unit8

I have him as falling out of the aircraft as well, he was not strapped in, one or two others also fell out of their aircraft. One other who fell out of his future brother in laws aircraft, explain that to your sister.

A number of SAAF pilots wore RAF Wings as those are what they were awarded in Southern Rhodesia if they did their flying training there and not SAAF wings. Southern Rhodesia was part of the Empire Scheme where as SA was not, SA had her own scheme with the RAF JATS which differed in a number of ways. One very well known SAAF Fighter pilot had RAF wings on arriving in North Africa, he did his training in Southern Rhodesia. He was told by his Sqn Commander to bin them and wear SAAF wings in North Africa.

Brett Hendey who was this SAAF pilot

The oath was also taken twice during the war, plus no conscription was used all South Africans were volunteers. The first oath was taken for service in Africa, after the defeat of the Germans in North Africa the oath was taken again stating the volunteer would serve for the duration and anywhere.

Post war produced P-38 were the first pistols taken into service by the South African Police in the early 1970's. Was the standard issue pistol until the early 1980's when the Beretta Model 92 series weapons were issued, the same weapon was later chosen by the US military and is produced in South Africa under the name Z88. The P-38 has a single stack magazine so only holds 8 rounds, the Beretta magazine is a double stack so holds 15 rounds. But one thing a Beretta can not and what a P-38 is very good at, is opening bottles. It is an exellent bottle opener, with the slide held back place the bottle top under the barrel and rest it on the body and it removes the bottle top. Would not do it with these old WWII produced weapons though.

Forgot to mention it also comes in three sizes, the size shown is a unvoided Cap badge. Which comes in a voided and unvoided version and the unvoided version also comes in white metal (silver colour) The voided is gilted and was worn by officers The unvoided by other ranks The unvoided white metal only worn by non-white Policemen

The SAPolice badge shown was worn from 1913 to 1925/26 when Dutch fell away to be replaced by Afrikaans. ie Zuid Afrikaanse Politie changed to Suid Afrikaanse Poliesie spelling changed again in the 1930's to Suid Afrikaanse Polisie

In 1904 the Cape Police (founded in 1882) which were divided into three Districts became one Police Force the Cape Mounted Police. Cape Police Districts Pre 1904 District 1 HQ King Williams Town (Eastern Cape) District 2 HQ Kimberley (Griqualand West) District 1 HQ Cape Town (Western Cape) Cape Mounted Police HQ was Cape Town. The Cape Mounted Rifles were a seperate Force and had started off as the Frontier Armed and Mounted Police in 1855 and were renamed Cape Mounted Rifles (Colonial) in 1878. They are not to be mistaken with an earlier Imperial Military Unit also called the Cape Mounted Rifles. The Natal Mounted Police (NMP) were founded in 1874 and were based on the (FAMP/CMR) by their founder Col Dartnell who spent some time with the FAMP/CMR to get ideas. The NMP were renamed the Natal Police in 1894 when all Police Forces and Jails in Natal Colony were amalgamated into one Force the Natal Police under Dartnells command. In 1913 1 April the South African Mounted Rifles were founded under the Union Defence Act. They were a military unit who in peace time would police the rural areas (inhabited by blacks mainly), also on 1 April 1913 the South African Police were founded under the Union Police Act, they were to be a police force and in war time to be conscripred into the military. Generally speaking the SAMR were mostly the old Mounted Police units from the pre 1913 units Natal Police, CMP, CMR and Transvaal Police. The SAP were mainly the foot units as their main task was the urban areas. By 1927 the SAMR were disbanded and the SAP had absorbed most of their members and duties.

The hard metal flashes were normally only worn on step out uniforms. For the work dress there is a rubberised version called tupperware. The larger tiger badge is a cap badge and the smaller are dog collar badges. Dog collars are also some times used as a beret badge. I have spare Transkian (SF) metal flashes still in their plastic bags. If interetsed contact me with a PM.

They are for the Kenya Regiment Territorial Force, which was a Colonial era unit prior to WWII

I have to agree with you on that point, that there are always different claims to who is the eldest etc. I just prefer the NC as they have remained themselves with the odd add on carve off ie left wing and right wing (UMR), where as the NMR were an amalgamation. The PAG is 1856 or 57 if I remember off the top of my head

Brabants Horse were raised in 1899 and disbanded in 1901. They mainly served in the north eastern cape Queenstown and Dordrecht area (0n the Orange Free State, Lesotho border) but went other places as well. The unit consisted of Autralians,Canadians, British and colonials from the Cape and Natal. The latter two would become two of the four provinces which would make up the Union of South Africa in 1910

South Africa's oldest Regiment and recognised as such from what I understand is the Natal Carbineers (NC) first raised in Pietermaritzburg in 1855 and are still going strong. The Natal Mounted Rifles (NMR) was formed in 1888 by amalgamating about 4-6 units, one these amalgamated units was raised in 1854. In 1910 the Union of South Africa was created by joining four seperate British Colonies into one country. In 1913 with the formation of the Union Defence Force of South Africa under the 1912 Defence Act the Cavalry Regiments were numbered by seniority 1st & 2nd Mounted Rifles were the Natal Carbineers (Pietermaritburg and Ladysmith based respectively) 3rd Mounted Rifles was the Natal Mounted Rifles 4th Mounted Rifles was the Umvoti Mounted Rifles In 1932 all reverted to their name only. The NC is now an Infantry Regiment The NMR is now an Armoured Corps Regiment

For getting green stuff off medals and leather use vinegar. Remove all ribbons if possible otherwise work very slowly and carefully. Rub in on with a cloth, ear bud and do it until all the green stuff is gone. Then abit of water to get rid of the vingar traces and dry throughly. With leather immediately rub the leather down with dubin to moisten it as the vinegar will dry it out.

The South African Police (SAP 1913 - 1994) had a mess dress for each sex. Females could only join the SAP from the early 1970's. I have a males mess dress in my collection to a Captain. It is just missing the white shirt. The South African Police Service (SAPS 1994 to date) I am not sure if it has mess dress as all the military style traditions the SAP had have been done away with, including the SAP colors with its eleven Battle Honours. 9 are for WWI and WWII battles the SAP fought in against the Germans.