Since 1973, South African Army units, formations, schools, and headquarters, have worn enamelled metal coats of arms instead of the non-heraldic cloth patches and shoulder titles which had been worn in the 1960s.

The following is a representative selection. Because these arms are worn as "shoulder" flashes on the uniform sleeves, and must face the wearer's front, those which include charges turned to the dexter are made "in pairs", with the flash for the right arm reversed. Left sleeve versions are shown below.

Armour
A number of SA Armoured Corps arms are in the corps colours of orange, white, and blue.

Those of the School of Armour feature a World War I-vintage "Big Willie" tank which originally appeared on the badge of the World War II SA Tank Corps: Quarterly, Orange and Azure, a representation of a Mark V tank, and a bordure Argent. Those of Regiment Orange River are also canting and allude to alluvial diamonds: Azure, a lozenge Argent surmounted by a fess wavy Orange.

A river also appears in the arms of Regiment Mooi River, which is derived from its cap badge: Azure, within an annulet a bend wavy conjoined Argent. A WWI tank also appears in the arms of 2 Light Horse Regiment, which are Sable, in chief a representation of a Mark V tank and in base the numeral 2, all within a bordure Argent. Black is the colour of the SAAC beret.

Army HQ

The SA Army adopted the springbok head as its emblem in 1951. The Army HQ arms, introduced in 1965, were Gules, two swords Argent hilted and pommeled and surmounted by a springbok head caboshed Or. A new design, representing "a pride of lions", was introduced in 2000.

Artillery
Many SA Artillery unit arms are characterised by red/ gold/ dark blue colour schemes; dancetty lines or bars which are derived from the "lightning flash" on the old helmet flashes; and charges such as grenades, gun barrels, and eagles.

The arms of the Artillery School are Per fess Gules and Azure, two gun barrels in saltire and a bordure or. Those of 26 Field Regiment depict a specific 19th-century field piece: Per fess dancetty Gules and Azure, a barrulet dancetty and overall the barrel of the Ras cannon palewise Argent.

Some arms allude to units' home areas, e.g. the Orange Free State bugle horns in those of the former 6 Field Regiment: Azure, a fess dancetty Gules fimbriated between three bugle horns viroled and stringed Argent. The Cape Field Artillery's are derived from the old Cape of Good Hope arms: Azure, a lion rampant Or; a chief engrailed Gules filleted and charged with three annulets Or.

Command HQs

From 1966, the regional commands bore arms of a uniform design: Gules, two swords in saltire Argent hilted and pommeled Or, surmounted by a springbok head couped Or …. Each was differenced by adding a chief bearing charges appropriate to the region, e.g. … on a chief Azure filleted a representation of Table Mountain Or for Western Province Command.

Commandos
The commando branch, now being phased out, consisted of more than 200 district-based home defence units throughout the country. Most were armigerous.

Some borrowed charges from the local municipal arms, such as the Swellendam Commando's Gules, a fleur de lis Or. Others alluded to their home areas in other ways, e.g. the Kruger National Park Commando's arms were Sable, a lion's pawprint Argent.

Those of the Umgeni Commando, on the shark-infested KwaZulu-Natal South Coast, used the local shark nets as a symbol of protection: Argent, four pallets and a bordure conjoined Sable; a shark hauriant proper. Some arms were canting as well as territorial, e.g. Per fess wavy Or and Gules, a fess wavy per fess wavy Azure and Argent for the Caledon River Commando. The river forms part of the Free State/Northern Cape provincial boundary.

Defence HQ
From the early 1970s to 2003, the DHQ arms were Vert, two swords in saltire Or surmounted by the SADF emblem proper. Individual branches were identified by means of gold Roman numerals in base, e.g. I for Personnel, II for Intelligence, III for Operations. The SADF emblem was a white "Castle of Good Hope", edged in green and gold, displaying crossed swords, wings, and an anchor.

Division HQs

Each of the three divisions which existed from the 1970s to the late '90s had its own arms. Those of 7 SA Division were simply Per pale Or and Vert, continuing the tradition of the World War II divisional patches. 8 SA Armoured Division's was orange and blue with crossed swords and the Roman numeral VIII in silver. 9 SA Division's was green, with a silver sword surmounted by a gold disa flower.

Engineers

Most SA Engineer Corps unit arms are Gules, a fess Azure fimbriated Or; a bordure also Or, differenced by adding a unit number to the fess. In the case of 19 Field Engineer Regiment, the number is in Roman numerals to simulate the girders of a Bailey bridge. Red and dark blue have been the SAEC colours since 1928.

Group HQs

With a few exceptions, the commando Group HQs' arms were all Quarterly Vert and Or …, with a charge appropriate to the region controlled by the HQ, e.g. … on a gunstone fimbriated a jakkalsblom flower Or for Group 3 in Namaqualand. Green and gold are the commando branch colours. These units were recently disbanded.

Infantry
The SA Infantry Corps is the largest branch of the army. Most of its units are armigerous. Some arms use the branch colours of rifle green, gold and black.

The Infantry School arms are in the corps colours: Vert, two bayonets in saltire Argent hilted Or; a bordure gyronny Or and Sable. So, partly, are those of 7 SA Infantry Battalion, which are Sable, a representation of the Burgers Cross Or surmounted by a karakal head caboshed proper. The Burgers Cross was a 19th-century decoration made of gold mined in the area where the unit is based.

The World War II patch of the Supreme HQ Allied Expeditionary Forces appears to have inspired the 1970s arms of 11 Commando (now the intelligence school): Sable, a sword palewise Argent hilted and pommeled Or enflamed proper. Units named after historical figures often allude to them in their arms. Regiment De Wet, for instance, bears the De Wet arms with the field changed from silver to gold: Or, a Catherine wheel Gules.

Maintenance Units
The standard design for maintenance units is Azure, between two ears of wheat the stalks in saltire, a cogwheel Or voided Gules. Command maintenance units have the charge from the command HQ arms in chief, while other units have their numbers in the centre of the cogwheel. Blue has been one of the colours associated with logistics units since 1923.

Military Police

SA Corps of Military Police unit arms are Tierced in pale Gules, Sable and Gules …, bearing a charge. Command provost units bear the charges from the command HQ arms, e.g. … a representation of Table Mountain Or for the Western Province Command Provost Unit. Division units bear charges from the division HQ arms. Black and red (originally orange) have been the SACMP colours since 1938.

Parachute Brigade
Units of 44 Parachute Brigade bear arms of a uniform design. The basic design, used by the brigade HQ, depicts an eagle's head on a parachute. Unit arms are Murrey, an eagle's head erased Sable beaked and fimbriated Or …, differenced by charges added in chief, e.g. … two open parachutes Argent for 2 Parachute Battalion.

Quartermaster-General
The units which were controlled by the Quartermaster-General in the 1970s and '80s all bore arms of a uniform pattern: Azure, the emblem of the Quartermaster-General proper. The emblem was an heraldic fountain on a silver barbed cross. The arms were differenced by adding in chief the unit's number between two appropriate charges, e.g. trowels for works units, an ear of wheat issuing from a wheel for supply and transport units, and crossed artillery shells for ammunition depots.

Signals

Many SA Corps of Signals unit arms are simply Tierced per pale Vert, Bleu Céleste and Azure …, with a gold charge. For command signal units, the charge is taken from the chief of the command HQ arms, e.g. … a representation of Table Mountain Or for the Western Province Command Signals Unit. Some unit arms display the unit number. Green, sky blue, and navy blue have been the SACS colours since 1928.

Special Forces

The Special Forces units' arms follow a common pattern. The HQ arms were silver with a black compass rose on crossed swords. Individual units' arms were Argent, a faceted compass rose; on a chief Sable…. The chief bore charges identifying the unit, e.g. … three daggers palewise points to chief Argent for 1 Reconnaissance Regiment. The colour scheme of the SF arms was changed in 1995: the field to maroon, the compass rose and chief to gold, and the charges on the chief to black.

Technical Services

Most Technical Services Corps unit arms are simply Per pale Gules and Azure … , with a gold charge. For command workshop units, the charge is taken from the chief of the command HQ arms, e.g. … a cut and faceted diamond Or for the North-Western Cape Command Workshop. For many other units, the charge is simply the unit number. Red, gold, and dark blue are the TSC colours.

References/Sources/Links

South African Heraldry Website © Arthur Radburn