S.A.State President's Guard Shako

[Mervyn Mitton]

This is a very interesting South African shako - worn by the State President'd Guard until the change over in 1994. This was worn during normal parades and guard postings - for ceremonial occasions there was a white pith helmet , with spike, however, both used the same enamel badge. They have become rare.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Side view - showing height of ostrich plume

[Arthur R]

This is a very interesting South African shako - worn by the State President'd Guard until the change over in 1994. This was worn during normal parades and guard postings - for ceremonial occasions there was a white pith helmet , with spike, however, both used the same enamel badge. They have become rare.

Thanks for the photo - I'd forgotten the ostrich feather plume!

To amplify the chronology:

- State P

[Arthur R]

This is a very interesting South African shako - worn by the State President'd Guard until the change over in 1994. This was worn during normal parades and guard postings - for ceremonial occasions there was a white pith helmet , with spike, however, both used the same enamel badge. They have become rare.

I'd forgotten they used to have an ostrich feather plume on the shako!

To amplify the chronology:

- State President's Guard was formed in May 1967, at the request of outgoing President Swart

- adopted a dark green full dress uniform with gold frogging, and this shako (uniform was loosely based on that of the 19th-century State Artillery in the Transvaal republic)

- cap badge was the South African national coat of arms

- name was changed to State President's Unit in December 1985, under President Botha

- full dress uniform was replaced by "stepout" service dress uniform with a white polo helmet with spike

- unit was disbanded in the early 1990s, under President De Klerk

- unit was revived c2000 as the Ceremonial Guard Unit, under President Mbeki

- uniform is similar to the 1967-85 uniform, but the shako does not have the plume, and the badge is a 5-pointed star in a wreath.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Glad it revived memories - and excellent data for members on the chronology. I'm guessing you may have had something to do with the unit ?

Mervyn

[sabrigade]

Hi Mervyn,

Arthur has summarised the history of the unit in very concise manner. I was a member in 1979. What is often forgotten is that the State President's Guard performed an operational as well as a ceremonial function and was therefore deployed for long periods of time during the border war in Northern Namibia. For routine dress, the standard uniform and infantry beret with badge was worn.

Regards,

Will

[Arthur R]

I'm guessing you may have had something to do with the unit ?

No connection - I just have the information. Living in Cape Town, I often used to see the SPG sentries standing at the gate outside the Groote Schuur estate in Rondebosch, looking rather incongruously ruritanian next to a concrete highway.

I recall that before the uniform was changed to the "stepouts" in 1985, an even more ruritanian outfit was designed, with a blue tunic (with orange facings and white piping and Austrian knots) and a white helmet with plumes. The unit rejected it, and the blue tunics tunics later ended up being worn by the newly formed Castle Guard instead.

[Mervyn Mitton]

Will - Hi ! Interesting that you were in the Guard. Do you have a picture of that dreadful turquoise tunic - as Arthur said - very incongruous.

Mervyn