German South West Africa OOB

Many collectors find it frustrating to try to "place" a unit in the Rebellion or campaign in G.S.W.A. I hope the following breakdown will be of help. It contains most units, some of which are very elusive to the researcher, and notes where they served. The original file was compiled by an officer of unknown rank named G. H. Byrnes, I have added information to the list from other sources.

  1. South African Staffs
  2. District Staff Officers
  3. Administrative Units
  4. Depots
  5. South African Medical Corps
  6. South African Mounted Rifles
  7. Intelligence
  8. Brigade Trains
  9. Infantry Units
  10. Dismounted Rifles
  11. Mounted Rifles
  12. Artillery
  13. Machine Gun Sections
  14. Mounted Brigades
  15. Composite Regiments
  16. Cape Commandos in the Rebellion
  17. Transvaal Commandos in the Rebellion
  18. Orange Free State Commandos in the Rebellion

South African Staffs

District Staff Officers

Administrative Units (G.S.W.A.)

Depots

S.A.M.C. (South African Medical Corps)

South African Mounted Rifles

Intelligence

Brigade Trains

Infantry (during the rebellion and during the campaign in G.S.W.A.)

Regular regiments in the Union Defence Force

The U.D.F. regular regiments during the Rebellion and in G.S.W.A.

(including which military district they belonged to and where and when they entered into operations)

Citizen Force and miscellaneous

Dismounted Rifles

Mounted Rifles

Artillery

Machine Gun Sections

Mounted Brigades

1st Mounted Brigade

All units of the 1st brigade served during the Rebellion and in G.S.W.A.

With the exception of Uys and Grobelaars Scouts, all intelligence units were formed for the G.S.W.A. campaign, the men taken from various other units.

1st Mounted Brigade, right wing (mobilised 05.01.15)

1st Mounted Brigade, left wing (mobilised 05.01.15)

2nd Mounted Brigade

All units all served during the Rebellion and in G.S.W.A.

All Intel Units were formed for the G.S.W.A. campaign, the men taken from various other units.

2nd Mounted Brigade, right wing (mobilised 12.01.15)

2nd Mounted Brigade, left wing (mobilised 12.01.15)

3rd Mounted Brigade

All units served during the Rebellion and in G.S.W.A.

All intelligence units were formed for the G.S.W.A. campaign, the men taken from various other units.

3rd Mounted Brigade, right wing (mobilised 15.01.15)

3rd Mounted Brigade, left wing (mobilised 19.01.15)

4th Mounted Brigade

4th Mounted Brigade, right wing

4th Mounted Brigade, left wing

5th Mounted Brigade

The 5th Mounted Brigade was formed of Free State Commandos who had served in the Rebellion. The commandos were grouped under the name of Brands Free State rifles but were reformed into regiments for the campaign in G.S.W.A.

All intelligence units were formed for the G.S.W.A. campaign, the men taken from various other units.

5th Mounted Brigade, right wing (mobilised 09.02.15)

5th Mounted Brigade, left wing (mobilised 09.02.15)

Composite Regiments

Regiments initially mobilised at Pretoria, then demobilised and incorporated into the 4th Mounted Brigade

Commandos

Cape Comandos

Cape Commandos not called up for the Rebellion: Serving against the Germans in G.S.W.A. from their mobilisation in October 1914 until May 1915

Cape Commandos serving October- 31st December 1914 in 12th and 13th Military District only

Cape Commandos shown by Military District

Defence Rifle Associations (special service guarding bridges, town guard and other services)

Transvaal Rebellion Commandos

In the case of an area having two or more Commandos, they were generally told apart by the name of the commander. "Swart's Bloemhof Commando" or "Visser's Bloemhof Commando".

Commado/Commander Military District

Orange Free State Rebellion Commandos

The following Commandos operated in the O.F.S. and Transvaal during the rebellion and were sent home on leave in December 1914.

They reformed as Brands Free State Rifles (5th Mounted Brigade) in January-February 1915 and were numbered as 1-6th regiments B.V.S.S.