Bethlehem Commando

{{Short description|Light infantry regiment of the South African Army}}

{{infobox military unit

|unit_name= Bethlehem Commando

|image=SADF era Bethlehem Commando emblem.jpg

|image_size=160px

|caption=Bethlehem Commando emblem

|dates=

|country= {{ZAF}}

|allegiance={{plainlist|

{{flagicon|Orange Free State}} Orange Free State Republic
23px Union of South Africa
{{flag|South Africa|1928|name=Republic of South Africa}}
{{flag|South Africa|1994|name=Republic of South Africa}}

}}

|branch={{plainlist|

{{army|South Africa|1981}}
{{army|South Africa|1994}}

}}

|type= Infantry

|role= Light Infantry

|size= One Battalion

|command_structure=South African Infantry Corps
Army Territorial Reserve, Group 25

|garrison= Bethlehem, Free State

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|motto=Suid Afrika Eerste (South Africa First)

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Bethlehem Commando was a light infantry regiment of the South African Army. It formed part of the South African Army Infantry Formation as well as the South African Territorial Reserve.

History

=Origins=

==During the Anglo Boer War with the Free State Republic==

This Commando was involved in the following:

The battle of Rietfontein{{Cite journal |last=Hawkesbury |first=John |date=June 2012 |title=WITNESS TO RIETFONTEIN 24 October 1899: Part One |url=http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol155jh.html |journal=Military History Journal |publisher=The South African Military History Society |volume=15 |issue=5}} took place on 24 October 1899 between six commandos of the Free State Army commanded by General A Piet Cronje and a British Flying Column dispatched from Ladysmith under the command of Sir George White.

The Free State forces consisted of the following commandos:

{{flatlist|

}}

The battle of Magersfontein that took place on 11 December 1899.

==With the UDF==

By 1902 all Commando remnants were under British military control and disarmed.

By 1912, however previous Commando members could join shooting associations.

By 1940, such commandos were under control of the National Reserve of Volunteers.

These commandos were formally reactivated by 1948.

File:UDF era National Reserve of Volunteers shoulder tab.jpg

==With the SADF==

During this era, the unit was mostly used for border control, area force protection and stock theft control.

The unit resorted under the command of the SADF's Group 25.

==With the SANDF==

===Disbandment===

This unit, along with all other Commando units was disbanded after a decision by South African President Thabo Mbeki to disband all Commando Units.{{cite journal|url=http://www.issafrica.org/Pubs/ASR/6No2/VanStade.html |title=Rationalisation in the SANDF: The Next Challenge |access-date=5 March 2015 |year=1997 |first1=L B (Col)|last1=van Stade |journal=African Security Review|volume=6|issue=2|publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160316204323/https://issafrica.org/pubs/asr/6no2/vanstade.html |archive-date=16 March 2016 }}{{cite web|url=http://www.saps.gov.za/statistics/reports/rural_safety/eng/pages/no2e.htm |title=The South African National Defence Force: The Commando System|publisher=South African Police Service, Department of Safety and Security|access-date=2008-01-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071206150052/http://www.saps.gov.za/statistics/reports/rural_safety/eng/pages/no2e.htm |archive-date=2007-12-06 }} The Commando system was phased out between 2003 and 2008 "because of the role it played in the apartheid era", according to the Minister of Safety and Security Charles Nqakula.{{cite web|last1=de Lange|first1=Deon|title=South Africa: Commandos Were 'Hostile to New SA'|url=http://allafrica.com/stories/200805290408.html|work=Cape Argus|access-date=5 March 2015|url-access=subscription }}

Unit Insignia

File:SADF era Bethlehem Commando insignia ver 2.jpg

Leadership

{{Post-member|from-date=1900|post-incumbent=Commandant Michael Prinsloo|to-date=nd}}