christiaan_de_Wet/G8qCBAWh">de Wet</a> hunt, at Gatsrand and at</li>
<li><a href="/facts/Hartbeesfontein/2rYJMpLA">Hartbeesfontein</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a></li></ul>
<h4>With the UDF</h4>
<p>By 1902 all Commando remnants were under British military control and disarmed.
</p><p>By 1912, however previous Commando members could join shooting associations.
</p><p>By 1940, such commandos were under control of the National Reserve of Volunteers.
</p><p>These commandos were formally reactivated by 1948.
</p>
<h4>With the SADF</h4>
<p>The unit resorted under the command of Group 30.
</p><p>The Old First Prison was used as this commandos HQ till 1998.
</p><p>During this era, the unit was mainly used for area force protection, search and cordons as well as stock theft control assistance to the rural police.
</p>
<h4>With the SANDF</h4>
<h5>Disbandment</h5>
<p>This unit, along with all other <a href="/facts/South_African_Commando_System/sYRVJnjg">Commando units</a> was disbanded after a decision by South African President <a href="/facts/Thabo_Mbeki/t2Q4Wa8n">Thabo Mbeki</a> to disband all Commando Units.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> The Commando system was phased out between 2003 and 2008 "because of the role it played in the apartheid era", according to the <a href="/facts/Minister_of_Police_(South_Africa)/HV7m7BB9">Minister of Safety and Security</a> <a href="/facts/Charles_Nqakula/PryAJNMw">Charles Nqakula</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a>
</p>
<h2 id="unit-insignia">Unit Insignia</h2>

<h2 id="leadership">Leadership</h2>
Leadership<table><tbody><tr><td>From</td><td>Honorary Colonels</td><td>To</td></tr><tr><td>XXX</td><td>XXX</td><td>XXX</td></tr><tr><td>From</td><td>Commanding Officers</td><td>To</td></tr><tr><td>1899</td><td>Commandant Mathinus Johanes Wolmarans</td><td>nd</td></tr><tr><td>From</td><td>Regimental Sergeants Major</td><td>To</td></tr><tr><td>XXX</td><td>XXX <a href="/facts/Military_Merit_Medal_(South_Africa)/ShABb1k8">MMM</a> <a href="/facts/John_Chard_Decoration/lnJRN5rg">JCD</a></td><td>XXX</td></tr></tbody></table>

<h2 id="see-also">See also</h2>
<ul><li><a href="/facts/South_African_Commando_System/sYRVJnjg">South African Commando System</a></li></ul>
<ul>
<li>South Africa portal</li></ul>

<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>Hall, Darrell (1999). The Hall Handbook of the Anglo-Boer War, 1899-1902. Pietermaritzburg: University of Natal Press. pp. 13, 17. ISBN 9780869809495. <a href="9780869809495" target="_blank">9780869809495</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:2"><p>Col L B van Stade, Senior Staff Officer Rationalisation, SANDF (1997). "Rationalisation in the SANDF: The Next Challenge". Institute for Security Studies. Archived from the original on 16 March 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2015.{{cite web}}:  CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20160316204323/https://issafrica.org/pubs/asr/6no2/vanstade.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20160316204323/https://issafrica.org/pubs/asr/6no2/vanstade.html</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:3"><p>"About the Commando system". Retrieved 17 January 2008. <a href="http://www.saps.gov.za/statistics/reports/rural_safety/eng/pages/no2e.htm" target="_blank">http://www.saps.gov.za/statistics/reports/rural_safety/eng/pages/no2e.htm</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:4"><p>de Lange, Deon. "South Africa: Commandos Were 'Hostile to New SA'". Cape Argus. Retrieved 5 March 2015. <a href="http://allafrica.com/stories/200805290408.html" target="_blank">http://allafrica.com/stories/200805290408.html</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
</ol>

Potchefstroom Commando open-in-new

Potchefstroom Commando