Fact file: 8 SA Division

8 SA Division was established as an armoured formation on August 1, 1974, consisting of 81 Armoured Brigade, 82 Mechanised Brigade and 84 Motorised Brigade. It was, in many respects, a mirror of 7 SA Division. A provisional 1977 order of battle had 8 SA Infantry Division organised as follows:

Divisional Troops

Artillery

• 18 Locating Regiment, SAA

 

Light Antiaircraft

• 18 Antiaircraft Regiment (35mm), SAA

• 28 Antiaircraft Regiment (20mm), SAA

 

Medium Artillery

• 18 Medium Regiment, SAA

 

Engineers

• 18 Field Squadron, SAEC

• 18 Engineer Support Regiment, SAEC

   

Armour

• 18 Tank Regiment, SAAC

• 18 Forward Delivery Squadron, SAAC

   

Signals

• 18 Signals Group

 

Maintenance

• 18 Maintenance Unit

• 18 Field Workshop, TSC

   

Medical

• 18 Mobile Hospital

• 18 Field Ambulance Unit

 

Military Police

• 18 Provost Company, SACMP

 

Recce

• 8 Combat Reconnaissance Brigade

• 81 Armoured Car Regiment, SAAC

• 82 Armoured Car Regiment, SAAC

• 83 Armoured Car Regiment, SAAC

   

Brigades

 

81 Armoured Brigade

• 811 Tank Regiment, SAAC

• 812 Tank Regiment, SAAC

• 813 Mechanised Battalion, SAIC

• 81 Medium Regiment (SP), SAA

• 81 Field Squadron, SAEC

• 81 Signals Unit

• 81 Maintenance Unit

• 81 Field Workshop, TSC

• 81 Field Ambulance

 

82 Mechanised Brigade

• 821 Mechanised Battalion, SAIC

• 822 Mechanised Battalion, SAIC

• 823 Tank Regiment, SAAC

• 82 Field Regiment, SAA

• 82 Field Squadron, SAEC

• 82 Signals Unit

• 82 Maintenance Unit

• 82 Field Workshop, TSC

• 82 Field Ambulance

•  

83 Mechanised Brigade

• 831 Mechanised Battalion, SAIC

• 832 Mechanised Battalion, SAIC

• 833 Tank Regiment, SAAC

• 83 Field Regiment, SAA

• 83 Field Squadron, SAEC

• 83 Signals Unit

• 83 Maintenance Unit

• 83 Field Workshop, TSC

• 83 Field Ambulance

   

84 Motorised Brigade

• 841 Motorised Battalion, SAIC

• 84 Field Regiment, SAA

• 842 Motorised Battalion, SAIC

• 843 Motorised Battalion, SAIC

• 84 Field Squadron, SAEC

• 84 Signals Unit

• 84 Maintenance Unit

• 84 Field Workshop, TSC

• 84 Field Ambulance

   

By 1985, 8 SA Division consisted of 81 Armoured Brigade, 84 Motorised Brigade and 72 Motorised Brigade. 82 Mechanised Brigade was under command of 7 SA Division. The division’s brigades were disbanded in 1992 and the battalions and regiments came to answer directly to the divisional headquarters¹ – the thinking was that these would be grouped into task forces as required. The concept was never put to a serious test. The formation was also renamed 8 SA Division. The division was effectively disbanded on April 1, 1997, when its former units became part of 7 SA Division as 74 Brigade.